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US 2025/0321384 A1Published application
Multi-Fiber Ferrule with Improved Eye Safety
AssigneeUS Conec Ltd.
InventorsDarrell R. Childers, Michael E. Hughes, Daniel D. Kurtz
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
A multi-fiber ferrule has lenses that have different prescriptions to disperse the light emitted from the multi-fiber ferrule. Alternatively, the lens for each individual optical fiber can be moved relative to the optical fiber or the optical fiber opening in the multi-fiber ferrule to cause the laser beam exiting the multi-fiber ferrule to be redirected into a structure that absorbs or blocks the laser.
Claims20
A multi-fiber ferrule comprising:
- a main body having a front end, a back end, and a middle portion disposed between the front end and back end, the front end and the back end defining a longitudinal axis extending therebetween;
- a first opening adjacent the back end of the main body, the first opening configured to receive at least two optical fibers;
- a plurality of optical fiber openings extending from the first opening toward the front end, each of the plurality of optical fiber openings configured to respectively receive one of the at least two optical fibers;
- and
- a plurality of lenses disposed adjacent the front end in at least one row and a plurality of columns, each of the plurality of lenses being in optical alignment with a respective one of the optical fiber openings,
- wherein the plurality of lenses are configured to respectively pass optical signals received from the at least two optical fibers at a nonzero angle relative to the longitudinal axis.
3 more elements
A multi-fiber ferrule comprising:
- a main body having a front end, a back end, and a middle portion disposed between the front end and back end, the front end and the back end defining a longitudinal axis extending therebetween;
- a first opening adjacent the back end of the main body, the first opening configured to receive at least two optical fibers;
- a plurality of optical fiber openings extending from the first opening toward the front end, each of the plurality of optical fiber openings configured to respectively receive one of the at least two optical fibers;
- and
- a plurality of lenses disposed adjacent the front end in at least one row, each of the plurality of lenses being in optical alignment with a respective one of the optical fiber openings,
- wherein the plurality of lenses are configured to respectively pass optical signals received from the at least two optical fibers at a nonzero angle relative to the longitudinal axis and
- wherein the main body of the multi-fiber ferrule is a unitary main body.
4 more elements
A multi-fiber ferrule comprising:
- a unitary main body having a front end, a back end, and a middle portion disposed between the front end and back end and defining a longitudinal axis therebetween;
- a first opening adjacent the back end of the unitary main body, the first opening configured to receive at least two optical fibers;
- a plurality of optical fiber openings extending from the first opening toward the front end, each of the plurality of optical fiber openings configured to receive an optical fiber and having an opening axis extending longitudinally therethrough;
- and
- a plurality of lenses disposed adjacent the front end, each of the plurality of lenses being in optical alignment with a respective one of the optical fiber openings, each of the plurality of lenses being in optical alignment with the plurality of optical fiber openings such that any optical signals passing through the plurality of lenses are received at a nonzero angle or transmitted at the nonzero angle relative to the longitudinal axis into or from the multi-fiber ferrule, respectively,
- wherein the plurality of lenses are arranged in at least one row corresponding to an arrangement of the plurality of optical fiber openings.
3 more elements
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.