Optical blind-mate connector and adapter

• US 9,798,092 B2
• Filed: 09/30/2013
• Issued: 10/24/2017
• Est. Priority Date: 09/30/2013
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Hewlett Packard Enterprise Development LP (Hewlett-Packard Enterprise Company)
• Original Assignee: Hewlett Packard Enterprise Development LP (Hewlett-Packard Enterprise Company)
• Inventors: Leigh, Kevin B., Megason, George D., Roesner, Arlen L.
• Primary Examiner(s): Hollweg, Thomas A
• Assistant Examiner(s): ANDERSON, GUY G
• Application Number:
  US15/024,957
• Publication Number:
  US 20160216456A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,485 Days
• Field of Search: 385 53- 94
• CPC Class Codes: G02B 2006/4297 having protection means, e.g. protecting humans against accidental exposure to harmful laser radiation
• CPC Class Codes: G02B 6/3849 using mechanical protective elements, e.g. caps, hoods, sealing membranes G02B6/3816 takes precedence; provisionally see H01R13/44
• CPC Class Codes: G02B 6/3893 Push-pull type, e.g. snap-in, push-on
• CPC Class Codes: G02B 6/4296 coupling with sources of high radiant energy, e.g. high power lasers, high temperature light sources

Abstract

Described are examples of optical blind-mate connector adaptors, optical blind-mate connectors to blind-mate to the adaptors, and optical blind-mate systems. In various implementations, an optical blind-mate connector adapter may include a sleeve housing and a shutter mounted at an opening of the sleeve housing. The shutter may include a shutter flap to cover the opening in a closed position and a shutter tab to receive a force to move the shutter flap from the closed position to an open position extending away from the sleeve housing.

Claims

1. An apparatus to optically blind-mate to an optical module, the apparatus comprising:

a sleeve housing including an opening; and

a shutter mounted on a pivot at the opening and including a shutter flap to cover the opening in a closed position and a shutter tab to receive a force to move the shutter flap from the closed position to an open position extending away from the sleeve housing, wherein the pivot is located between the shutter flap and the shutter tab.

2. The apparatus of claim 1, further comprising a biasing member to bias the shutter flap to the closed position.

3. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the shutter is a first shutter, and wherein the apparatus includes a second shutter mounted on a pivot at the opening, the first shutter and the second shutter arranged to cooperatively cover the opening of the sleeve housing.

4. The apparatus of claim 3, wherein the first shutter and the second shutter are arranged to cooperatively cover an entirety of the opening of the sleeve housing.

5. The apparatus of claim 3, wherein the respective shutter flaps of the first shutter and the second shutter overlap in the closed position.

6. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the opening is a first opening disposed at a first distal end of the sleeve, and wherein the apparatus includes another shutter mounted at a second opening disposed at a second distal end of the sleeve housing.

7. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the shutter is a first shutter, wherein the opening is a first opening disposed at a first distal end of the sleeve housing, and wherein the apparatus includes a second shutter mounted at a second opening disposed at a second distal end of the sleeve housing.

8. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the opening is a first opening disposed at a first distal end of the sleeve housing, wherein the sleeve housing includes a second opening disposed at a second distal end of the sleeve, and wherein the sleeve housing is mounted on a circuit board such that the first opening is disposed at first side of the circuit board and the second opening is disposed at a second side, opposite the first side, of the circuit board.

9. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the apparatus is a connector adapter to blind-mate a pair of optical modules to each other.

10. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the shutter tab is movable towards the sleeve housing to move the shutter flap from the closed position to the open position.

11. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the pivot is movable from a position proximal to the opening in the closed position to a position distal from the opening in the open position.

12. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein:

the pivot is movable on the sleeve housing towards and away from a centerline of the sleeve housing;

the sleeve housing comprises a shutter rest projecting parallel to the centerline; and

the shutter contacts the shutter rest when the pivot is fully extended towards the centerline.

13. The apparatus of claim 7, wherein the second shutter comprises a second shutter tab, a second shutter flap to cover the second opening in the closed position, and a second pivot between the second shutter tab and the second shutter flap, the second pivot mounting the second shutter to the sleeve housing.