ELECTRO-OPTIC TRANSMISSION LINK

• US 3,792,284 A
• Filed: 10/13/1972
• Issued: 02/12/1974
• Est. Priority Date: 10/13/1972
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Oscar J. Kaelin
• Original Assignee: Oscar J. Kaelin
• Inventors: Kaelin, Oscar J.
• Primary Examiner(s): Lawrence, James W.
• Assistant Examiner(s): Dixon, Harold A.
• Application Number:
  US05/297,317
• Time in Patent Office: 487 Days
• Field of Search: 250/227,217S,217SS
• US Class Current: 250/551
• CPC Class Codes: G02B 6/4202 for coupling an active element with fibres without intermediate optical elements, e.g. fibres with plane ends, fibres with shaped ends, bundles
• CPC Class Codes: G02B 6/4284 of optical modules with disconnectable electrical connectors latching arms for electrical connectors H01R13/627
• CPC Class Codes: G02B 6/4295 coupling with semiconductor devices activated by light through the light guide, e.g. thyristors, phototransistors

Abstract

An electro-optic link for transmitting signals including a length of flexible fiber optic light guide, a light emitting diode (LED), and a photo-diode. One end of the light guide and the LED are mounted in fixed relationship in a first coupling having electrical connector pins for mating with a receptacle in one unit of a system. The other end of the light guide and the photo-diode are mounted in fixed relationship in a second coupling having electrical connector pins for mating with a receptacle in another unit of the system. The electro-optic link provides a unitary structure for transmitting signals from one unit of a system to another unit. Electrical signals from the one unit are converted to light signals by the LED, the light signals are transmitted by the flexible fiber optic light guide to the photo-diode, and are reconverted to electrical signals by the photo-diode for utilization in the other unit.

Claims

1. A unitary photo-electric coupling device including a flexible fiber optic light guide having a light passing surface at one end;

a photo-electric transducing element;

a housing for enclosing the one end of the flexible fiber optic light guide and the photo-electric transducing element;

means holding the flexible fiber optic light guide with said surface in fixed position in the housing;

means holding the photo-electric transducing element within the housing in fixed position with respect to said surface of the flexible fiber optic light guide;

electrical connectors mounted fixed in said housing with portions disposed within said housing and with portions having contact surfaces disposed externally of the housing; and

electrical connections between the portions of the electrical connectors within the housing and the photo-electric transducing element;

said means holding the flexible fiber optic light guide including a clamp at one end of the housing for gripping the flexible fiber optic light guide with the surface at said one end disposed within the housing; and

said means holding the photo-electric transducing element including a sleeve member encircling the one end of the flexible fiber optic light guide and the photo-electric transducing element, the one end of the flexible fiber optic light guide and the photo-electric transducing element being fixed to said sleeve member with the surface of the one end of the flexible fiber optic light guide and the photo-electric transducing element in light transmitting-receiving relationship.

2. A unitary photo-electric coupling device in accordance with claim 1 including a plug of insulating material adjacent to the other end of the housing whereby the housing including said clamp and said plug define an enclosed chamber containing the one end of the flexible fiber optic light guide, the sleeve member, and the photo-electric transducing element;

and wherein said electrical connectors are mounted in and extend through said plug with portions within the chamber and with the portions having contact surfaces external of the chamber.

3. A unitary photo-electric coupling device in accordance with claim 2 including gripping means attached to and encircling said housing for handling the device when inserting and removing the portions of the electrical connectors haviNg contact surfaces in and from a mating receptacle, whereby the elements of structure establishing the fixed relationship between the surface at the end of the flexible fiber optic light guide and the photo-electric transducing element are not subjected to stress.

4. An electro-optic link for transmitting signals including a flexible fiber optic light guide having light passing surfaces at each end;

a light-to-electricity transducing element;

an electricity-to-light transducing element;

a first housing for enclosing one end of the flexible fiber optic light guide and the light-to-electricity transducing element;

means holding the flexible fiber optic light guide with the surface at said one end in fixed position in the first housing;

means holding the light-to-electricity transducing element within the first housing in fixed position with respect to the surface at said one end of the flexible fiber optic light guide;

first electrical connectors mounted fixed in said first housing with portions disposed within said first housing and with portions having contact surfaces disposed externally of the first housing;

electrical connections between the portions of the first electrical connectors within the first housing and the light-to-electricity transducing element;

a second housing for enclosing the other end of the flexible fiber optic light guide and the electricity-to-light transducing element;

means holding the flexible fiber optic light guide with the surface at said other end in fixed position in the second housing;

means holding the electricity-to-light transducing element within the second housing in fixed position with respect to the surface at said other end of the flexible fiber optic light guide;

second electrical connectors mounted fixed in said second housing with portions disposed within said second housing and with portions having contact surfaces disposed externally of the second housing; and

electrical connections between the portions of the second electrical connectors within the second housing and the electricity-to-light transducing element;

each of said means holding the flexible fiber optic light guide including a clamp at one end of the associated housing for gripping the flexible fiber optic light guide with the surface at the respective end disposed within the associated housing; and

each of said means holding a transducing element including a sleeve member encircling the associated end of the flexible fiber optic light guide and the respective transducing element, each end of the flexible fiber optic light guide and the associated transducing element being fixed to the associated sleeve member with the surface at each end of the flexible fiber optic light guide and the associated transducing element in light transmitting-receiving relationship.

5. An electro-optic link in accordance with claim 4 including first and second plugs of insulating material adjacent the other ends of the first and second housings, respectively, whereby each housing including the clamp and the associated plug defines an enclosed chamber, each chamber containing an end of the flexible fiber optic light guide, a sleeve member, and a transducing element;

and wherein said first and second electrical connectors are mounted in and extend through said first and second plugs, respectively, with portions within the chambers and with portions having contact surfaces external of the chambers.

6. An electro-optic link in accordance with claim 5 including first and second gripping means attached to and encircling said first and second housings, respectively, for handling the respective housing and associated elements when inserting and removing the portions of the respective electrical connectors having contact surfaces in and from mating receptacles, whereby the elements of structure establishing the fixed relationship between the surface at an end of the flexible fiber optic liGht guide and the associated transducing element are not subjected to stress.

7. An electro-optic link in accordance with claim 6 wherein said first and second electrical connectors are disposed in different physical arrangements whereby the assembly of elements including the light-to-electricity transducing element is distinguishable from the assembly of elements including the electricity-to-light transducing element.