FIBER OPTIC CONNECTION MODULES

• US 20200132957A1
• Filed: 04/18/2018
• Published: 04/30/2020
• Est. Priority Date: 04/21/2017
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Commscope Connectivity Belgium BVBA (CommScope Holding Company, Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Commscope Connectivity Belgium BVBA (CommScope Holding Company, Inc.)
• Inventors: BERI, Stefano, WATTE, Jan, VERHEYDEN, Danny Willy August, VAN BAELEN, David Jan Irma
• Granted Patent: US 11,561,357 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• 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 6/3806 Semi-permanent connections, i.e. wherein the mechanical means keeping the fibres aligned allow for removal of the fibres dismountable connectors G02B6/3807
• CPC Class Codes: G02B 6/3809 without a ferrule embedding the fibre end, i.e. with bare fibre end
• CPC Class Codes: G02B 6/4453 Cassettes
• CPC Class Codes: G02B 6/4454 with splices
• CPC Class Codes: G02B 6/4471 Terminating devices demountable connectors G02B6/3807; Cable clamps
• CPC Class Codes: G02B 6/44715 Fan-out devices
• CPC Class Codes: G02B 6/44765 with means for strain-relieving to exterior cable layers

Abstract

Telecommunications assemblies and modules incorporating demateable fiber optic connection interfaces for coupling non-ferrulized optical fibers.

Claims

1. A fiber optic module comprising:

a plurality of optical fibers routed through at least a portion of the fiber optic module; and

a plurality of demateable fiber optic connection locations each including a fiber alignment device configured for co-axially aligning non-ferrulized optical fibers, each fiber alignment device including first and second opposite ends that respectively define first and second fiber openings for receiving non-ferrulized optical fibers desired to be aligned, the demateable fiber optic connection locations including one or more alignment device mounting housings in which the fiber alignment devices are housed, the one or more alignment device mounting housings defining connector ports corresponding to the first ends of the corresponding fiber alignment devices, the connector ports being configured to receive and secure ferrule-less fiber optic connectors such that non-ferrulized optical fibers of the ferrule-less fiber optic connectors are received within the first openings of the fiber alignment devices when the ferrule-less fiber optic connectors are inserted into the connector ports, the optical fibers of the fiber optic module having non-ferrulized end portions that are received within the second openings of the fiber alignment devices, wherein the non-ferrulized end portions are not connectorized and wherein connector ports are not provided corresponding to the second openings of the fiber alignment devices.

2. The fiber optic module of claim 1, wherein the non-ferrulized end portions of the optical fibers are bare optical fibers.

3. The fiber optic module of claim 1, wherein the non-ferrulized end portions of the optical fibers are adhesively secured within the fiber alignment devices.

4. The fiber optic module of claim 1, wherein the non-ferrulized end portions of the optical fibers include end faces that are embedded in index matching gel within the fiber alignment devices.

5. The fiber optic module of claim 1, wherein the one or more alignment device mounting housings include at least one molded plastic block that defines a plurality of the connector ports.

6. The fiber optic module of claim 5, wherein the one or more alignment device mounting housings include a plurality of the molded plastic blocks each defining a plurality of the connector ports.

7. The fiber optic module of claim 1, wherein the fiber optic module includes a substrate, and wherein the optical fibers are bonded to the substrate along fiber routing paths.

8. The fiber optic module of claim 7, wherein the substrate is a flexible substrate.

9. The fiber optic module of claim 1, wherein at least 6, 12, 18 or 24 fiber alignment devices are provided.

10. The fiber optic module of claim 1, wherein the fiber optic module is a fan-out module, a splitter module or a wavelength division multi-plexer module.

11. The fiber optic module of claim 1, and wherein the fiber optic module is a fan-out module and includes a multi-fiber optical stub including optical fibers optically coupled to the optical fibers routed through at least a portion of the fiber optic module.

12. The fiber optic module of claim 1, wherein the optical fibers routed through at least a portion of the fiber optic module are optically coupled to the optical fibers of the multi-fiber optical stub by unitary splice-less connections, by individual fusion splices, by a mass fusion splice, by individual mechanical alignment devices for aligning non-ferrulized optical fibers, or by a multi-fiber mechanical alignment device for aligning non-ferrulized optical fiber.

13. The fiber optic module of claim 1, wherein the multi-fiber optical stub includes a free end remote from the fiber manager that can be coupled to further optical fibers by individual fiber optic connectors, by a multi-fiber fiber optic connector, by individual fusion splices, by a mass fusion splice, by individual mechanical alignment devices for aligning non-ferrulized optical fibers, or by a multi-fiber mechanical alignment device for aligning non-ferrulized optical fibers.

14. The fiber optic module of claim 1, wherein the fiber optic module includes an optical component including a passive optical power splitter or a wavelength division multiplexer, wherein a fiber stub is optically coupled to an input of the optical component, and wherein the optical fibers routed through at least a portion of the fiber optic module are optically coupled to outputs of the optical component.

15. The fiber optic module of claim 1, wherein the optical fibers routed through at least a portion of the fiber optic module are routed along a fiber management tray or adhered to a substrate.

16. The fiber optic module of claim 1, further comprising a module housing that encloses the optical fibers, wherein the connector ports are accessible from outside the module housing.

17. A method for making the fiber optic module of claim 1, comprising the steps of:

adhering the optical fibers to a substrate along fiber routing paths with the non-ferrulized end portions of the optical fibers projecting outwardly beyond an exterior boundary of the substrate;

cleaving the non-ferrulized end portions of the optical fibers that project outwardly from the substrate;

processing end faces of the cleaved, non-ferrulized end portions of the optical fibers;

inserting the processed, non-ferrulized end portions of the optical fibers into the second openings of the fiber optic alignment devices; and

bonding the inserted, non-ferrulized end portions of the optical fibers within the fiber optic alignment devices.

18. The method of claim 17, wherein the non-ferrulized end portions of the optical fibers that project from the substrate are arranged in a row, wherein the fiber alignment devices can be held in a row within a fixture at a spacing that matches a spacing of the non-ferrulized end portions, and wherein the non-ferrulized end portions can be simultaneously inserted into the fiber alignment devices.

19. A demateable fiber optic connection location comprising:

a fiber alignment device configured for co-axially aligning non-ferrulized optical fibers, the fiber alignment device including first and second opposite ends that respectively define first and second fiber openings for receiving non-ferrulized optical fibers desired to be aligned, the demateable fiber optic connection location including a connector port-defining housing structure that defines a connector port corresponding to the first end of the corresponding fiber alignment device, the connector port being configured to receive and secure a ferrule-less fiber optic connector such that a non-ferrulized optical fiber of the ferrule-less fiber optic connector is received within the first opening of the fiber alignment device;

an optical fiber having a non-ferrulized end portion that is received and adhesively secured within the second opening of the fiber alignment device, the non-ferrulized end portion being non-connectorized; and

wherein a connector port is not provided corresponding to the second opening of the fiber alignment device.

20. A telecommunications module comprising:

a shell defining an interior volume;

an optical circuit disposed in the interior volume, the optical circuit having a first location, a second location, and a plurality of first optical fibers routed between the first location and the second location; and

a fiber alignment interface at the second location for optically coupling non-ferrulized ends of the first fibers to non-ferrulized ends of a plurality of second fibers.

21. The telecommunications module of claim 20, wherein the fiber alignment interface includes a plurality of single fiber alignment devices or at least one multi-fiber alignment device.

22. The telecommunications module of claim 20, wherein the fiber alignment interface includes connector ports for receiving ferrule-less fiber optic connectors.

23. The telecommunications module of claim 20, wherein end portions of the first fibers are affixed to the fiber alignment interface with adhesive or by a mechanical fixation.

24. The telecommunications module of claim 20, wherein end portions of the first fibers are encapsulated within index matching gel.

25. The telecommunications module of claim 20, further comprising a multi-fiber terminating device disposed at the first location, wherein the multi-fiber connection device is adapted to optically couple to at least some of the plurality of first optical fibers.

26. The telecommunications module as in claim 25, wherein the multi-fiber terminating device comprises a MPO connector having a multi-fiber ferrule.

27. The telecommunications module as in claim 25, wherein the multi-fiber terminating device comprises a multi-fiber non-ferrulized fiber alignment structure.