Optical connector having stepped alignment pins
AssigneeAvago Technologies General IP (Singapore) Pte.Ltd.
InventorLaurence R. McColloch
Life of this patent
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Abstract
An optical connector has guide pins with stepped profiles. The connector includes a connector body, two or more optical ports, and two or more cylindrical guide pins. Each guide pin has a first portion with a first length, a second portion with a second length, and a transitional portion between the first and second portions. The first portion has a first diameter. The second portion has a second diameter. The second diameter is less than the first diameter.
Claims19
An optical connector system, comprising:
- a first connector body having a first connector mating face;
- a plurality of first optical ports in the first connector mating face, each first optical port optically aligned in a direction substantially normal to the mating face;
- and
- a plurality of cylindrical guide pins extending in the direction substantially normal to the first connector mating face, each guide pin comprising a first portion having a first length, a second portion having a second length, and a transitional portion between the first portion and the second portion, the first portion having a first diameter, the second portion having a second diameter, wherein the second diameter is less than the first diameter.
A method for mating a first device of an optical connector system with a second device of the optical connector system, the first device comprising a first connector body, a plurality of first optical ports in a first connector mating face, and a plurality of cylindrical guide pins extending in the direction substantially normal to the first connector mating face, the second device comprising a second connector body, a plurality of second optical ports in a second connector mating face, and a plurality of cylindrical bores extending in the second connector mating face, the method comprising:
- moving at least one of the first device and second device closer to each other while inserting each guide pin into a corresponding one of the cylindrical bores, a second portion of each guide pin being inserted before a first portion of each guide pin;
- and
- continuing to move at least one of the first device and second device closer to each other until the second portion of each guide pin extends into the corresponding one of the cylindrical bores, the first portion of each guide pin having a first length, the second portion of each guide pin having a second length, each guide pin having a transitional portion between the first portion and the second portion, the first portion having a first diameter, the second portion having a second diameter, wherein the second diameter is less than the first diameter.
A method for making an optical connector system, comprising:
- providing a first connector body having a first connector mating face;
- providing a plurality of first optical ports in the first connector mating face, each first optical port optically aligned in a direction substantially normal to the mating face;
- and
- providing a plurality of cylindrical guide pins extending in the direction substantially normal to the first connector mating face, each guide pin comprising a first portion having a first length, a second portion having a second length, and a transitional portion between the first portion and the second portion, the first portion having a first diameter, the second portion having a second diameter, wherein the second diameter is less than the first diameter.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.