Dense shuttered fiber optic connectors and assemblies suitable for establishing optical connections for optical backplanes in equipment racks

• US 10,481,335 B2
• Filed: 07/26/2013
• Issued: 11/19/2019
• Est. Priority Date: 02/02/2011
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Corning Optical Communications LLC (Corning Incorporated)
• Original Assignee: Corning Optical Communications LLC (Corning Incorporated)
• Inventors: Isenhour, Micah Colen, de Jong, Michael, Knecht, Dennis Michael, Luther, James Phillip
• Primary Examiner(s): Chu, Chris H
• Application Number:
  US13/952,014
• Publication Number:
  US 20140037251A1
• Time in Patent Office: 2,307 Days
• Field of Search: None
• CPC Class Codes: G02B 6/25 Preparing the ends of light guides for coupling, e.g. cutting
• CPC Class Codes: G02B 6/32 having lens focusing means positioned between opposed fibre ends with lens being an integral part of the single fibre end G02B6/262
• CPC Class Codes: G02B 6/3644 the coupling means being through-holes or wall apertures
• CPC Class Codes: G02B 6/3652 the additional structures being prepositioning mounting areas, allowing only movement in one dimension, e.g. grooves, trenches or vias in the microbench surface, i.e. self aligning supporting carriers
• CPC Class Codes: G02B 6/3672 with fibres arranged in a regular matrix array
• CPC Class Codes: G02B 6/3825 with an intermediate part, e.g. adapter, receptacle, linking two plugs
• CPC Class Codes: G02B 6/3834 Means for centering or aligning the light guide within the ferrule
• CPC Class Codes: G02B 6/3849 using mechanical protective elements, e.g. caps, hoods, sealing membranes G02B6/3816 takes precedence; provisionally see H01R13/44
• CPC Class Codes: G02B 6/3853 Lens inside the ferrule lensed connectors G02B6/32
• CPC Class Codes: G02B 6/3865 fabricated by using moulding techniques shaping techniques of plastic materials in general B29C; producing plastic optical fiber connectors B29D11/0075
• CPC Class Codes: G02B 6/3869 Mounting ferrules to connector body, i.e. plugs
• CPC Class Codes: G02B 6/3885 Multicore or multichannel optical connectors, i.e. one single ferrule containing more than one fibre, e.g. ribbon type optical ribbon cable G02B6/4403, G02B6/448
• CPC Class Codes: G02B 6/3897 Connectors fixed to housings, casing, frames or circuit boards G02B6/44528 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: G02B 6/43 Arrangements comprising a plurality of opto-electronic elements and associated optical interconnections
• CPC Class Codes: G02B 6/4447 with divided shells G02B6/4448 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: G02B 6/4452 Distribution frames
• CPC Class Codes: G02B 6/44524 with frame parts or auxiliary devices mounted on the frame and collectively not covering a whole width of the frame or rack cassettes G02B6/4453
• CPC Class Codes: G02B 6/44526 Panels or rackmounts covering a whole width of the frame or rack
• CPC Class Codes: G02B 6/44528 Patch-cords; Connector arrangements in the system or in the box routing arrangements H04Q1/00
• CPC Class Codes: G02B 6/4471 Terminating devices demountable connectors G02B6/3807; Cable clamps
• CPC Class Codes: G02B 6/46 : Processes or apparatus adapted for installing or repairing optical fibres or optical cables installation of cables containing electric conductors and optical fibres H02G
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 29/49002 : Electrical device making

Abstract

Dense shuttered fiber optic connectors and assemblies suitable for establishing optical connections for optical backplanes in equipment racks are disclosed. In one embodiment, a fiber optic connector assembly is provided. The fiber optic connector assembly comprises a fiber optic connector. The fiber optic connector assembly also comprises a slideable shutter disposed in the fiber optic connector. The slideable shutter has an opening(s) configured to be aligned with a plurality of lenses disposed in the fiber optic connector in an open position, and configured to block access to the plurality of lenses disposed in the fiber optic connector in a closed position. The fiber optic connector assembly also comprises an actuation member coupled to the slideable shutter configured to move the slideable shutter from the closed position to the open position.

Claims

1. A fiber optic connector assembly, comprising:

a fiber optic connector;

a slideable shutter disposed adjacent an end face of the fiber optic connector, the slideable shutter having at least one opening configured to be optically aligned with a plurality of lenses disposed in the fiber optic connector in an open position, and configured to block access to the plurality of lenses in a closed position; and

an actuation member coupled to the slideable shutter, the actuation member configured to be moved an actuation distance to move the slideable shutter from the closed position to the open position.

2. The fiber optic connector assembly of claim 1, wherein the slideable shutter is movable in a plane perpendicular to the optical axis of the fiber optic connector.

3. The fiber optic connector assembly of claim 1, wherein the slideable shutter is comprised of a planar body.

4. The fiber optic connector assembly of claim 1, wherein the actuation member is comprised of a linear action actuation member configured to be linearly moved an actuation distance to move the slideable shutter from the closed position to the open position.

5. The fiber optic connector assembly of claim 1, wherein the fiber optic connector comprises a fiber optic connector body having a first end, a second end, and an internal chamber disposed between the first end and the second end;

a fiber optic ferrule comprising a plurality of fiber openings, the fiber optic ferrule disposed through a first end of the fiber optic connector body and extending in the internal chamber.

6. The fiber optic connector assembly of claim 1, wherein the fiber optic connector is comprised of a fiber optic plug body, and wherein the end face of the fiber optic ferrule is adjacent a second end of the fiber optic connector body.

7. The fiber optic connector assembly of claim 1, wherein the fiber optic connector body is comprised of a fiber optic receptacle body, and wherein the end face of the fiber optic ferrule is disposed in the internal chamber between the first end and the second end.

8. The fiber optic connector assembly of claim 1, wherein the actuation member is configured to move the slideable shutter from the closed position to the open position when the fiber optic connector is mated to a complementary fiber optic connector.

9. The fiber optic connector assembly of claim 1, wherein the actuation member extends through the fiber optic connector and is exposed external to the fiber optic connector.

10. The fiber optic connector assembly of claim 9, further comprising an engagement orifice disposed on an end of the actuation member exposed external to the fiber optic connector, wherein an engagement of the engagement orifice is configured to actuate the actuation member to move the slideable shutter from the closed position to the open position.

11. The fiber optic connector assembly of claim 9, further comprising an engagement tab disposed on an end of the actuation member exposed external to the fiber optic connector, wherein an engagement of the engagement tab is configured to actuate the actuation member to move the slideable shutter from the closed position to the open position.

12. The fiber optic connector assembly of claim 1, further comprising a face plate disposed on an end of the fiber optic connector, the face plate comprising at least one opening configured to align with the at least one opening of the slideable shutter when the slideable shutter is in the open position.

13. The fiber optic connector assembly of claim 12, wherein the at least one opening is comprised of a plurality of row openings, the slideable shutter configured to align the plurality of row openings to the plurality of lenses in the open position, and configured to block access to the plurality of lenses in the closed position.

14. The fiber optic connector assembly of claim 1, wherein the actuation distance is at least the diameter of a lens among the plurality of lenses.

15. The fiber optic connector assembly of claim 1, wherein the slideable shutter is comprised of a metal material to dissipate heat.

16. The fiber optic connector assembly of claim 1, disposed in a backplane of an optical backplane extension module.

17. The fiber optic connector assembly of claim 1, disposed in an information processing module blade.

18. A method of providing access to plurality of lenses in a fiber optic connector assembly, comprising:

providing a fiber optic connector; and

actuating an actuation member coupled to a slideable shutter disposed adjacent an end face of the fiber optic connector to move the slideable shutter to align at least one opening disposed in the slideable shutter with a plurality of lenses in an open position.

19. The method of claim 18, further comprising deactuating the actuation member block access to the plurality of lenses through the at least one opening disposed in the fiber optic connector.

20. The method of claim 18, comprising actuating the actuation member when the fiber optic connector is mated to a complementary fiber optic connector.

21. The method of claim 18, wherein actuating the actuation member comprises engaging an engagement orifice disposed on an end of the actuation member exposed external to the fiber optic connector.

22. The method of claim 18, wherein actuating the actuation member comprises engaging an engagement tab disposed on an end of the actuation member exposed external to the fiber optic connector.