External laser source physical contact verification of a fiber optic ferrule
AssigneeUS Conec Ltd.
InventorsMichael E. Hughes, Darrell R. Childers
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
A fiber optic ferrule having an angled endface is used in a system where the system can detect back reflection if there is an air gap but not if the fiber optic ferrule is physically mated to another optical device such as a fiber optic ferrule or transceiver. The angle of the end face is preferably between 3 and 5° and most preferably about 4° for most systems. No special detection equipment is needed to infer and determine an acceptable physical contact between two mated fiber-optic ferrules having the angled end faces.
Claims16
A fiber optic ferrule comprising:
- a top surface;
- a bottom surface;
- a first side surface and a second side surface extending between the top surface and the bottom surface;
- a front face extending between the top surface and the bottom surface;
- a rear face extending between the top surface and the bottom surface and having an opening to receive optical fibers for termination at the fiber optic ferrule;
- and
- a longitudinal axis extending between the front face and the rear face, wherein the front face has an angle relative to a plane perpendicular to the longitudinal axis, the angle being between 1 and 7 degrees.
A fiber optic ferrule comprising:
- a main body having a top surface and a bottom surface, a first side surface extending between the top surface and the bottom surface and a second side surface extending between the top surface and the bottom surface on opposites sides of the main body, a front face at a front end of the main body, and a rear face at a rear end of the main body;
- a rear central opening extending into the main body from the rear end face and configured to receive at least one optical fiber;
- and
- wherein the front face at the front end of the main body is angled between 1 and 7 degrees such that a distance between the front face and the rear face is greater on the top surface than on the bottom surface.
A fiber optic ferrule with at least one optical fiber comprising:
- a front face having an angle and is non-perpendicular to a longitudinal axis through the fiber optic ferrule, wherein the angle is more than 0° but less than 8°;
- the fiber optic ferrule having a back-reflection of an optical signal sent through the at least one optical fiber when exposed to air, the back-reflection being at a first predetermined value;
- the fiber optic ferrule having a back-reflection of an optical signal sent through the at least one optical fiber when the fiber optic ferrule is in physical contact with a second fiber optic ferrule, the back-reflection having a second predetermined value;
- wherein the first predetermined level is detectable by a detection apparatus and the second pre-determined level is not detectable by the detection apparatus.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.