STACKABLE MULTI-OPTICAL FIBER CONNECTOR MODULES AND DEVICES FOR ALIGNING SETS OF THE STACKABLE MULTI-OPTICAL FIBER CONNECTOR MODULES AND COUPLING OPTICAL SIGNALS BETWEEN THEM
First Claim
1. A multi-fiber connector module comprising:
- a connector module housing having one or more receptacle locking mechanisms to enable the connector module housing to be interlocked with one or more locking mechanisms of a panel receptacle in a floating configuration that allows the connector module housing to move slightly within the panel receptacle; and
a cover secured to the connector module housing, the cover holding ends of respective optical fibers in optical alignment with respective lenses, the ends of the optical fibers being cloven and covered with a refractive index-matching material.
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Accused Products
Abstract
The connector modules that are designed and shaped to mate with one side of the receptacle of the panel have mating devices that enable them to be stacked one atop the other inside of the receptacle in a relatively rigid stack. The connector modules that are designed and shaped to mate with the other side of the receptacle of the panel have mating devices that enable them to be held in slots that are slightly separated from one another by air gaps to allow them to “float” in the receptacle. By floating the connector modules in one side of the receptacle while having a relative rigid stack of connector modules in the other side of the receptacle, it is ensured that very precise optical alignment will be maintained between the respective lenses in the connector modules that face each other in the receptacle.
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Citations
20 Claims
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1. A multi-fiber connector module comprising:
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a connector module housing having one or more receptacle locking mechanisms to enable the connector module housing to be interlocked with one or more locking mechanisms of a panel receptacle in a floating configuration that allows the connector module housing to move slightly within the panel receptacle; and a cover secured to the connector module housing, the cover holding ends of respective optical fibers in optical alignment with respective lenses, the ends of the optical fibers being cloven and covered with a refractive index-matching material. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3)
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4. A stackable multi-fiber connector module comprising:
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a connector module housing having one or more plug locking mechanisms to enable the connector module housing to be interlocked with one or more locking mechanisms of a plug, the connector module housing having one or more stacking mechanisms for enabling the connector module housing to be arranged in a stacked configuration inside of a plug that is configured to be plugged into a receptacle; and a cover secured to the connector module housing, the cover holding ends of respective optical fibers in optical alignment with respective lenses - View Dependent Claims (5, 6)
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7. A receptacle for interfacing a plurality of floating multi-fiber connector modules with a plurality of stacked multi-fiber connector modules, the receptacle comprising:
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a first receptacle side having multiple connector module locking mechanisms configured to interlock with multiple respective connector module housings in a floating configuration in which the connector module housings are restrained from movement in certain directions and allowed to move in one or more other directions; a second receptacle side having at least one plug locking mechanisms configured to interlock with a plug having multiple connector module housings stacked therein in a substantially rigid configuration in which the connector module housings stacked in the plug are restrained from movement within the plug; and wherein if the plug having multiple connector module housings stacked therein is interlocked with the second receptacle side and at least one connector module housing is interlocked with the locking mechanisms of the first receptacle side, at least one of the stacked connector modules in the plug will be interconnected with and optically aligned with at least one of the floating connector modules in the first receptacle side. - View Dependent Claims (8, 9)
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10. A plug configured to hold multiple multi-fiber connector modules and to interconnect with a first side of a receptacle, the plug comprising:
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a plug housing configured to be received in a first side of a receptacle; one or more receptacle locking mechanisms on the plug housing, said one or more receptacle locking mechanisms being configured to interlock with one or more locking mechanisms on the first side of the receptacle; one or more connector module locking mechanisms on the plug housing, said one or more connector module locking mechanisms being configured to interlock with one or more locking mechanisms on at least one multi-fiber connector module housing, the plug housing being configured to receive a stack of identical multi-fiber connector modules in an opening formed in the plug housing and to maintain the stack in a substantially rigid configuration that substantially prevents movement of the connector modules within the plug, and wherein when a stack of identical multi-fiber connector modules are stacked in the plug housing, said one or more locking mechanisms on said at least one multi-fiber connector module housing are interlocked with said one or more connector module locking mechanisms on the plug housing. - View Dependent Claims (11, 12, 13, 14)
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15. A method for optically coupling together multi-fiber connector modules comprising:
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providing a panel having a receptacle attached thereto, the receptacle having a first receptacle side and a second connector side, the first connector side having multiple connector module locking mechanisms configured to interlock with multiple respective locking mechanisms of multiple respective multi-fiber connector module housings in a floating configuration in which the connector module housings are restrained from movement in certain directions and allowed to move in one or more other directions, the second receptacle side having at least one plug locking mechanisms configured to interlock with a plug, inserting at least one multi-fiber connector module into the first receptacle side and interlocking the respective connector module locking mechanism of the first side of the receptacle with the respective locking mechanism on the housing of the inserted connector module, wherein when the locking mechanism on the inserted connector module is interlocked with the respective locking mechanism of the first receptacle side, the inserted connector module is held in said floating configuration; inserting at least one multi-fiber connector module into a plug, the plug having a plug housing being configured to have multiple connector module housings stacked therein in a substantially rigid configuration in which the connector module housings stacked in the plug are restrained from substantially any movement within the plug housing after one or more locking mechanisms on the stack have been interlocked with one or more locking mechanisms on the plug housing; and inserting the plug into the second receptacle side, wherein when the plug is inserted into the second receptacle side, one or more locking mechanisms of said at least one multi-fiber connector module inserted in the plug are interconnected with one or more locking mechanisms of said multi-fiber connector module inserted in the first receptacle side and the interconnected multi-fiber connector modules are optically aligned with each other to allow optical signals to be coupled between the interconnected connector modules. - View Dependent Claims (16, 17, 18, 19, 20)
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Specification