Optical connector

• US 20060204179A1
• Filed: 05/03/2006
• Published: 09/14/2006
• Est. Priority Date: 03/21/2003
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Microsoft Technology Licensing LLC (Microsoft Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Gerald Nykolak, Glenn Gerard Wilder, Lars Erik Eskildsen, Naresh C. Patel
• Inventors: Nykolak, Gerald, Eskildsen, Lars Erik, Wilder, Glenn Gerard, Patel, Naresh C.
• Granted Patent: US 7,156,561 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 385/59
• 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

Abstract

An optical fiber connector plug includes a housing through which extends a cable containing at least one optical fiber. A ferrule, which is supported by the housing, is provided for receiving the optical fiber. The ferrule has a mating facet and an opposing rear facet located in the housing. The ferrule has at least one guide pin thru-hole and at least one optical fiber thru-hole extending between the mating facet and the opposing rear facet. The guide pin thru-hole has an opening portion extending inward from the mating facet. The opening portion is tapered outward to meet the mating facet in an oblique manner such that the opening portion has a diameter in the plane of the mating facet that is greater than a diameter of a remainder of the guide pin thru-hole.

Claims

1. A WDM optical communication system, comprising:

a plurality of network nodes;

at least one optical communication link interconnecting said nodes;

a multifiber optical fiber connector optically coupling said communication link to one of said nodes, said multifiber optical fiber connector including;

a first connector plug that includes;

a first housing through which extends a cable containing at least one optical fiber;

a first ferrule supported by said first housing for receiving said at least one optical fiber, said ferrule having a mating facet and an opposing rear facet located in said first housing, said first ferrule having at least one guide pin thru-hole and at least one optical fiber thru-hole extending between the mating facet and the opposing rear facet, said guide pin thru-hole having an opening portion extending inward from the mating facet, said opening portion being tapered to meet the mating facet in an oblique manner such that said opening portion has a diameter in the mating facet that is greater than a diameter of a remainder of the guide pin thru-hole;

a second connector plug for mating with the first connector plug, said second connector plug including;

a second housing through which extends a cable containing at least one optical fiber;

a second ferrule supported by said second housing for receiving a second plurality of optical fibers, said ferrule having a mating facet and an opposing rear facet located in said second housing, said ferrule having at least one guide pin receptacle and at least one optical fiber thru-hole extending between the mating facet and the opposing rear facet;

a guide pin secured in said guide pin receptacle.

2. The WDM optical communication system of claim 1 wherein said guide pin has an end portion distal from the second ferrule, said end portion being smoothly tapered.

3. The WDM optical communication system of claim 1 wherein said tapered opening portion of the guide pin thru-hole is defined by curved sidewalls.

4. The WDM optical communication system of claim 1 wherein said tapered opening portion of the guide pin thru-hole is defined by flat sidewalls.

5. The WDM optical communication system of claim 4 wherein the flat sidewalls form a 45°

angle with respect to the mating facet.

6. The WDM optical communication system of claim 1 wherein said at least one guide pin thru-hole comprises a plurality of guide pin thru-holes and said at least one optical fiber thru-hole in each of the first and second ferrules comprises a plurality of optical fiber thru-holes.

7. The WDM optical communication system of claim 1 wherein said mating facets of the first and second ferrules define an oblique surface with respect to a longitudinal axis of their respective thru-holes.

8. The WDM optical communication system of claim 1 further comprising a guide pin holding member for supporting said guide pin in said guide pin receptacle.

9. The WDM optical communication system of claim 1 further comprising an engagement member for connecting said first and second housings together so that said guide pin extending from the second ferrule is secured in the guide pin thru-hole in the first ferrule.

10. The WDM optical communication system of claim 1 wherein said first and second connector plugs are MT-type connectors.

11. The WDM optical communication system of claim 1 wherein said first and second connector plugs are of a type selected from the group consisting of MPX, MPO, MTP, HBMT, SMC and OGI type connectors.

12. The WDM optical communication system of claim 1 wherein said first and second ferrules are formed from glass-filled epoxy.

13. The WDM optical communication system of claim 1 further comprising an optical backplane to which said multifiber optical fiber connector is connected.

14. An optical backplane, comprising

a support structure having at least one optical path extending thereon;

a multifiber optical connector for connecting an optical module to the optical path on the support structure, said multifiber optical connector including;

a first connector plug that includes;

a first housing through which extends a cable containing at least one optical fiber;

a first ferrule supported by said first housing for receiving said at least one optical fiber, said ferrule having a mating facet and an opposing rear facet located in said first housing, said first ferrule having at least one guide pin thru-hole and at least one optical fiber thru-hole extending between the mating facet and the opposing rear facet, said guide pin thru-hole having an opening portion extending inward from the mating facet, said opening portion being tapered to meet the mating facet in an oblique manner such that said opening portion has a diameter in the mating facet that is greater than a diameter of a remainder of the guide pin thru-hole;

a second connector plug for mating with the first connector plug, said second connector plug including;

a second housing through which extends a cable containing at least one optical fiber;

a second ferrule supported by said second housing for receiving a second plurality of optical fibers, said ferrule having a mating facet and an opposing rear facet located in said second housing, said ferrule having at least one guide pin receptacle and at least one optical fiber thru-hole extending between the mating facet and the opposing rear facet;

a guide pin secured in said guide pin receptacle.

15. The optical backplane of claim 14 wherein said guide pin has an end portion distal from the second ferrule, said end portion being smoothly tapered.

16. The optical backplane of claim 14 wherein said tapered opening portion of the guide pin thru-hole is defined by curved sidewalls.

17. The optical backplane of claim 14 wherein said tapered opening portion of the guide pin thru-hole is defined by flat sidewalls.

18. The optical backplane of claim 17 wherein the flat sidewalls form a 45°

angle with respect to the mating facet.

19. The optical backplane of claim 14 wherein said at least one guide pin thru-hole comprises a plurality of guide pin thru-holes and said at least one optical fiber thru-hole in each of the first and second ferrules comprises a plurality of optical fiber thru-holes.

20. The optical backplane of claim 14 wherein said mating facets of the first and second ferrules define an oblique surface with respect to a longitudinal axis of their respective thru-holes.

21. The optical backplane of claim 14 further comprising a guide pin holding member for supporting said guide pin in said guide pin receptacle.

22. The optical backplane of claim 14 further comprising an engagement member for connecting said first and second housings together so that said guide pin extending from the second ferrule is secured in the guide pin thru-hole in the first ferrule.

23. The optical backplane of claim 14 wherein said first and second connector plugs are MT-type connectors.

24. The optical backplane of claim 14 wherein said first and second connector plugs are of a type selected from the group consisting of MPX, MPO, MTP, HBMT, SMC and OGI type connectors.

25. The optical backplane of claim 14 wherein said first and second ferrules are formed from glass-filled epoxy.

26. The optical backplane of claim 14 further comprising an optical backplane to which said multifiber optical fiber connector is connected.