ELECTRO-OPTICAL TRANSMISSION LINE

• US 3,809,908 A
• Filed: 06/29/1973
• Issued: 05/07/1974
• Est. Priority Date: 06/29/1973
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: ITT Corporation (ITT, Inc.)
• Original Assignee: John S. Clanton
• Inventors: Clanton, John S.
• Primary Examiner(s): Lawrence, James W.
• Assistant Examiner(s): Grigsby, T. N.
• Application Number:
  US05/375,158
• Time in Patent Office: 312 Days
• Field of Search: 250/217S,227 333/24.2 174/35C
• US Class Current: 250/551
• CPC Class Codes: G02B 6/3817 containing optical and electrical conductors cables including electrical and optical conductors H01B11/22; G02B6/3816 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: G02B 6/403 of the ferrule type, connecting a pair of ferrules
• CPC Class Codes: G02B 6/4201 Packages, e.g. shape, construction, internal or external details
• CPC Class Codes: G02B 6/4284 of optical modules with disconnectable electrical connectors latching arms for electrical connectors H01R13/627
• CPC Class Codes: G02B 6/4292 the light guide being disconnectable from the opto-electronic element, e.g. mutually self aligning arrangements
• CPC Class Codes: G02B 6/4295 coupling with semiconductor devices activated by light through the light guide, e.g. thyristors, phototransistors

Abstract

An electro-optical transmission line for use in an interconnection system wherein an electrical signal is converted to an optical output signal by a light-emitting diode and the optical light signal is transmitted by an optical fiber bundle to a light receiving diode which converts the optical signal back to an electrical signal. The optical bundle is terminated at its ends with coaxial electrical contact assemblies which mount the diodes. The contact assemblies may be mounted in standard electrical connector members.

Claims

1. An electro-optical transmission line comprising:

at least one optical fiber;

a coaxial electrical contact assembly at each end of said fiber;

each said contact assembly including a shell and a pair of inner and outer contacts extending outwardly from one end of said shell, said outer contact surrounding said inner contact;

a radiation-emitting device in one of said shells directed toward one end of said fiber and a photosensitive device in the other shell directed toward the other end of said fiber, each said device having inner and outer coaxial conductors electrically connected to the inner and outer contacts, respectively, of its corresponding contact assembly; and

the respective ends of said fiber being connected to the other ends of said shells.

2. A transmission line as set forth in claim 1 including:

a plurality of said fibers arranged in a bundle.

3. A transmission line as set forth in claim 1 wherein:

the inner contact of one of said pair of contacts is a socket contact; and

the inner contact of the other pair of contacts is a pin contact.

4. A transmission line as set forth in claim 1 wherein:

said outer conductor is a metal outer casing and the inner conductor is a central pin; and

the inner contacts of said contact assemblies are crimped to said pins.

5. A transmission line as set forth in claim 4 wherein:

the outer casings of said devices are electrically engaged with respective ones of said shells; and

said outer contacts are coupled to said shells at said one end thereof.

6. A transmission line as set forth in claim 1 including:

a pair of electrical connector members each receiving one of said coaxial electrical contact assemblies.

7. An electro-optIcal transmission line assembly comprising:

a pair of electrical connector members each having a plurality of coaxial electrical contact assemblies therein;

each said contact assembly including a shell and a pair of inner and outer contacts extending outwardly from one end of said shell, said outer contact surrounding said inner contact;

a plurality of optical fiber bundles extending between said shells in said connector members; and

a radiation-emitting device in each shell in one of said connector members directed toward the end of a respective one of said optical fiber bundles and a photosensitive device in each shell in the other connector member directed toward the other end of said optical fiber bundles, each said device having an inner pin and outer coaxial metal casing electrically connected to the inner and outer contacts, respectively, of its corresponding contact assembly.