Patent Description:
An optical fiber connector assembly is a component used to connect optical cables, connect an optical cable and an optic-to-electric component, and connect optic-to-electric components in an optical fiber communications system. The optical fiber connector assembly precisely interconnects two optical fiber end surfaces that need to be connected, so that photon energy output by a transmit optical fiber can be coupled to a receive optical fiber to an utmost extent.

In a process of routing a drop cable in a fiber to the home (Fiber To The Home, FTTH) network, one method is to perform splicing, that is, an optical fiber terminal corresponding to each home is allocated in a fiber division box that is located at a connectorised fiber distribution point (Connectorised Fiber Distribution Point, CFDP), the optical fiber terminal and a drop cable of each home are spliced in the fiber division box by using an optical fiber splicer, and then the drop cable is routed to each home. At the other end of the drop cable, field splicing also needs to be performed, so as to connect the drop cable to a customer terminal box (Customer Splicing Point, CSP) of each home. The method has the following disadvantages: A dedicated optical fiber splicing device is required, a requirement on skills of operating personnel is relatively high, and an entire process of routing a drop cable takes a relatively long time. Another method is to use a field connector product, that is, a to-be-connected optical fiber in a distribution optical cable is terminated first and connected to one end of an adapter; and for a user to access a network, a field-made connector terminates the drop cable and connects the drop cable to the other end of the adapter, so that the user accesses the network. The drop cable is then routed to each home. At the other end of the drop cable, a field connector is also disposed, so as to connect the drop cable to a customer terminal box of each home. In this method, although the splicer is not used, the field connector has problems of large insertion loss and low reliability; particularly, after the field connector is used for a period of time, problems that the insertion loss becomes larger and a field success rate is low occur frequently.

An optical fiber connectorised product can resolve these problems well. The connectorising refers to that a drop cable is terminated in a factory, and optical, mechanical, environmental, and other performance tests are performed on the drop cable. Two ends of the drop cable in the optical fiber connectorised product are equipped with optical fiber sub-assemblies, and fiber adapters that match the optical fiber sub-assemblies are also disposed in a corresponding fiber division box and CSP. In a process of routing a drop cable, it is only required to insert the optical fiber sub-assemblies at the two ends of the drop cable into the fiber adapters in the corresponding fiber division box and customer terminal box.

The optical fiber connectorised product can eliminate a damage or safety impact, which may be caused by various uncertain factors on an optical fiber link to an utmost extent in design, construction, and use of an optical fiber network, ensure system security, meet a design requirement, and also reduce time and devices for field construction.

The prior art provides an optical fiber connector, as shown in <FIG>. For a lock structure of the optical fiber connector and an adapter, a single threaded connection locking manner is used, and during lock and removal, it is required to twist in a circle many times; the operation is inconvenient. Moreover, in the single threaded connection locking manner, consistency in lock effects cannot be ensured due to different manual tightening forces of different operating personnel, and a threaded connection easily loosens after long-time vibration, thereby affecting reliability of a connector. <CIT> discloses an optical fiber connection head, optical fiber adaptor and optical fiber connector. <CIT> discloses a fiber optic connector, supporting member used therein, and method of connecting the fiber optic connector to a fiber optic cable. <CIT> discloses an optical fiber connector.

In view of this, embodiments of the present invention provide an optical fiber connector that supports plug-and-play, which resolves a technical problem in the prior art that threaded connection easily loosens and affects reliability. A first aspect of the invention relates to an optical fiber connector as defined in claim <NUM>.

With reference to the first aspect, in a first possible implementation manner of the first aspect, the coupling shaft (<NUM>) is sleeved by an O-ring (<NUM>) having a sealing function.

With reference to the first aspect or the first possible implementation manner of the first aspect, in a second possible implementation manner of the first aspect, the coupling shaft (<NUM>) is further provided with a groove (<NUM>) configured to mount the O-ring (<NUM>).

With reference to either one of the possible implementation manners of the first aspect, in a third possible implementation manner of the first aspect, the coupling shaft (<NUM>) is further provided with a chamfered plane (<NUM>), and the chamfered plane (<NUM>) is configured to clamp a wrench when threads are tightened.

With reference to any one of the possible implementation manners of the first aspect, in a fourth possible implementation manner of the first aspect, the coupling shaft (<NUM>) is further provided with a second groove (<NUM>), and the second groove (<NUM>) is configured to mount a snap ring (<NUM>) positioning the outer sleeving element (<NUM>).

With reference to the fourth possible implementation manner of the first aspect, in a fifth possible implementation manner of the first aspect, the optical fiber connector further includes a sealing tube (<NUM>), and the sealing tube (<NUM>) is of an elastic material and configured to seal the flat drop cable (<NUM>).

With reference to the fourth or fifth possible implementation manner of the first aspect, in a sixth possible implementation manner, an outer surface of the sealing tube (<NUM>) is cylindrical, and a cross section of a bore of the sealing tube (<NUM>) is <NUM>-shaped.

With reference to the fourth or fifth possible implementation manner of the first aspect, in a seventh possible implementation manner of the first aspect, an outer surface of the flat drop cable (<NUM>) is coated with a layer of sealant, the flat drop cable (<NUM>) is sleeved by the sealing tube (<NUM>), and a sealing ring (<NUM>) sleeves the sealing tube (<NUM>), to fasten the sealing tube (<NUM>) and the flat drop cable (<NUM>).

With reference to the third possible implementation manner of the first aspect, in an eighth possible implementation manner of the first aspect, the optical fiber connector further includes a dustproof cap (<NUM>), the dustproof cap (<NUM>) is connected to an optical fiber connector body (<NUM>) by using a connecting rope (<NUM>), and an outer surface of the dustproof cap (<NUM>) is provided with at least one chute (<NUM>), which is configured to allow the projection (<NUM>) to slide into the chute (<NUM>) when the optical fiber connector is plugged into the dustproof cap (<NUM>), so as to implement locking.

In the optical fiber connector provided in the embodiments of the present invention, a low-cost flat drop cable is used, which can achieve a stretching resistance of <NUM> N (Newton) and implement an Ingress Protection Rating of IP67, and can be applied to an outdoor environment. Moreover, the optical fiber connector provided in the embodiments of the present invention implements plug-and-play and is easily operated; auxiliary alignment design provides more convenience to a field operation; and time for mounting and dismounting of a connector is shorter than time for mounting and dismounting of an ordinary thread connector. Further, the optical fiber connector provided in the embodiments of the present invention has good anti-vibration and anti-loosening effects, thereby improving long-time reliability of the connector. Lastly, the optical fiber connector provided in the embodiments of the present invention is provided with a ferrule-protected structure that prevents an end surface of the ferrule from coming into contact with another component, thereby protecting the end surface of the ferrule from being polluted, or protects, during an accidental fall, the ferrule from being damaged due to a crash.

To describe the technical solutions in the embodiments of the present invention or in the prior art more clearly, the following briefly introduces the accompanying drawings required for describing the embodiments.

The following clearly and completely describes the technical solutions in the embodiments of the present invention with reference to the accompanying drawings in the embodiments of the present invention. Apparently, the described embodiments are merely some but not all of the embodiments of the present invention. The protection scope of the present invention is defined by the appended claims.

<FIG> shows a part of a fiber to the x (Fiber To The x, FTTx) access network. An FTTx may be an FTTH (Fiber To The Home, fiber to the home), an FTTC (Fiber To The Curb, fiber to the curb), an FTTP (Fiber To The Premises, fiber to the premises), an FTTN (Fiber To The Node or Neighborhood, fiber to the node or neighborhood), an FTTO (Fiber To The Office, fiber to the office), or an FTTSA (Fiber To The Service area, fiber to the service area). In <FIG>, an FTTH network is used as an example. From a downstream of a central office (Central Office, CO), the FTTH includes a feeder link, a first <NUM>: N splitter, a distribution link, a second <NUM>: N splitter, and at least one branch link. In an embodiment of the present invention, an optical fiber connector assembly applied to an outdoor environment is applicable to the foregoing branch link. Although the FTTH network is used as an example in this embodiment of the present invention, another network structure may also be used, such as an FTTC, FTTP, FTTN, FTTO, or FTTSA network.

An optical fiber connector provided in an embodiment of the present invention is shown in <FIG>. The optical fiber connector includes an optical cable <NUM>, a rear retainer <NUM>, an outer sleeving element <NUM>, an inner sleeving element <NUM>, a connector sub-assembly <NUM>, a connecting rope <NUM>, and a dustproof cap <NUM>. The optical cable <NUM>, the rear retainer <NUM>, the outer sleeving element <NUM>, the inner sleeving element <NUM>, and the connector sub-assembly <NUM> form an optical fiber connector body <NUM>. The following standard connector sub-assembly may be used as the connector sub-assembly <NUM>, such as a Lucent connector (Lucent Connector, LC), a square connector (Square Connector, SC), a miniature unit connector (Miniature Unit Connector, MU), an MPO (Multi-fiber Push On, MPO) connector, or a ferrule connector (Ferrule Connector, FC). In this embodiment of the present invention, the connector sub-assembly <NUM> is of an SC type is used as an example for description. Certainly, the present invention is also applicable to the foregoing listed other standard connectors.

Further, <FIG> shows a schematic decomposition view of an optical fiber connector according to an embodiment of the present invention. As shown in <FIG>, the optical fiber connector further includes a tube <NUM>, a sealing ring <NUM>, a sealing tube <NUM>, a crimp ring <NUM>, a snap ring <NUM>, an elastic component <NUM>, a coupling shaft <NUM>, an O-ring <NUM>, a ceramic ferrule <NUM>, a ferrule dustproof cap <NUM>, and an O-ring <NUM>.

In this embodiment of the present invention, one end of the connector sub-assembly <NUM> is fastened to the flat drop cable <NUM>, and a bare fiber extending from the flat drop cable <NUM> goes through the connector sub-assembly <NUM>.

As shown in <FIG>, the elastic component <NUM> includes two ends 132a and 132b that are set oppositely. One end 132a of the elastic component <NUM> abuts on a shaft shoulder 134a that is of the coupling shaft (<NUM>) and is close to the connector sub-assembly <NUM>. In an implementation manner of the present invention, the elastic component <NUM> is a spring, and the elastic component <NUM> sleeves the coupling shaft <NUM>. The other end 132b of the elastic component <NUM> abuts on an inner shaft shoulder 130d of the outer sleeving element <NUM>. The elastic component <NUM> is configured to provide the outer sleeving element <NUM> with an elastic force along a direction that goes away from the connector sub-assembly <NUM>, and has a connecting and anti-loosening function.

The rear retainer <NUM> sleeves the tube <NUM> and is fastened by using the snap ring <NUM>. The rear retainer <NUM> may be processed first and then sleeve the tube <NUM>, and may also be cast in an integral injection molding manner.

The outer sleeving element <NUM> sleeves the inner sleeving element <NUM> and the coupling shaft <NUM>, and may slide forwards and backwards relative to the inner sleeving element <NUM>, and may also rotate relative to the inner sleeving element <NUM>. The outer sleeving element <NUM> is of a step-shaped circular tube structure. One end of the outer sleeving element <NUM> forms an inner shaft shoulder 130d inwards, which is configured to abut on the other end 132b of the elastic component <NUM>. An inner wall of the other end of the outer sleeving element <NUM> is provided with at least one protruding projection <NUM>, which may also be referred to as a lock point <NUM>. The projection <NUM> may be a cylindrical projection, or a projection in another shape. Certainly, in another implementation manner, the inner wall of the outer sleeving element <NUM> may be circumferentially provided with two or more projections <NUM>. When the optical fiber connector is plugged into a fiber adapter, the projection <NUM> buckles with a spiral lock groove on the fiber adapter, so as to implement a lock connection. In addition, there is an arrow alignment identifier at a front end on the surface of the outer sleeving element <NUM>, to indicate connected or unlocked states of the connector, and there is a symmetrical chamfered plane at a rear end, where there are vertical shallow grooves in the chamfered plane, to facilitate manual operation.

An outer surface of the dustproof cap <NUM> is provided with at least one chute <NUM>, and a quantity of chutes <NUM> should be the same as a quantity of projections <NUM>. The chute <NUM> is spiral and fits the projection <NUM> of the outer sleeving element <NUM>. The chute <NUM> extends from one end of the dustproof cap <NUM> of the connector in a circumferential direction of the dustproof cap <NUM> of the connector, and a tail end to which the chute <NUM> is extended is configured to buckle with the projection <NUM>. In this implementation manner, the tail end to which the chute <NUM> is extended is of an arc matching a shape of the projection <NUM>. An outer surface of the dustproof cap <NUM> of the connector is provided with an arrow identifier and identifiers "<NUM>" and "<NUM>". When the optical fiber connector is plugged into the dustproof cap <NUM> of the connector, the arrow identifier on the outer sleeving element <NUM> should be aligned with a position identifier <NUM> of the dustproof cap <NUM> of the connector, and when rotated to a position of "<NUM>" clockwise, the optical fiber connector enters a locked state. When the outer sleeving element <NUM> is rotated from the position of "<NUM>" to the position of "<NUM>" anticlockwise, the optical fiber connector enters an unlocked state. The dustproof cap <NUM> is further provided with the O-ring <NUM> and is tied to the optical fiber connector body outdoors by using the rope <NUM>. Before the optical fiber connector is plugged into the fiber adapter, the optical fiber connector may be connected to the dustproof cap <NUM>. The dustproof cap <NUM> has dustproof and waterproof protective functions.

When the dustproof cap <NUM> of the connector buckles with the optical fiber connector, the ferrule <NUM> and the inner sleeving element <NUM> are plugged into a receptacle of the dustproof cap <NUM>. The projection <NUM> of the optical fiber connector slides into the chute <NUM> of the dustproof cap <NUM> of the connector, and the dustproof cap <NUM> of the connector is rotated in a direction from "<NUM>" to "<NUM>", so that the projection <NUM> slides into the tail end of the chute <NUM>, to implement lock. By performing the foregoing operations, the dustproof cap <NUM> of the connector buckles with the optical fiber connector.

As shown in <FIG>, a front section of an internal structure of the optical fiber connector (the connecting rope in <FIG> is used as a line of demarcation, and a part on the right is the front section and a part on the left is a rear section) is a part that combines with the fiber adapter. The connector sub-assembly <NUM> is threadedly connected to the coupling shaft <NUM>, and the inner sleeving element <NUM> is sandwiched between the connector sub-assembly <NUM> and the coupling shaft <NUM> so that the inner sleeving element <NUM>, the connector sub-assembly <NUM>, and the coupling shaft <NUM> are fastened together. The inner sleeving element <NUM> coats the connector sub-assembly <NUM>, and a front end of the inner sleeving element <NUM> is higher than an end surface of the ceramic ferrule <NUM>, so that it can be avoided that the end surface of the ceramic ferrule <NUM> is polluted when the optical fiber connector is plugged in or pulled out, or the ceramic ferrule <NUM> is protected during an accidental fall. The inner sleeving element <NUM> is provided with an open slot, and the open slot extends from the front end of the inner sleeving element to the middle and even to a position close to a rear end surface. One end of the open slot is in a shape of a horn whose angle is greater than <NUM> degree and less than <NUM> degrees. The open slot is configured to allow the optical fiber connector to be plugged into a key <NUM> of the adapter (as shown in <FIG>) when the optical fiber connector is plugged into the fiber adapter, so that the optical fiber connector is aligned with the fiber adapter precisely, thereby implementing locating and foolproof functions. The open slot is further described subsequently in combination with the adapter.

The coupling shaft <NUM> is sleeved by the O-ring <NUM> having a sealing function, the spring <NUM> having an anti-loosening function, and the outer sleeving element <NUM> that is outermost. After the optical fiber connector is plugged into the fiber adapter, the spring <NUM> can exert backward stretching force to the outer sleeving element <NUM>, to implement the anti-loosening function.

The rear section of the optical fiber connector assembly (the connecting rope <NUM> in <FIG> is used as a line of demarcation, and the part on the left is the rear section) is a part for connecting, fastening, and sealing of a structural part of the optical fiber connector and the optical cable. One end of the connecting rope <NUM> is stuck at a position close to the middle of the coupling shaft <NUM>, and the other end is connected to the dustproof cap <NUM>. The snap ring <NUM> is stuck in a groove on the middle and rear part of the coupling shaft <NUM> and positions the connecting rope <NUM> and the outer sleeving element <NUM> in an axial direction.

<FIG> are respectively a schematic structural diagram and a side view of the coupling shaft <NUM>. As shown in <FIG>, the coupling shaft <NUM> includes a flange <NUM> and a plastic body <NUM>. The flange <NUM> and the plastic body <NUM> form an integral part by means of injection molding. An outer surface of the coupling shaft <NUM> is of a step-shaped column, and an integral structure of the coupling shaft <NUM> is a three-segment stepped shaft. A front end of the coupling shaft <NUM> (in <FIG>, a part on the right is the front end) is internally provided with a threaded hole <NUM> that is configured to connect to an external thread at a rear end of the connector sub-assembly <NUM>, and the inner sleeving element <NUM> is sandwiched between the connector sub-assembly <NUM> and the coupling shaft <NUM> so that the inner sleeving element <NUM>, the connector sub-assembly <NUM>, and the coupling shaft <NUM> are fastened together. A part of an outer surface of the plastic body <NUM> is a chamfered plane <NUM>, and the chamfered plane <NUM> is configured to clamp a wrench when threads are tightened. The coupling shaft <NUM> is further provided with a groove <NUM> configured to mount the O-ring <NUM>. The coupling shaft <NUM> is further provided with a groove <NUM>, and the groove <NUM> is configured to mount the snap ring <NUM> that position the connecting rope <NUM> and the outer sleeving element <NUM> in the axial direction. The flange <NUM> is a fixed connection point, on the structural body of the optical fiber connector, for the strength member <NUM> of the optical cable <NUM>. The strength member <NUM> of the optical cable <NUM> is placed between the crimp ring <NUM> and the flange <NUM>, and then the strength member <NUM> of the optical cable and the coupling shaft <NUM> are fastened together in a mechanical crimping manner. That is, stretching force received in a process in which the optical cable in use is transferred to the coupling shaft <NUM>, that is, transferred to the connector body. A material of the flange <NUM> may be a metallic material or a nonmetallic material such as a KFRP (Kevlar Fiberglass Reinforced Plastic, Kevlar Fiberglass Reinforced Plastic).

The flange <NUM> is provided with at least one hook groove <NUM>. As shown in <FIG>, in this embodiment of the present invention, that the flange <NUM> has two hook grooves <NUM> is used as an example. When viewed from the front, the hook groove <NUM> is a groove formed by cutting the flange <NUM> and having an arc-shaped opening. Two end points of the opening are 13451a and 13451b, and an arc-shaped edge of the opening is 13451c (as shown in <FIG> and <FIG>). A bottom of the opening is located above a bottom of the flange <NUM> and is preferably in the middle. As shown in <FIG>, the optical cable <NUM> in the present invention is a flat drop cable. A cross section of an optical cable sheath <NUM> of the optical cable <NUM> is <NUM>-shaped, and two sides of the optical cable <NUM> are provided with grooves. A bare fiber <NUM> is in a center of the flat drop cable <NUM> and connected to the ceramic ferrule <NUM> of the connector sub-assembly <NUM>. A traditional manner of direct riveting has no fastening function, and only a relatively low stretching resistance value can be reached in a manner of riveting or clamping the sheath of the flat drop cable. In the present invention, the flange <NUM> is provided with hook grooves <NUM>, and two strength members <NUM> of the flat drop cable are bent (shapes of the bent strength members are shown in <FIG> or <FIG>) and hooked in the hook grooves <NUM>, and then sleeved by the crimp ring <NUM> for mechanical crimping, as shown in <FIG>. In this way, the strength members <NUM> of the flat drop cable are fastened to the coupling shaft <NUM> firmly, thereby reaching a relatively high stretching resistance value.

According to <FIG>, it may be known that the cross section of the flat drop cable <NUM> is <NUM>-shaped, and each of the two sides of the flat drop cable has a thin groove. When a tail portion of the connector is sealed, a traditional sealing ring or heat shrink tubing cannot be used for sealing. In this embodiment of the present invention, the sealing tube <NUM> (as shown in <FIG>) made of an elastic material is used. The sealing tube <NUM> has a circular outer surface and may be sealed by using the traditional sealing ring or heat shrink tubing. A bore of the sealing tube <NUM> is an <NUM>-shaped through hole matching the shape and size of the cross section of the flat drop cable. When in use, an outer surface of the flat drop cable <NUM> is first coated with a layer of sealant, and the sealing tube <NUM> sleeves the flat drop cable <NUM>, implementing bonding and sealing by using the sealant. To prevent a failure of the sealant, in this embodiment of the present invention, a sealing ring <NUM> further sleeves the sealing tube <NUM>, and as shown in <FIG>, the sealing tube <NUM> and the flat drop cable <NUM> are fastened together in a mechanical crimping manner. According to this embodiment of the present invention, in a dual sealing manner of sealant plus mechanical crimping between the sealing tube <NUM> and the flat drop cable <NUM>, a good sealing effect and reliability are achieved. An outer surface of the sealing tube <NUM> is of a smooth and regular circle and may be sealed by using the traditional sealing ring or heat shrink tubing.

<FIG> are illustrations of specific implementation steps of a stretching resistance structure and a sealing manner between the flat drop cable and the optical fiber connector according to the present invention. As shown in <FIG>, <FIG> shows that two strength members <NUM> of the flat drop cable <NUM> are bent into hooks, one side 1102a of each of the hooks is configured to directly sit on the bottom of the opening of the hook groove of the coupling shaft, and the hooks are mounted to the hook grooves <NUM> on two sides of the flange <NUM> of the coupling shaft <NUM>. The sealing tube <NUM> and the flat drop cable <NUM> are also bonded together by a sealant. <FIG>, and <FIG> are locally enlarged schematic diagrams of hooking between the flange <NUM> of the coupling shaft <NUM> and the flat drop cable <NUM>. In an implementation manner, as shown in <FIG>, two sides 1102a of the bent strength members of the flat drop cable <NUM> are parallel to each other. In this case, the bottoms of the hook grooves are also of straight lines, so that the hook grooves are closely fitted with the strength members, where the bottoms of the hook grooves are of lines formed by two end points and a circumference of the flange <NUM>. In another implementation manner, as shown in <FIG>, the bent strength members of the flat drop cable <NUM> may also be arc-shaped. In this case, the bottoms of the hook grooves hooked by the arc-shaped flat drop cable <NUM> are also arc-shaped, so that the hook grooves are closely fitted with the strength members. The bottoms are of lines formed by two end points of the hook grooves <NUM> and the flange <NUM>. <FIG> shows that, the crimp ring <NUM> sleeves the flange <NUM> that has been hooked by the strength members <NUM>, and mechanical crimping is performed, so as to perform dual stretching resistance and fastening on the flat drop cable <NUM> and the coupling shaft <NUM>; and then, the sealing ring <NUM> sleeves the tail portion of the sealing tube <NUM>, and mechanical crimping is performed, so as to perform dual sealing on the flat drop cable <NUM> and the sealing tube <NUM>. <FIG> shows that, after the crimp ring <NUM> and the sealing ring <NUM> are crimped, a heat shrink tubing <NUM> with a sealant sleeves the sealing tube <NUM> and then the coupling shaft <NUM>, and then heat shrinkable sealing is performed. In this manner, the flat drop cable <NUM> and the optical fiber connector are completely sealed. As shown in <FIG>, after sleeving of the rear retainer <NUM>, an entire manufacturing procedure of the tail portion of the optical fiber connector of the flat drop cable is completed.

As shown in <FIG>, the fiber adapter includes two sockets <NUM> and <NUM> and a ceramic tube <NUM> that is placed in a center.

The socket <NUM> is provided with an optical fiber slot <NUM> and an inner sleeving element slot <NUM>. The optical fiber slot <NUM> and the inner sleeving element slot <NUM> extend axially along the socket <NUM>. The optical fiber slot <NUM> engages with the connector sub-assembly <NUM>, and the inner sleeving element slot <NUM> engages with the inner sleeving element <NUM>. The inner sleeving element slot <NUM> is provided with a locating key <NUM>. When the optical fiber connector is plugged into the fiber adapter, the C-shaped inner sleeving element engages with the locating key <NUM> and is plugged into the inner sleeving element slot <NUM>. In this implementation manner, the sockets <NUM> and <NUM> are cylindrical. The optical fiber slot <NUM> is a square slot. A cross section of the inner sleeving element slot <NUM> is C-shaped so as to fit the inner sleeving element <NUM>.

A periphery of the optical fiber socket <NUM> is provided with a chute <NUM>. The chute <NUM> is spiral and extends from one end of the socket <NUM> in a circumferential direction of the socket, and a tail end of the extension of the chute <NUM> buckles with the projection <NUM>. In this implementation manner, the chute <NUM> and the chute <NUM> have a same shape.

As shown in <FIG>, the fiber adapter includes an O-ring <NUM>, a locking nut <NUM>, an O-ring <NUM>, a socket body <NUM>, and a ceramic tube <NUM>. The O-ring <NUM>, the locking nut <NUM>, and the O-ring <NUM> sequentially sleeve the socket body <NUM>. The ceramic tube <NUM> is plugged into the other end of the socket body <NUM>, and is fastened by using the O-ring <NUM>.

The fiber adapter includes an adapter dustproof cap <NUM>. One end of the adapter dustproof cap <NUM> is provided with an adapter receptacle that receives the fiber adapter <NUM>. The adapter receptacle is provided with a projection, and the projection is slidably connected to the chute <NUM>.

When the optical fiber connector is plugged into the optical fiber slot, the inner sleeving element <NUM> is plugged into the inner sleeving element slot <NUM>, so that the connector sub-assembly <NUM> is plugged into the optical fiber slot <NUM>. The projection <NUM> of the optical fiber connector slides into the chute <NUM> of the fiber adapter. The outer sleeving element <NUM> is rotated, so that the projection <NUM> slides into the tail end of the chute <NUM>, so as to implement locking.

In the optical fiber connector provided in the embodiments of the present invention, a cost-effective flat drop cable is used, which can achieve a stretching resistance of <NUM> N (Newton) and implement an Ingress Protection Rating of IP67, and can be applied to an outdoor environment. Moreover, the optical fiber connector provided in the embodiments of the present invention implements plug-and-play, supports blind-mate, and is easy to operate; auxiliary alignment design provides more convenience to a field operation; and time for inserting and removing a connector is only <NUM>/<NUM> of time for inserting and removing an ordinary thread connector. Further, the optical fiber connector provided in the embodiments of the present invention has good anti-vibration and anti-loosening effects, thereby improving long-time reliability of the connector. Lastly, the optical fiber connector provided in the embodiments of the present invention is provided with a ferrule-protected structure that prevents an end surface of the ferrule from coming into contact with another component, thereby protecting the end surface of the ferrule from being polluted, or protects, during an accidental fall, the ferrule from being damaged due to a crash.

Claim 1:
An optical fiber connector(<NUM>), comprising:
a flat drop cable (<NUM>);
a connector sub-assembly (<NUM>), wherein one end of the connector sub-assembly (<NUM>) is fastened to the flat drop cable (<NUM>);
a coupling shaft (<NUM>), wherein the coupling shaft (<NUM>) is step-shaped and comprises a flange (<NUM>) and a plastic body (<NUM>), wherein one end of the plastic body (<NUM>) is provided with an internal thread that is configured to connect to an external thread of the connector sub-assembly (<NUM>);
an elastic component (<NUM>), wherein the elastic component (<NUM>) sleeves the coupling shaft (<NUM>), and one end (132a) of the elastic component (<NUM>) abuts on a shaft shoulder (134a) that is of the coupling shaft (<NUM>) and is close to the connector sub-assembly (<NUM>);
an inner sleeving element (<NUM>), configured to accommodate the connector sub-assembly (<NUM>), wherein one end of the inner sleeving element (<NUM>) is higher than an end surface of a ceramic ferrule (<NUM>) of the connector sub-assembly, and the inner sleeving element (<NUM>) is provided with an open slot, so that a cross section of the inner sleeving element (<NUM>) is C-shaped; and
an outer sleeving element (<NUM>), wherein the outer sleeving element (<NUM>) is configured to sleeve the inner sleeving element (<NUM>), and capable of sliding forwards and backwards relative to the inner sleeving element (<NUM>); the outer sleeving element (<NUM>) is of a step-shaped circular tube structure, and one end of the outer sleeving element (<NUM>) forms an inner shaft shoulder (130d) inwards, which is configured to abut on the other end (132b) of the elastic component (<NUM>); and an inner wall of the outer sleeving element (<NUM>) is provided with at least one protruding projection (<NUM>) that is configured to buckle with an adapter when the optical fiber connector is plugged into the adapter, characterised in that
the drop cable (<NUM>) is flat; in that
the body (<NUM>) of the shaft (<NUM>) is of plastic; and in that
the flange (<NUM>) of the shaft (<NUM>) is provided with at least one hook groove (<NUM>), wherein the hook groove is configured to hook a strength member (<NUM>) of the flat drop cable, the hook groove is a groove formed by cutting the flange (<NUM>), an opening (13451c) of the hook groove is arc-shaped, and a bottom of the hook groove is formed by two end points (13451a, 13451b) of the hook groove and the flange.