Combined optical and electrical interconnection module and method for producing same

• US 20110052205A1
• Filed: 08/04/2010
• Published: 03/03/2011
• Est. Priority Date: 08/31/2009
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Hitachi Cable Fine-Tech Ltd. (Proterial Ltd.), Hitachi Cable Limited (Proterial Ltd.)
• Original Assignee: Hitachi Cable Fine-Tech Ltd. (Proterial Ltd.), Hitachi Cable Limited (Proterial Ltd.)
• Inventors: Murakami, Kenichi, Hirano, Kouki, Yu, Juhyun, Ushiwata, Takami
• Granted Patent: US 8,363,993 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 398/142
• CPC Class Codes: H04B 10/801 using optical interconnects, e.g. light coupled isolators, circuit board interconnections
• CPC Class Codes: H05K 1/118 specially for flexible printed circuits, e.g. using folded portions
• CPC Class Codes: H05K 2201/0108 Transparent
• CPC Class Codes: H05K 2201/10121 Optical component, e.g. opto-electronic component

Abstract

A combined optical and electrical interconnection module includes a flat cable comprising an optical transmission line and an electrical wire, and a printed circuit board including a light receiving module for receiving optical signals and/or a light sending module for sending optical signals and an optical waveguide for the optical signals to be transmitted therethrough or an optical block for bending the optical paths of the optical signals. The printed circuit board is electrically and optically connected to both ends or one end of the flat cable.

Claims

1. A combined optical and electrical interconnection module, comprising:

a flat cable comprising an optical transmission line and an electrical wire; and

a printed circuit board comprising a light receiving module for receiving optical signals and/or a light sending module for sending optical signals, and an optical waveguide for the optical signals to be transmitted therethrough,

wherein the printed circuit board is electrically and optically connected to both ends or one end of the flat cable.

3. The combined optical and electrical interconnection module according to claim 1, wherein

the printed circuit board thither comprises an optical transmission line groove for being engaged with a portion of the optical transmission line of the flat cable, an electrical wiring pattern for being electrically connected with the electrical wire of the flat cable, and an electrical wiring groove formed in an upper side of the printed circuit board relative to the electrical wiring pattern, the upper side being formed with the optical waveguide.

5. The combined optical and electrical interconnection module according to claim 3, wherein

the printed circuit board further comprises an electrical connector at its opposite end face to its end face with the optical transmission line groove formed therein, the electrical connector being insertable into or removable from an electrical connector disposed in an external device.

7. The combined optical and electrical interconnection module according to claim 1, wherein

the optical waveguide is disposed in the middle in the width direction thereof,

the optical transmission line disposed in the middle in the width direction thereof, and

the electrical wiring wire is disposed on both sides of the printed circuit board and the flat cable.

9. The combined optical and electrical interconnection module according to claim 1, wherein

the printed circuit board is not more than 5 cm in length, and

the optical transmission line of the flat cable is not less than 20 cm in length.

2. A combined optical and electrical interconnection module, comprising:

a flat cable comprising an optical transmission line and an electrical wire; and

a printed circuit board comprising a light receiving module for receiving optical signals and/or a light sending module for sending optical signals, and an optical block for bending the optical paths of the optical signals,

wherein the printed circuit board is electrically and optically connected to both ends or one end of the flat cable.

4. The combined optical and electrical interconnection module according to claim 2, wherein

the printed circuit board further comprises an optical transmission line groove for being engaged with a portion of the optical transmission line of the flat cable, an electrical wiring pattern for being electrically connected with the electrical wire of the flat cable, and an electrical wiring groove formed in an upper side of the printed circuit board relative to the electrical wiring pattern, the upper side being formed with the optical transmission line groove.

6. The combined optical and electrical interconnection module according to claim 4, wherein

the printed circuit board further comprises an electrical connector at its opposite end face to its end face with the optical transmission line groove formed therein, the electrical connector being insertable into or removable from an electrical connector disposed in an external device.

8. The combined optical and electrical interconnection module according to claim 2, wherein

the optical block is disposed in the middle in the width direction thereof,

the optical transmission line is disposed in the middle in the width direction thereof, and

the electrical wiring wire is disposed on both sides of the printed circuit board and the flat cable.

10. The combined optical and electrical interconnection module according to claim 2, wherein

the printed circuit board is not more than 5 cm in length, and

the optical transmission line of the flat cable is not less than 20 cm in length.

11. A method for producing a combined optical and electrical interconnection module, comprising:

arranging a plurality of optical transmission lines in its middle, and a plurality of electrical wires on both sides of the plural optical transmission lines;

pressure bonding thereto two coverings formed with openings having a specified gap therebetween, in such a manner as to sandwich upper and lower surfaces of the optical transmission lines and the electrical wires between the two coverings, to produce a flat cable;

removing portions of the optical transmission lines and the electrical wires in the openings in the flat cable formed with the openings having the specified gap therebetween;

removing the coverings on the optical transmission lines and the electrical wires in the openings in the flat cable to bare the optical transmission lines and the electrical wires to protrude from end faces of the flat cable;

structuring a printed circuit board, the printed circuit board having electrical wiring layers laminated with an insulating layer therebetween, the laminated electrical wiring layers being electrically connected with each other through a through hole, a surface of one of the electrical wiring layers being formed with an optical waveguide layer for optical signals to be transmitted therethrough;

forming in a portion of the optical waveguide a reflective portion for bending the optical paths of the optical signals, and mounting, on a surface of an other of the electrical wiring layers above the reflective portion, a light receiving module for receiving optical signals and/or a light sending module for sending optical signals;

forming optical transmission line grooves in the printed circuit board, to be engaged onto the optical transmission lines respectively protruding from the flat cable, and thereby connected and fixed thereto with an optical adhesive, to optically connect the light receiving module and/or the light sending module and the optical transmission lines;

forming an electrical connector at an opposite end face of the printed circuit board to its end face with the optical transmission line grooves formed therein;

forming, in the printed circuit board, electrical wiring grooves and electrical wiring patterns therein, to regulate the electrical wires of the flat cable to be positioned into the electrical wiring grooves, and thereby electrically connected and fixed to the electrical wiring patterns, respectively, with solder or a conductive adhesive;

after the joining of the flat cable and the printed circuit board, covering the printed circuit board and a portion of the flat cable with a protective member; and

cutting the printed circuit board between the light receiving module or the light sending module and the light sending module or the light receiving module.