Optical fiber connector ferrule assembly having single reflective surface for beam expansion and expanded beam connector incorporating same

An expanded beam ferrule connector comprising:

• a first expanded beam ferrule and a second expanded beam ferrule, wherein each of the first and second expanded beam ferrule comprises:
• a first ferrule halve having at least one reflective surface;
• and
• a second ferrule halve,
• wherein the first ferrule halve and the second ferrule halve together retain at least one optical fiber, wherein the reflective surface reflects light perpendicular to plane of the first ferrule halve facing the second ferrule halve, and wherein the reflective surface is defined at an extended section of the first ferrule halve which extends beyond the second ferrule halve;
• a sleeve aligning external surfaces of the first and second ferrules, wherein the first and second ferrules are aligned longitudinally with the extended section on the first ferrule halve of the first ferrule overlapping the extended section of the first ferrule halve of the second ferrule, with the reflective surfaces of the respective ferrules facing each other, wherein output light from the optical fiber held in the first ferrule is bent and collimated by a reflective surface, transmitted to the facing reflective surface in a second ferrule aligned by the sleeve, which bends the light to input to the optical fiber held in the second ferrule.

An expanded beam ferrule connector, comprising:

• a first expanded beam ferrule, comprising:
• a first ferrule halve having at least one reflective surface;
• and
• a second ferrule halve,
• wherein the first ferrule halve and the second ferrule halve together retain at least one optical fiber, wherein the reflective surface reflects light perpendicular to a plane of the first ferrule halve facing the second ferrule halve, and wherein the reflective surface is defined at an extended section of the first ferrule halve which extends beyond the second ferrule halve;
• a second expanded beam ferrule, comprising:
• a first ferrule halve having at least one reflective surface;
• and
• a second ferrule halve,
• wherein the first ferrule halve and the second ferrule halve together retain at least one optical fiber, wherein the reflective surface reflects light perpendicular to plane of the first ferrule halve facing the second ferrule halve, and wherein the reflective surface is defined at an extended section of the first ferrule halve which extends beyond the second ferrule halve;
• a sleeve aligning external surfaces of the first and second ferrules, wherein the first and second ferrules are aligned longitudinally with the extended section on the first ferrule halve of the first ferrule overlapping the extended section of the first ferrule halve of the second ferrule, with the reflective surfaces of the respective ferrules facing each other, wherein output light from the optical fiber held in the first ferrule is bent and collimated by a reflective surface, transmitted to the facing reflective surface in a second ferrule aligned by the sleeve, which bends the light to input to the optical fiber held in the second ferrule.

An expanded beam optical connector, comprising:

• a first and a second expanded beam ferrule, each comprising:
• a first ferrule halve having at least one reflective surface;
• and
• a second ferrule halve, which together retain at least one optical fiber,
• wherein the reflective surface reflects light perpendicular to a plane of the first ferrule halve facing the second ferrule halve, and wherein the reflective surface is defined at an extended section of the first ferrule halve which extends beyond the second ferrule halve;
• an external alignment sleeve aligns external surfaces of the first and second ferrules, wherein the first and second ferrules are aligned longitudinally with the extended section on the first ferrule halve of the first ferrule overlapping the extended section of the first ferrule halve of the second ferrule, with the reflective surfaces of the respective ferrules facing each other,
• wherein output light from the optical fiber held in the first ferrule is bent and collimated by a reflective surface, transmitted to the facing reflective surface in a second ferrule aligned by the sleeve, which bends the light to input to the optical fiber held in the second ferrule, and
• wherein a collimated light is transmitted between the facing reflective surfaces defined at the respective extended sections of the first ferrule halve of the first ferrule and the first ferrule halve of the second ferrule.