TECHNICAL FIELD

This invention relates to a connector, in particular, to a connector which is used for connecting an optical cable and an electronic equipment with each other.

BACKGROUND ART

Referring to FIGS. 24 and 25, Patent Document 1 discloses a connector 900 which is used for connection with an adaptor 990. The adaptor 990 comprises a mating portion 992 and an optical module 995. An outer circumferential surface of the mating portion 992 is provided with a protrusion 993. The connector 900 comprises a cable 970, a coupling body (cable holding portion) 910, a cylindrical portion 920, an optical connector 930 and an outer tubular portion 960. An optical fiber cable 980, which transmits optical signals, is inserted in the cable 970. The cable holding portion 910 holds the optical fiber cable 980. The cable holding portion 910 is attached with the cylindrical portion 920. The cylindrical portion 920 holds the optical connector 930. The optical connector 930 is attached with the optical fiber cable 980. The optical connector 930 is connected with the optical module 995 when the connector 900 is connected with the adaptor 990. The outer tubular portion 960 is movable within a predetermined range in a front-rear direction (X-direction) with respect to the cylindrical portion 920. The outer tubular portion 960 is formed with a ditch 962. The ditch 962 of the outer tubular portion 960 of the connector 900 is engaged with the protrusion 993 of the mating portion 992 of the adaptor 990 when the connector 900 is connected with the adaptor 990. Accordingly, relative positions of the cylindrical portion 920 of the connector 900 and the mating portion 992 of the adaptor 990 in the front-rear direction (X-direction) are maintained.

PRIOR ART DOCUMENTS

Patent Document(s)

Patent Document 1: JP A 2012-68323

SUMMARY OF INVENTION

Technical Problem

If the connector 900 of Patent Document 1 is modified so that an optical module, which is connected with the optical connector 930, is arranged in the connector 900, the optical fiber cable 980 between an end portion 932 of the optical connector 930 and the cable holding portion 910 is required to have a length which depends on a size in the front-rear direction of the optical module connected therewith. When an optical module having a minimum size in the front-rear direction is replaced with a greater sized optical module in the modified connector 900 whose optical fiber cable 980 between the end portion 932 of the optical connector 930 and the cable holding portion 910 is arranged to have a length which is defined by the optical module having the minimum size in the front-rear direction, the optical fiber cable 980 between the end portion 932 and the cable holding portion 910 has an excess length to be bent so that the optical fiber cable 980 has a problem of increased optical loss.

It is therefore an object of the present invention to provide a connector which prevents an optical fiber cable from having an excess length to be bent in the connector even if an optical module is replaced with another optical module having a different size in a front-rear direction.

Solution to Problem

An aspect of the present invention provides a connector comprising a cable holding portion, a first holding member, an optical connector, an optical module, a second holding member and a coupling nut. The cable holding portion is configured to hold an optical fiber cable which transmits optical signals. The cable holding portion is attached with the first holding member. The first holding member holds the optical connector. The first holding member has a first male screw portion and a first guide portion. The optical connector is configured to be attached with the optical fiber cable. The optical module is connected with the optical connector. The optical module comprises a photoelectric conversion portion and an electrical connector. The second holding member is positioned forward of the first holding member in a front-rear direction. The second holding member holds the optical module. The second holding member has a second male screw portion and a second guide portion. The first guide portion and the second guide portion allow a relative movement of the first holding member with respect to the second holding member in the front-rear direction in cooperation with each other while regulating a relative movement of the first holding member with respect to the second holding member in a circumferential direction about an axis parallel to the front-rear direction in cooperation with each other. The coupling nut has a female screw portion. Relative positions of the first holding member and the second holding member in the front-rear direction are maintained by the female screw portion being meshed with both of the first male screw portion and the second male screw portion.

Advantageous Effects of Invention

The connector of the present invention is configured as follows: the first holding member, which holds the optical connector, has the first male screw portion and the first guide portion; the second holding member, which holds the optical module, has the second male screw portion and the second guide portion; the coupling nut has the female screw portion; the first guide portion and the second guide portion cooperate with each other to allow the relative movement of the first holding member with respect to the second holding member in the front-rear direction while cooperating with each other to regulate the relative movement of the first holding member with respect to the second holding member in the circumferential direction about the axis parallel to the front-rear direction; and the relative positions of the first holding member and the second holding member in the front-rear direction are maintained by the female screw portion being meshed with both of the first male screw portion and the second male screw portion. Accordingly, the optical fiber cable can have a constant length between the optical connector and the cable holding portion so that the optical fiber cable can be prevented from having an excess length to be bent in the connector even if the optical module is replaced with another optical module having a different size in the front-rear direction.

An appreciation of the objectives of the present invention and a more complete understanding of its structure may be had by studying the following description of the preferred embodiment and by referring to the accompanying drawings.

