Optical fiber connector

• US 9,081,158 B2
• Filed: 04/19/2013
• Issued: 07/14/2015
• Est. Priority Date: 08/29/2012
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Hon Hai Precision Industry Co., Ltd.
• Original Assignee: Hon Hai Precision Industry Co., Ltd.
• Inventors: Lin, I-Thun
• Primary Examiner(s): KIANNI, KAVEH C
• Application Number:
  US13/866,035
• Publication Number:
  US 20140064670A1
• Time in Patent Office: 816 Days
• Field of Search: 385/79, 385/78
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: G02B 6/4278 related to pluggable or demountable opto-electronic or electronic elements
• 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 fiber connector includes an optical cable and a connector body connected to the optical cable. The connector body includes a shell, a PCB, photoelectric elements, and a coupler. The shell includes a receiving portion and a plug portion connected to the receiving portion. The receiving portion defines a receiving space therein, and the plug portion defines an opening communicating with the receiving space. The receiving portion includes a bottom plate and an opposite top plate. The receiving portion defines a connecting hole in the top plate and communicating with the receiving space, and an end of the optical cable is received and fixed in the connecting hole. The PCB includes a mounting end positioned in the receiving portion and an insertion end extending to the plug portion through the opening. The photoelectric elements are positioned on the mounting end and faces toward the top plate.

Claims

1. An optical fiber connector, comprising:

an optical cable; and

a connector body connected to an end of the optical cable, the connector body comprising;

a shell comprising a receiving portion and a plug portion connected to an end of the receiving portion, the receiving portion defining a receiving space therein, the plug portion defining an opening communicating with the receiving space, the receiving portion comprising a bottom plate and a top plate opposite to the bottom plate, the receiving portion defining a connecting hole in the top plate communicating with the receiving space, and the end of the optical cable being received and fixed in the connecting hole;

a PCB received in the shell, the PCB comprising a mounting end and an insertion end opposite to the mounting end, the mounting end being positioned on the bottom plate, and the insertion end extending to the plug portion through the opening;

at least one photoelectric element positioned on the mounting end of the PCB, the at least one photoelectric element facing toward the top plate; and

a coupler positioned between the optical cable and the at least one photoelectric element for optically aligning the optical cable with the at least one photoelectric element;

wherein the optical cable comprises a cable portion and a connecting portion connected to an end of the cable portion, and the connecting portion is received and fixed in the connecting hole;

wherein the coupler comprises a main body and at least one lens portion formed on the main body, the at least one lens portion is corresponding to the at least one photoelectric element and is optically aligned with the at least one photoelectric element;

wherein the coupler comprises two engaging posts on two opposite sides of a surface of the main body, the connecting portion defines two engaging holes spatially corresponding to the engaging posts, and the engaging posts are engaged into the engaging holes, respectively.

2. The optical fiber connector of claim 1, wherein the at least one photoelectric element comprises two optical signal emitters and two optical signal receivers, the optical signal emitters and the optical signal receivers are arranged along a linear direction, the connecting portion defines four fixing holes, each of the fixing holes is corresponding to a respective one of the optical signal emitters and the optical signal receivers.

3. The optical fiber connector of claim 2, wherein the optical signal emitters are laser diodes, and the optical signal receivers are photodiodes.

4. The optical fiber connector of claim 1, wherein the main body defines a recess portion in its bottom surface, and the main body covers the at least one photoelectric element within the recess portion.