Interposer with alignment features

• US 8,977,088 B2
• Filed: 07/26/2011
• Issued: 03/10/2015
• Est. Priority Date: 07/30/2010
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: TE Connectivity Corporation (TE Connectivity Ltd. (United Kingdom))
• Original Assignee: Tyco Electronics Corporation (TE Connectivity Ltd. (United Kingdom))
• Inventors: Castagna, Lou, Miller, Richard Dean, Herb, William Lamar, Dellinger, Donald Eugene, Fair, Robert Nelson Jr., Gillis, Daniel Edward
• Primary Examiner(s): RAHLL, JERRY T
• Application Number:
  US13/190,938
• Publication Number:
  US 20120027346A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,323 Days
• Field of Search: 398/200, 398/214
• US Class Current: 385/49
• 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 6/4206 Optical features G02B6/4207, G02B6/421 take precedence
• CPC Class Codes: G02B 6/4214 the intermediate optical element having redirecting reflective means, e.g. mirrors, prisms for deflecting the radiation from horizontal to down- or upward direction toward a device G02B6/4246 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: G02B 6/4224 using visual alignment markings, e.g. index methods
• CPC Class Codes: G02B 6/4249 comprising arrays of active devices and fibres
• CPC Class Codes: G02B 6/4292 the light guide being disconnectable from the opto-electronic element, e.g. mutually self aligning arrangements

Abstract

An optical interposer for optically coupling light between an OED supported on a substrate and an optical fiber, the interposer comprising: (a) an interposer of an optically-clear moldable material comprising at least the following features: (b) a port for receiving a ferrule containing at least one optical fiber, the port comprising an interface surface positioned to optically couple with an end face of the optical fiber; (c) an active lens adapted to optically couple with an OED, the active lens and the interface surface optically coupled along an optical path in the interposer; (d) a protrusion extending backward from the port, the protrusion defining a first register surface, the first register surface being a certain distance from the optical path such that, when a second register surface of a ferrule containing the optical fiber contacts the first register surface, the ferrule is aligned with the port such that the port can receive a front portion of the ferrule if the ferrule is pushed forward.

Claims

1. An optical interposer for optically coupling light between an OED supported on a substrate and an optical fiber, the interposer comprising:

an interposer of an optically-clear moldable material comprising at least the following features;

a port for receiving a ferrule containing at least one optical fiber, said port comprising an interface surface positioned to optically couple with an end face of said optical fiber;

an active lens adapted to optically couple with an OED, said active lens and said interface surface optically coupled along an optical path in said interposer;

a protrusion extending backward from said port, said protrusion defining a first register surface, said first register surface being a certain distance from said optical path such that, when a second register surface of a ferrule containing said optical fiber contacts said first register surface, a front portion of said ferrule is aligned to be received in said port.

2. The interposer of claim 1, wherein said first register surface is horizontal.

3. The interposer of claim 2, wherein said protrusion defines a third register surface, perpendicular to said first register surface, wherein said third register surface cooperates with a fourth register surface of said ferrule to align said ferrule horizontally relative to said interposer.

4. The interposer of claim 3, wherein said first register surface is downward facing.

5. The interposer of claim 3, wherein said protrusion comprises a third register surface on each of its sides.

6. The interposer of claim 5, wherein said sides are tapered such that said protrusion narrows from front to back.

7. The interposer of claim 1, further comprising said ferrule, said ferrule having said second register surface for contacting said first register surface.

8. The interposer of claim 7, wherein said first register surface is downward facing and said second register surface is upward facing.

9. The interposer of claim 7, wherein said protrusion has at least a third register surface perpendicular to said first register surface, and wherein said ferrule comprises a fourth register surface perpendicular to said second register surface, wherein said third register surface cooperates with said fourth register surface of said ferrule to align said ferrule in said port.

10. The interposer of claim 9, wherein said protrusion defines two third register surfaces, said third register surfaces being tapered such that said protrusion narrows from front to back.

11. The interpose of claim 9, wherein said front portion of said ferrule comprises four sides, two adjacent sides of said four sides being fifth and sixth register surfaces, and the remaining two sides having crush ribs, said fifth and sixth register surfaces cooperating respectively with seventh and eighth register surfaces around the perimeter of said port, said crush ribs urging said fifth and sixth register surfaces against said seventh and eighth register surfaces respectively such that said ferrule is precisely aligned in said port.

12. The interposer of claim 1, further comprising a clip, said clip urging said ferrule upward and forward such that said first and second register surfaces are urged together and said fiber end face is urged against said interface surface.

13. The interposer of claim 12, wherein said clip comprises at least one resilient forward tab, at least one a resilient top tab, and at least a rear tab, and wherein a front portion of said interposer comprises a recess for receiving said forward tab, said top tab urges against a top portion of said body, and said rear tab receive a rear portion of said ferrule such that said ferrule is urged forward and upward into said lens body.

14. The interposer of claim 13, wherein said ferrule comprises two rear lower corners and said rear tab comprises two rear corner tabs configured to receive said rear lower corners.

15. The interposer of claim 1, wherein said body further comprises

a reflective surface disposed along said optical path to bend light between said active lens and said interface surface.

16. The interposer of claim 15, wherein said reflector surface bends light about 90 degrees.

17. The interposer of claim 16, wherein said reflective surface is an air interface formed by a cavity in the top of said body, said cavity is defined by said reflective surface, a forward wall at about 55 to about 110°

relative to said reflective surface, a rear wall at about 135 to about 180°

relative to said reflective surface, and side walls at about 90 to about 120°

relative to said reflective surface.

18. The interposer of claim 1, wherein said port is a rectilinear cavity defined in said optically-clear moldable material by at least four sides and a front wall, said front wall being said an interface surface.

19. The interposer of claim 18, wherein one of said sides is a top side and wherein said first register surface is coplanar with said top side.

20. An interposer for optically coupling light between an OED supported on a substrate and an optical fiber, the interposer comprising:

a lens body of an optically-clear moldable material comprising at least the following features;

a port for receiving a ferrule containing at least one optical fiber, said port comprising an interface surface positioned to optically couple with an end face of said optical fiber;

an active lens adapted to optically couple with an OED, said active lens and said interface surface optically coupled along an optical path in said interposer;

a reflective surface disposed along said optical path to bend light between said active lens and said interface surface, said reflective surface being an air interface formed by a cavity in the top of said body, said cavity is defined by said reflective surface, a forward wall at about 55 to about 110°

relative to said reflective surface, a rear wall at about 135 to about 180°

relative to said reflective surface, and side walls at about 90 to about 120°

relative to said reflective surface.

21. The interposer of claim 20, wherein said reflector surface is about 45°

to said substrate.

22. The interposer of claim 20, wherein said forward wall is about 90°

to said reflective surface and said rear wall at about 145°

to said reflective surface.