Pluggable optical transceiver having inner optical connection and optical connector installed therein

• US 8,821,038 B2
• Filed: 05/27/2011
• Issued: 09/02/2014
• Est. Priority Date: 10/29/2009
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Sumitomo Electric Industries Limited (Sumitomo Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Sumitomo Electric Industries Limited (Sumitomo Corporation)
• Inventors: Oki, Kazushige, Komachi, Hirokazu, Kurashima, Hiromi
• Primary Examiner(s): Stahl, Mike
• Application Number:
  US13/118,068
• Publication Number:
  US 20110255831A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,194 Days
• Field of Search: None
• US Class Current: 385/92
• CPC Class Codes: G02B 6/3821 with axial spring biasing or loading means G02B6/3847 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: G02B 6/3825 with an intermediate part, e.g. adapter, receptacle, linking two plugs
• CPC Class Codes: G02B 6/3878 comprising a plurality of ferrules, branching and break-out means
• CPC Class Codes: G02B 6/3897 Connectors fixed to housings, casing, frames or circuit boards G02B6/44528 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: G02B 6/4201 Packages, e.g. shape, construction, internal or external details
• 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 6/4243 Mounting of the optical light guide into a groove mounting optical light guides into a groove in general G02B6/3636
• CPC Class Codes: G02B 6/4246 Bidirectionally operating package structures
• CPC Class Codes: G02B 6/4256 Details of housings
• CPC Class Codes: G02B 6/4261 Packages with mounting structures to be pluggable or detachable, e.g. having latches or rails
• CPC Class Codes: G02B 6/4274 Electrical aspects G02B6/4263 and G02B6/4265 take precedence
• CPC Class Codes: G02B 6/4277 Protection against electromagnetic interference [EMI], e.g. shielding means shielding of electric apparatus H05K9/00, of instruments G12B17/00
• CPC Class Codes: G02B 6/428 containing printed circuit boards [PCB]
• CPC Class Codes: G02B 6/4284 of optical modules with disconnectable electrical connectors latching arms for electrical connectors H01R13/627
• CPC Class Codes: G02B 6/4292 the light guide being disconnectable from the opto-electronic element, e.g. mutually self aligning arrangements
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 29/49002 Electrical device making
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 29/49826 Assembling or joining

Abstract

A pluggable optical transceiver is disclosed. The transceiver comprises a plurality of OSAs, an optical member and a plurality of inner fibers to couple the optical member with OSAs. The inner fibers each provides an inner connector to couple with one of OSAs. The housing, which installs the OSAs, the optical member and the inner fiber, is made of metal and has a grooves into which the inner fibers is set so as to arrange them orderly.

Claims

1. An optical transceiver, comprising:

an optical subassembly;

an inner fiber having a ferrule and an elastic member at one end thereof, said ferrule including a flange;

a tray for guiding said inner fiber; and

an inner connector configured to receive said one end of said inner fiber, to be assembled with a stopper so as to hold said elastic member within said inner connector, to be movably supported by said tray, and to be engaged with said optical subassembly through a latch unit,

wherein said inner connector is movable between a retreated position and a coupled position.

2. The optical transceiver of claim 1,

wherein said inner connector makes said ferrule to couple optically with said optical subassembly at said coupled position, and does not interfere with an installation of said latch unit with said optical subassembly at said retreated position.

3. The optical transceiver of claim 1,

wherein said inner connector provides a groove configured to receive a latch finger of said tray, and

wherein said groove provides projections to determine said retreated position and said coupled position.

4. The optical transceiver of claim 3,

wherein said groove provides two projections, and

wherein said retreated position is determined between deeper projection and an end wall of said groove, and said coupled position is determined between two projections.

5. The optical transceiver of claim 3,

wherein said groove provides three projections, and

wherein said retreated position is determined between a deepest projection and an end wall of said groove, and said coupled position is determined between shallowest projection and an intermediate projection.

6. The optical transceiver of claim 1,

wherein said inner connector provides a first portion to receive said inner fiber, a second portion to receive said elastic member and said flange, and a partition wall for dividing said first portion from said second portion, and

wherein said elastic member is set between said partition wall and said flange so as to push out a portion of said ferrule beyond an end of said stopper.

7. The optical transceiver of claim 1,

wherein said optical transceiver includes a plurality of optical subassemblies, a plurality of inner fibers each corresponding to one of said optical subassemblies, a plurality of inner connectors each coupled with one of said inner fibers, and a latch unit,

wherein said tray provides a plurality of slots each guiding one of said inner fibers therein and providing a pair of latch fingers for supporting one of said inner connectors,

wherein said latch unit includes a plurality of slots each installing one of said optical subassemblies and having a pair of fingers for engaging with one of said inner connectors, and

wherein each of said inner connectors is movable between said retreated position and said coupled position.

8. A connector assembly, comprising:

a latch unit for supporting an optical subassembly, said latch unit including a pair of latch fingers;

an inner fiber having a ferrule and a coil spring at one end portion thereof, said coil spring having an end which abuts against a flange of said ferrule;

a connector housing having a first space, a second space, and a center partition for partitioning said first and second spaces, said first space receiving said one end portion of said inner fiber as another end of said coil spring abuts against said center partition, said second space securing said inner fiber continuous to said one end portion,

wherein said first space of said connector housing is engaged with said latch fingers of said latch unit to optically couple said inner fiber with said optical subassembly.

9. The connector assembly of claim 8,

wherein said first space of said connector housing provides a pair of side latches each supported by said center partition, and

wherein each of said latch fingers is engaged with respective side latches of said connector housing.

10. The connector assembly of claim 9,

wherein each of said side latches has a U-shaped cross section, and

wherein each of said latch fingers of said latch unit is secured within said U-shaped cross section.

11. The connector assembly of claim 8,

further comprising a ferrule stopper supported by said connector housing, said ferrule stopper having a beam,

wherein said ferrule stopper prevents said ferrule, said flange and said coil spring from disassembling, and

wherein said ferrule, said flange, and said coil spring are set between said center partition and said beam of said ferrule stopper.

12. The connector assembly of claim 11,

wherein said ferrule stopper provides a U-shaped cross section with said beam and two legs each extending from said beam,

wherein said ferrule passes an opening provided in said beam and said flange abuts against said beam.

13. The connector assembly of claim 12,

wherein said legs of said ferrule stopper provide respective tabs each latched with said connector housing.