KR100300979B1 - Module for transmitting light - Google Patents

Abstract

PURPOSE: An optical transmission module is provided to reduce parts by not requiring a coupling unit, reduce a production cost by employing a connector module consisting of a plastic optical fiber and a plastic injection molded holder, enables a passive alignment that an optical axis is adjusted in mounting the connector module and an optical element module, and easily replace parts by facilitating disassembling and assembling. CONSTITUTION: An optical module(20) converts an inputted electric signal into an optical signal and/or converts an optical signal into an electric signal. The optical device module(20) includes a socket member(21), and optical elements(25,26) installed in the socket member(21). A plurality of leads(22) are formed in the socket member(21)k, and a plurality of pins(23,24,27) extended from each lead(22) are protruded from the socket member(21) to an array. The socket member is fabricated by plastic molding. Optical elements(25,26) are electrically wired with the plurality of leads(22), and are arranged as an array corresponding to bit number of a signal to be transmitted. The connector module(10) includes a holder(11) slidably combined with the socket member(21) by a combining unit, and at least one optical fiber(15) installed in the holder(11). The holder(11) is a plastic injection molded material. The optical fiber(15) includes optical fiber bundles corresponding to the optical elements(25,26). The combining unit includes a pair of guide groove(41) formed along both side wall portions of the socket member(21), and a pair of protruded guide units(43) formed protruded at both sides of the holder(11) and slidably inserted in each guide groove(41).

Description

Module for transmitting light

The present invention relates to an optical transmission module, and more particularly, to an optical transmission module for coupling an optical element and an optical fiber to transmit an optical signal to the optical fiber and / or to receive an optical signal transmitted through the optical fiber.

1 is a perspective view schematically showing an example of a conventional optical transmission module.

Referring to the drawings, a conventional optical transmission module includes an optical element 1, a plurality of optical fibers 3 for transmitting an optical signal, a multichannel optical connector 5 for supporting the plurality of optical fibers 2, and It consists of a plurality of focusing lenses 2 arranged between the optical element 1 and the plurality of optical fibers 2 to couple light.

The optical device 1 is a semiconductor laser array for converting an electrical signal into an optical signal or a photodetector array for receiving an incident optical signal and converting it into an electrical signal.

In this case, a plurality of edge emitting lasers are generally employed as the semiconductor laser array. The light emitted from this edge emitting laser is focused by the focusing lens 2 corresponding thereto and is incident on the optical fiber 3. Further, the light transmitted through the optical fiber 3 is emitted from its exit surface and focused by the focusing lens 2 and received by the corresponding photodetector.

Meanwhile, a flat waveguide (not shown) may be further provided for optical coupling between the optical device 1 and the optical fiber 3 as described above. This planar waveguide can also replace the focusing lens 2.

The optical fibers 3 arranged in an array are supported by a multichannel optical connector 5 with ferrules 6 as shown. The ferrule 6 has a plurality of optical fiber alignment grooves 6a in which the plurality of optical fibers 3 are aligned as shown. This ferrule 6 can be formed by making an elaborate V-shaped optical fiber alignment groove 6a by machining on the surface of the ceramic substrate, and the optical fiber 3 has a diameter of approximately to be.

The conventional optical transmission module as described above is not only difficult to align the optical fiber 3 and the optical element 1 at the time of packaging, but also employs an expensive ferrule 6 so that the manufacturing cost is high.

In addition, the optical transmission module employs optical coupling means such as a focusing lens 2 and / or a flat waveguide for optical coupling between the optical device 1, in particular, an edge-emitting laser and an optical fiber, thereby increasing the number of parts. There is a problem of high manufacturing cost.

The present invention has been made in view of the above, and an object thereof is to provide an easy and inexpensive optical transmission module for aligning optical fibers and optical elements.

1 is a perspective view schematically showing an example of a conventional optical transmission module;

2 is an exploded perspective view schematically showing an optical transmission module according to an embodiment of the present invention;

3 is a side view showing the assembled state of FIG.

4A to 4C are plan views schematically showing an embodiment of the optical device of FIG.

5 is a front view schematically showing an optical device module according to another embodiment of the present invention;

6 is a perspective view illustrating the optical device module of FIG. 5;

7 is a perspective view showing the connector module of FIG.

<Description of the symbols for the main parts of the drawings>

10,110 ... connector module 11,111 ... holder

15 ... optical fiber 20,120 ... optical module

21 ... Socket member 22,24,27 ... Lead

25, 26 Optical element 31, 33 First and second electrode layers

35, 36 ...

43.Extrusion guide part 51.Reference hole

53,153 ... Guide member 55 ... Elastic bias means

121.Base 130 ... Electrical connection means

140 ... Joining means 141,145 ... First and second frame

143 ... clamping member 155 ... elastic member

The optical transmission module according to the present invention for achieving the above object comprises a socket member including a plurality of leads for transmitting an electrical signal, and an optical element installed in the socket member and electrically connected to the leads, An optical device module for converting an optical signal and / or an optical signal into an electrical signal; A connector module having a holder coupled to the socket member and at least one optical fiber installed on the holder so as to face the optical device, and transmitting the optical signal; And coupling means for slidingly packaging the optical device module and the connector module.

Here, the coupling means, the guide groove formed on one side of both side wall portion of the socket member and the holder; And a guide protrusion protruding from the other side to be slidably fitted into the guide groove.

The connector module may further include at least one wire for transmitting an electrical signal, the first electrode layer being formed in the guide groove and electrically connected to the lead; It is preferable to further include an electrical connection means formed of the second electrode layer formed on the protruding guide portion and electrically connected to the wire.

According to another embodiment of the present invention, an optical transmission module includes: a base, a plurality of leads installed on one side of the base to transmit an electrical signal, and an optical element installed on one surface of the base and electrically connected to the leads; And an optical device module for converting an electrical signal into an optical signal and / or converting the optical signal into an electrical signal; A holder coupled to the optical device module, at least one optical fiber installed opposite to the optical device in the holder to transmit an optical signal, and at least one wire installed in the holder to transmit an electrical signal, A connector module for transmitting an optical signal and an electrical signal; Electrical connection means for electrically connecting the optical element module and the connector module; And coupling means for coupling and packaging the optical device module and the connector module.

Here, the electrical connection means, it is preferable that the contact electrode member is electrically connected to the wire, and installed in contact with the lead by the elastic force when the optical element module and the connector module is coupled to the holder.

Hereinafter, preferred embodiments of the present invention will be described in detail with reference to the accompanying drawings.

2 is an exploded perspective view schematically illustrating an optical transmission module according to an exemplary embodiment of the present invention, and FIG. 3 is a side view illustrating the assembled state of FIG. 2.

Referring to the drawings, the optical transmission module according to an embodiment of the present invention is an optical device module 20, a connector module 10 disposed to face the optical device module 20, and the optical device module 20 And a coupling means for coupling and packaging the connector module 10.

The optical device module 20 converts an input electrical signal into an optical signal and / or converts an optical signal into an electrical signal. The optical device module 20 includes a socket member 21 and optical devices 25 and 26 provided on the socket member 21.

A plurality of leads 22 are formed in the socket member 21, and a plurality of pins 23, 24, 27 extending from each lead 22 protrude into the array from the socket member 21. have. This socket member 21 is manufactured by plastic injection molding.

The optical elements 25 and 26 are electrically connected to the plurality of leads 22. As shown in FIG. 4A, at least one optical device 25 and 26 generates and emits laser light in a stacking direction of a semiconductor material layer according to an electrical signal input through the pins 23 and 27. A surface light laser array 25 may be provided that includes a surface emitting laser. In this case, the optical device 25 converts an electrical signal input through the pins 23 and 27 into an optical signal. Here, since the surface light laser generates and emits light in the stacking direction of the semiconductor material layer, it is easy to manufacture an array, and the radiation angle of the light emitted therefrom is small and the shape of the beam is close to a circular shape, so that the surface light laser has no additional coupling means. Coupling is possible.

Meanwhile, as shown in FIG. 4B, the photodetector array 26 including the at least one photodetector that receives an optical signal incident from the connector module 10 and converts the optical signal into an electrical signal is shown in FIG. 4B. It can be provided. In this case, the optical device module 20 converts the optical signal transmitted through the connector module 10 into an electrical signal, and through the pins 23 and 27 electrically connected to the lead 22. Output

In addition, the optical devices 25 and 26 may include a surface light laser array 25 including at least one surface light laser and a photodetector array including at least one photodetector. 26). In this case, the optical device module 20 converts an input electrical signal into an optical signal and transmits it through the connector module 10, and also converts an optical signal transmitted through the connector module 10 into an electrical signal.

The optical elements 25 and 26 as described above are arranged in an array corresponding to the number of bits of the signal to be transmitted.

The connector module 10 includes a holder 11 slidably coupled to the socket member 21 by the coupling means, and at least one optical fiber 15 installed in the holder 11. The holder 11 is a plastic injection molding, ie, a plastic ferrule, in which the optical fibers 15 are installed in an array. At this time, the inlet / outlet of the optical fiber 15 is located on the front surface (11a) of the holder (11). The holder 11 is slidably coupled to the socket member 21 by the coupling means at the opening side A formed at one side of the socket member 21.

Here, if the holder 11 and the socket member 21 are provided to space the entrance / exit of the optical fiber 15 and the optical elements 25 and 26 at predetermined intervals in consideration of the radiation angle of the surface light laser. The light emitted from the surface light laser can be coupled to the optical fiber 15 without a coupling means. 2 and 3 illustrate an example in which both sides of the front surface 11a of the holder 11 protrude so that the distance between the inlet / outlet of the optical fiber 15 and the optical elements 25 and 26 is maintained at a predetermined interval.

The optical fiber 15 is provided as an optical fiber bundle corresponding to the optical elements 25 and 26. At this time, the optical fiber 15 is preferably a plastic optical fiber. Such a plastic optical fiber is, for example, about 0.5 to 1.0 mm in diameter, and can be supported by the holder 11 according to the present embodiment without using expensive ferrules.

The coupling means includes a pair of guide grooves 41 formed along both side wall portions of the socket member 21, and a pair of protrusions protruding on both sides of the holder 11 to be slidably fitted into the guide grooves 41. Protruding guide portion 43 of the. It is preferable that the guide groove 41 is V-shaped in cross-sectional shape, and the protruding guide portion 43 is also preferably V-shaped coupled to the V-shaped guide groove 41.

Meanwhile, as shown in FIG. 3, a plurality of wires 35 and 36 may be further installed on the holder 11. The plurality of wires 35 and 36 are electrically connected to the lead 22 by electrical connection means.

The electrical connection means includes a pair of first electrode layers 31 formed in the guide grooves 41 and second electrode layers 33 formed in the protruding guide portions 43. Each of the first electrode layers 31 is electrically connected to the at least one lead 22, that is, the fins 24 and 27, and each of the second electrode layers 33 is the at least one wire 35, 36. ) Is electrically connected. Therefore, when the connector module 10 and the optical device module 20 are coupled, the pins 24 and 27 and the wires 35 and 36 to which an electrical signal is input are electrically connected by the electrical connection means.

Thus, power may be supplied from one device to another through the wires 35 and 36 to drive both devices with a common power source. Also, a plurality of wires 35 and 36 are provided, and the first and second electrode layers 31 and 33 are formed in discontinuous patterns corresponding to each other, and the patterns are connected to the leads 22, respectively. It is also possible to transmit a predetermined bit of electrical signal.

As described above, when the optical transmission module includes wires 35 and 36 and electrical connection means, an electrical signal can be transmitted simultaneously with high speed optical signal transmission through the optical fiber 15.

On the other hand, the one side of the socket member 21, that is, the opening portion (A) is formed with a reference hole 51, it is preferable to further include a guide member 53 fitted into the reference hole (51). The guide member 53 supports the connector module 10 coupled to the optical device module 20 to be aligned. At this time, a groove, for example, a V-shaped groove is formed in one side 11b of the holder 11 such that the holder 11 is aligned by the guide member 53 fitted in the reference hole 51.

In addition, it is preferable that the other side of the optical element module 20 is further provided with an elastic bias means 55 for elastically biasing the connector module 10 coupled to the optical element module 20 toward the guide member 53. Do. The elastic bias means 55 may include an elastic spring 56 and a plate member 57 for pushing the holder 11 toward the guide member 53 by the elastic force of the elastic spring 56.

Hereinafter, the assembling process of the optical transmission module according to an embodiment of the present invention will be described with reference to FIGS. 1 and 4.

First, the optical elements 25 and 26 are positioned at appropriate positions of the socket member 21 formed by plastic injection molding, and then the optical elements 25 and 26 are connected to the leads 22. Then, the elastic spring 56 to which the plate member 57 is attached is fixed to the socket member 21. Then, the holder 11 on which the optical fiber 15 and the wires 35 and 36 are mounted is inserted into the guide groove 41 by the protruding guide portion 43 from the opening side A of the socket member 21. After positioning so that it can be pushed, the holder 11 is slid and fitted to the socket member 21.

Then, when the guide member 53 is inserted into the reference hole 51, the holder 11 is elastically biased toward the guide member 53 by the elastic bias means 55, one side 11b of the holder 11 ) And the guide member 53 are in close contact with each other, the optical device module 20 and the connector module 10 are aligned so that the optical axes of the connector module 10 and the optical device module 20 are automatically aligned.

Therefore, in the optical transmission module according to the embodiment of the present invention as described above, the optical elements 25 and 26 and the optical fiber 15 are passively aligned. In addition, since optical signals are transmitted between the two devices, high-speed transmission of signals is possible, and electrical signals such as power signals can be simultaneously transmitted.

Therefore, when the optical transmission module according to the present invention is installed between, for example, a computer main body and a display element, high speed transmission of an image signal is possible, and power of the main body can be used as a power source of the display element.

In addition, if the arrangement of the pins 23, 24, 27 of the socket member 21 is adapted to be suitable for the port of a predetermined device, the optical transmission module according to the present invention can be directly plugged into the port of the device.

5 is a schematic front view of an optical transmission module according to another embodiment of the present invention.

Referring to the drawings, the optical transmission module, the optical device module 120, the connector module 110, the electrical connection means 130 for electrically connecting the optical device module 120 and the connector module 110, It comprises a coupling means 140 for packaging the optical device module 120 and the connector module 110.

As shown in FIG. 6, the optical device module 120 includes a base 121 and a plurality of leads 22, 24, 27 installed at one side of the base 121 to transmit an electrical signal. It includes an optical element (25, 26) installed on the surface of the base 121 toward the connector module 110 and electrically connected to the plurality of leads (22) (27).

The base 121 is coupled to the connector module 110 by the coupling means 140. The optical devices 25 and 26 are installed on the base 121 to be spaced apart from the connector module 110 by a predetermined interval. To this end, the protrusion 121b is symmetrically provided on the upper surface 121a of the base 121 facing the connector module 110. Here, the optical devices 25 and 26 have been described with reference to FIGS. 4A to 4C.

At this time, the distance between the optical elements 25 and 26 and the optical fiber 15 is defined by the height of the protrusion 121b. Therefore, by considering the radiation angle of the optical device, that is, the surface light laser 25, the height of the protrusion 121b is appropriately used, so that the light emitted from the surface light laser without any coupling means can be described as the optical fiber 15 to be described later. Can be coupled.

The plurality of leads 22 and 27 are supported by the base 121 and are electrically connected to the optical elements 25 and 26. Therefore, an electric signal from a predetermined control means (not shown) is transmitted through the leads 22 and 27, whereby an optical signal is emitted from each of the surface light lasers 25 and transmitted through the optical fiber 15. do. In addition, the optical signal transmitted through the optical fiber 15 is converted into an electrical signal in each of the photodetectors 26, and is output through each of the leads 22 and 27.

As shown in FIG. 7, the connector module 110 includes a holder 111 coupled to the optical device module 120 by the coupling means 140, and at least one optical fiber installed in the holder 111. 15) and a plurality of wires 35, 36.

The holder 111 is provided with a plurality of installation holes 119, similar to a conventional electrical connector used for electrical connection, it can be formed by injection molding plastic. The optical fibers 15 are respectively installed in the mounting holes 119 of the holder 111. As the optical fiber 15, as shown, a band of optical fibers formed in a band shape may be employed. At this time, the optical fiber 15 is preferably a plastic optical fiber. Since the plastic optical fiber 15 has a diameter of approximately 0.5 to 1.0 mm, the connector module 110 may be configured by employing the holder 111 according to the present embodiment without using expensive ferrules.

The connector module 110 provided as described above is a multi-channel connector module capable of transmitting optical signals of several channels at the same time.

Meanwhile, the wires 35 and 36 are fixed to the holder 111, and electrical connection means 130 for electrically connecting the wires 35 and 36 to the leads 24 and 27 is provided. This is installed.

The electrical connecting means 130 is connected to the wires 35 and 36, respectively, as shown as a contact electrode member, and the elastic spring 131 through which the electricity, and the elastic bias by the elastic spring 131 And contact rods 133 contacting the leads 24 and 27. Therefore, when the connector module 110 is coupled to the optical device module 120, the contact rod 133 is in close contact with the leads 24, 27 by the elastic spring 131, the wires 35, 36 And leads 24 and 27 are electrically connected.

Meanwhile, the coupling means 140 includes first and second frames 141 and 145 on which the connector module 110 and the optical device module 120 are installed, respectively, and the first and second frames 141. It comprises a clamping member 143 for engaging the 145.

The first frame 141 is provided with a first installation groove 141a on which the holder 111 is mounted. The second frame 145 is provided with a second installation groove 145a on which the base 121 is mounted. At this time, the second installation groove 145a is provided so that both sides of the base 121 may be inserted into and fixedly coupled.

The clamping member 143 is installed on the first and second frames 141 and 145 to couple the first and second frames 141 and 145. Accordingly, the connector module 110 and the optical device module 120 respectively installed in the first and second frames 141 and 145 are supported to face each other.

Meanwhile, an elastic member 155 disposed between the first frame 141 and the holder 111 to surround the guide member 153 to be described later to elastically bias the connector module 110 toward the optical device module 120. That is, it is preferable to further provide an elastic spring. Since the holder 111 is elastically biased toward the base 121 by the elastic member 155, the front surface 111a of the holder 111 and the protrusion 21b of the upper surface 121a of the base 121 fit with each other. Is reached.

On the other hand, the present embodiment preferably further comprises a pair of guide member 153 for positioning the connector module 110 and the optical device module 120 with each other. The guide member 153 is inserted into and installed in the reference hole 154 formed in the holder 111, the base 121, and the first and second frames 141 and 145 so as to form a straight line when they are coupled.

The optical transmission module as described above is assembled as follows.

First, the connector module 110 and the optical device module 120, that is, the holder 111 and the base 121 are respectively installed in the installation grooves 141a and 145a of the first and second frames 141 and 145, respectively. Mount it. In this case, the first and second frames 141 and 145 are coupled by the clamping member 143.

Place a pair of elastic members 155 on the reference hole 154 between the first frame 141 and the holder 111, respectively, and insert a pair of guide members 153 into the reference hole 154, respectively. In this case, the optical axes of the connector module 110 and the optical device module 120 are automatically adjusted. That is, the connector module 110 and the optical device module 120 are passively aligned. In addition, the connector module 110 is elastically biased toward the optical device module 120 by the elastic member 155, so that the front surface 111a of the holder 111 is a protruding portion of the upper surface 121a of the base 121. It comes in contact with 121b. In this case, the contact rod 133 is in contact with the leads 24 and 27 to electrically connect the wires 35 and 36 to the leads 24 and 27.

The optical transmission module according to the present invention has a simple configuration because no coupling means is required, and furthermore, the connector modules 10 and 110 formed of the plastic optical fiber 15 and the plastic injection molded holders 11 and 111 are provided. Since it adopts, manufacturing cost is low.

In addition, the optical transmission module as described above may be employed where high-speed signal transmission is required. That is, the optical transmission module of FIGS. 2 and 5 may be employed for high-speed signal transmission in one direction between the main body of the notebook computer and the display device, and may simultaneously transmit power and / or electrical signals. In addition, when the optical elements 25 and 26 as shown in FIG. 4C are provided, bidirectional signal transmission is possible.

Since the optical transmission module according to the present invention as described above requires no coupling means, the number of parts is reduced, and the manufacturing cost is low because the connector module including the flexible optical fiber and the plastic injection molded holder is adopted.

In addition, it is possible to drive the alignment of the optical axis when the connector module and the optical element module is mounted, and easy disassembly and assembly, it is easy to replace some parts.

In addition, since a wire is adopted in the connector module and the wire and the lead are electrically connected by the electrical connection means, an electric signal can be transmitted, and in particular, a common use of the power source is possible.

Claims (7)

And a socket member including a plurality of leads for transmitting an electrical signal, and an optical element installed in the socket member and electrically connected to the leads, thereby converting an electrical signal into an optical signal and / or converting an optical signal into an electrical signal. An optical device module; A connector module having a holder coupled to the socket member and at least one optical fiber installed on the holder so as to face the optical device, and transmitting the optical signal; And coupling means for slidingly coupling the optical device module and the connector module to package the optical device module and the connector module. The method of claim 1, wherein the coupling means, A guide groove formed at one side of both side wall portions of the socket member and both sides of the holder ; And a guide protrusion protruding from the other side to be slidably fitted into the guide groove . According to claim 2, The connector module further comprises at least one wire for transmitting an electrical signal, A first electrode layer formed in the guide groove and electrically connected to the lead; And a second electrode layer formed on the protruding guide part and electrically connected to the wire. According to claim 1, One side of the socket member is formed with a reference hole, And a guide member inserted into the reference hole so that the connector module coupled to the optical device module is aligned . And an elastic bias means for elastically biasing the connector module coupled to the optical device module toward the guide member on the other side of the optical device module. The optical device of claim 1, wherein the optical device comprises: At least one surface light laser that generates and emits light in a stacking direction of the semiconductor material layer according to an input electrical signal, and / or at least one photodetector that receives and converts an incident optical signal into an electrical signal. module. Converting an electrical signal into an optical signal, including a base, a plurality of leads installed on one side of the base to transmit an electrical signal, and an optical element provided on one surface of the base and electrically connected to the leads; Or an optical device module for converting an optical signal into an electrical signal; A holder coupled to the optical device module, at least one optical fiber installed opposite to the optical device in the holder to transmit an optical signal, and at least one wire installed in the holder to transmit an electrical signal, A connector module for transmitting an optical signal and an electrical signal; Electrical connection means for electrically connecting the optical element module and the connector module; And coupling means for coupling and packaging the optical device module and the connector module. The method of claim 6, wherein the electrical connection means, And a contact electrode member electrically connected to the wire and installed in contact with the lead by elastic force when the optical device module and the connector module are coupled to the holder.