Optical connector and optical connection structure

1 . An optical connector that is configured to be engaged with an adaptor for fiber optical splicing, comprising:

an optical fiber that includes a glass fiber including a core and a cladding covering the core, and a resin coating portion covering the glass fiber, an end portion of the glass fiber being exposed from the resin coating portion;

a ferrule that includes a ferrule main body holding the glass fiber exposed from the resin coating portion and a flange portion fixed to the ferrule main body;

a housing that accommodates the ferrule and includes an inner wall surface facing the ferrule;

an elastic member that is accommodated in the housing and applies an elastic force to the ferrule in a longitudinal direction of the housing; and

a latch fixed to the housing, wherein

the housing is configured to have a space between the inner wall surface and the flange portion,

the housing is configured such that at least a part of the housing including the inner wall surface is deformed in a state where the housing is engaged with the adaptor, and the inner wall surface prevents rotation of the flange portion with respect to the housing,

before the housing is engaged with the adaptor, the space exists between at least one of the inner wall surfaces and a corresponding surface of the flange portion at an end of the flange portion opposite the elastic member in the longitudinal direction, and

the latch is configured to deform in a direction intersecting the longitudinal direction upon engagement between the housing and the adaptor, such that deformation of the latch deforms at least a part of the housing, eliminates the space, and brings the inner wall surface into contact with the corresponding surface of the flange portion to prevent rotation of the flange portion with respect to the housing.

2 . The optical connector according to claim 1 , wherein

the flange portion includes a flat surface facing the inner wall surface, and

the flat surface is configured to contact the inner wall surface to prevent the rotation of the flange portion with respect to the housing.

3 . The optical connector according to claim 1 , wherein

the inner wall surface includes a first inner wall surface and a second inner wall surface facing each other via the ferrule in a direction orthogonal to the longitudinal direction,

the flange portion includes

a first surface facing the first inner wall surface, and

a second surface located opposite to the first surface and facing the second inner wall surface, and

the first inner wall surface, the second inner wall surface, the first surface, and the second surface are configured to prevent the rotation of the flange portion with respect to the housing by contact between the first inner wall surface and the first surface and contact between the second inner wall surface and the second surface.

4 . The optical connector according to claim 1 , wherein

when the optical fiber is optically spliced to an optical component,

the ferrule moves in the longitudinal direction against the elastic force from the elastic member, and

the prevention of the rotation of the flange portion by the inner wall surface is released, and the ferrule is in a floating state with respect to the housing.

5 . The optical connector according to claim 1 , wherein the optical fiber is a multi-core fiber, a polarization maintaining fiber, or a bundle fiber.

6 . The optical connector according to claim 1 , wherein the housing is made of a resin material.

7 . The optical connector according to claim 1 , wherein the flange portion is made of a metal material.

8 . The optical connector according to claim 1 , wherein the flange portion is made of a resin material.

9 . An optical splice structure comprising:

the optical connector according to claim 1 ;

an optical component that faces the optical connector and is optically spliced to the optical connector;

a sleeve that optically splices the optical fiber of the optical connector and an optical fiber of the optical component; and

the adaptor that engages with the optical connector and the optical component.