Optical waveguides – With disengagable mechanical connector – Optical fiber to a nonfiber optical device connector
Reexamination Certificate
1999-04-01
2001-10-30
Henry, Jon (Department: 2872)
Optical waveguides
With disengagable mechanical connector
Optical fiber to a nonfiber optical device connector
C385S083000, C385S092000
Reexamination Certificate
active
06309113
ABSTRACT:
FIELD OF THE INVENTION
The present invention relates to an optical module, an optical fiber connecting plug, and an optical coupler provided with the foregoing components. More particularly, this invention relates to an optical module, an optical fiber connecting plug, and an optical coupler provided with the foregoing components used for transmission in optical communication or the like.
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
To perform optical communication or the like, an optical module equipped with a light emitting device or a light detecting device serving as an optical device is connected to a transmitting optical fiber for transmitting optical signals. The distal end of the transmitting optical fiber must be accurately positioned in relation to the optical device. For this purpose, a plug for connecting the transmitting optical fiber to the optical module is attached to the distal end portion of the transmitting optical fiber, and the plug is coupled to the optical module so as to position the distal end of the transmitting optical fiber in relation to the optical device of the optical module. An example of the configuration of such an optical module and a plug or an optical coupler equipped with the optical module and the plug will be described with reference to FIG.
5
.
FIG. 5
shows the configuration of a conventional optical coupler. As illustrated in
FIG. 5
, an optical coupler
400
is equipped with a light emitting module
200
and a plug
300
. The light emitting module
200
has a package
202
. The package
202
is an approximately hexahedral housing that opens upward. Installed in the package
202
is a silicon substrate
204
. A semiconductor laser device
206
is fixed at a predetermined position of the top surface of the silicon substrate
204
.
The light emitting module
200
is provided with a connecting optical fiber
208
and a ferrule
210
. The connecting optical fiber
208
is an optical fiber that has been cut to a predetermined length, the end surface at one side being fixed between the silicon substrate
204
and a holding plate
212
such that it is positioned in relation to the light emitting portion of the semiconductor laser device
206
.
The end at the other side of the connecting optical fiber
208
is secured in the ferrule
210
with an adhesive agent so that an end surface
208
a
, which has been polished to have a convex spherical surface, juts out of the ferrule
210
. The ferrule
210
is secured to the package
202
via a flange
210
a
that has been integrally formed therewith.
Formed on one end of the package
202
is a pair of recessed portions
202
a
and
202
a
that open outwardly. The recessed portions
202
a
and
202
a
are used for coupling the plug
300
. The top open part of the package
202
is covered with a lid which is not shown and which is installed after completing the assembly of the light emitting module
200
.
The plug
300
is provided with a housing
302
and a ferrule
304
. The plug
300
is attached to the distal end portion of the transmitting optical fiber by inserting the distal end portion of a transmitting optical fiber cable C to be connected, a sheath of the distal end portion being removed, into the ferrule
304
and by securing it therein. The distal end portion of the transmitting optical fiber is also polished to have a convex spherical surface and disposed so that it juts out of the ferrule
304
.
The housing
302
has a pair of engaging portions
302
a
and
302
a
that engage the recessed portions
202
a
of the package
202
to couple the housing
302
to the package
202
.
The optical coupler
400
is configured such that, when the engaging portions
302
a
are engaged with the recessed portions
202
a
to couple the light emitting module
200
to the plug
300
, the distal end of the ferrule
210
of the light emitting module
200
is brought near the distal end of the ferrule
304
of the plug
300
. Then, the distal end
208
a
, which has the convex spherical surface, of the connecting optical fiber
208
is abutted against the distal end, which has the convex spherical surface, of the transmitting optical fiber. The distal ends of the ferrule
210
and
304
are inserted in a cylindrical split sleeve
306
to align the ferrules
210
and
304
and to also align the distal end
208
a
, which has the convex spherical surface, of the connecting optical fiber
208
with the distal end, which has the convex spherical surface, of the transmitting optical fiber.
A light detecting module equipped with a light detecting device as an optical device also has a like configuration.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
The present invention provides an optical module, an optical fiber connecting plug, or an optical coupler equipped with the same, which is capable of connecting optical fibers without using a ferrule. The optical module, the optical fiber connecting plug, and the optical coupler equipped with the same comprise a substrate, an optical device mounted on the substrate, and a connecting optical fiber having one end thereof positioned in with respect to the optical device. The distal end of a transmitting optical fiber to be connected is positioned with respect to the other end thereof.
The optical module, the optical fiber connecting plug, and the optical coupler equipped with the same further comprise a guide for guiding the distal end of the transmitting optical fiber to be connected.
The distal end of the transmitting optical fiber is positioned in relation to the other end of the connecting optical fiber by placing the distal end of the transmitting optical fiber in the guide.
REFERENCES:
patent: 4029390 (1977-06-01), Chinnock et al.
patent: 4165914 (1979-08-01), Willarruel et al.
patent: 4218113 (1980-08-01), Uberbacher
patent: 4306766 (1981-12-01), Karol
patent: 4756591 (1988-07-01), Fischer et al.
patent: 4921324 (1990-05-01), Anderton
patent: 5179609 (1993-01-01), Blonder et al.
patent: 5613024 (1997-03-01), Shahid
patent: 5859942 (1999-01-01), Ueda
Henry Jon
OKI Electric Industry Co., Ltd.
Wenderoth , Lind & Ponack, L.L.P.
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