Massive parallel optical interconnect system

• US 5,737,463 A
• Filed: 12/22/1995
• Issued: 04/07/1998
• Est. Priority Date: 12/22/1995
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Stratos International Incorporated (Emerson Electric Company)
• Original Assignee: Methode Electronics Incorporated
• Inventors: Schofield, Philip W., Weiss, Roger E., Vladic, Daniel P.
• Primary Examiner(s): NGO, HUNG NHAT
• Application Number:
  US08/577,508
• Time in Patent Office: 837 Days
• Field of Search: 385/59, 385/60, 385/63, 385/65, 385/83, 385/54, 385/147
• US Class Current: 385/59
• CPC Class Codes: G02B 6/3831 comprising a keying element on the plug or adapter, e.g. to forbid wrong connection keying element on the ferrule G02B6/3851; keying element for electrical coupling H01R13/64
• CPC Class Codes: G02B 6/3839 for a plurality of light guides
• CPC Class Codes: G02B 6/3861 Adhesive bonding adhesives in general C09J
• CPC Class Codes: G02B 6/3865 fabricated by using moulding techniques shaping techniques of plastic materials in general B29C; producing plastic optical fiber connectors B29D11/0075
• CPC Class Codes: G02B 6/3874 using tubes, sleeves to align ferrules
• 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

Abstract

A massive parallel (MP) connector is provided which includes a fiber optic connector having a polymer ferrule having multiple fibers mounted in V-grooves of the ferrule and beveled edges of the ferrule providing for alignment of the ferrule when the MP fiber optic connector is mated to a receptacle having an alignment assembly and an alignment member mounted within the alignment assembly to provide for precision alignment.

Claims

1. A massive parallel optical interconnect system comprising:

a plug connector body including an aperture therethrough including a generally rectangular ferrule having beveled edges; and

a receptacle including an opening having an alignment sleeve mounted within the opening having a pair of alignment members for providing alignment with the beveled edges of the ferrule.

2. The interconnect system of claim 1 wherein the ferrule accommodates multiple fibers.

3. The interconnect system of claim 1 wherein the ferrule is a molded plastic ferrule having grooves therein for receiving optical fibers.

4. The interconnect system of claim 3 wherein the grooves are rectilinear to the beveled edges of the ferrule.

5. The interconnect system of claim 1 wherein the plug body includes a mating end that dimensionally conforms to an SC style fiber optic connector form factor having an end face dimension of approximately 8.99 mm×

7.39 mm.

6. The interconnect system of claim 1 wherein the ferrule includes at least two optical fibers.

7. The interconnect system of claim 1 comprising a pair of plug bodies inserted into either end of the receptacle and providing for a precision alignment of the ferrules.

8. The interconnect system of claim 1 wherein the alignment sleeve includes a pair of alignment members mounted within the receptacle, providing a spring-form system applying a force through the alignment members and to the beveled edges of a ferrule parallel to major surfaces of the ferrule halves.

9. The interconnect system of claim 1 wherein the alignment sleeve is split and the receptacle includes a pretensioning means.

10. The interconnect system of claim 1 wherein the alignment sleeve includes a means for retaining alignment members within the alignment sleeve.

11. The interconnect system of claim 10 wherein the retaining means includes a spring clip having arms having a hook portion for engaging the alignment member.

12. The interconnect system of claim 10 wherein the spring clip applies a spring force through the alignment members to the beveled edges of the ferrule parallel to major surfaces of the ferrule halves.

13. The interconnect system of claim 1 wherein the receptacle includes a boss for pretensioning the alignment sleeve.

14. The interconnect system of claim 1 wherein the plug body includes a rear holder mounted at the cable entry end of the plug body;

the rear holder including a longitudinal slot for receiving a fiber optic cable.

15. The interconnect system of claim 14 wherein the rear holder includes a strain relief portion for receiving a bend relief boot.

16. The interconnect system of claim 14 wherein the fiber optic cable is secured to the rear holder via a retention means to capture strength members of the fiber optic cable and transfer forces applied to the cable to the plug body.

17. The interconnect system of claim 1 wherein the plug body includes a marking to designate the position of the first optical fiber.

18. The interconnect system of claim 1 wherein the plug body includes a resilient member to provide for the axial resiliency of the ferrule.

19. The interconnect system of claim 1 wherein the aperture of the plug body includes a diameter greater than the diameter of the ferrule wherein the ferrule is pivotally movable within the plug body.

20. The interconnect system of claim 1 wherein the plug body includes a sliding tab release sleeve.

21. The interconnect system of claim 1 wherein the receptacle includes latch arms.

22. The interconnect system of claim 1 wherein the receptacle includes an opening which dimensionally conforms to an SC style fiber optic receptacle form factor including an opening of approximately 9.0 mm×

7.4 mm.

23. The interconnect system of claim 1 wherein the ferrule includes a window for receiving adhesive therethrough.

24. The interconnect system of claim 1 wherein the ferrule is terminated by inserting multiple optical fibers within grooves of the ferrule;

securing the optical fibers within the grooves via chemical bonding and polishing the end face of the ferrule.

25. The interconnect system of claim 1 wherein the ferrule is formed of two halves each having a major surface having V-grooves therein and the halves each having a pair of beveled edges.

26. The interconnect system of claim 25 wherein the ferrule halves include a mating end and a rear end having a collar half molded integrally with the ferrule half.

27. The interconnect system of claim 25 wherein the ferrule includes a mating end and a rear end having a collar mounted thereon.

28. The interconnect system of claim 25 wherein the ferrule halves are bonded together and the fibers are secured therein via an adhesive.

29. A massive parallel optical connector comprising:

a plug connector body having an aperture therethrough; and

a molded plastic ferrule surrounding multiple optical fibers and having an end face on a same plane as end faces of the optical fibers and the ferrule mounted in the aperture and the ferrule having beveled edges.

30. The connector of claim 29 wherein the ferrule is a molded plastic ferrule having grooves therein for receiving the optical fibers.

31. The connector system of claim 30 wherein the grooves are rectilinear to the, beveled edges of the ferrule.

32. The connector of claim 29 wherein the plug body includes a mating end which dimensionally conforms to an SC style fiber optic connector form factor having an end face dimension of approximately 8.99 mm×

7.39 mm.

33. The connector of claim 29 wherein the ferrule includes twelve optical fibers.

34. The connector of claim 29 wherein the plug body includes a rear holder mounted at the cable entry end of the plug body;

the rear holder including an aperture for receiving a fiber optic cable.

35. The connector of claim 34 wherein the rear holder includes a strain relief for receiving a bend relief boot.

36. The connector of claim 34 wherein the fiber optic cable is secured to the rear holder via a retention means to capture strength members of the fiber optic cable and transfer forces applied to the cable to the plug body.

37. The connector of claim 29 wherein the plug body includes a marking to designate the position of the first optical fiber.

38. The connector of claim 29 wherein the plug body includes a .resilient member to provide for the axial resiliency of the ferrule.

39. The connector of claim 29 wherein the aperture of the plug body includes a diameter greater thin the diameter of the ferrule so that the ferrule is pivotally movable within the plug body.

40. The connector of claim 29 wherein the plug body includes a sliding tab release sleeve.

41. The connector of claim 29 wherein the ferrule includes a window for receiving adhesive therethrough.

42. The connector of claim 29 wherein the ferrule is terminated by inserting multiple optical fibers within grooves of the ferrule;

securing the optical fibers within the grooves via chemical bonding and polishing the end face of the ferrule.

43. The connector of claim 29 wherein the ferrule is formed of two halves each having a major surface having V-grooves therein and the halves each having a pair of beveled edges.

44. The connector of claim 43 wherein the ferrule halves include a mating end and a rear end having a collar half molded integrally with the ferrule half.

45. The connector of claim 43 wherein the ferrule includes a mating end and a rear end having a collar mounted thereon.

46. The connector of claim 43 wherein the ferrule halves are bonded together and the fibers are secured therein via an adhesive.

47. A massive parallel optical connector comprising:

a plug body including a mating end which dimensionally conforms to an SC style fiber optic connector form factor profile having an end face dimension of 8.99 mm×

7.39 mm and an aperture through the plug body; and

a ferrule having multiple fibers and the ferrule mounted within the aperture.

48. The connector of claim 47 wherein the ferrule includes beveled edges.

49. The connector of claim 47 wherein the ferrule is formed of two halves each having a major surface having V-grooves therein and the halves each having a pair of beveled edges.

50. The connector of claim 49 wherein the ferrule is a molded plastic ferrule with V-grooves.

51. The connector of claim 50 wherein the V-grooves are rectilinear to the beveled edges.

52. A massive parallel optical connector comprising:

a first block of polymer material having a groove formed in a first major surface for receiving multiple, parallel, optical fibers and a collar half molded integrally at a rear end of the first block;

a second block having a second major surface abutting against the first major surface of the first block; and

a connector housing having an end face and an aperture for receiving the first and second blocks wherein a portion of the first and second blocks form an end face extending beyond the end face of the housing and the end face of the blocks on a same plane as end faces of the optical fibers.

53. The connector of claim 52 wherein the second block is formed of a polymer material.

54. The connector of claim 52 wherein the second block includes a groove formed in the second major surface.

55. The connector of claim 52 wherein the first and second blocks form a ferrule having multiple fibers.

56. The connector of claim 52 wherein the first block includes beveled edges being rectilinear to the grooves.

57. The connector of claim 52 wherein the housing end face dimensionally conforms to an SC style fiber optic connector form factor having an end face diameter of approximately 8.99 mm×

7.39 mm.

58. The connector of claim 52 wherein the housing includes a rear holder mounted at a cable entry end of the housing;

the rear holder including an aperture for receiving a fiber optic cable.

59. The connector of claim 52 wherein the first and second blocks include a mating end and a rear end having a collar mounted thereon.