An optical connector described in Patent Document 1 is known as an optical connector configured to optically connect an optical fiber and a photoelectric conversion element. The optical connector includes a housing and an optical module housed in the housing.
The optical module is made of light transmissive synthetic resin and includes a resin member (a holder) to which a ferrule attached to an end of the optical fiber is attached. The resin member includes a tubular sleeve into which the ferrule is fitted. Further, a photoelectric conversion element is provided on a photoelectric element attachment portion of the resin member. The resin member integrally includes a lens on an optical path extending between the optical fiber and the photoelectric conversion element.
The photoelectric conversion element is attached to the photoelectric element attachment portion so as to be positioned on a line perpendicular to an axial direction of the sleeve. This requires the resin member to include a light reflection means for reflecting the light from the optical fiber to the photoelectric conversion element or reflecting the light from the photoelectric conversion element to the optical fiber. The light from the optical fiber travels in the resin member along the axial direction of the sleeve and is reflected by the light reflection means. Then, the light travels in a direction perpendicular to the axial direction of the sleeve and reaches the photoelectric element. On the other hand, the light from the photoelectric conversion element reaches the optical fiber in a reversed route.
Patent Document 1: Japanese Unexamined Patent Publication No. 2007-171427
In the above-described configuration, however, the light from the optical fiber travels in the resin member along the axial direction of the sleeve and is reflected by the light reflection means. Then, the light further travels in the resin member in the direction perpendicular to the axial direction of the sleeve. Accordingly, the optical path length of the light passing through the resin member is relatively long. Similarly, when the light from the photoelectric conversion element travels in the resin member and reaches the optical fiber, the optical path length is relatively long.
In this configuration, if a force is applied to the optical fiber in a direction perpendicular to the axial line of the optical fiber, the force is transmitted to the resin member and a shape of the resin member is changed. Accordingly, the light passing through the resin member may be attenuated and the light may not reach the photoelectric conversion element or the optical fiber. Such problems may be particularly relevant in the above-described conventional technology, because the optical path length of the light passing through the resin member is relatively long as described above.
Therefore, there is a need in the art to provide an optical connector in which optical output is less likely to be reduced even when the force is applied to the optical fiber in the direction perpendicular to the axial line of the optical fiber.