Optical Connector

Abstract

The invention relates to an optical connector for connecting plastic optical fibers for establishing multimedia connections in motor vehicles according to the MOST® standard with an ESD protection. The object formulated for the invention is to provide a connector which is resistant to voltage flashovers and, in particular, can be handled in a simple manner even after the effect of moisture. The object is achieved by means of an optical connector comprising a dielectric connector housing with a receptacle, an optical connection element and an electro-optical converter, wherein provision is made of at least an electrically conductive protection element against electrostatic discharges in the region of the receptacle.

Description

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

In the figures:

FIG. 1A is a top plan above of the U-shaped clamp with inserted electro-optical converters including fiber sections and an embodiment of the ESD protection element,

FIG. 1B is like FIG. 1A with the connector housing,

FIG. 2A is a front view of the arrangement from FIG. 1A,

FIG. 2B is like FIG. 2A with the connector housing,

FIG. 3A is a side view of the arrangement from FIG. 1A,

FIG. 3B is like FIG. 3A with the connector housing,

FIG. 4A is a bottom plan view below of the arrangement from FIG. 1A,

FIG. 4B is like FIG. 4A with the connector housing,

FIG. 5 is a perspective view of the arrangement from FIG. 1A diagonally from the front and above,

FIG. 6 is a perspective view of the arrangement from FIG. 1A diagonally from the front and below,

FIG. 7 is a perspective view of the arrangement from FIG. 1A diagonally from the rear and below,

FIG. 8 is a horizontal section taken generally along the line 8-8 in FIG. 2B, and

FIG. 9 is a horizontal section taken generally along the line 9-9 in FIG. 2B.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

FIG. 1A shows an external shielding in the form of a U-shaped shielding clamp 2 having a left-hand and right-hand side arm 4, 6 and a rear section 8, which is connected in one piece with the side arms. A horizontal covering section 10 is suspended on the rear section 8 and is connected to the rear section 8 in one piece along an edge 12.

The clamp or clip 2, more precisely the covering section 10, has at least one discharge section 14, in this exemplary embodiment a plurality of four discharge sections 14, which extend from the covering section 10 horizontally counter to the introduction direction E of the complementary connector (not illustrated). The discharge sections 14 are essentially formed as rectangular projections that are suspended on the rear side and are otherwise cantilevered.

The clamp 2 further has four stamped slots 16, which extend from the covering section 10 around the edge 12 right into the rear section 8 in order to form two self-supporting resilient press-on lugs 18.

FIG. 1A further shows two optical fiber sections 24, 26 and three discharge sections 34, 36, 38 of ESD protection element 30 in the form of an internal overvoltage arrester.

The respective front faces or edges 14a, 34a, 36a and 38a of the discharge sections 14, 34, 36 and 38, respectively, run flush in a lateral plane A that is set back with regard to the front sides 24a and 26a of the optical fiber sections 24 and 26. The setting back preferably amounts to 1 mm to 10 mm, in this example approximately 2.5 mm.

Referring to FIG. 1B, the illustration shows the connector 1 comprising the stamped and formed clamp 2 together with a dielectric connector housing 40 around which the clamp 2 engages on the rear side. The lateral arms 4, 6 of the clamp 2 are latched to the connector-housing 40 by means of lateral latching tabs 44, 46.

Referring to FIG. 2A, the illustration shows two electro-optical converters 54, 56 with in each case a plurality of soldering pins 55 and 57, respectively.

The metallic ESD protection element 30 is partly arranged centrally between converters 54, 56 and has a first discharge finger 64 with a connecting section 74 angled away by 90°, with a first arm section or leg 84 and the terminating discharge section 34. The leg 84 of the first discharge finger is stamped in an L-shaped manner.

The internal ESD protection element 30 furthermore has a second discharge finger 66 with a connecting section 76 angled away by 90°, with a second arm section or leg 86 and the terminating discharge section 36. The first and second legs 84, 86 are transversely oriented oppositely and vertically offset with respect to one another.

The two arm sections 84, 86 are stamped out in the form of narrow strips.

The ESD protection element 30 further comprises a rectilinear third discharge finger 68, which extends perpendicular to the plane of the drawing in FIG. 2A and is arranged between the first and second discharge fingers 64, 66 and is suspended on a body section 32 of the ESD protection element 30 above the first and second discharge fingers.

The ESD protection element 30 has a lower soldering pin 39, which is connected to the three discharge fingers 64, 66, 68 by means of the body section. The clamp 2 also has four dedicated soldering pins 3, the soldering pins 3 and 39 being made somewhat longer than the soldering pins 55 and 57.

The first and second legs 84, 86 extend at least partly in front of the associated converter 54, 56, so that the ESD protection element 30 itself also forms an electrical shielding.

FIG. 2B shows the connector 1 with the plastic connector housing 40 having an opening 48 in its front side 40a. The opening 48 clears the way into a cavity 49 in the connector housing 40, thereby forming a receptacle 50 for mating connection with a complementary connector (not shown).

Arranged in the cavity 49 are two optical connection elements 94, 96 in the form of cylindrical connection sleeves with the optical fiber sections 24, 26 introduced therein, the connection sleeves being formed in one piece with the connector housing 40.

The connector housing 40 is formed in one piece by the front side 40a, a rear wall or inner rear wall 40b, two side walls 40c, 40d and also a bottom 40e and a cover 40f. A front side 41—facing the cavity 49—of the rear wall 40b forms the rearward boundary of the cavity 49 in this case.

The cavity 49 extends from the front side 40a as far as the rear wall 40b of the connector housing 40. Furthermore, the two optical connection elements 94, 96 project from the rear wall 40b into the cavity 49. For connection purposes, a section of the complementary connector is inserted through the opening 48 into the cavity 49.

The rear wall 40b has four elongate, rectangular openings 104 which are arranged in a horizontal line and which are arranged above the optical connection elements 94, 96 and into which the discharge sections 14 of the clamp 2 engage or project. Moreover, three further openings 114, 116 and 118 are present in the rear wall 40b, into which the discharge sections 34, 36 and 38, respectively, of the ESD protection element 30 engage or project. Consequently, both the discharge fingers 64, 66 and the shielding 2 penetrate the rear wall 40b of the connector housing 40.

The first opening 114 is arranged diagonally on the right below and the second opening 116 diagonally on the left below the connection elements 94, 96 and the third opening 118 is arranged between the connection elements 94, 96, with the result that an areal protection is obtained and a secure dissipation is ensured, irrespective of the location at which somebody e.g. inserts a finger into the cavity 49.

Referring to FIG. 3A, the illustration shows a lateral latching opening 45 in the clamp 2.

Referring to FIG. 3B, it can be seen that the covering section 10 of the clamp 2 engages horizontally into a slot 42 in the housing 40.

Referring to FIG. 4A, the illustration shows that the converters 54, 56 are arranged at least partly between the arm sections 84, 86, on the one hand, and the rear section 8 of the clamp 2, on the other hand.

The ESD protection element 30 is arranged outside the housing 40 at least in sections. In particular, the body element 32 and the arm sections 84, 86 are situated outside the housing 40.

Referring to FIG. 4B, it can be seen that the press-on lugs 18 press the converters 54, 56 against the rear wall 40b of the housing 40 counter to the introduction direction E.

The bottom 40e of the housing 40 furthermore has recesses 120, for guiding at least some of the soldering pins 55, 57 and also mounting posts 122 for fixing to a circuit board (not illustrated).

Referring to FIGS. 5 to 7, it can be seen best in the perspective views that the ESD protection element 30 defines a tripod by means of the three discharge fingers 64, 66, 68. In other words, the two outer discharge fingers 64 and 66 are bent away like wings from the body element 32, the body element 32 being formed by an essentially rectangular place which connects the soldering pin 39 and the three discharge fingers 64, 66, 68 to one another in one piece.

A rearward edge 31 of the body element 32 runs along the rear section 8 of the clamp 2, it being possible, if appropriate, for an electrical contact between the ESD protection element and the shielding to be established.

Referring to FIGS. 8 and 9, horizontal sections through the connector 1 are illustrated, which show the discharge sections 14 which engage into the openings 104 and, on the front side, are flush with one another and with the front side 41 of the rear wall 40b.

Furthermore, the optical fibers 24, 26 are readily discernible; they are pressed into the connection elements 94 and 96, respectively.

The converters 54, 56 are furthermore surrounded by converter housings 124, 126 which engage with in each case two front-side guide arms into corresponding recesses 130 in the rear wall 40b of the converter housing 40.

The above-described connector 1 with improved ESD protection capabilities was tested by means of a test finger at 16 kV to the effect that the latter was introduced into the cavity 49 until a flashover with respect to the discharge sections took place. The FOTs were advantageously not destroyed.

It is clear to the person skilled in the art that the embodiments described above are to be understood by way of example, and the invention is not restricted thereto, but rather can be varied in diverse ways without departing from the spirit and scope of the invention.

Claims

1. Optical connector (1), in particular for establishing multimedia-connections in a motor vehicle according to the MOST-standard, comprising: a dielectric connector housing (40) with a receptacle (50) for mating connection with a complementary connector,at least an optical connection element (94, 96) in said connector housing (40) and for mating connection with a complementary optical connection element of the complementary connector,at least an electro-optical component (54, 56) with electronic circuits andESD protection means (30)wherein said ESD protection means (30) comprises at least one discharge section (34, 36, 38) projecting towards the receptacle and having a free end (34a, 36a, 38a) being exposed to the interior of the receptacle (50) to provide an ESD protection within the receptacle (50).

2. Optical connector (1) according to claim 1, wherein the ESD protection means (30) comprises an electrically conductive discharge finger (64, 66, 68) terminating in said discharge section (34, 36, 38) and the discharge section (34, 36, 38) is arranged in the vicinity of the optical connection element (94, 96), in such a way that the discharge finger (64, 66, 68) forms a lightning arrester for protection of the optical connection element (94, 96).

3. Optical connector (1) according to claim 1 or 2, wherein the discharge section (34, 36, 38) extends essentially parallel to the introduction direction (E) of the complementary connector.

4. Optical connector (1) according to one of claims 2 or 3, wherein the receptacle includes a cavity (49) having, at a front side, an opening for introducing the complementary connector andwherein the discharge finger (64, 66, 68) is arranged at a rear side of the cavity (49) opposite to the front side.

5. Optical connector (1) according to one of the preceding claims, wherein the cavity (49) is bounded by a rear wall (40b) at its rear side and the ESD protection means (30) penetrates the rear wall (40b).

6. Optical connector (1) according to one of the preceding claims, wherein the ESD protection means (30) comprises an electrically conductive discharge finger (64, 66, 68) terminating in said discharge section (34, 36, 38) and the rear wall (40b) has an opening into which the discharge section (34, 36, 38) engages.

7. Optical connector (1) according to claim 6, wherein the discharge section (34, 36, 38) extends through the opening and terminates essentially flush with the rear wall (40b).

8. Optical connector (1) according to one of the preceding claims, wherein the ESD protection means (30) comprises a plurality of discharge fingers (64, 66, 68).

9. Optical connector (1) according to one of the preceding claims, wherein the ESD protection means (30) has at least a first and second discharge finger (64, 66) with in each case an arm section extending transversely with respect to the introduction direction (E) of the complementary connector,wherein said electro-optical component is a first electro-optical component (54) and the connector comprises a second electro-optical component (56), andwherein the arm sections of the first and second discharge fingers (64, 66) are assigned to the first and second electro-optical component, respectively.

10. Optical connector (1) according to claim 9, wherein the first and second discharge fingers (64, 66) in each case have a connecting section which extends along the introduction direction (E) of the complementary connector and at which the respective arm section is suspended, which is in each case adjoined by at least one discharge section (34, 36, 38).

11. Optical connector (1) according to claim 9 or 10, wherein the arm sections of the first and second discharge fingers (64, 66) extend along a front side of the first and second electro-optical component, respectively.

12. Optical connector (1) according to one of claims 9 to 11, wherein the first and second discharge fingers are offset transversely with respect to the introduction direction (E).

13. Optical connector (1) according to one of claims 9 to 12, wherein the first and second discharge fingers (64, 66) are formed asymmetrically.

14. Optical connector (1) according to one of the preceding claims, wherein said optical connection element (94, 96) is a first optical connection element (94, 96) and the connector has at least a second optical connection element (94, 96) for mating connection with a further complementary optical connection element of the complementary connector,wherein the ESD protection means (30) has at least three discharge fingers (64, 66, 68) with in each case a discharge section (34, 36, 38),wherein the first optical connection element is arranged between a first and a third of the discharge sections (34, 38),wherein the second optical connection element is arranged between a second and the third of the discharge sections (36, 38), andwherein the third discharge section (38) is arranged between the first and second optical connection elements.

15. Optical connector (1) according to claim 14, wherein the receptacle has a cavity (49), the cavity (49) has at a front side an opening for introducing the complementary connector, the cavity (49) is bounded by a rear wall (40b) at a rear side opposite to the front side, and the rear wall (40b) has at least three openings through which in each case one of the discharge sections extends.

16. Optical connector (1) according to claim 14 or 15, wherein the first, second and third discharge fingers are stamped and formed in one piece from sheet metal.

17. Optical connector (1) according to one of the preceding claims, wherein the ESD protection means (30) has a dedicated connection element for connection to an electrical circuit board.

18. Optical connector (1) according to one of the preceding claims, wherein the connector has an external electrical shielding (2).

19. Optical connector (1) according to claim 18, wherein the external electrical shielding (2) penetrates the connector housing (40).

20. Optical connector (1) according to claim 18 or 19, wherein the shielding (2) is designed in the form of an essentially U-shaped clamp which engages around the connector housing (4) rearwards.

21. Optical connector (1) according to claim 20, wherein the ESD protection means (30) is arranged essentially centrally in the U-shaped clamp.

22. Optical connector (1) according to claim 20 or 21, wherein the clamp has integrally formed press-on lugs which are biased against the rear side of the electro-optical components in order to apply force to the latter counter to the introduction direction (E).

23. Optical connector (1), in particular for establishing multimedia-connections in a motor vehicle according to the MOST-standard and in particular according one of the preceding claims, comprising: a dielectric connector housing (40) with a receptacle (50) for mating connection with a complementary connector,at least an optical connection element (94, 96) in said connector housing (40) and for mating connection with a complementary optical connection element of the complementary connector,at least an electro-optical component (54, 56) with electronic circuits andat least an electrically conductive protection element (30) against electrical discharges in the region of the receptacle (50).

24. Optical connector (1) according to claim 23, wherein said protection element (30) penetrates said connector housing (40) to provide an ESD-protection within said connector.

25. Use of a protection element (30) against electrostatic discharges with an optical connector (1), in particular according to the MOST-standard, with a receptacle (50) in a connector housing (40) for mating connection with a complementary connector and with optical connection elements (94, 96) which are positioned in said receptacle, wherein said protection element (30) is provided in such a way in the region of the optical connection elements (94, 96) that said protection element prevents an electrostatic discharge from an object which is introduced into said receptacle (50) onto said optical connection elements (94, 96) within said connector.

26. Use according to claim 25, wherein said protection element penetrates said connector housing (40).