Optical adapter holding structure, optical adapter, method for plugging and unplugging optical connector, and method for checking bending radius of optical cable

An optical adapter holding structure comprising:

• an attachment tool having a plurality of insertion holes that are provided side by side;
• optical adapters, each of the optical adapters being fitted into one of the plurality of insertion holes;
• and
• a swaying mechanism that allows the optical adapters to sway against the attachment tool, wherein
• for any one of the optical adapters, when a force greater than a prescribed strength is applied to the other optical adapters that are adjacent to the one of the optical adaptors, the swaying mechanism allows the other optical adapters that are adjacent to the one of the optical adapters to sway in a direction in which the other adjacent optical adaptors are provided next to the one of the optical adaptors, and when the force is offloaded, the swaying mechanism can hold the optical adapters in a direction substantially vertical to the attachment tool due to a balance between forces in the swaying mechanism;
• a hard magnetic body is fixed in proximity of each of end parts of a width direction of each of the optical adapters, the width direction being a direction in which the optical adapters are provided side by side;
• a part of the attachment tool facing the hard magnetic body that is provided on each of the optical adapters is formed of a soft magnetic body that can attract the hard magnetic body;
• and
• when any of the optical adapters receive a force greater than an attractive force of the hard magnetic body, the hard magnetic body on one of the end parts separates away from a facing face, thereby allowing the optical adapters to sway, and when the force is offloaded, the attractive force of the magnetic body allows the optical adapters to sway so as to be held in the direction substantially vertical to the attachment tool.