Optical fiber array interconnection
AssigneeTyco Electronics Corporation
InventorsJohn Robert Rowlette, Sr., Michael Aaron Kadar-Kallen
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Abstract
An interconnection system (10) is provided for connecting a plurality of optical arrays (66) to each other. The arrays (66) are terminated with connectors (62, 64) and then cut to form transmit and receive arrays (66). Multiple transmit arrays (66) are terminated in respective rows of a first arrays guide (40, 140). Multiple receive arrays (66) are terminated in respective columns of a second arrays guide (40, 140). The first and second arrays guides (40) are aligned to optically couple the rows of transmit arrays (66) with the columns of the receive arrays (66).
Claims15
An optical interconnection system for optical transmit arrays and optical receive arrays comprising:
- the transmit arrays being arranged in a first guide such that the transmit arrays are disposed in first orientations,
- the receive arrays being arranged in a second guide such that the receive arrays are disposed in second orientations that are orthogonal to the first orientations, and
- the first guide and the second guide are aligned with selected ones of the first and second orientations being aligned with one another.
A method of making an optical interconnection system comprising the steps of:
- providing a plurality of optical arrays,
- terminating opposite ends of the arrays,
- severing the arrays to provide first transmit arrays and first receive arrays,
- orienting the first transmit arrays in a first row of a first guide,
- orienting the first receive arrays in a first column of a second guide that is adapted to be aligned with the first guide such that the first column is orthogonal to the first row,
- orienting additional transmit arrays in additional rows of the first guide,
- orienting additional receive arrays in additional columns of the second guide, and
- aligning the first and second guides, whereby the first transmit arrays align with the additional receive arrays, and the first receive arrays align with the additional transmit arrays.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.