The Furukawa Electric Co., Ltd.

Yuichi Obara

Kenichi Fuse

Toshiya Hikami

Koji Yoshida

Takao Kobayashi

Kazuo Chiba

Kenzo Kobayashi

Renichi Yuguchi

Shigeru Tachigami

Yoshihiro Onuma

Jitsuo Migita

Takao Toya

Sinichiro Nakai

An optical sensor has an optical block including a substrate, a light-emitting element formed on the substrate, and a light-receiving element formed on the substrate by using an adjusting member for arranging side-by-side with the light-emitting element, a light-transmitting member located between the optical block and an object, and connecting terminal optically connected to the light-emitting element and the light-receiving element. It is preferable that the light-transmitting member is separated into a plurality of light transmitting members in correspondence with areas separated on the object. There is also provided an optical sensor having a light-transmitting member, a plurality of incident optical fibers, optically coupled with the light-transmitting member, for transmitting light emitted from a light-emitting element to the light-transmitting member, a plurality of outgoing optical fibers, optically coupled with the light-transmitting member, for transmitting light passed through the light-transmitting member after being reflected on an object to the light-receiving element, and a housing for integrally housing the light-transmitting member, the incident optical fiber, and the outgoing optical fibers.

Optical sensor with fiberless optical member

An electronic connector which has a plurality of contacts associated in one or more rows in a connector housing, a shape memory spring associated in the connector housing for driving the contacts, the shape memory spring transmitting a recovery force generated when the shape memory spring reaches its transformation temperature or higher to the contacts while recovering the shape stored when the shape memory spring reaches its transformation temperature or higher and returning to the shape before the shape memory recovery by the spring force of the contact when the shape memory spring reaches below its transformation temperature. Thus, the electronic connector can mount or dismount contacts at each other without inserting or removing force or substantially without inserting or removing force in a simple structure with less number of parts.

Zero insertion force connector actuated by a stored shape member

An electronic connector which has a plurality of contacts associated in one or more rows in a connector housing, a shape memory spring associated in the connector housing for driving the contacts, the shape memory spring having a beginning shape and transmitting a recovery force to the contacts generated when the shape memory spring reaches a transformation temperature or higher while recovering a stored shape when the shape memory spring reaches the transformation temperature or higher and returning to the beginning shape by the spring force of the contact when the shape memory spring reaches below its transformation temperature. Thus, the electronic connector can mount or dismount contacts to each other without an inserting or removing force or substantially without an inserting or removing force in a simple structure with a reduced number of parts.

An optical switch having a pair of optical fibers which has a stopper projected on the inner surface of a housing, the paired large diameter optical fibers being formed at the ends thereof, inserted into the housing and contacted with the ends thereof opposed on the same axis with both ends of the stopper at a predetermined interval between relative end faces thereof, and a light shielding plate disposed telescopically in or out between the end faces of the optical fibers in the housing for conducting or interrupting an optical path over both the optical fibers, and an optical keyboard utilizing the optical switch.

Optical switch and optical keyboard utilizing the same

A connecting section for optical fiber cables which has multicore connectors respectively mounted simultaneously on a plurality of optical fiber core wires led from the end of the cable sheath of one optical fiber cable and on a plurality of optical fiber core wires led from the end of the cable sheath of the other optical fiber cable, housings respectively projected toward the ends of the cable sheaths and mounted on the outer peripheral surfaces of the ends of the cable sheaths for containing the optical fiber core wires with the multicore connectors and a spring for applying a force for butting the optical fiber core wires to the multicore connectors to hold the connectors in the ends of the housings so that the connecting ends of the multicore connectors are opposed in such a manner that the optical fiber core wires are simultaneously optically connected and that the housings are connected through an adapter formed over the outer peripheral surfaces of the ends thereof and fittings for securing the outer peripheral surfaces of the ends thereof. Thus, the connecting section can efficiently conduct the connecting works and reduce in size thereof.

Growing community of inventors

Hiratsuka, Japan

Yuichi Obara