Optical waveguides – With disengagable mechanical connector – Structure surrounding optical fiber-to-fiber connection
Reexamination Certificate
1999-10-11
2002-03-05
Henry, Jon (Department: 2872)
Optical waveguides
With disengagable mechanical connector
Structure surrounding optical fiber-to-fiber connection
C385S063000, C385S065000, C385S136000, C385S137000
Reexamination Certificate
active
06352372
ABSTRACT:
FIELD OF THE INVENTION
The present invention generally relates to high-density optical connectors and, more particularly, to high-density optical connectors formed from stackable multi-fiber connectors.
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
Advances in lightwave technology have made optical fiber a very popular medium for large bandwidth applications. In particular, optical technology is being utilized more and more in broadband systems wherein communications between systems take place on high-speed optical channels. As this trend continues to gain more and more momentum, the need for efficient utilization of the precious real estate on circuit boards, racks/shelves, back planes, distribution cabinets, etc., is becoming ever increasingly important. In order to fulfill expectations across the industry, opto-electronic modules and optic fiber devices need to continue to become miniaturized, thereby taking full advantage of the maturity of micro- and opto-electronic technologies for generating, transporting, managing and delivering broadband services to the ever increasing bandwidth demands of end users at increasingly lower costs. Thus, the industry has placed an emphasis on small form factor optical connectors, such as the LC connector from Lucent Technologies, Inc. However, miniaturization is tempered by the requirements of transmission efficiency. For instance, with the advent of new standards such as gigabit Ethernet, wherein the transmission efficiency is becoming more and more critical, the performance of optical connectors is becoming correspondingly important for healthy operation of the system. Thus, it is desirable to obtain component miniaturization without sacrificing transmission efficiency, and preferably while improving transmission efficiency.
With the miniaturization of optical modules and optical fiber devices, the management of optical fiber congestion has become an issue at optical interfaces and connection distribution points. One solution is the use of optical fiber ribbon in which a plurality of optical fibers are organized and molded side by side in a plastic ribbon. It is known to interconnect optical fiber ribbons by supporting the optical fibers thereof between two support members made of a monocrystalline material, such as silicon. In the support members are V-grooves formed utilizing photolithographic masking and etching techniques. The optical fibers are placed side by side in individual V-grooves of one support member and the other mating support member having corresponding V-grooves is placed over the fibers to bind or hold the fibers in a high precision, spatial relationship between the mating V-grooves. The top and bottom support members sandwiching the optical fiber ribbon are typically bonded together with a clamp or adhesive, forming a connector. Two connectors with the same optical fiber spacing may then be placed in an abutting relationship so that the ends of the optical fibers of the respective connectors are substantially co-axially aligned with one another, thereby forming a multi-fiber connection. If desired, such connectors can be stacked in order to increase the interconnection density.
Optical fiber ribbons and connectors have numerous applications in optic communication systems. For instance, some opto-electronic and optical application specific integrated circuits (OASIC) devices, such as optical switches, optical power splitters/combiners, and routers, have several input and/or output ports arranged as linear arrays to which a plurality of fibers are to be coupled. Since optical fibers are attached to launch optical signals into these devices and extract optical signals out of these devices, splicing of arrays of fibers to such devices can be achieved using mutifiber connectors. Yet another possible application relates to an optical fan-out fabric where an array of fibers in an optical fiber ribbon may be broken into simplex or duplex channels for distribution purposes, as is often desired.
A critical factor to the optical efficiency of a multi-fiber connection is the precise alignment of the mating connectors with regard to one another. It is conventional for alignment between a pair of mated connectors to be facilitated by a pair of alignment members that are in the form of pins attached to one of the connectors that are received into a pair of holes defined by the other connector. As connectors are stacked to increase interconnection density, it is conventional for each pair of mated connectors in the stack to have associated therewith a pair of alignment pins that are received into a pair of alignment holes. The sum of all the space occupied by all of the alignment pins and alignment holes in such a stack is not available for accommodating optical fibers. Therefore, the redundancy of alignment pins and alignment holes in stacks of connectors is an impediment to maximizing interconnection density.
U.S. Pat. No. 3,864,010 discloses an optical fiber butt joint connector that includes two identical butt joint connections that are aligned by reverse ridge fixtures. More specifically, each butt joint connection includes multiple chips. Each chip includes a series of spaced parallel longitudinal grooves on its top and bottom surface. Each of those grooves is identically sized. Exposed ends of optical fibers are respectively placed in the top grooves of a bottom chip, and thereafter the bottom grooves of a second chip are respectively mated over the top grooves of the bottom chip. This process is repeated to form a butt joint connection in the form of a stack of chips in which the top grooves of the top chip and the bottom grooves of the bottom chip are not occupied. Two such butt joint connections are joined end-to-end, and the necessary alignment is achieved by ridge fixtures having ridges that correspond in shape and size to, and that are respectively received by, the grooves at the tops and bottoms of the joined butt joint connectors. Because those grooves at the tops and bottoms of the joined butt joint connectors are relatively small due to their being designed to optimally receive and hold optical fibers, they can be characterized as being more difficult to use and manufacture, and less strong, than larger alignment grooves. For example, with the uniform arrangement of relatively small grooves at the tops and bottoms of the butt joint connectors and the corresponding relatively small ridges of the ridge fixtures, it is possible that the ridges and grooves will be misaligned, resulting in disadvantageous misregistration of the ends of the optical fibers. Ease of use and manufacture, and strength, are important considerations as high-density optical connectors become more widely used and are used in applications that require optical connectors to be repeatedly connected and disconnected.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
The present invention solves the above problems, and other problems, by providing new high-density optical connectors. In accordance with one aspect of the present invention, an optical connector includes at least one alignment member at the top or the bottom side thereof, without having alignment members along the sides thereof. The optical connector includes multiple arrays of optical terminuses, such as terminuses of optical fibers, that extend laterally between the sides. As a result, the number of optical terminuses included in the arrays can be advantageously maximized. The alignment member(s) are relatively large so that they are relatively strong, and relatively easy to manufacture and use.
More specifically, in accordance with one aspect of the present invention, the optical connector has a body with a rear end and an optical end face that is opposite from the rear end. A longitudinal direction is defined between the rear end and the optical end face, and the optical end face extends generally perpendicular to the longitudinal direction. The optical end face has opposite first and second edges, and opposite third and fourth edges that extend between the first and second edges in a lateral direction. Multiple arrays of op
Henry Jon
Lucent Technologies - Inc.
LandOfFree
High-density optical connectors does not yet have a rating. At this time, there are no reviews or comments for this patent.
If you have personal experience with High-density optical connectors, we encourage you to share that experience with our LandOfFree.com community. Your opinion is very important and High-density optical connectors will most certainly appreciate the feedback.
Profile ID: LFUS-PAI-O-2818760