Receptacle module

Details Receptacle module Receptacle module

2001-04-06

2003-10-28

Nguyen, Khiem (Department: 2839)

Optical waveguides

With disengagable mechanical connector

Optical fiber to a nonfiber optical device connector

C385S059000

Reexamination Certificate

active

06637948

ABSTRACT:

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a receptacle module for connecting optical fiber cables.
Specifically, the present invention relates to a receptacle module into which an optical module provided with a light emitting element and/or a light receiving element is fixed by insertion and to a receptacle module into which an optical fiber connector is inserted to optically connect an optical fiber cable of an optical module and an optical fiber cable of the optical fiber connector.
2. Description of the Related Art
Known in the art is an optical fiber connection assembly obtained by positioning two optical fiber connectors to face each other and causing the end faces of the optical fiber cables to come into facial contact.
An example of such an optical fiber connection assembly will be explained with reference to FIG.
1
. The optical fiber connection assembly illustrated in
FIG. 1
is comprised of an adapter
2
and optical fiber connectors
1
a
and
1
b
as examples of MT-RJ connectors. The optical fiber connectors
1
a
and
1
b
are engaged by using the adapter
2
to bring the end faces of optical fiber cables
30
a
and
30
b
passing through these optical fiber connector
1
a
and
1
b
into facial contact with each other and thereby optically connect the optical fiber cables
30
a
and
30
b.
The optical fiber cable
30
a
, as illustrated in
FIG. 3B
, is provided with a plurality of, for example, four, optical fibers.
FIG. 1
illustrates only one optical fiber among them.
The adapter
2
has a first (left side) sleeve
10
a
for receiving the optical fiber connector
1
a
and a second (right side) sleeve
10
b
for receiving the optical fiber connector
1
b
. The first sleeve
10
a
and the second sleeve
10
b
are formed integrally. The adapter
2
is formed is with a window
10
c
with an opening for communicating the two sleeves
10
a
and
10
b
. A right front end of a left side ferrule
22
a
explained later and a left front end of a right side ferrule
22
b
are inserted into the opening of the window
10
c
so as to achieve stable positioning of the end faces of the optical fiber cables exposed at the end faces of these ferrules
22
a
and
22
b
at the position of this window
10
c.
An engagement use opening
10
a
1
extending from the inside to the outside of the sleeve
10
a
is formed in the wall of the sleeve
10
a
. When a latch
20
a
1
of a housing
20
a
is inserted in the engagement use opening
10
a
1
, the optical fiber connector
1
a
held in the sleeve
10
a
is fixed in place.
The optical fiber connector
1
a
partially inserted in the inside space of the first sleeve
10
a
has the housing
20
a
, a spring
21
a
, and the ferrule
22
a.
The housing
20
a
is shaped as a hollow cylinder with a bottom. The spring
21
a
and part of the ferrule
22
a
are contained in the hollow cylinder of the housing
20
a
. The latch
20
a
1
and a guard shaped pressing portion
20
a
2
are provided on the outer wall of the housing
20
a
along an axial direction.
The ferrule
22
a
is comprised of a middle large area part and small area parts on its two sides. The left small area part and the middle large area part are contained in the hollow cylinder of the housing
20
a
, but the right small area part is passes through the opening of the housing
20
a
and is inserted into the opening of the window
10
c.
The ferrule
22
a
is pressed to the right side by the spring
21
a
contained in the inside space of the housing
20
a
, but the middle large area part abuts against the opening of the housing
20
a
and stops it there. Conversely, when a leftward pressing force is added to the right small area part, the ferrule
22
a
moves to the left side, but stops at a position balanced with the force of the spring
21
a.
The optical fiber cable
30
a
passes through the inside of the housing
20
a
and is exposed at the end face of the right small area part of the ferrule
22
a
. The other optical fiber cable
30
b
also posses through the inside of the housing
20
b
and is exposed at the end face of the left small area part of the ferrule
22
b.
The optical fiber connector
1
b
is structured the same as the optical fiber connector
1
a.
The end face of the right small area part of the ferrule
22
a
of the optical fiber connector
1
a
and the end face of the left small area part of the ferrule
22
b
of the optical fiber connector
1
b
are polished to a fiber protrusion so that they may be accurately physical connected. For example, a diameter of the mode field of the single mode optical fiber is about 10 &mgr;m. Therefore, it is necessary to very precisely process these end faces so as to prevent deterioration in the resistance to insertion loss and other various characteristics when connecting these optical fiber cables.
When the housing
20
a
is pushed into the sleeve
10
a
until the guard shape pressing portion
20
a
2
abuts against the front end of the sleeve
10
a
and the latch
20
a
1
is fits in the engagement use opening
10
a
1
of the sleeve
10
a
, the optical fiber connector
1
a
is inserted in the sleeve
10
a.
The optical fiber connector
1
b
is similarly inserted in the sleeve
10
b.
At this time, the right end face of the ferrule
22
a
and the left end face of the ferrule
22
b
abut against each other at an optical reference plane
40
at the substantial center of the window
10
c
. Due to this connection, the spring
21
a
contained in the inside space of the housing
20
a
and the spring
21
b
contained in the inside space of the housing
20
b
are compressed. The spring
21
a
and the spring
21
b
are manufactured to substantially same characteristics and uniformly press against the end faces of the ferrule
22
a
and the ferrule
22
b
which they abut against so as to maintain the connection of the right end face of the ferrule
22
a
and the left end face of the ferrule
22
b.
The right end face of the ferrule
22
a
and the front end of the optical fiber cable
30
a
exposed there are polished to a fiber protrusion. Similarly, the left end face of the ferrule
22
b
and the front end of the optical fiber cable
30
b
exposed there are polished to a fiber protrusion. Therefore, when the right end face of the ferrule
22
a
and the left end face of the ferrule
22
b
are connected, the end face of the optical fiber cable
30
a
and the end face of the optical fiber cable
30
b
directly contact each other and therefore the optical fiber cable
30
a
and the optical fiber cable
30
b
are optically connected.
The connection load (stress) of the connecting part of the optical fiber cables
30
a
and
30
b
is defined by certain standards, for example, the Japan Industrial Standard (JIS standard). For example, in the case of a fiber transmission system optical fiber connector (FC) and a single fiber coupling connector (SC), it is prescribed that the load be 7.8 to 11.8N, while in the case of a multiple fiber push on connector (MPO), it is prescribed that the load be 6.8 to 11.8N.
In addition to optical fiber connection assemblies connecting optical fiber connectors
1
a
and
1
b
explained with reference to
FIG. 1
, direct connection of the optical module fixed in the receptacle and the optical fiber connector has been demanded. The principle is basically the same as the optical fiber connection assembly explained with reference to FIG.
1
.
The combination of a receptacle and optical module is referred to as a “receptacle module” in the present specification.
A novel structure of a receptacle module enabling stable optical connection of the optical fiber cable of an optical fiber connector and the optical fiber cable of an optical module is being sought. The connection load for connection with an optical fiber cable in an optical module when inserting an MT-RJ connector in a receptacle module has not yet been stipulated, but a connection load of 7.8 to 11.8N is being considered.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
An object of the present invention is to provide a receptacle module

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