Optical connector and optical connection structure

An optical connector comprising:

• a ferrule provided with a flange on an outside, having a through hole on an inside, and configured to hold a glass fiber exposed from a resin coating covering the glass fiber at one end portion of an optical fiber containing the glass fiber and the resin coating in the through hole;
• a plug frame configured to receive the ferrule;
• and
• an elastic member configured to bias the ferrule along a central axis direction of the ferrule,
• wherein the elastic member is configured to hold, when the elastic member has a first length, the ferrule in a first position in the plug frame, and hold, when the elastic member has a second length shorter than the first length, the ferrule in a second position in the plug frame,
• wherein at least one of the ferrule and the plug frame has at least one tapered surface whose distance to a central axis of the ferrule decreases toward a biasing direction of the elastic member,
• wherein when the ferrule is in the first position, the ferrule and the plug frame are in contact with each other via the at least one tapered surface, and pivotal movement of the ferrule with respect to the plug frame is restricted, and
• wherein when the ferrule is in the second position, the ferrule is not in contact with the plug frame and is pivotable with respect to the plug frame, and the ferrule is in a floating state with respect to the plug frame.