# US 11,906,793 B2 · Optical connector assembly > Agents: this data is available as JSON from the patentgrep API and MCP server — see https://patentgrep.com/llms.txt - Number: US 11,906,793 B2 - Document ID: US11906793B2 - Status: Granted - Kind: B2 - Application number: 17/435,970 - Filed: 2019-03-26 - Published: 2022-05-12 - Granted: 2024-02-20 - Earliest claimed: 2019-03-26 - Assignees: 3M Innovative Properties Company - Applicants: 3M Innovative Properties Company - Inventors: Cheng Tang; Shiwen Chen; Changbao Ma; Bing Hao; Boon K. Lee - Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US11906793B2 ## CPC - G02B 6/403: {of the ferrule type, connecting a pair of ferrules} - G02B 6/3825: {with an intermediate part, e.g. adapter, receptacle, linking two plugs} - 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)} - G02B 6/3897: {Connectors fixed to housings, casing, frames or circuit boards (G02B6/44528 takes precedence)} - G02B 6/3855: {characterised by the method of anchoring or fixing the fibre within the ferrule (G02B6/3854 takes precedence)} - G02B 6/387: {Connector plugs comprising two complementary members, e.g. shells, caps, covers, locked together} - G02B: OPTICAL ELEMENTS, SYSTEMS OR APPARATUS ## Abstract An optical connector assembly (100) includes a housing (110), an optical ferrule (140); and an optical fiber array (150). The housing (110) has a mating end (111) and an opposite cable end (112) and includes: a first housing portion (120) including a front support (122) proximate the mating end (111) and a rear support (124) disposed between the front support (122) and the cable end (112); and a second housing portion (130) assembled to the first housing portion (120) and including a middle support (133) disposed between the front and rear supports (122,124). The ferrule (140) is supported by the front support (122). Front ends of optical fibers of the optical fiber array (150) are received by and attached to an attachment area of the ferrule (140). When the second housing portion (130) is assembled to the first housing portion (120), the middle support (133) of the second housing portion (130) contacts and bends the optical fiber array (150) about the middle support (133). The bend causes the optical ferrule (140) to rotate about the front support (122). ## Claims ### Claim 1 An optical connector assembly, comprising: a housing having a mating end and an opposite cable end, and comprising: a unitary first housing portion comprising a front support proximate the mating end and a rear support disposed between the front support and the cable end; and a unitary second housing portion assembled to the first housing portion and comprising a middle support disposed between the front and rear supports of the first housing portion; an optical ferrule supported by the front support of the first housing portion and comprising: an attachment area for receiving a plurality of optical fibers; and a light redirecting side for changing a direction of light received from an optical fiber received in the attachment area; and a substantially flat optical fiber array comprising a plurality of optical fibers, front ends of the optical fibers received by and fixedly attached to the attachment area of the optical ferrule, the optical fiber array fixedly attached to the rear support of the first housing portion, such that when the second housing portion is assembled to the first housing portion, the middle support of the second housing portion contacts and bends the optical fiber array about the middle support, the bend causing the optical ferrule to rotate about the front support of the first housing portion. ### Claim 2 (depends on 1) The optical connector assembly of claim 1, wherein the mating end of the housing is configured to be removably inserted into a multi-fiber push on (MPO) adaptor. ### Claim 3 (depends on 1) The optical connector assembly of claim 1, wherein the mating end of the housing is configured to be removably inserted into a fiber-optic connector (FC) adaptor. ### Claim 4 (depends on 1) The optical connector assembly of claim 1, wherein the mating end of the housing is configured to be removably inserted into a snap-in connector (SC) adaptor. ### Claim 5 (depends on 1) The optical connector assembly of claim 1, wherein the mating end of the housing is configured to be removably inserted into an optical backplane adaptor. ### Claim 6 (depends on 1) The optical connector assembly of claim 1 further comprising: a second substantially flat optical fiber array comprising a plurality of optical fibers; and a second optical ferrule disposed in the housing proximate the mating end, the second optical ferrule comprising: an attachment area for receiving a plurality of optical fibers, front ends of the optical fibers of the second optical fiber array received by and fixedly attached to the attachment area of the second optical ferrule; and a light redirecting side for changing a direction of light received from an optical fiber received in the attachment area of the second optical ferrule. ### Claim 7 (depends on 6) The optical connector assembly of claim 6, wherein the unitary first housing portion further comprises a second front support proximate the mating end and a second rear support disposed between the second front support and the cable end, the second optical fiber array fixedly attached to the second rear support of the first housing portion, the unitary second housing portion further comprising a second middle support disposed between the second front and second rear supports of the first housing portion, such that when the second housing portion is assembled to the first housing portion, the second middle support of the second housing portion contacts and bends the second optical fiber array about the second middle support, the bend in the second optical fiber array causing the second optical ferrule to rotate about the second front support of the first housing portion. ### Claim 8 (depends on 6) The optical connector assembly of claim 6, wherein the housing further comprises: a unitary third housing portion comprising a front support proximate the mating end and a rear support disposed between the front support and the cable end, the second optical ferrule being supported by the front support of the third housing portion; and a unitary fourth housing portion assembled to the third housing portion and comprising a middle support disposed between the front and rear supports of the third housing portion, such that when the fourth housing portion is assembled to the third housing portion, the middle support of the fourth housing portion contacts and bends the second optical fiber array about the middle support of the fourth housing portion, the bend causing the second optical ferrule to rotate about the front support of the third housing portion. ### Claim 9 (depends on 1) The optical connector assembly of claim 1, the first housing portion further comprises a first opening for receiving a mating optical ferrule and a different second opening facing a light output surface of the optical ferrule. ### Claim 10 (depends on 1) The optical connector assembly of claim 1, wherein the optical fiber array is attached to a collet, the collet being attached to the rear support of the first housing portion, the collet being substantially centered in the first housing portion along a first direction orthogonal to a mating direction of the optical connector assembly and along a second direction orthogonal to the mating and first directions. ### Claim 11 (depends on 1) The optical connector assembly of claim 1, wherein the optical fiber array is attached to a collet, the collet being attached to the rear support of the first housing portion, the collet retaining portions of the optical fibers in the collet such that the retained portions extend in a direction substantially parallel to a mating direction of the optical connector assembly. ### Claim 12 (depends on 1) The optical connector assembly of claim 1, wherein the optical fiber array is attached to a collet, the collet being attached to the rear support of the first housing portion, the collet retaining portions of the optical fibers in the collet such that the retained portions extend in a direction making an oblique angle with a mating direction of the optical connector assembly. ### Claim 13 (depends on 1) The optical connector assembly of claim 1, wherein the optical fiber array is attached to a collet, the collet being attached to the rear support of the first housing portion, the optical fibers have a length d1 between the optical ferrule and the middle support and a length d2 between the middle support and the collet, d1