Active device receptacle

• US 6,086,263 A
• Filed: 06/13/1996
• Issued: 07/11/2000
• Est. Priority Date: 06/13/1996
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: 3M Innovative Properties Company (3M Company), II-VI Delaware, Inc. (Coherent Corp.)
• Original Assignee: 3M Innovative Properties Company (3M Company)
• Inventors: Parrett, George W., Selli, Raman K., Waltrip, Phillip W., Guenter, James K., Doss, Donald G.
• Primary Examiner(s): NGO, HUNG NHAT
• Application Number:
  US08/664,039
• Time in Patent Office: 1,489 Days
• Field of Search: 385/44, 385/49, 385/88, 385/89, 385/90, 385/91, 385/92, 385/93, 385/94, 385/33, 385/83
• US Class Current: 385/88
• CPC Class Codes: B08B 11/00 Cleaning flexible or delicate articles by methods or apparatus specially adapted thereto B08B3/12, B08B6/00 take precedence
• CPC Class Codes: B08B 2240/02 Optical fibers or optical fiber connectors
• CPC Class Codes: B08B 7/0028 by adhesive surfaces
• CPC Class Codes: G02B 2006/4297 having protection means, e.g. protecting humans against accidental exposure to harmful laser radiation
• CPC Class Codes: G02B 6/3821 with axial spring biasing or loading means G02B6/3847 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: G02B 6/3823 containing surplus lengths, internal fibre loops provisionally see also G02B6/444
• CPC Class Codes: G02B 6/3829 Bent or angled connectors G02B6/3827 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: G02B 6/3838 using grooves for light guides
• CPC Class Codes: G02B 6/3847 with means preventing fibre end damage, e.g. recessed fibre surfaces
• CPC Class Codes: G02B 6/3849 using mechanical protective elements, e.g. caps, hoods, sealing membranes G02B6/3816 takes precedence; provisionally see H01R13/44
• CPC Class Codes: G02B 6/3866 Devices, tools or methods for cleaning connectors cleaning in general B08B
• CPC Class Codes: G02B 6/38875 Protection from bending or twisting
• CPC Class Codes: G02B 6/3888 Protection from over-extension or over-compression
• CPC Class Codes: G02B 6/3893 Push-pull type, e.g. snap-in, push-on
• CPC Class Codes: G02B 6/421 the intermediate optical component consisting of a short length of fibre, e.g. fibre stub
• CPC Class Codes: G02B 6/4292 the light guide being disconnectable from the opto-electronic element, e.g. mutually self aligning arrangements

Abstract

A receptacle for terminating an optical fiber at an active device such as a photodetector or solid-state light source. The receptacle includes a housing, a termination fixture and an active device. The housing has an opening for receiving the terminal portion of an optical fiber, a door located at the opening, biased to a closed position and having a latch for releasably receiving an optical fiber plug, and a removable plate allowing access to an interior of the housing. The termination fixture and the active device may be mounted to a common substrate attached to an interior portion of the housing. The termination fixture includes a base and a projection attached to the base proximate a light-transmitting portion thereof, the projection having a fiber-receiving groove directed toward a fiber stop surface located on the light-transmitting portion of the base. The base can have a lens integrally molded with the light-transmitting portion. The active device is positioned with respect to the termination fixture to receive light from, and/or transmit light to, any fiber whose terminal portion is located in the V-groove and abutting the fiber stop. An optional optical plate may be used to adjust the optical characteristics of the termination fixture.

Claims

1. A fixture for terminating an optical fiber, comprising:

a base having a light-transmitting portion;

a projection attached to said base proximate said light-transmitting portion thereof, said projection having a fiber-receiving groove directed toward a fiber stop surface located on said light-transmitting portion of said base; and

means for aligning said light-transmitting portion of said base with an active device.

2. The termination fixture of claim 1 wherein said base has a lens integrally formed with said light-transmitting portion thereof.

4. The termination fixture of claim 1 wherein said light-transmitting portion of said base has a plurality of surfaces positioned to provide total internal reflection of a light beam directed at said fiber stop surface.

5. The termination fixture of claim 1 further comprising insert means for changing an optical characteristic of the fixture.

6. The termination fixture of claim 1 Wherein said fiber-receiving groove is generally straight and said fiber stop surface is generally orthogonal to said fiber-receiving groove.

7. The termination fixture of claim 2 wherein said lens is formed on said light-transmitting portion of said base opposite from said fiber stop surface.

8. The termination fixture of claim 5 wherein said insert means comprises an optical plate member sized to fit in a corresponding cutout in said base proximate said light-transmitting portion thereof.

9. The termination fixture of claim 8 wherein said optical plate has a lens integrally formed therewith.

10. The termination fixture of claim 8 wherein said optical plate is mechanically polarized to fit only one way in said cutout in said base.

3. The termination fixture of claim wherein said aligning means comprises posts attached to said base.

11. A device for terminating an optical fiber, comprising:

a housing having an opening for receiving the terminal end of an optical fiber;

at least one termination fixture located in said housing, said fixture including a base and a projection attached to said base proximate a light-transmitting portion thereof, said projection having a fiber-receiving groove with a first end directed generally toward said opening of said housing, and a second end directed toward a fiber stop surface located on said light-transmitting portion of said base; and

at least one active device located in said housing and positioned with respect to said termination fixture to operatively connect with said light-transmitting portion of said base.

12. The device of claim 11 wherein:

said active device is mounted on a substrate;

said termination fixture is mounted on said substrate; and

said substrate is attached to an interior portion of said housing.

13. The device of claim 11 wherein said housing has a door located at said opening biased to a closed position, said door having latch means for releasably receiving an optical fiber plug.

14. The device of claim 11 wherein said housing has at least two of said termination fixtures, and at least two of said active devices operatively connected, respectively, to said two termination fixtures.

15. The device of claim 11 further comprising insert means for changing an optical characteristic of said termination fixture.

16. The device of claim 12 wherein said housing includes a removable plate allowing access to an interior portion of said housing, said plate having latch arms which attach to said housing and secure said substrate in said housing.

17. The device of claim 15 wherein:

said two active devices are mounted on a common substrate;

said two termination fixtures are mounted on said common substrate; and

said substrate is attached to an interior portion of said housing.

18. An active device receptacle comprising:

a housing having

an opening for receiving the terminal portion of an optical fiber,

a door located at said opening, biased to a closed position and having latch means for releasably receiving an optical fiber plug,

means for attaching said housing to an external structure, and

a removable plate allowing access to an interior of said housing;

a substrate attached to an interior portion of said housing;

at least one termination fixture mounted on said substrate, said fixture including a base and a projection attached to said base proximate a light-transmitting portion thereof, said projection having a fiber-receiving groove with a first end directed generally toward said opening of said housing, and a second end directed toward a fiber stop surface located on said light-transmitting portion of said base, said base having a lens integrally formed with said light-transmitting portion thereof;

at least one active device mounted on said substrate and positioned with respect to said termination fixture to operatively connect with said light-transmitting portion of said base; and

an optical plate having a lens inserted in an optical path between said light-transmitting portion of said base of said termination fixture and said active device.

19. A fixture for terminating an optical fiber, comprising:

a base with a light-transmitting portion formed integrally therein;

a projection attached to said base, said projection having a fiber-receiving groove directed toward a fiber stop surface; and

at least one protrusion adapted to align said light-transmitting portion of said base with an active device.

20. The fixture of claim 19, wherein said projection extends essentially perpendicularly from said base.

21. A fixture for terminating an optical fiber, comprising:

a base having first and second major opposing surfaces and a light-transmitting portion extending between said first and second surfaces;

a projection extending from said first surface, said projection having a fiber-receiving groove therein which is directed toward said light-transmitting portion of said base; and

aligning means for aligning said light-transmitting portion of said base with an active device.

22. The fixture of claim 21, wherein said aligning means comprises at least one protrusion.

23. The fixture of claim 22, wherein said protrusion extends from said second surface of said base.

24. The fixture of claim 21, wherein said projection extends from an interior portion of said first surface.

25. The fixture of claim 21, further comprising an optical plate equipped with a lens which is disposed in an optical path between said light-transmitting portion of said base and said active device.

26. In combination with an active device, a fixture for terminating an optical fiber, comprising:

a base having a light-transmitting portion, said base being releasably attachable to said active device;

a projection attached to said base, said projection having a fiber-receiving groove directed toward a fiber stop surface; and

aligning means for aligning said light-transmitting portion of said base with said active device.

27. A fixture for terminating an optical fiber, comprising:

a base with an aperture disposed in the interior thereof;

a lens, disposed within said aperture;

a projection attached to said base, said projection having a fiber-receiving groove therein adapted to guide the end of an optical fiber into optical communication with said lens; and

an alignment mechanism adapted to align said lens with an active device.