MXPA98004986A - Receptacle for electro-opt device - Google Patents

Abstract

A receptacle for terminating an optical fiber in an active device such as a photodetector or a solid state light source. The receptacle includes a housing, a termination fitting and an active device. The housing has an opening for receiving the end portion of an optical fiber, a door located in the opening, biased to a closed position and having a latch to slidably receive a fiber optic plug, and a movable plate allowing access to the fiber optic. interior of the accommodation. The termination fitting and the active device can be mounted to a common substrate attached to an inner portion of the housing. The termination fitting includes a base and a projection attached to the base proximate the light transmitting portion thereof, the projection has a groove that receives the fiber directed toward a fiber stop surface located on the light transmitting portion of the base . The base may have a lens molded integrally with the light transmitting portion. The active device is positioned with respect to the termination fitting to receive light from, and / or transmit light to, any fiber whose terminal portion is located in the V-shaped groove and comes in contact with the stop of the fiber. An optional optics board can be used to adjust the optical characteristics of the termination fitting

Description

RECEPTACLE FOR ELECTRONIC DEVICE BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the invention The present invention relates generally to devices for interconnecting optical fibers, and more particularly to a device for terminating at least one optical fiber used as a telecommunications line (voice, data, video, etc.) in an active optical device, such as a photodetector or solid state light source. 2. Description of the Prior Art Optical fibers have replaced copper wire as the preferred means of transporting telecommunication signals. As with copper wire, it is necessary to provide the interconnection of the optical fibers, during the installation, repair or replacement of the fibers, and finish the fibers in active optical devices. Optical devices include, for example, optical sensors (photoelectric diodes) and light sources (LED, laser diodes). The termination of an optical fiber can be indirect, that is, the fiber can be connected to some other optical device (passive) such as a beam splitter or polarizer, before the light beam is directed to the active optical device. The present invention is REF: 27711 directed generally to a receptacle for the termination of an optical fiber. In the fiber optic connector described in U.S. Patent No. 5,381,498, the connector has a plug and a receptacle, the plug has a fiber receiver, V-shaped slot for each fiber to be connected, with the end of the fiber finished to the middle of the slot. The receptacle has a plate which retracts when the plug is inserted, so that another fiber is lowered towards the V-groove of the pin. After inserting the plug completely, the two ends of the fiber are in contact, and the fiber secured to the receptacle deforms elastically to maintain a continuous compressive load between them. terminal ends of the fiber. The connector provides for the rapid disconnection and reconnection of a plurality of fiber optic pairs, without the use of ferrules or other alignment members. High strength fiber can be used to resist repeated insertions and bowing of fibers. The exact lengths of the fibers (ie, the relative locations of their terminal ends in the plug and the receptacle) are not due to the tolerance provided by the clearance taken by the arcuate fiber receptacle (the terminal portion of the fiber secured). the plug is not arched, but always remains straight). The ends of the fibers can be prepared simply by breaking and beveling; the end faces can optionally be cut at an angle (i.e., not orthogonal to the fiber axis) to reduce reflection of signals. Many fiber optic splices employ plate elements having fiber receiving slots, with means for securing the terminal ends of the fibers in a common slot. Some of those devices are designed to interconnect a plurality of fiber pairs, such as the splice shown in U.S. Patent No. 5,151,964. In U.S. Patent No. 4,028,162, the fibers approach the alignment groove at a reflection angle and are held temporarily while a connection plate adheres to the interconnected fibers. For other examples of techniques involving arcuate fibers entering the alignment slots, see U.S. Patent Nos. 4, 077, 702, 4,148,559 and 5,080,461, and French Patent Application No. 2,660,442. Some of the connector designs that utilize the principle of bowing a fiber in a fiber alignment groove are more complex and require many parts, such as the designs seen in US Patent Nos. 4,045,121, 4,218,113 and 4,767,180. In U.S. Patent No. 4, 322.127, an alignment plate holds a fiber in a slot and a mold while casting around the fiber. The solidified plug can then be removed from the mold. The connector in the patent 98 makes use of the principle of bowing of the fiber, but suffers from certain other disadvantages. For example, the pin design allows powder to be easily deposited on the fiber tips, since those tips are exposed on top of the fiber receiving slots. The fibers in the receptacle can also become contaminated since there is no door or other means to close the opening when the plug is not present. Although the connector of the 98 has fewer parts than most bushing connectors, it would still be preferable to remove the moving parts, such as the slide plate and the spring within the receptacle. That design also recommends the use of high strength fibers in the receptacle, making it less compatible with an embedded standard fiber base. This patent, as with several others, does not explain how the device can be used for termination. Therefore, it would be desirable and advantageous to devise an active device receptacle with similar properties for the rapid disconnection and termination of one or more optical fibers, which is easy to install and use, but which also overcomes the above limitations without sacrificing performance or cost. .

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION The present invention provides a fiber optic receptacle generally comprising (i) a termination fitting having a projection with a fiber alignment groove formed in the projection, and a base attached to the projection, the base has a fiber stop, and (ii) means for aligning the termination fitting with an active device. The receptacle is advantageously used in conjunction with a plug having a hollow plug body with a distal end, the interior of the plug body having sufficient space to allow the terminal portion of a bare optical fiber to be arched, and the The distal end has a slot that provides access to the terminal portion of the fiber. The receptacle has an aperture sized to receive the distal end of the body of the pin, and the terminating accessory locates at the position of the fiber alignment slot to receive the terminal portion of the pin fiber when the body of the pin the plug is inserted into the receptacle. When the plug is fully inserted into the receptacle, the fiber of the plug arches to maintain a continuous compressive load against the stop of the fiber. Flexing the fiber of the plug also keeps the fiber firmly nested in the fiber alignment slot. Preferably, securing means for releasably securing the body of the plug in the receptacle are provided. The pin can be deflected in the interconnected position to be pushed back again by the means of insurance to minimize the effect of manufacturing tolerances. Various active devices, such as photodetectors or solid state light sources, can be properly positioned with respect to the termination fitting to operatively connect with the light transmitting portion of the accessory base, i.e. with the terminal end of the accessory. the fiber. The termination fitting can be mounted on a substrate which also supports the active device, the substrate is located inside the receptacle. A larger receptacle with multiple openings can be provided to accommodate a series of termination fittings for the simultaneous termination of a plurality of fibers. The receptacle of the active device in this way shares many of the advantages of the connector, such as ease of use and rapid termination, disconnection and re-determination. The termination fitting may also be designed to receive one of many different optical plates having, for example, a lens on them, to facilitate manufacturing and assembly.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS The invention will be better understood with reference to the accompanying drawings, in which: Figure 1 is a longitudinal section of an optical fiber connector including a plug, which is useful with the present invention; Figure 2 is a perspective view of the plug and the fiber-to-fiber interconnection receptacle of Figure 1, with a partial section revealing the arcuate fibers inside the plug; Figure 3 is a perspective view of one embodiment of a plug used with the present invention, with a sliding door; Figure 4 is a perspective view of another embodiment of a plug used with the present invention, with the plug covering omitted to reveal interior details; Figure 5 is a perspective view of one embodiment of the fiber to fiber interconnect receptacle used with the pins of Figures 1-4, with an articulated door having cam surfaces which cooperate with the cam surfaces on the door of the plug; Figure 6 is a perspective view of a termination fitting, which can be used in the receptacle of the active device of the present invention.; Figure 7 is a longitudinal section of a termination using a plug and the termination fitting of Figure 6; Figure 8 is a sectional view of a tool used to clean the ends of the fibers in a pin; Figure 9 is a sectional view of a tool used to clean the ends of the fibers in a receptacle; Figure 10 is a side elevational view of one embodiment of the receptacle of the active device of the present invention; Figure 11 is a bottom perspective view of the receptacle of the active device of Figure 10; Figure 12 is a perspective view showing two fiber optic termination accessories and an optical plate used with one or more of the accessories; Figure 13 is a side elevational view of the optical plate; and Figure 14 is a side elevation view of a termination fitting, such as in a series of such accessories, mounted to a substrate for electrical interconnection.

Description of the Preferred Mood With reference now to the figures, and in particular with reference to Figures 1 and 2, there is described an optical fiber connector 10 having a pin 12, which is particularly useful in conjunction with the present invention. See U.S. Patent Application Serial No. 08 / 577,740. The connector 10 is designed for fiber-to-fiber interconnection, and is more generally comprised of a fiber-to-fiber interconnection receptacle 14. Figure 1 is a longitudinal section of the connector 10 showing the plug 12 fully inserted into the connector. receptacle 14, and receptacle 14 mounted on a support or containment surface 16. Figure 2 is a perspective view with the containment part. 16 omitted, also with a partial longitudinal section to illustrate the interior of the connector. The modality described provides the interconnection of two fiber pairs, but those skilled in the art will appreciate that the concepts of the invention described herein extend to the interconnection of a single pair as well as to the interconnection of a multiplicity of pairs. The plug 12, also shown in Figure 3, includes a fiber fastener 18, which can be constructed of two fastening elements or blocks 20 and 22, and a plug body or cover 24, which is attached to the fastener the fiber 18. The covering 24 can be removably attached to the fiber fastener of the pin 18 by means of, for example, latches 26 molded integrally on the blocks 20 and 22, which are coupled to the formed cuts 28 in the corresponding walls of the cover 24. The fibers 30 and 32, which are to be interconnected or terminated, pass through the fastener 18 and into the hollow interior of the cover 24. The end portions of the fibers are bare, ie, they are not fixed to any alignment member such as a bushing. The coating 24 therefore serves not only to assist the physical location of the plug 12 in the interconnecting receptacle 14, but also to provide protection to the other end portions of the fibers in other exposed circumstances (the coating could cause the receptacle completely expose fiber tips, if required). The fastener 18 has fiber receiving slots 34 formed on the adjacent surfaces of the blocks 20 and 22; those two components can be identical parts. The fastener 18 can secure the fibers, for example, by fastening, adhesives or both. Alternative means may be used to secure the fibers to the fastener 18. The fastener 18 may have an extension 36 surrounding the fibers to release additional tension and hold. A transition fitting 38 may be provided to release more tension and capture the reinforcing members in the fiber cable (KEVLAR strands), and to assist in the management of the peg 12. The reinforcing members do not need to be bent but may be adhered on the bra. The tension relief of the reinforcing members is achieved by means of an adjustment of the strength of the straight wall section of the fiber fastener of the plug within the transition fitting. This depends on the choice of the materials used in the transition fixture and the fastener of the fiber of the plug, and a design is obtained that does not require a crimping ring and that helps to facilitate the manufacture and reduces the number of components necessary. Alternatively, an extension may be formed on the fastener with a "tortuous" (irregular) path to hold the strands and retain the transition fitting with an interference fit. The one-bar whiskers on the surface of the fiber clamp of the plug help the connection of the transition fitting to the fiber clamp of the plug, which also helps to connect the cable to the plug. In the modality of Figures 1 and 2, a latch 40 is integrally molded on the side of the cover 24 to releasably secure the pin 12 to the receptacle 14. The latch 40 also imparts mechanical polarization to the pin, ie, it can be inserted only into the receptacle 14 in one orientation. The pin 12 can be deflected in the interconnected position, for example by means of a trampoline (a flexible bracket) formed within the receptacle 14, to be pushed back against the lock 40 to minimize the effect of manufacturing tolerances. Figure 4 describes a slightly different 12 'mode of an old fiber useful with the active device receptacle of the present invention. This embodiment employs a similar coating, which was omitted from Figure 4 to better illustrate the alternative fiber fastener 18 'and the interior features. The fastener 18 'were again formed of two blocks 20' and 22 ', but those two blocks are not identical in this embodiment. First, the block 22 'has an extension or landing 42 having several vertical posts 44, 46 and 48. These posts serve to guide the fibers within the cover 24 in the proper position for location in the V-shaped slots of the receptacle. 14 as discussed below, and limit the fiber twisting, ensure proper alignment of the fiber tips with the openings in the cover 24. The lock 40 'is molded in the block 22' along the side bottom of the landing 42. Second, the fiber passages in the fastener 18 'are formed by providing V-shaped grooves 34' only in the block 22 ', with the surface of the corresponding block 20' being flat to provide only three surfaces of Fiber fastening. The V-shaped grooves 34 'are further recessed in the block 22', and form the rungs 50 in the block 20 'which sit in the cavities and facilitate the proper joining of the blocks together. The fibers 30 and 32 extend generally straight within the cover 24 as long as the pin 12 (or the pin 12 ') is not installed in the receptacle 14. The fibers are "generally" straight as they extend without a significant bow, although There may be some minimal flexing of the fibers, for example, as a result of gravity or plastic deformation. Sufficient space is provided within the cover 24, however, to allow the fiber to arch significantly, as seen in Figures 1 and 2, when the plug is fully inserted into the receptacle. The front end 52 of the cover 24 has a pair of slots 54 and 56 formed therein, which provide access to the end ends of the fibers located within the cover 24. A cover or door 58 is slidably attached to the front end 52 of the cover 24, with two covers or bars 60, 62 which overlap the slots 54 and 56, respectively, when the door 58 is in the closed position of Figure 3. When the door 58 slides into the open position, the bars 60 and 62 move to allow access to the fibers 30 and 32 via the slots 54 and 56, respectively, without the need for the fibers to extend outwardly from the cover 24. Although this, it could be acceptable in designs; alternative The door 58 is slidably attached to the cover 24 with an instantaneous adjustment resulting from two arrangements of. tab and slot 64 and 66 (Figure 1). In addition to preventing dust from entering through the slots, the door 58 also prevents any amount of light from leaking out of the fibers of the plug and damaging the user's eyes. As discussed below in conjunction with Figure 8, the door 58 may also reveal, in the open position, one or more holes on the top of the cover 24, which may receive rods that push the tip of the fibers outwardly. of the openings 54 and 56 to allow cleaning of the fiber tips. Other door arrangements for the plug can be provided. For example, it could have a door (not shown) which rises vertically during the insertion process of the plug. This is achieved by having the door seated elsewhere, such as a shuttle, which moves within the body of the cover. The shuttle has a vertical slot on each of its side walls, and opens through each end. The solid door has a post projecting beyond the side walls of the shuttle, and into the slots in the cover, which have the following shape. Each of the slots begins at an upper angle (approximately 30 °) along approximately 1 mm, then becomes horizontal along the majority of the distance, then rises again approximately 1 mm, and ends with a second horizontal displacement (of approximately 1.5 mm). When the plug comes into contact with a stop in the pocket, push the shuttle back into the cover. During the first few minutes of travel, the door rises to its first position. In this position the fibers come into contact with the door, which deflects the fibers downward to an obtuse angle, although this is not necessary. The door can also act as an alignment mechanism. This helps prevent the end face from contacting the fibers of the plug with the V-shaped slot when they come into contact with the V-shaped slot. Before the plug is fully inserted, the shuttle reaches the second Angled groove in the coating. At this time the door is raised to its final position, in which the door is no longer in contact with the fibers, so that they are free to bow and provide adequate pressure on the receptacle. The return of the shuttle and door is achieved by means of a spring that pushes between the fiber holder and the shuttle. The particular advantage of this design is that it exposes the entire end of the plug, without any pins, so that the fibers must be fully powered to come into contact with the V-shaped slots. In another door arrangement (not shown) , the door slides through the plug during the insertion process, again using a shuttle that moves inside the body of the cover. The shuttle has a vertical slot on each of its side walls and opens through the end closest to the fiber holder. The end closest to the front of the coating has a closed end with two vertical grooves that are in line with the fibers, running from the top to the bottom. The door is no more than a rectangular plate, which has two vertical grooves that run from its bottom to approximately twice the thickness of the material from its top.

Also, it has an incision cut in its upper part that runs on one edge of the coating. The edge acts as a cam mechanism for the door. The cam is located on the inner side of the roof of the cover. From the front it starts at an obtuse angle until it reaches the center, where it runs down along its body. In the closed position the two sets of slots in the shuttle and the door are offset from each other, providing a closed pin. When the plug comes into contact with a stop in the pocket, push the shuttle back into the cover. During the first few millimeters of displacement, the door slides sideways into the cover at the same time the shuttle moves backward. Once the two sets of slots are in line, provide an open slot for the fiber to exit through, the door has reached the straight section of the cam. At this point the door stops moving sideways and is carried back into the coating by the shuttle. The return of the shuttle and the door is achieved by a spring that pushes between the fiber holder and the shuttle. This design also exposes the entire end of the plug, and provides a uniform operation of the door. Pin plug variations of the present invention will be apparent to those skilled in the art upon reference to the following description. A test plug can be used to test the operation of the receptacle. This plug could be essentially identical to the plug described above, except that it receives a single interlaced fiber to have both ends extending towards the receptacle. In this way, a signal can be sent down the fibers of the receptacle, received by the interlaced fiber, and then rerouted to the other fiber of the receptacle, which transports the signal to a test detection system. The receptacle 14, also shown in Figure 5, includes a body or housing 70 and another fiber fastener 72. The housing 70 has an opening 74 whose size and shape generally correspond to that of the forward end 52 of the plug 12. The housing 70 may also have appropriate features (such as retention arms 76) that allow it to be slidably mounted to the containment part 16, which may be, for example, a patch panel or work station outlet (faceplate of the walled box). The securing means may be provided for mounting the front of the panel, to allow all the preparatory work to be done on the front side of the panel, or it may be provided for mounting the back of the panel, to allow it to be made all the preparatory work on the back side of the panel. The fibers of the receptacle (only one of which, 78, is visible to Figures 1 and 2) are secured to the fiber fastener of the receptacle 72 by means of pliers as well, using a clamping plate 80 adapted to hold the fibers in place. a first end of the fastener 72. The terminal ends of the fibers of the receptacle extend towards the fiber alignment slots formed in projections or fingers 82 and 84 at a second fiber fastener end of the receptacle 72. The slots preferably have the V-shaped, although they may be more rounded, that is, U-shaped. An intermediate section 86 of the fiber alignment groove is curved to hold the fibers of the receptacle in the grooves by the elastic thrust of the slightly arched fibers. . Additional means, such as the fiber fastener in Figure 9, can be provided to retain the fibers firmly in the grooves. The fibers do not extend towards the fingertips 82 and 84 but terminate at a sufficient distance from the tip to allow proper support of the fibers of the plug when the connector is in use. If the fiber to fiber contact occurs very close to the tips of the V-shaped slots (or if the plug is inserted too far), the fiber of the plug can bend beyond the slot and rise away from the vertex, breaking the connection. The receptacle 14 can have as many of those fingers with fiber alignment slots as fibers existing in the plug 12. The fingers 82 and 84 are formed to project into the slots 54 and 56, respectively, of the receptacle 24 when the plug 12 is completely inserted into the receptacle 14. The fingers 82 and 84 enter the coating 24 at an oblique angle (different from zero) with respect to the axis of the pin, i.e., the axis defined either by the fibers of pin 30 or 32 when they extend in a straight line within the cover 24. This angle is preferably around 42 °, which balances the aspects related to the contact pressure of the end face of the fiber, fiber forces directed towards the V-groove, the effects of friction, and the desired tolerance window (the higher the tolerances are increased). Since the fibers of the receptacle are not directed towards the opening 74, there is no danger of light escaping which could damage the user's eyes. The receptacle fiber fastener 72 is rotatably attached to the housing 70 to provide posts on the first end of the fastener 72, which can be fitted into the cuts or hooks 88 formed at one end of the housing of the receptacle 70. The fastener 72 it is releasably secured in place using stops or studs formed on the side of the fastener, which couple the holes 89 in the housing of the receptacle 70. An alternative design for the receptacle fiber holder may also be used in which the receptacle Bra is molded as one piece with a top plate or sectioned cover that can be placed on its base, the base has fiber positioning slots. The interconnect receptacle 14 (as well as the termination receptacle described below) may also have a flap or door 90 to minimize the entry of contaminants through the opening 74. The embodiment described uses a receptacle door which cooperates with the door of the plug for actuating the door of the plug 58 between the open and closed states when the plug 12 is inserted into the receptacle 14. Specifically, the door of the receptacle 90 has two cam surfaces 92 and 94, which interact with the cam surfaces 96 and 98, respectively, on the door of the plug 58. The door of the receptacle 90 is hinged along an edge providing posts 100 that fit into the cuts 102 in the housing of the receptacle 70. means (not shown), such as a spring or cam links molded into the part, can be used to deflect the door 90 in the closed position. When the plug 12 is inserted into the receptacle 14, the front end 52 and the door of the plug 58 push against the door of the receptacle 90, raising and opening it. The inclined cam surface 94 then begins to forcefully push the cam surface 98 over the door of the plug 58, pushing the door 58 to one side to reveal the slots 54 and 56. If the plug 12 is subsequently removed from the receptacle 14, then the inclined cam surface 92 likewise pushes against the cam surface 96 when the pin is removed, sliding the door of the plug 58 back towards the closed position. The cover 24 has grooves or indentations 104 and 106 for accommodating the cam surface 92 and 94 when the plug is in the receptacle, which also serves to further stabilize the connection. Other door designs can be implemented with the receptacle 14, such as a door which can be manually opened outward and thrown quickly. The receptacle may also have a door that acts as a safety to retain the plug. In this alternative design (not shown), the body of the dowel (covering) has a grooved area on its underside. The door in the receptacle is a spring-loaded, rectangular plate with a tongue (cantilevered beam) projecting from its bottom when the door is in the closed position. When the plug is inserted into the receptacle, the door rotates from a vertical to a horizontal position. Once the plug is fully inserted the slot cleans the top edge of the door. Then the door swings back a few degrees and lands on the groove area. This provides the assurance between the two parties. Removal of the pin is achieved by pressing on the pin and the tongue portion of the door. This causes the door to return to its horizontal position and allows the plug to slide out of the receptacle. The tongue could be formed in such a way that, when the peg is removed, there is not enough friction to keep the finger on the tongue. This construction provides a simpler plug design. The receptacle can be further modified with internal locks to be mounted in two different positions on the wall or containment, a first position where it is fully operational and comes into contact with the wall, and a second position where it projects slightly towards outside the wall. This provides access to the interior of the receptacle for cleaning. The retention mechanism of the plug receptacle can be advantageously designed to prevent breakage of the pin assembly when the pin cable is pulled excessively, such as if someone maneuvers on the cable. This is achieved by providing a secure geometry, which allows the plug to be pulled out of the receptacle if the tension on the cable exceeds a given tensile force.This results in the plug being released from the receptacle instead of The cable pulls on the plug, and this aspect becomes more acceptable due to the automatic release of the plug door after removal of the receptacle.All components of the connector 10 (except the plug fitting 38) can be formed from any durable material, preferably an injection moldable polymer such as a polycarbonate, VALOX (a polyester sold by General Electric), or RADEL (a polyarylsulphone sold by Amoco.) The material may include conductive fillers to make the semiconductor components to minimize the triboelectric charge that can induce contamination of the end of the fiber. The transition stream 38 is preferably formed of a low modulus copolyester elastomer such as that available from RTP of Winona, Minnesota, under the material number 1559X67420B. The assembly and installation of the connector 10 is direct. Pin 12 is typically mounted in the factory, although it can be easily assembled in the field. In this regard, the term "pre-determined" as used herein simply refers to the joining of the optical fibers to the plug 12 or receptacle 14 regardless of whether such a joint occurs in the factory, field or elsewhere. It should also be understood that the plug 12 or receptacle 14 could be mounted on a mating cable or connection cable with any type of optical connector at the other end of the fibers. It is recommended that the fibers used have a long life when exposed to indoor environments, such as the high strength fibers available from Minnesota Mining and Manufacturing Co. (3M, co-owner of the present invention). Those fibers that have a conventional clothing core surrounded by a novel three-layer construction, as described in U.S. Patent No. 5,381,504. Those skilled in the art will also appreciate that the connector of the present invention can accommodate discrete optical fibers or multi-fiber slats., as well as fibers of a single mode or multiple modes.

The fibers to be pre-determined for any pin 12 or receptacle 14 should be divided, cut and cleaned. If the fibers are in the form of a strip that is part of a group of slats grouped in a cable, then a portion of the cable jacket must be cut first to reveal the slats. Most cables have several protective layers, and each of these layers must be removed to provide access to the fiber slats. Similar steps should be taken to remove the protective layers of a cable that has a single discrete fiber. After the fibers have been removed from the cable jacket, they separate. The separated fibers are then ready to be cut, which could be done using any one of several commercial fiber cutters, such as that shown in U.S. Patent No. 5,024,363. The length of the break to join the fibers to the plug 12 is the distance of the fiber fastener 18 which, in the preferred embodiment, is approximately 23 mm. For joining the fibers to the receptacle 14, the length of the break is the distance of the fiber fastener 72 which, in the preferred embodiment, is about 15 mm. Any debris should be cleaned of the fibers using a particle-free cloth. Before removing the fibers from the cutter, an expert can inspect the fibers to confirm that the end faces in all the fibers are acceptable, that is, they are cut uniformly without tips. The screener described in U.S. Patent No. 5,210,647 may be used for this purpose. Once the expert is satisfied that each of the fibers has an acceptable end face, the fibers can be removed from the cutter. In the preferred embodiment, the end faces of the fiber are flattened with a chamfered or bevelled (or at least partially chamfered) periphery to obtain the advantages associated with such a final fiber profile, as discussed more fully in the Application U.S. Patent Number 08 / 122,755. The end faces of the fiber can alternatively be radiated (usually spherical). The fibers may also optionally be provided with an asymmetric treatment, as well as the breaking to impart an angled end face, as taught in U.S. Patent No. 5,048,908. If so, in order to minimize insertion losses and reflections, the fibers should be inserted so that the orientation of the angled end faces of a fiber bundle (ie, pin 12) complements the orientation of the fibers. the angled end faces of the other fiber bundle (ie, in the receptacle 14). For the fibers of the plug, the preparation of the fiber can be carried out after the fiber cable has been passed through the transition fitting 38. The final assembly of the plug 12 comprises the single step of holding the fibers in the grooves V-shaped fastener 18 and placing the coating 24 on the fastener 18. A mounting fitting can be used to guide the coating 24 onto the fastener of the fiber of the plug to avoid damaging the fibers when they are inserted into the coating. The ends of the fibers of the plug should terminate approximately 0.5 mm from the end of the coating. The termination of the receptacle 14 is also simple. The fibers of the receptacle are held on the fiber fastener 72 using the holding plate 80, with the ends of the fibers of the receptacle terminating in the fiber alignment slots at about 15 mm from the fingertips 82 and 84.

The fibers of the receptacle can be cut after securing them to the fiber fastener. The fibers can be mounted on the fastener using the V-shaped groove to actually remove the fiber holder from the cutter, to avoid contamination of the fiber tips if leveling and guiding features are provided on both parts. A downshift tool could be used to simplify assembly. The fiber holder 72 is attached to the housing 70, first by pushing the rotating posts into the cuts 88, and then placing the studs in the holes 89. Care must be taken during the placement of the fibers in the V-shaped grooves and the joint from the fastener to the receptacle so as not to contaminate the tips of the fiber. The installation of the connector 10 is equally direct. The receptacle 14 is optionally mounted to any desired surface by convenient means, such as the retainer arms 76 (other constructions could be molded into the housing 70 for adaptive mounting). Several receptacles could also be mounted in a single module, and they can be designed to be loaded from the front or rear, or by sliding sideways. After the receptacle 14 is assembled, the connection is completed simply by inserting the plug 12 into the opening 74. The plug 12 is released from the receptacle 14 by the latch 40. Figures 1 and 2 describe the complete insertion of the plug. When the plug 12 is inserted, the door 90 opens and the raised door 58 opens as described above, allowing the fingers 82 and 84 to enter the slots 54 and 56 respectively. The fibers of the plug 30 and 32 come into contact with the fiber alignment slots in the fiber fastener 72, and slide until their end faces come into contact with the respective end faces of the fibers of the receptacle, and then they arch when the plug is fully inserted. The fibers of the plug can undergo S-shaped bending. All the force at the fiber-to-fiber interface comes from the elasticity (elastic deformation) of the arcuate fibers 30 and 32, which maintain a continuous compressive load between the ends. The connector 10 is preferably designed to maintain a minimum bending radius of 0.3"(7.6 mm) on the fibers The dimensions of several of the components of the connector 10 may vary considerably depending on the desired application. consider studs The pin 12 has a total length of 57 mm, a width of 12 mm, and a thickness of 8 mm, and the fiber fastener of the pin 18 provides clamping grooves that are 13 mm in length. of the plug 24 extends 25 mm beyond the fastener 18, providing an interior space which is 24 mm long, 10 mm wide and 6 mm high.The opening 74 of the receptacle 14 is 12 mm x 10 mm Its height and total depth are 38 mm and 36 mm The fiber holder of the receptacle 72 is 20 mm in length (from the end where the fibers are attached to the fingertips 82 and 84), 12 mm of width and 1.5 mm of thickness. The fiber alignment slots in fingers 82 and 84 are 11.5 mm in length and have a maximum depth of 2 mm, which suitably accommodates most conventional optical fibers. The inner angle of the V-shaped grooves should not be too narrow since this could result in excessive friction with the fibers, but neither should it be too wide, since this may not keep the fibers properly guided. It is believed that an interior angle of 90 ° is a good compromise. The present invention is directed to the termination of an optical fiber, which is particularly useful with the above connectors for fiber-to-fiber interconnection. Figure 6 illustrates a mode 110 of a termination fitting of the present invention adapted for use with an active device. The accessory 110 is substantially replaced by the fiber holder of the receptacle 72 of the fiber-fiber receptacle 14, and has a base 112 and a projection or finger 114 similar to the fingers 82, 84. The finger 114 has a groove fiber alignment 116 for receiving one of the fibers of the plug, whose terminal end face rests on the top or surface of the fiber 118, as shown in Figure 7.

The force applied to the fiber is designed to be sufficient to remove any air space between the end face of the fiber and the surface 118, but not so great to lead to degradation of the fiber end face as it moves through. of surface 118, such as friction. The light transmitting material defining the surface 118 is usually clear (ie, transparent to the wavelength of the light transmitted in the optical fibers), allowing the active optical device to be placed on the other side of the base 112, so the light signal passes through the material; the material can be coated or otherwise manufactured to affect the light signal, such as controlling its intensity or polarizing it. The posts 120 formed on the base 112 can be used to align and attach the accessory 110 to the substrate of the active device, for example, a printed circuit board (PCB). A fiber spike or stud may also be placed in the V-shaped groove 116 with one end of the spike or stub of the fiber at the top of the fiber 118, and the other end located in an intermediate portion of the slot 116 to connect it with the fiber to be terminated. The fitting 110 preferably has a unitary construction of a clear, injection moldable polymer, such as ULTEM (a polyetherimide available from General Electric), and may further include a lens 122 formed on the opposite surface 118 to focus the light from / to the fiber. Active optical devices and support structures are beyond the scope of the present invention but may include, for example, photoelectric sensors or laser diodes. Other passive optical devices (beam splitters, connecting fibers in cable splicing sleeves, etc.) can be used, which direct light to or from the active devices, and different geometries of the termination fitting can be used to direct or focus the light to a particular place, including geometries which employ total internal reflection (TIR). The TIR method for coupling the light of a bare fiber onto a photodetector, or of a light source in a fiber, using the present invention has numerous advantages. One is that the position of the fiber is determined by the top of the fiber, allowing the fiber of the plug to be located repeatedly in the miasma position. The position of the end of the fiber is thus predetermined by the tolerances on the molded part and the location accuracy of the active elements, ie the photodetector or light source, consequently this obviates the need for active optical alignment . Another advantage is that, coupled with an S-shaped bend of the fiber, the total height of the transceiver module can be reduced. An S-shaped bend in a connector could also be used for two parallel fibers, but not coaxial. Finally, the electronic components of the transceiver can be mounted on a board that is in the same plane in which the connector is inserted. A fiber connection can also be used in a termination of the active device, the connection (not shown) secured in a holder similar to the receptacle holder 72. In addition to providing quick and easy connection and disconnection, the connector 10 has several other advantages . As mentioned above, it can be easily predetermined in the field as well as in the factory. Even if the fibers in the plug or the receptacle do not exactly end in the desired position there will still be fiber-to-fiber contact in the complete connection since the elastic stress of the bent fibers provides a positive contact force, in other words, the Tolerances in the relative positions of a pair of fibers are facilitated by the clearance of the fibers of the pin. The plug 12 is also inherently pull-proof due to its deflection. The tolerances are not critical in the transverse position of a given pair of fibers since the V-shaped grooves 36 serve to align the fibers and the fibers are deflected towards the apex of the grooves. The surface finish of the fiber alignment grooves should be uniform and the groove angle should be well defined; This finish is easy to manufacture using standard injection molding techniques. The V-shaped groove preferably has a precision with a radius no greater than 0.001"(0.025 mm). It is preferred to use a material for the substrate of the V-shaped groove that is hard, resists abrasion, but also has a low coefficient of friction to minimize frictional forces on the fiber as it slides in the groove Also, since the fibers of the receptacle enter the housing 70 at an oblique angle (up to 90 °) with respect to the axis of the pin In addition, the mounting methods are compatible with those of the RJ45 connections, finally, the reduced part contributes to the fact that all the parts can be injection molded contributing to a very low connector. With additional reference to Figures 8 and 9, those figures describe tools which can be used in conjunction with the present invention, to clean the tips of the s different optical fibers. Figure 8 shows a tool 130 used to clean the tips of the fibers in the plug 12. The tool 130 has a body 132 adapted to be held in the hand, with an opening 134 in the body 132 to receive the plug 12. tool 130 also has a drive member or lever 136 rotatably connected to body 130 at 138. In figure 8, lever 136 is shown in the actuated position, state in which a push rod or tab 140 enters a orifice or groove 142 in the upper part of the plug cover, and makes contact with the fibers of the plug, forcing them out of the coating through the slots 54, 56. In the non-driven position, the lever 136 rotates away from the opening 132 and retracts the push tab 140, so that the pin 12 can insert the tool 130 without interfering with the push tab. The lever 136 is preferably biased toward the position not actuated by, for example, a spring. The opening 134 and the lever 136 are located so that the fibers of the plug, when passed through the slots of the cover, are forcedly placed in contact with the adhesive side 144 of a strip of tape 146. The tape 146 is detached from a roll of tape 148 which is stored in the tool body 132. Two rolls 150 and 152 are provided to allow the tape to advance, so that a new adhesive surface is present at the tips of the tape. the fiber. To facilitate its use, the belt 146 can be wound around another roller 154 forming a sprocket which engages a pawl or latch 156. The pawl or latch 156 in turn is located on another handle or rotary lever 158 attached to the body of the tool 160. In this way, the user can advance the tape and clean the fibers of the pin holding the handle 158 while holding the heiramienta. The handle 158 can also be deflected by, for example, a spring, towards the outermost position. Figure 9 shows a tool 162 used to clean the tips of the fibers in a modified receptacle 14 '. The shape of the tool 162 resembles that of the plug 12, so it is adapted to be inserted into the receptacle 14 'in a similar manner. The receptacle 14 'is generally identical to the receptacle 14, except that it provides certain features designed to hold the fibers of the receptacle out of the V-shaped grooves for cleaning. These features include a fiber retainer or retainer 164 and an inclined articulated link 166. The fiber retainer 164 is rotatably attached to the fiber holder at 168, and includes a block or flat support 170 located at one end of the retainer arm. 172 adapted to push the fibers into the V-shaped groove and keep them properly nested therein. The flat support 170 can be molded into the fiber fastener. The other end of the retainer arm 172 formed on it, has a projection or button 174 which pushes against the fibers of the receptacle when the arm of the retainer 172 is in the actuated position, as shown in Figure 9. Pushing the fibers through the projection 174 causes the fibers to deviate towards outside the V-shaped grooves. Fiber retainer 164 is preferably diverted, for example, by means of a spring 176, to the non-driven position, i.e. pushing the flat support 170 against the fibers to hold them in the grooves V-shaped. The tool 162 includes a body 178, which, like the tool 130, also houses a supply reel 180 of adhesive tape 182. The rollers 184 and 186 serve to position the tape 182 so that its Adhesive side can be advanced again to clean the ends of the fiber. The fibers are deflected when the tool 162 enters the receptacle 14 'by means of the inclined articulated connection 166, which includes two inclined arms 188 and 190 fixed together at another pivot point 192. A drive projection or stop 194 formed on the The front end of the tool 162 pushes against the arm 188 when the tool is inserted into the receptacle. This in turn causes the inclined arm 190 to rotate and push against a claw or finger 196 attached to the fiber detent 164. Forced contact between the inclined arm 190 and the finger 196 causes the fiber detent 164 to rotate about point 168 , thus pushing the projection 174 against the fibers and deflecting them out of the V-shaped grooves. The ribbon 182 on the tool 162 can be taken from another spool 198, or leave the body of the tool 178 in a manner similar to that shown in Figure 8 for the tool 130. A small disc or torsion rod may be attached to the dispensing spool 198 and extend out of the body 178 to allow the user to advance the tape. Figures 10 and 11 describe additional features of an embodiment 200 of the receptacle of the active device of the present invention. In this embodiment, the receptacle of the active device 200 includes a body or housing 202 enclosing a termination fitting 110 and which is adapted to receive a fiber optic plug such as the plug 12. The housing 202 has a spring loaded door 204 to prevent debris from entering the receptacle, which opens when the receptacle is not in use. The door 204 has appropriate latching features 206 to complete a pin latch such as 40 'described above. The accessory 110 is mounted by means of its posts 120 to a substrate 208 such as a printed circuit board (PCB). The PCB 208 also supports a photoelectric device 210 (such as a photodetector or a semiconductor light source), which is located at an appropriate position on the PCB 208 with respect to the termination accessory, i.e., with respect to the lens 122 and thus operatively connected to the terminal end of any fiber terminating in the fitting and in contact with the top of the fiber 118. Any conventional active device can be used. Other electronic components can be mounted on the PCB 208, such as LED drivers or data quantizers. The PCB 208 is preferably mounted at an angle of approximately 48 ° to the axis of the receptacle housing, i.e., with respect to the axis of the pin when it enters the receptacle, to place the projection of the fitting 114 at an appropriate angle to the receptacle. receive the terminal end of the fiber. With reference to Figure 11, means may be provided to attach the receptacle 200 to another structure, such as another PCB (motherboard), the means comprised in this embodiment having several retaining posts 212 attached to the underside of the housing 202, the posts 212 can be formed integrally with a lower plate 214 that is removably attached to the housing 202 by means of additional retaining arms 216 formed on the lower plate which engage the openings or slots 218 formed in the side walls of the body. housing 202. Retaining arms 212 also serve to secure substrate 208 as seen in Figure 10. Figure 12 illustrates how a plurality of termination accessories can be placed in series, side by side, to receive a plurality of fiber optic terminations in a small volume of space. Figure 12 also illustrates the use of an insert or optical plate 220, which can be attached to any of the termination accessories to change the desired optical characteristics. For example, the plate 220 may have a lens 222 formed therein to supplement, or replace the lens 122. In the embodiment described, the lens is formed by means of a diamond pin in the molding tool, and has a radius of curvature of approximately 0.01458"(0.37 mm); the height of the lens is 0.004"(0.10 mm) and the remaining thickness of the optical plate 220 is approximately 0.022" (0.56 mm). This lens 222 is used in conjunction with a lens 122 having a radius of curvature of approximately 0.01193"(0.30 mm) and having a height of approximately 0.01" (0.25 mm). When the optical plate 220 is appropriately located in the base 112 of the accessory 110, the lens 122 is located at approximately 0.02"(0.51 mm) above the upper surface of the plate 220. The distance from the top surface of the the fiber 118 to the bottom of the fixture (ie, to the top of the PCB 208 substrate) is approximately 0.12"(3.05 mm). The thickness of the light transmitting portion of the accessory base (from the tip of the lens 122 to the top of the fiber 118) is approximately 0.04"(1.02 mm) Other optical characteristics may be used if desired, such as polarizers, diffraction or holographic gratings, filters, microstructured surfaces, Fresnel lenses, etc. The feature is placed in an appropriate place on the plate 220 to align with the stop of the fiber 118, and the plate 220 can also be polarized or mechanically tuned, so that it can be placed on the base 112 of the accessory 110 in a single orientation The tuning can be provided by forming a stop 224 or plate 220 which fits with a groove formed in the bottom side of the base 112. Figure 14 illustrates how a series of termination fittings can be placed on a substrate, such as another PCB 226, in the side-by-side manner of Figure 12. Cables 228 can be formed on the opposite side of the PCB 226 for interconnecting the respective active devices with other electronic control components. Figure 15 describes two optional modifications to the termination fitting. The modified attachment 230 has two fingers or projections 232 and 234, each of which has a fiber receiving groove thereon, positioned to induce a double bend, an S-shaped bend, in the fiber 236 to be terminated. The accessory 230 also has a base portion 238 designed for the total internal reflection of the light signal. The fitting 230 can be formed in two pieces, one having the projections of the V-shaped groove and one 'integrally molded lens, and the other having the TIR base also with one or more integrally molded lenses. The different surfaces of the base can be coated to provide improved reflection, or formed into lenses or other structured surfaces to internally focus the light in any desired shape. The prescriptions of the lens may be different for the transmitter and receiver elements. The coating can be used to control the amount of light reflected in some applications. Although the invention has been described with reference to the specific embodiments, it does not mean that this description has been constructed in a limiting sense. The various modifications of the described embodiment, as well as alternative embodiments of the invention, will be apparent to those skilled in the art after reference to the description of the invention. It was therefore contemplated that such modifications may be made without departing from the spirit or scope of the present invention as defined in the appended claims.

It is noted that in relation to this date, the best method known by the applicant to carry out the aforementioned invention, is the conventional one for the manufacture of the objects to which it relates. Having described the invention as above, property is claimed as contained in the following:

Claims (18)

1. An accessory for terminating an optical fiber, characterized in that it comprises: a base having a portion that transmits light; a projection attached to the base next to the portion that transmits light from it, the projection has a groove that receives the fiber directed toward the upper surface of a fiber located on the portion that transmits light from the base; and means for aligning the portion that transmits light from the base with an active device.

2. The finishing accessory according to claim 1, characterized in that the base has a lens formed integrally with the light transmitting portion thereof.

3. The finishing accessory according to claim 1, characterized in that the alignment means comprises posts joined to the base.

. The termination fitting according to claim 1, characterized in that the light transmitting portion of the base has a plurality of surfaces positioned to provide total internal reflection of a light beam directed to the upper surface of the fiber.

5. The finishing accessory according to claim 1, characterized in that it also comprises insertion means for changing an optical characteristic of the accessory.

6. The finishing accessory according to claim 1, characterized in that the groove receiving the fiber is generally straight and the upper surface of the fiber is generally orthogonal to the groove receiving the fiber.

7. The finishing accessory according to claim 2, characterized in that the lens is formed on the portion that transmits light from the opposite base to the upper surface of the fiber.

8. The termination fitting according to claim 5, characterized in that the insert means comprise an optical plate means sized to fit in a cut corresponding to the base next to the portion transmitting light thereof.

9. The finishing accessory according to claim 8, characterized in that the optical plate has a lens formed integrally therewith.

10. The finishing accessory according to claim 8, characterized in that the optical plate is mechanically polarized to adjust only one way in the cut in the base.

11. A device for terminating an optical fiber, characterized in that it comprises: a housing having an opening for receiving the terminal end of an optical fiber; at least one termination fitting located in the housing, the fixture includes a base and a projection attached to the base proximate the light transmitting portion thereof, the projection having a groove receiving the fiber with a first end generally directed towards the opening of the housing, and a second end directed towards the upper surface of the fiber located on the portion transmitting light from the base; and at least one active device located in the housing and positioned with respect to the termination fitting to operatively connect to the portion transmitting light from the base.

12. The device according to claim 11, characterized in that: the device is mounted on a substrate; the termination fitting is mounted on the substrate; and the substrate is attached to an interior portion of the housing.

13. The device according to claim 11, characterized in that the housing has a door located in the opening biased to a closed position, the door has securing means to releasably receive a fiber optic plug.

14. The device according to claim 11, characterized in that the housing has at least two termination accessories, and at least two such active devices operatively connected, respectively, to the two termination accessories.

15. The device according to claim 11, characterized in that it also comprises insertion means for changing an optical characteristic of the finishing accessory.

16. The device according to claim 12, characterized in that the housing includes a removable plate that allows access to an interior portion of the housing, the plate has locking or retention arms, which are attached to the housing and secure the substrate in the housing .

17. The device according to claim 15, characterized in that: the two active devices are mounted on a common substrate; the two termination accessories are mounted on a common substrate; and the substrate is attached to an interior portion of the housing.

18. An active device receptacle, characterized in that it comprises a housing having an opening for receiving the terminal portion of an optical fiber, a door located in the opening, biased towards a closed position and having latching or retention means for releasably receiving a fiber optic plug, means for joining the housing to an external structure, and a removable plate that allows access to the interior of the housing; a substrate attached to an interior portion of the housing; At least one termination fitting mounted on the substrate, the accessory includes a base and a projection attached to the base proximate a portion that transmits light, thereof, the projection has a groove receiving the fiber with a first end usually directed towards the opening of the housing, and a second end directed towards the stop surface of the fiber located on the portion transmitting light from the base, the base has a lens formed integrally with the portion transmitting light therefrom; at least one active device mounted on the substrate positioned with respect to the termination fitting to operatively connect with the portion transmitting light from the base; and an optional plate having a lens inserted in an optical path between the portion transmitting light from the base and the termination fitting and the active device. SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION A receptacle for terminating an optical fiber in an active device such as a photodetector or a solid state light source. The receptacle includes a housing, a termination fitting and an active device. The housing has an opening for receiving the end portion of an optical fiber, a door located in the opening, biased to a closed position and having a latch for slidably receiving a fiber optic plug, and a movable plate allowing the access to the interior of the accommodation. The termination fitting and the active device can be mounted to a common substrate attached to an inner portion of the housing. The termination fitting includes a base and a projection attached to the base proximate the light transmitting portion thereof, the projection having a groove that receives the fiber directed toward a fiber stop surface located on the light transmitting portion of the fiber. base. The base may have a lens molded integrally with the light transmitting portion. The active device is positioned with respect to the termination fitting to receive light from, and / or transmit light to, any fiber whose terminal portion is located in the V-shaped groove and comes into contact with the fiber stop. An optional optical plate can be used to adjust the optical characteristics of the termination fitting.