US-12619034-B2 - Ferrule, optical connector, and optical connection structure

Abstract

A ferrule includes an optical fiber holding portion configured to hold a plurality of optical fibers, and a first side surface and a second side surface facing each other in a second direction intersecting a first direction in which the optical fiber holding portion extends. The first side surface is provided with a first recessed portion or a first protruding portion extending along the first direction. The second side surface is provided with a second recessed portion or a second protruding portion extending along the first direction. In this ferrule, the first recessed portion or the first protruding portion includes a first positioning portion and a second positioning portion separated from each other in the first direction.

Inventors

• Sho YAKABE
• Yuto FUJIHARA
• Dai Sasaki
• Motoyoshi Kimura
• Manabu Izaki

Assignees

• SUMITOMO ELECTRIC INDUSTRIES, LTD.
• NIPPON TSUSHIN DENZAI CO., LTD.

Dates

Publication Date

20260505

Application Date

20210917

Priority Date

20200925

Claims (19)

1. 1 . A ferrule comprising: an optical fiber holding portion configured to hold a plurality of optical fibers; and a first side surface and a second side surface facing each other in a second direction intersecting a first direction in which the optical fiber holding portion extends, wherein the first side surface is provided with a first recessed portion or a first protruding portion extending along the first direction, and the second side surface is provided with a second recessed portion or a second protruding portion extending along the first direction, wherein the first recessed portion or the first protruding portion includes a first positioning portion and a second positioning portion both of which (i) are provided on a continuous surface of the first recessed portion or of the first protruding portion, (ii) are formed to protrude from the continuous surface by a same amount, and (iii) are separated from each other in the first direction along the continuous surface by a distance greater than a width of the first positioning portion, and wherein the first recessed portion or the first protruding portion further includes a first stepped portion located between the first positioning portion and the second positioning portion and extending along the first direction, and the first stepped portion is recessed inward of the ferrule with respect to a surface of the first positioning portion and a surface of the second positioning portion.
2. 2 . The ferrule according to claim 1 , wherein the first stepped portion is recessed in a range of 0.005 mm or more and 2 mm or less with respect to the surface of the first positioning portion and the surface of the second positioning portion.
3. 3 . The ferrule according to claim 1 , wherein the first positioning portion and the second positioning portion are separated from each other in the first direction by a distance of 1 mm or more and 10 mm or less.
4. 4 . The ferrule according to claim 1 , wherein the first positioning portion and the second positioning portion are formed inward so as to be separated from an adjacent end surface of the ferrule or an adjacent flange portion of the ferrule in the first direction by at least 0.1 mm or more.
5. 5 . The ferrule according to claim 1 , wherein the first positioning portion and the second positioning portion each have a width of 0.5 mm or more and 3 mm or less along the first direction.
6. 6 . The ferrule according to claim 1 , wherein the first positioning portion and the second positioning portion each have a V shape or a U shape in a cross section perpendicular to the first direction in a case of the first recessed portion, and have a semicircular protrusion shape or an elliptical protrusion shape in a case of the first protruding portion.
7. 7 . The ferrule according to claim 1 , wherein the second recessed portion or the second protruding portion includes a third positioning portion and a fourth positioning portion separated from each other in the first direction, and a second stepped portion located between the third positioning portion and the fourth positioning portion and extending along the first direction, the second stepped portion is recessed inward of the ferrule with respect to a surface of the third positioning portion and a surface of the fourth positioning portion.
8. 8 . The ferrule according to claim 7 , wherein arrangement positions of the third positioning portion and the fourth positioning portion on the second recessed portion or the second protruding portion in the first direction correspond to arrangement positions of the first positioning portion and the second positioning portion on the first recessed portion or the first protruding portion in the first direction.
9. 9 . The ferrule according to claim 1 , further comprising a first end surface and a second end surface facing each other in the first direction, wherein the first end surface is provided with a plurality of lenses or a plurality of through holes corresponding to the plurality of optical fibers, and the second end surface is provided with an opening into which the plurality of optical fibers are collectively insertable.
10. 10 . An optical connector comprising: the ferrule according to claim 1 ; and the plurality of optical fibers held in the optical fiber holding portion.
11. 11 . The ferrule according to claim 1 , wherein the first positioning portion and the second positioning portion each have an outer surface aligned along an outer surface of the first recessed portion or the first protruding portion, and the outer surface of each of the first and second positioning portions protrudes outward with respect to the outer surface of the first recessed portion or the first protruding portion.
12. 12 . The ferrule according to claim 1 , wherein the first and second positioning portions have a same shape.
13. 13 . An optical connection structure comprising: a plurality of optical fibers; a ferrule that holds the plurality of optical fibers; and an adapter having a tubular shape and configured such that the ferrule is inserted and fitted into the adapter such that the ferrule and another ferrule as a connection object face each other inside the tubular shape, wherein the ferrule includes a first side surface and a second side surface facing each other in a second direction intersecting a first direction in which the ferrule is inserted into the adapter, the first side surface is provided with a first recessed portion or a first protruding portion extending along the first direction, and the second side surface is provided with a second recessed portion or a second protruding portion extending along the first direction, wherein the adapter includes an inner surface provided with a third protruding portion fittable with the first recessed portion or a third recessed portion fittable with the first protruding portion, and a fourth protruding portion fittable with the second recessed portion or a fourth recessed portion fittable with the second protruding portion, and wherein the first recessed portion or the first protruding portion includes a first positioning portion and a second positioning portion both of which (i) are provided on a first continuous surface of the first recessed portion or of the first protruding portion, (ii) are formed to protrude from the first continuous surface by a same amount, and (iii) are separated from each other in the first direction along the first continuous surface by a distance greater than a width of the first positioning portion, and the second recessed portion or the second protruding portion includes a third positioning portion and a fourth positioning portion both of which (i) are provided on a second continuous surface of the second recessed portion or of the second protruding portion, (ii) are formed to protrude from the second continuous surface by a same amount, and (iii) are separated from each other in the first direction along the second continuous surface by a distance greater than a width of the third positioning portion, or the third protruding portion or the third recessed portion includes a first positioning portion and a second positioning portion both of which (i) are provided on a third continuous surface of the third protruding portion or the third recessed portion, (ii) are formed to protrude from the third continuous surface by a same amount, and (iii) are separated from each other in the first direction along the third continuous surface by a distance greater than a width of the first positioning portion, and the fourth protruding portion or the fourth recessed portion includes a third positioning portion and a fourth positioning portion both of which (i) are provided on a fourth continuous surface of the fourth protruding portion or the fourth recessed portion, (ii) are formed to protrude from the fourth continuous surface by a same amount, and (iii) are separated from each other in the first direction along the fourth continuous surface by a distance greater than a width of the third positioning portion.
14. 14 . The optical connection structure according to claim 13 , wherein, in a case where the first recessed portion or the first protruding portion includes the first positioning portion and the second positioning portion, and the second recessed portion or the second protruding portion includes the third positioning portion and the fourth positioning portion, the first recessed portion or the first protruding portion further includes a stepped portion located between the first positioning portion and the second positioning portion and extending along the first direction, and the stepped portion is recessed inward of the ferrule with respect to a surface of the first positioning portion and a surface of the second positioning portion.
15. 15 . The optical connection structure according to claim 13 , wherein, in a case where the first recessed portion or the first protruding portion includes the first positioning portion and the second positioning portion, and the second recessed portion or the second protruding portion includes the third positioning portion and the fourth positioning portion, in a plane perpendicular to the first direction, the first positioning portion and the second positioning portion are contactable with the third protruding portion or the third recessed portion, and the third positioning portion and the fourth positioning portion are contactable with the fourth protruding portion or the fourth recessed portion.
16. 16 . The optical connection structure according to claim 13 , wherein, in a case where the first recessed portion or the first protruding portion includes the first positioning portion and the second positioning portion, and the second recessed portion or the second protruding portion includes the third positioning portion and the fourth positioning portion, at least one of the third protruding portion or the third recessed portion and the fourth protruding portion or the fourth recessed portion is configured to be elastically deformable in the second direction.
17. 17 . The optical connection structure according to claim 13 , wherein, in a case where the first recessed portion or the first protruding portion includes the first positioning portion and the second positioning portion, the first positioning portion and the second positioning portion each have an outer surface aligned along an outer surface of the first recessed portion or the first protruding portion, and the outer surface of each of the first and second positioning portions protrudes outward with respect to the outer surface of the first recessed portion or the first protruding portion, and in a case where the third protruding portion or the third recessed portion includes the first positioning portion and the second positioning portion, the first positioning portion and the second positioning portion each have an outer surface aligned along an outer surface of the third protruding portion or the third recessed portion, and the outer surface of each of the first and second positioning portions protrudes outward with respect to the outer surface of the third protruding portion or the third recessed portion.
18. 18 . The optical connection structure according to claim 13 , wherein the first positioning portion included in the first recessed portion or the first protruding portion, and second positioning portion included in the first recessed portion or the first protruding portion, have a same shape.
19. 19 . A ferrule comprising: an optical fiber holding portion configured to hold a plurality of optical fibers; and a first side surface and a second side surface facing each other in a second direction intersecting a first direction in which the optical fiber holding portion extends, wherein the first side surface is provided with a first recessed portion or a first protruding portion extending along the first direction, and the second side surface is provided with a second recessed portion or a second protruding portion extending along the first direction, wherein the first recessed portion or the first protruding portion includes a first positioning portion and a second positioning portion both of which (i) are provided on a continuous surface of the first recessed portion or of the first protruding portion, (ii) are formed to protrude from the continuous surface by a same amount, and (iii) are separated from each other in the first direction along the continuous surface by a distance greater than a width of the first positioning portion, and wherein the first positioning portion and the second positioning portion are formed inward so as to be separated from an adjacent end surface of the ferrule or an adjacent flange portion of the ferrule in the first direction by at least 0.1 mm or more.

Description

TECHNICAL FIELD The present disclosure relates to a ferrule, an optical connector, and an optical connection structure. The present application claims priority based on Japanese Patent Application No. 2020-161212 filed on Sep. 25, 2020, the entire contents of which are incorporated herein by reference. BACKGROUND ART Patent Literature 1 discloses a technique for aligning a plurality of optical fibers with each other using a guide pin. In this technique, one end portions of a pair of guide pins are respectively inserted into a pair of guide pin insertion holes provided in a distal end surface of a ferrule, and the other ends of the pair of guide pins are respectively inserted into a pair of guide pin insertion holes provided in a distal end surface of a ferrule as a connection counterpart. As a result, the plurality of optical fibers are aligned with each other (that is, alignment between the plurality of optical fibers and the plurality of optical fiber as a connection counterpart). CITATION LIST Patent Literature Patent Literature 1: Japanese Unexamined Patent Publication No. 2019-90974 SUMMARY OF INVENTION The present disclosure provides, as an aspect, a ferrule. The ferrule includes an optical fiber holding portion configured to hold a plurality of optical fibers, and a first side surface and a second side surface facing each other in a second direction intersecting a first direction in which the optical fiber holding portion extends. The first side surface is provided with a first recessed portion or a first protruding portion extending along the first direction. The second side surface is provided with a second recessed portion or a second protruding portion extending along the first direction. The first recessed portion or the first protruding portion includes a first positioning portion and a second positioning portion separated from each other in the first direction. The present disclosure provides, as another aspect, an optical connector. The optical connector includes the ferrule described above, and the plurality of optical fibers held in the optical fiber holding portion. The present disclosure provides, as still another aspect, an optical connection structure. The optical connection structure includes a plurality of optical fibers, a ferrule holding the plurality of optical fibers, and an adapter. The adapter includes a tubular shape and is configured such that the ferrule is inserted and fitted into the adapter such that the ferrule and another ferrule as a connection object face each other inside the tubular shape. The ferrule includes a first side surface and a second side surface facing each other in a second direction intersecting a first direction in which the ferrule is inserted into the adapter. The first side surface is provided with a first recessed portion or a first protruding portion extending along the first direction. The second side surface is provided with a second recessed portion or a second protruding portion extending along the first direction. The adapter includes an inner surface provided with a third protruding portion fittable with the first recessed portion or a third recessed portion fittable with the first protruding portion, and a fourth protruding portion fittable with the second recessed portion or a fourth recessed portion fittable with the second protruding portion. In the optical connection structure, the first recessed portion or the first protruding portion includes a first positioning portion and a second positioning portion separated from each other in the first direction, and the second recessed portion or the second protruding portion includes a third positioning portion and a fourth positioning portion separated from each other in the first direction, or the third protruding portion or the third recessed portion includes a first positioning portion and a second positioning portion separated from each other in the first direction, and the fourth protruding portion or the fourth recessed portion includes a third positioning portion and a fourth positioning portion separated from each other in the first direction. BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF DRAWINGS FIG. 1 is a perspective view illustrating a state in which an optical connector is attached to an adapter in an optical connection structure according to an embodiment. FIG. 2 is a perspective view illustrating a state in which the optical connector is detached from the adapter in the optical connection structure illustrated in FIG. 1. FIG. 3 is a perspective view illustrating the optical connector according to an embodiment. FIG. 4 is a perspective view illustrating a ferrule of the optical connector illustrated in FIG. 3. FIG. 5 is a perspective view illustrating a state in which the ferrule (optical connector) illustrated in FIG. 4 is connected to another ferrule (optical connector) in an adapter according to a modification. FIG. 6 is a view of a connection state illustrated in FIG. 5 as viewed from a side surface