US 2014/0153866 A1 · OPTICAL COMPONENT ARRAYS IN OPTICAL CONNECTORS

Abstract

An example embodiment includes an optical connector. The optical connector includes a printed circuit board (PCB), multiple optical components, multiple optical fibers, and a lens assembly. The optical components are mounted to the PCB. Additionally, each of the optical components includes an aperture. The lens assembly is positioned on the PCB. The lens assembly defines a cavity in which the optical components are positioned. Additionally, the lens assembly defines optical fiber seats that are configured to receive the optical fibers. The lens assembly includes an angled surface that is configured to reflect optical signals between the optical components and the optical fibers.

Claims20

Dependent claims

An optical connector comprising;

a printed circuit board (PCB);
a plurality of optical components mounted to the PCB, each of the plurality of optical components including an aperture;
a plurality of optical fibers;
and
a lens assembly positioned on the PCB, the lens assembly defining a cavity in which the plurality of optical components are positioned and an optical fiber seat configured to receive the plurality of optical fibers, the lens assembly including an angled surface configured to reflect optical signals between the plurality of optical components and the plurality of optical fibers.

2 more elements

An optical connector comprising:

a printed circuit board (PCB);
one or more single channel vertical-cavity surface-emitting lasers (VCSELs) mounted to the PCB, each of the VCSELs configured to transmit optical signals through an aperture;
one or more PIN diodes mounted to the PCB, each of the PIN diodes configured to receive optical signals through an aperture;
and
a lens assembly positioned on the PCB, the lens assembly defining a cavity in which the VCSELs and the PIN diodes are positioned and an optical fiber seat configured to receive one or more optical fibers, the lens assembly including an angled surface configured to reflect the optical signals transmitted by the VCSELs to a first subset of the optical fibers received in the optical fiber seat and to reflect optical signals communicated along a second subset of the optical fibers received in the optical fiber seat to the PIN diodes.

2 more elements

Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.

Facts

Application

14/095,820Filed 3 Dec 2013

Priority

3 Dec 2012

Published

5 Jun 2014

Term ends

Not estimatedThe source records don’t support an estimate.

Classification10 codes

H01R 13/6585
Shield structure: shielding material individually surrounding or interposed between mutually spaced contacts
G02B 6/12004
Of the integrated circuit kind: combinations of two or more optical elements
G02B 6/4284
Electrical aspects: of optical modules with disconnectable electrical connectors
G02B 6/43
Coupling light guides with opto-electronic elements: arrangements comprising a plurality of opto-electronic elements and associated optical…

Family

Application61/732,868Us provisional application · filed 3 Dec 2012

Application61/732,861Us provisional application · filed 3 Dec 2012

Application61/732,886Us provisional application · filed 3 Dec 2012

US 9,140,866 B2Related patent

US 2014/0153866 A1This patent

From the US filing history. Foreign family members aren’t listed.

Optical component arrays in optical connectors

Life of this patent

Optical component arrays in optical connectors

Life of this patent

Abstract

Claims20