DE102017106991A1 - Connector with an optical fiber - Google Patents

Abstract

The invention relates to a connector (1, 1 '), which consists of at least one insulating body, wherein the connector (1, 1') at least one fiber (5, 5 ') for transmitting electromagnetic waves, which is fixed in the insulating body wherein the at least one fiber (5, 5 ') has a rectangular cross-section. With such fibers, millimeter waves and centimeter waves can be transmitted. As a result, high data transmission rates can be realized.

Description

The invention relates to a connector according to the preamble of the independent claim 1.

Such connectors are used for transmitting electromagnetic waves. The fiber used in the connector presented here is suitable for the transport of electromagnetic waves with a wavelength in the millimeter range. The insulator of the connector shown here may be configured as a connector module and used in so-called heavy connectors. Such connectors can be equipped with different connector modules and are therefore very popular in industrial areas.

State of the art

The DE 10 2013 102 023 A1 shows a connector module which is used in a heavy connector for transporting electromagnetic waves. The corresponding fibers must be equipped with adapters here. At the end, these adapters have lenses which ensure that the electromagnetic waves to be transmitted are optimally coupled into the fiber of the mating connector module or into the mating connector. Due to the multi-part construction, the production of this connector module is quite expensive.

task

The object of the invention is to propose a connector for the transmission of electromagnetic waves, which is simple and robust.

The object is solved by the subject matter of independent claim 1.

Advantageous embodiments of the invention are specified in the subclaims.

The connector according to the invention has an insulating body. The connector further comprises at least one fiber for transmitting electromagnetic waves. The fiber is fixed in the insulator. The fiber used here has a rectangular cross-section. The fiber is designed such that it can transmit electromagnetic waves in the millimeter and centimeter range. This is also known as radar or microwaves.

The rectangular cross-section of the fiber allows the polarization-preserving transport of the electromagnetic wave in the millimeter and centimeter range. This is advantageous, for example, to increase the coupling efficiency in a receiver chip. Furthermore, so the transmitted field can be easily reduced to a mode, which has advantages especially in the case of spatial inhomogeneities of the permittivity of the carrier medium, for example caused by bending, since the noise is suppressed by a divergence of the mode field.

Preferably, the at least one fiber is enclosed by a plastic sheath. The plastic sheath protects the fiber. Due to the physical properties of the fiber, a wavelength can be used for data transmission, which makes it possible to dispense with micrometer-accurate positioning of the fibers to each other. This means that a connector and a mating connector plugged with it need not be highly precisely aligned with each other so that data transmission can take place. The ends of both fibers can be positioned at a few wavelengths apart without the juncture of two aligned fibers losing their transferring function. Due to the micro or centimeter waves used (wavelength in the millimeter range), a macroscopic distance of a few millimeters can be set between the end faces of the aligned fibers. As a result, the said end faces are particularly protected against mechanical damage.

It is particularly advantageous if the insulating body consists of plastic. Optimal is the use of a material that has the same permittivity as the plastic sheath of the fiber. Preferably, the insulating body and the plastic sheath made of the same material. Thereby, the insulating body can be manufactured in a single injection molding process. The fiber used for data transmission can be encapsulated directly in this process, for example.

In order for an electromagnetic wave to be transmitted from a fiber to a second fiber aligned therewith, the cross-sectional areas of the two fibers must be aligned parallel and undiluted with each other. In an advantageous variant of the invention, the at least one fiber in the insulating body is therefore fixed against rotation. In a corresponding mating connector, in which also a fiber is fixed against rotation, so a corresponding orientation of the fibers can be ensured to each other.

Advantageously, the at least one fiber is fixed in the insulating body via a clamping screw. Such fixation can be realized easily and inexpensively.

In a particularly advantageous embodiment of the invention, the connector has at least two fibers. The at least two fibers are aligned rotated by 90 ° to each other. As a result, a so-called polarization of the connector can be achieved. A plugged connector to a mating connector would not allow data transmission.

Preferably, the insulating body is formed substantially cuboid. On insulator lateral webs are formed. About the webs of the insulating body can be fixed as a connector module in a support frame of a heavy connector. Such a support frame is for example in the DE 10 2013 113 976 B4 shown.

list of figures

• 1 eine perspektivische Darstellung eines ersten Steckverbinders gesteckt mit einem zweiten Steckverbinder bzw. Gegensteckverbinder,
• 2 einen perspektivischen Ausschnitt einer Faser mit einem rechteckigen Querschnitt,
• 3 eine perspektivische Schnittdarstellung des ersten Steckverbinders gesteckt mit dem zweiten Steckverbinder bzw. Gegensteckverbinder und
• 4 eine skizzierte Draufsicht auf den Steckbereich eines Steckverbinders.

An embodiment of the invention is illustrated in the drawings and will be explained in more detail below. Show it:

• 1 a perspective view of a first connector plugged with a second connector or mating connector,
• 2 a perspective section of a fiber having a rectangular cross-section,
• 3 a perspective sectional view of the first connector plugged with the second connector or mating connector and
• 4 a sketched plan view of the plug-in area of a connector.

The figures contain partially simplified, schematic representations. In part, identical reference numerals are used for the same but possibly not identical elements. Different views of the same elements could be scaled differently.

The 1 shows a first connector 1 , which is plugged with a second connector 1 'and a mating connector 1'. The connectors 1, 1 'essentially have a cuboid basic shape. On the narrow sides are webs 2 , 2 'molded, with which the connector 1 , 1 'in a holding frame (not shown) of a heavy connector (not shown) can be fixed. In this case you would get the connectors 1 Denote 1 'connector modules for a heavy connector.

The connectors are on the front side 1 , 1 'two clamping screws each 3 , 3 'on. About the clamping screws 3 '3' are in the connectors 1 '1' two conductors each 4 '4' fixed. In 2 is such a leader 4 shown. The conductor contains a fiber 5 , which is suitable for the transmission of electromagnetic waves in the millimeter wavelength range. The fiber 5 is from a plastic material 6 jacketed. The front of the ladder 4 is from plastic material 6 of course left out.

In 3 it can be seen that the electromagnetic conductors 4 in a groove within the insulator of the connector 1 , 1 'are inserted. About the respective clamping screws 3 , 3 'are the electromagnetic conductors 4, 4' in the connector 1 , 1 'fixed against rotation.

Out 4 It can be seen that the two in the connector 1 fixed fibers 5 have a rectangular cross-section. The two fibers 5 are aligned at 90 ° to each other. The corresponding fibers 5 'of a mating connector 1' must be oriented in the same way so that data transmission can take place. By a twisted arrangement of the fibers within a connector 1 a so-called polarization can be achieved. If the connector is inserted the wrong way round, there will be no data transmission.

In summary, the invention relates to a connector 1 , 1 ', which consists at least of an insulating body, wherein the connector 1, 1' at least one fiber 5 , 5 'for transmitting electromagnetic waves, which is fixed in the insulating body, wherein the at least one fiber 5 5 'has a rectangular cross-section. With such fibers, millimeter waves and centimeter waves can be transmitted. As a result, high data transmission rates can be realized.

LIST OF REFERENCE NUMBERS

1

Connectors

2

web

3

clamping screw

4

ladder

5

fiber

6

Plastic material

QUOTES INCLUDE IN THE DESCRIPTION

This list of the documents listed by the applicant has been generated automatically and is included solely for the better information of the reader. The list is not part of the German patent or utility model application. The DPMA assumes no liability for any errors or omissions.

Cited patent literature

• DE 102013102023 A1 [0003]
• DE 102013113976 B4 [0014]

Claims (10)

Connector (1, 1 '), consisting of an insulating body and at least one fiber (5, 5') for transmitting electromagnetic waves, wherein the at least one fiber (5, 5 ') is fixed in the insulating body, characterized in that the at least a fiber (5, 5 ') has a rectangular cross-section. Connector after Claim 1 characterized in that the at least one fiber (5, 5 ') of a plastic sheath (6) is sheathed. Connector according to one of the preceding claims, characterized in that the insulating body (1, 1 ') consists of plastic. Connector according to the two preceding claims, characterized in that the insulating body and the plastic sheath (6) consist of the same material. Connector according to one of the preceding claims, characterized in that the at least one fiber (5, 5 ') is fixed against rotation in the insulating body. Connector according to one of the preceding claims, characterized in that the at least one fiber (5, 5 ') via a clamping screw (3, 3') is fixed in the insulating body. Connector according to one of the preceding claims, characterized in that the connector (1, 1 ') at least two fibers (5, 5'). Connector according to the preceding claim, characterized in that the at least two fibers (5, 5 ') are rotated by 90 ° to each other. Connector according to one of the preceding claims, characterized in that the insulating body is formed substantially cuboid. Connector according to one of the preceding claims, characterized in that the insulating body lateral webs (2, 2 ') are integrally formed.

Images