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US 10,520,684 B2Granted
Optical ferrules
Assignee3M Innovative Properties Company
InventorsMichael A. Haase, Alexander R. Mathews, Terry L. Smith
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Assignee3M Innovative Properties Company
InventorsMichael A. Haase, Alexander R. Mathews, Terry L. Smith
Estimating the term…
An optical ferrule adapted to receive and transmit light is described. The optical ferrule includes first and second alignment features for mating with corresponding alignment features of a mating optical ferrule. One of the first and second alignment features may be compressible, expandable or compliant. An optical ferrule having first and second alignment features is described, wherein the ferrule is adapted such that the mating/unmating to/from a corresponding ferrule can be effected along two orthogonal dimensions of the ferrule. Additionally an optical ferrule having first and second alignment features is described, wherein the first and second alignment features are located at substantially different first and second locations/contact regions along the ferrule mating direction; the contact regions may also be offset along the thickness direction of the ferrule.
An optical ferrule comprising first and second alignment features for mating with corresponding alignment features of a mating optical ferrule, the optical ferrule adapted to receive and transmit light, wherein the first alignment feature has a size and a shape and the second alignment feature defines an expandable opening, wherein the optical ferrule is hermaphroditic, and wherein when the optical ferrule is not mated with the mating optical ferrule, the second alignment feature is in an unexpanded state, and when the optical ferrule is fully mated with the mating optical ferrule, the second alignment feature is in an expanded state.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.