EP2183627A1

EP2183627A1 - Fiber-optic pin-and-socket connector having a beam expansion device

Info

Publication number: EP2183627A1
Application number: EP08801621A
Authority: EP
Inventors: Roger KRÄHENBÜHL; Thomas Ammer
Original assignee: Huber and Suhner AG
Current assignee: Huber and Suhner AG
Priority date: 2007-08-30
Filing date: 2008-08-19
Publication date: 2010-05-12
Also published as: WO2009030360A1; CN101828137B; US8360659B2; CN101828137A; US20100284651A1

Abstract

The invention relates to an optical pin-and-socket connector for the detachable connection of a plurality of optical leads (115) having an insert (112, 112'), in which the leads (115) are inserted on a first side, the leads (115) ending in said connector with the optical fibers (119, 120) thereof, and said connector having an expansion device (117, 118) on a second side, on which the beams exit the fibers (119, 120) in an expanded manner. A simplification of the assembly and installation is achieved in that the insert (112, 112') comprises two separate partial elements (113; 117, 118) that can be assembled, one of which is configured as an expansion device (117, 118) and the other is configured as a retaining block (113) for receiving the ends of the leads (115).

Description

Optical connector

The present invention relates to the field of optical communications. It relates to an optical connector according to the preamble of claim 1.

Optical fiber networks are increasingly used in all areas for data transmission because of their wide bandwidth and the insensitivity to electromagnetic interference. For releasable connection between different cables or their wires while connectors are used, which are arranged at the cable or wire ends and safely couple in the inserted state emerging from the fiber ends of a connector side light signals in the fiber ends of the other connector side.

With increasing complexity of the transmission networks and increasing miniaturization of the devices used, the packing density of the connectors is becoming increasingly important. In standardized single plug type LC, SC, ST or the like. The achievable densities are essentially determined and limited by the comparatively large connector housing. A certain degree of compaction can be achieved by the pairing of individual plugs into duplex plugs (see, for example, EP-A1-141 01 5). Although other type MT connector systems achieve higher densities through a common ferrule for a plurality of fibers, they are limited to band-shaped optical cables (so-called "ribbons") and are not suitable for the joint plug-in connection between individual electrodes (see, for example, EP-A2- 0 997 757 or WO-Al-2006098734).

In particular, such connector systems require direct contact between the end faces of the ferrules fixed in the individual fibers, which requires precise processing of the ferrules flush with the fiber ends by various grinding processes and precise orientation of the fiber ends when installed in the connector and the mutual alignment in the inserted state. On the other hand, it is known to use optical means such as lenses in connector systems at the fiber ends in order to expand and parallelize the beams coming from the fiber ends and thereby reduce the requirements for the mutual alignment of the fibers to be connected. Such connector systems are known for single fibers, for example, from US-A-5,768,458 or for several fibers from JP-A-2007041222. Instead of lenses and specially shaped mirror elements can be used (DE-Al -100 43 985).

However, the assembly of the fiber ends and their alignment and fixing with respect to the beam-expanding optical means or elements is complicated and problematic in such connector systems.

It is therefore an object of the present invention to provide an optical connector and an optical connector system, which allows high connector densities, are simple and are characterized by a simplified assembly of the cable or A- end, and to provide a method for their preparation.

The object is solved by the totality of the features of claims 1, 1 2 and 14. Essential for the optical connector according to the invention is an insert in which the wires of a cable to be connected are inserted on a first side and in which the wires terminate with their optical fibers. This insert has, on a second side, a widening device on which the jets emerge widened out of the fibers. The insert comprises two separate, composable sub-elements, one of which is designed as a widening device and the other as a holding block for receiving the ends of the wires. This advantageously makes it possible to process the fiber ends with comparatively few restrictions when the wire ends have already been picked up by the holding block. Preferably, the holding block and the expansion device are formed and adapted to each other, that in the composite insert, the fibers of the wire end received by the holding block with a fiber portion of predetermined length out of the holding block and project into the expansion device. Thus, the fiber ends are freely accessible and can be processed with a laser process precisely and quickly.

The wire ends can be accommodated in a particularly simple manner if the holding block has, for each of the wire ends, a wire bore extending from the first side into the holding block, which passes via a subsequent insertion cone into a fiber hole ending on the opposite side of the holding block.

It is advantageous for the connection density, if the core holes or fiber bores are arranged parallel to each other and in several rows one above the other in the holding block. Here, a checkerboard-like or a densest-packed arrangement or other suitable arrangement of the holes can be provided.

Another embodiment of the inventive optical connector is characterized in that the expansion device first means for expanding the from the

Vein emerging rays and second means for receiving and adjusting the projecting out of the holding block fiber sections with respect to the first means, wherein either the first means refractive optical elements, in particular in the form of

Lenses or ball lenses or CRIN lenses, or comprise reflective optical elements, in particular in the form of mirrors or parabolic mirrors.

According to a further embodiment of the invention, the second means comprise Justierbohrungen or V-grooves. Another embodiment is characterized in that the end faces of the protruding from the holding block fiber sections are laser-processed, for which purpose preferably a known as laser cleaving process is used.

Preferably, the insert is installed in a housing.

In the method according to the invention, the optical fibers are exposed over a predetermined length in a first step to the wire ends belonging to the connector before the wire ends with the exposed fibers are introduced into the holding block and fixed there in a second step such that the exposed fibers respectively protrude with a fiber portion of the holding block, in a third step, the protruding fiber portions are processed by a laser cleaving process, in a fourth step, the holding block with the wire ends received therein is assembled with an expansion device provided to an insert, and finally the insert is installed in a housing.

A preferred embodiment of the method according to the invention is characterized in that a widening device is used, which comprises optical means for widening the rays emerging from the wires, and that the exposed fiber sections are adjusted in the assembly of the holding block and the widening device with respect to the optical means ,

The inventive optical connector system comprises two matched optical connectors, which can be detachably connected to each other, wherein the two connectors are designed according to the invention.

Preferably, the inserts of the two connectors are formed identically. Furthermore, it is advantageous if the inserts of the two plugged connectors are aligned with respect to the optical axes and spaced from each other.

In particular, the connectors can be latched together by a screw connection or a bayonet fitting or by a resilient snap lock, wherein preferably the plug connectors can be locked together in a sealing manner.

The invention will be explained in more detail with reference to embodiments in conjunction with the drawings. Show it

Fig. 1-4 in different views an embodiment of an insert according to the invention;

Fig. 5 shows the arrangement of two inserts according to Fig. 1-4 within a connector rsyste ms;

6 is a perspective exploded view of the various sub-elements of the insert according to FIGS. 1-4

Fig. 7 shows the holding block of the insert of FIG. 14 with the protruding, the

Machining accessible fiber sections;

8a shows an alternative embodiment of Figure 6 alternative expansion device with parabolic mirrors and V-grooves.

FIG. 8b shows a longitudinal section through an insert with the expansion device according to FIG. 8a; FIG. FIG. 9a shows an exemplary embodiment comparable to FIG. 8 with only one mirror per insert or connector; FIG.

Fig. 9b, the optical coupling between the inserts of both connectors

Fig. 9a in the assembled state;

10 shows a longitudinal section through an insert with an alternative to FIG. 8

Expansion device with ball lenses;

Fig. 1 1 in a highly schematic representation of the exemplary installation of the

Insert of Figure 1-4 in a connector.

Fig. 1 2 in a highly schematic representation of a connector system with two mated connectors according to FIG. 1 1;

Fig. 1 3 different steps in the manufacture of a connector according to the

Invention.

Fig. 1 1 shows a highly schematic representation of a connector 1 10 according to an embodiment of the invention. Within the connector 1 10 ends a plurality of optical wires 1 1 5 in a built-in a housing 1 1 1 insert 1 12, which is constructed according to FIGS. 1-7. In the connector system 100 shown in Fig. 1 2 two connectors 1 10 and 1 10 ^{1 of} the same kind are plugged together by way of example, with their inserts 1 1 2, 1 1 2 'according to FIG. 5 in the optical axes 1 36 are aligned and have a distance a from each other over which the two inserts 1 1 2, 1 1 2 'exchange rays.

As can be seen in particular from Fig. 6, the insert comprises 1 1 2 in this embodiment, a plurality of sub-elements, namely a holding block 1 1 3, an adjusting device 1 17 and an optical expansion block 1 18. The adjusting device 1 17 and the optical expansion block 1 18 together form a widening device 1 14 (Fig. 1-4), which has the task of emerging from the wire ends 1 1 5 rays for Einkopp - widen development in the complementary connector. The holding block 1 13 receives the ends of the wires 1 1 5 with the exposed on a stretch of fibers 1 19 and fixes them mechanically. These are in the holding block 1 13 in two rows one above the other preferably parallel arrangements of one vein bore 121, an insertion 122 and a fiber bore 1 23 provided in the insertion direction of the wire 1 1 5 are arranged one behind the other and the wires 1 1 5 and the fibers 1 19 in the manner shown in Fig. 5 record.

The adjusting device 1 17 in this embodiment, a plate of constant thickness, which has at the corresponding bores 123 holes Justierbohrungen 1 24 in the form of precise microbores in which the fibers 1 19, which protrude with fiber sections 1 20 from the holding block 1 13 ( see Fig. 7) are precisely guided with these fiber sections 120.

The expansion block 1 18 in this example is a one-piece block of glass or other transparent material, on one outer side of which jet-expanding optical elements in the form of convex lenses 1 16 are formed, which form a bores 121, 1 23 and 124 corresponding double-row arrangement and in composite insert 1 13 correspond to the adjustment holes 124 with respect to the optical axis. However, the expansion block 1 18 can also be combined with the adjusting device 1 17 to a micromechanically processed unit.

During assembly, the fibers 1 19 are first exposed to a certain length at the individual wires 1 1 5. The wire ends 1 15 with the exposed fibers 1 19 are then inserted into the corresponding holes 121, 1 23 in the holding block 1 13, until the configuration shown in FIG. 7 results, in which the fibers 1 19 with fiber sections 120 protrude freely from the opposite side of the holding block 1 13. The Einführkonusse 122 facilitate the insertion of the fibers 1 19 in the fiber bores 1 23. The protruding from the fiber bores 1 23 fiber sections 120 are now freely accessible for processing, preferably a laser processing (laser cleaving) with a laser beam coming from a laser 1 34 135, in which the length of the fiber portion 1 20 and the end face of the fiber are processed optically precise. Details of the process of laser cleaving can be found in the following publication: Ammer, T .; Strasser, MM; Studer, H .; Zaina, P .; Compare, C ₁ Novel small form factor optical ribbon fiber connector for singlemode applications, Fibers and Optical Passive Components, 2005. Proceedings of 2005 IEEE / LEOS Workshop on, 22-24 June 2005 Page (s): 339-344.

The thus prepared arrangement of cores 1 1 5 and holding block 1 1 3 is now assembled with the provided expansion device 1 14, wherein the freestanding fiber sections 120 as shown in FIG. 5 in the Justierbohrungen 1 24 of the adjusting device 1 1 7 immerse and with the end face to the expansion block 1 18 more or less abut. In operation, the jets emerge from the fiber ends and into the widening block 118, which they - expanded by the optical widening elements 1 16 - leave on the opposite side. In the same Cegenstecker they are focused in the reverse manner again and coupled into the fiber ends. In this way, a coupling between the connectors is possible, which requires neither a direct mechanical contact between the front sides of the connector, nor a high-precision alignment of the optical axes.

Other embodiments of expansion devices in the invention are shown in FIGS. 8 to 10 reproduced. FIG. 8 a shows a widening device 1 25 in which the beam coming from the fiber 1 19 is deflected twice over two reflective elements in the form of parabolic mirrors 1 29, 130 and thereby widened. The expansion Device 125 is composed of a separate upper part 126 and a separate lower part 1 27, in each of which one of the parabolic mirrors 1 29, 130 is arranged. In the lower part 127 V-grooves 1 28 are provided to the pairs of mirrors 129, 1 30 side by side, which adjust in cooperation with the attached upper part 1 26, the inserted fiber sections by clamping and thus form an integrated adjusting device. Together with the holding block 1 13, the insert 132 shown schematically in FIG. 8b thus results.

An exemplary embodiment comparable to FIG. 8 is reproduced in FIG. 9, wherein the partial figure 9a shows the arrangement in the unplugged condition, and the partial figure 9b shows the arrangement in the inserted state. The mutually complementary inserts 138, 138 'each have a widening device 139 or 1 39', which only requires a reflective element in the form of a mirror 137 or 1 37 '. The optical coupling between the two inserts 1 38, 138 'in the inserted state (Fig. 9b) is perpendicular to the optical axis of the two optical fibers 1 19. Due to the special design of the expansion devices 1 39, 1 39', it is possible with only an injection molded part (for the expansion device 139, 1 39 ') to get along that can be used on both sides of the connector.

FIG. 10 shows a further embodiment of a widening device 131, which together with the holding block 1 1 3 forms the insert 142. The expansion device 131 contains for expanding the beam in each case a ball lens 1 33, which lies with the ball center point in the optical axis of the associated fiber 1 19. However, other types of beam expansion elements are also possible, such as, for example, cylindrical lenses with gradient index (CRIN) or the like.

Overall, the invention results in an optical connector, which is characterized by the following advantages: • No spacer is needed in the connector.

• No fiber block has to be polished.

• There are no precautions for index matching.

• The requirements for the precision of the holding block are low.

• The whole of the fibers can be processed in one process.

• Mechanical contact between the fiber ends and the expansion device is possible.

BEZUCSZEICHENLISTE

100 connector system

1 10.1 10 'connector

1 1 1 housing

1 1 2,1 1 2 'Use

1 13 holding block

1 14,125,131 expansion device

1 15 core (cable end optical cable)

1 16 lens

1 17 adjusting device

1 18 expansion block

1 19 optical fiber

120 fiber section

121 core hole

122 insertion cone

123 fiber well

124 Adjustment bore

126 upper part 127 lower part

128 V-N ut

1 29,130 parabolic mirror

132,142 use

133 ball lens

134 lasers

135 laser beam

136 optical axis

137.137 'mirror

138,138 'use

139.1 39 'expansion device a distance (inserts)

Claims

claims

An optical connector (110, 110 ') for releasably connecting a plurality of optical strands (115) to an insert (112, 112'; 132, 138, 138 ', 142) in which the wires (115) abut a first page are introduced in which the veins

(115) end with their optical fibers (119, 120), and which on a second side an expansion device (114, 125, 131, 139, 139 '), at which the rays of the fibers (119, 120) emerge expanded characterized in that the insert (112, 112 '; 132, 138, 138', 142) comprises two separate component parts (113, 114, 125, 131, 139, 139 '), one of which can be used as a widening device ( 114, 125, 131, 139, 139 ') and the other is formed as a holding block (113) for receiving the ends of the wires (115).

2. Optical connector according to claim 1, characterized in that the holding block (113) and the widening device (114, 125, 131, 139, 139 ') are designed and adapted to one another such that in the assembled insert (112, 112'). ;

132, 138, 138 ', 142) the fibers (119) of the wire ends (115) received by the holding block (113) with a fiber portion (120) of predetermined length out of the holding block (113) and into the expansion device (114, 125, 131, 139, 139 ') protrude.

3. An optical connector according to claim 2, characterized in that the holding block (113) for each of the wire ends (115) from one of the first side in the holding block (113) extending into the bore (121) which has a anschuessenden Einführkonus (122) in a on the opposite side of the holding block (113) ending fiber bore (123) passes.

4. An optical connector according to claim 3, characterized in that the core bores (1 21) or fiber bores (1 23) are arranged parallel to one another and in several rows one above the other in the holding block.

5. An optical connector according to claim 3 or 4, characterized in that the expansion device (1 14, 125, 131, 139, 139 ') first means (1 16; 129, 1 30; 133,

1 37, 1 37 ') for expanding the beams emerging from the wires (15) and second means (1 24, 128) for receiving and adjusting the fiber sections (120) protruding from the holding block (1 13) with respect to the first Means (1 16, 129, 130, 1 33, 1 37, 137 ').

6. Optical connector according to claim 5, characterized in that the first means comprise refractive optical elements, in particular in the form of lenses (1 16) or ball lenses (133) or GRIN lenses.

7. Optical connector according to claim 5, characterized in that the first means reflective optical elements, in particular in the form of mirrors (137, 1 37 ') or parabolic mirrors (129, 130) include.

8. An optical connector according to any one of claims 5 to 7, characterized in that the second means comprise Justierbohrungen (124).

9. Optical connector according to one of claims 5 to 7, characterized in that the second means comprise V-grooves (1 28).

10. An optical connector according to claim 2, characterized in that the end faces of the holding block (1 1 3) protruding fiber sections (1 20) are laser-processed.

1 1. An optical connector according to one of claims 1 to 10, characterized in that the insert (1 12, 1 12 ') in a housing (1 1 1) is installed.

12. A method for producing a connector (1 10, 1 10 ') according to claim 1, characterized in that in a first step to the connectors belonging to the wire ends (1 15) the optical fibers (1 19) are exposed over a predetermined length in that in a second step the wire ends (1 15) with the exposed fibers (1 19) are introduced into the holding block (1 13) and fixed there, such that the exposed fibers (1 19) are each provided with a fiber section (120). stand out of the holding block (1 13) that in a third step, the protruding fiber sections (120) are processed with a laser cleaving process that in a fourth

Step of the holding block (1 13) with the wire ends (1 15) received therein with a provided expansion device (1 14, 125, 131) to an insert (1 12, 1 12 ') is assembled, and that the insert (1 12, 1 12 ') in a housing (1 1 1) is installed.

13. The method according to claim 12, characterized in that an expansion device (1 14, 125, 131, 139, 139 ') is used, which optical means (1 16, 129, 130, 133, 137, 137') for expanding the comprising the cores (1 15) and that the exposed fiber sections (120) in the assembly of the holding block (1 13) and the expansion device (1 14, 125, 131, 139, 139 ') with respect to the optical means ( 1 16, 129, 130, 133, 137, 137 ') are adjusted.

14. An optical connector system (100), comprising two matched optical connectors (1 10, 1 10 '), which can be releasably connected to each other, characterized in that the two connectors (1 10, 1 10') according to one of claims 1 to 1 1 are formed.

15. An optical connector system according to claim 14, characterized in that the inserts (1 1 2, 1 1 2 ¹ ) of the two connectors (1 10, HO ¹ ) are formed similar.

16. An optical connector system according to claim 14 or 1 5, characterized in that the inserts (1 12, 1 1 2 ') of the two plug connectors (1 10,

1 10 ') are aligned with each other with respect to the optical axes (136) and have a distance (a) from each other.

1 7. Optical connector system according to one of claims 14 to 16, characterized in that the connectors (1 10, 1 10 ') by means of a screw or a bayonet or a snap spring snap lock can be locked together.

18. An optical connector system according to any one of claims 17 or 18, characterized in that the connectors (1 10, 1 10 ') are sealingly locked together.