OPTICAL CONNECTOR

• US 20190094471A1
• Filed: 11/28/2018
• Published: 03/28/2019
• Est. Priority Date: 10/05/2012
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: 3M Innovative Properties Company (3M Company)
• Original Assignee: 3M Innovative Properties Company (3M Company)
• Inventors: Haase, Michael A., Smith, Terry L., Koch, Barry J., Wang, Ding, Mathews, Alexander R.
• Granted Patent: US 10,641,969 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• CPC Class Codes: G02B 6/3829 Bent or angled connectors G02B6/3827 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: G02B 6/383 Hermaphroditic connectors, i.e. two identical plugs mating with one another, each plug having both male and female diametrically opposed engaging parts; electric hermaphroditic coupling H01R24/84, H01R13/28
• CPC Class Codes: G02B 6/3861 Adhesive bonding adhesives in general C09J
• CPC Class Codes: G02B 6/3869 Mounting ferrules to connector body, i.e. plugs
• CPC Class Codes: G02B 6/3881 using grooves to align ferrule ends
• 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 6/389 characterised by the method of fastening connecting plugs and sockets, e.g. screw- or nut-lock, snap-in, bayonet type
• CPC Class Codes: G02B 6/3897 Connectors fixed to housings, casing, frames or circuit boards G02B6/44528 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: G02B 6/40 having fibre bundle mating means

Abstract

A connector is disclosed that includes a housing and first and second attachment areas located in the housing and spaced apart from each other along the mating direction of the connector. The second, but not the first, attachment area is designed to move relative to the housing. The connector further includes an optical waveguide that is permanently attached to, and under a first bending force between, the first and second attachment areas. The connector also includes a light coupling unit located in the housing for receiving light from the optical waveguide and transmitting the received light to a mating connector along a direction different than the mating direction of the connector. The mating of the connector to the mating connector causes the optical waveguide to be under a greater second bending force between the first and second attachment areas.

Claims

1. A connector comprising:

a support for supporting, but not being permanently attached to, an optical waveguide coupled to the connector; and

a light coupling unit configured to receive light from an optical waveguide coupled to the connector and supported by the support from an input side of the light coupling unit and transmit the received light to a mating connector from an output side of the light coupling unit along a direction different than a mating direction of the connector,

such that when an optical waveguide is coupled the connector and supported by the support, the light coupling unit rotates and the optical waveguide separates from the support when the connector mates with the mating connector.

2. The connector of claim 1, wherein when the light coupling unit rotates, it also moves linearly.

3. The connector of claim 1, the light coupling unit rotates about an axis that does not tilt during the rotation of the light coupling unit.

4. The connector of claim 1, such that when an optical waveguide is coupled to the connector and the light coupling unit rotates when the connector mates with the mating connector, the rotation causes the optical waveguide to bend.

5. The connector of claim 1, wherein the light coupling unit is a unitary construction.

6. The connector of claim 1, wherein the light coupling unit rotates at least 2 degrees when the connector mates with the mating connector.

7. The connector of claim 1 configured so that when the connector mates with the mating connector, the light coupling unit rotates by making contact with a corresponding light coupling unit of the mating connector.

8. The connector of claim 7, wherein when the light coupling unit rotates, the corresponding light coupling unit of the mating connector does not move.

9. The connector of claim 7, wherein when the light coupling unit rotates, the corresponding light coupling unit of the mating connector also rotates.

10. A hermaphroditic connector comprising:

a support for supporting, but not being permanently attached to, an optical waveguide coupled to the connector; and

a light coupling unit configured to receive light from an optical waveguide coupled to the connector and supported by the support from an input side of the light coupling unit and transmit the received light to a light coupling unit of a hermaphroditic mating connector, such that when an optical waveguide is coupled the connector and supported by the support and the hermaphroditic connector mates with the hermaphroditic mating connector, the light coupling units of both connectors rotate and the optical waveguide separates from the support.

11. The hermaphroditic connector of claim 10, such that when the hermaphroditic connector mates with the hermaphroditic mating connector, the light coupling units of both connectors rotate by making contact with each other.