Efficient alignment structure for multiple connectors branching from a single optical cable

A pulling-end-equipped optical cable comprising:

• an optical cable comprising optical fibers;
• connector units branching off from the optical cable;
• and
• a housing body that houses the connector units, wherein
• each of the connector units comprises:
• a first tube through which the optical fibers pass;
• second tubes through each of which the optical fibers branching off from the first tube pass;
• and
• a connector group constituted by optical connectors that are each disposed at an end part of each of the second tubes,
• in a length direction, none of the connector groups overlap one another,
• an outer diameter of each of the second tubes is smaller than an outer diameter of the first tube,
• a total of cross-sectional areas of the second tubes in one of the connector units is larger than a cross-sectional area of the first tube in the one of the connector units,
• the connector units are divided into at least a first unit group and a second unit group,
• the connector units in the second unit group are all disposed closer to a leading end of the pulling-end-equipped optical cable than any of the connector units in the first unit group,
• in the length direction, none of the connector groups of the connector units in the first unit group overlaps the second tubes of any of the other connector units, and
• in the length direction, the connector group of the connector units in the second unit group other than a longest one of the connector units overlaps the second tubes of at least one of the connector units in the second unit group.

A method for manufacturing a housing structure, the method comprising:

• creating connector units that:
• branch off from an optical cable, and
• each include:
• a first tube;
• second tubes;
• and
• a connector group constituted by optical connectors that are each disposed at an end part of each of the second tubes, by
• passing optical fibers that branch off from the optical cable through the first tube,
• passing the optical fibers that branch off from the first tube through the second tubes, and
• providing each of the optical connectors at an end part of each of the optical fibers that have been passed through the second tubes;
• and
• housing the connector units in a housing body such that
• the connector units are divided into at least a first unit group and a second unit group,
• the connector units in the second unit group are all disposed closer to a leading end of the optical cable than any of the connector units in the first unit group,
• in a length direction, none of the connector groups of the connector units in the first unit group overlaps the second tubes of any of the other connector units, and
• in the length direction, the connector groups of the connector units in the second unit group other than a longest one of the connector units overlaps the second tubes of at least one of the connector units in the second unit group, wherein
• an outer diameter of each of the second tubes is smaller than an outer diameter of the first tube, and
• a total of cross-sectional areas of the second tubes in one of the connector units is larger than a cross-sectional area of the first tube in the one of the connector units.