Patent ID: 7440670

Claim:
A retention release auxiliary device for an optical connector, the optical connector including a plug to which an optical fiber is coupled and a receptacle into which the plug is inserted, wherein the plug is provided with a lever on a front side of a body of the plug, the lever being elastically deformable to approach the body of the plug by operating an end portion of the lever with fingers, an engaging portion formed in the lever engages with an engaging portion provided in the receptacle, leading to retention of the engaging portion of the lever and the engaging portion of the receptacle, the lever is caused to be deformed against an elastic force thereof by operating the end portion of the lever with fingers, so that the engagement between the engaging portions is released, enabling detachment of the plug from the receptacle, the retention release auxiliary device comprises a base part that is provided fixedly with respect to the receptacle, and an auxiliary lever that is provided elastically deformable with respect to the base part and elastically deformable in an orthogonal direction with respect to a direction in which the lever is deformed, and the auxiliary lever includes an inclined pressing part that is touchable, from a lateral side, to the end portion of the lever, the inclined pressing part presses against the end portion of the lever and moves the lever by pressing an outer surface side of the auxiliary lever and deforming the auxiliary lever, enabling release of the engagement between the engaging portions.