Ferrule for light guide, assembly with ferrule, and method for producing same

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-10802191-B2
Application number	US-201815910418-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Mar 2, 2018
Priority date	Mar 2, 2017
Publication date	Oct 13, 2020
Grant date	Oct 13, 2020

Abstract

A termination for a light guide is provided that, on the one hand, allows connection of the light guide to a light source in a simple and reliable manner and, on the other hand, blocks light components that are not guided in the light guide. For this purpose, a ferrule is provided for terminating a light guide. The ferrule includes a transparent plastic part and an opaque light-blocking plastic part that are connected to each other to define a channel. The transparent plastic part has a light entry end that receives an end of the light guide. The channel has at least a portion that extends within the transparent plastic part and at least a portion that extends within the opaque plastic part. The has a collar surrounding the channel and has an outer diameter that is greater than a maximum outer diameter of the transparent plastic part.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. A ferrule for terminating a light guide, comprising:
a transparent plastic part having a light entry end that is configured to receive an end of the light guide;
an opaque light-blocking plastic part connected to the transparent plastic part; and
a channel extending through the transparent plastic and opaque light-blocking plastic parts, wherein the opaque plastic part has a collar that surrounds the channel and has an outer diameter that is greater than a maximum outer diameter of the transparent plastic part.

2. The ferrule of claim 1 , wherein the transparent plastic and opaque light-blocking plastic parts overlap axially with respect to the channel along a longitudinal portion such that the opaque plastic part surrounds the transparent plastic part.

3. The ferrule of claim 1 , wherein the transparent plastic and opaque light-blocking plastic parts are connected to each other by a material bond.

4. The ferrule of claim 1 , wherein one of the transparent plastic and opaque light-blocking plastic parts is injection-molded on the other of the transparent plastic and opaque light-blocking plastic parts.

5. The ferrule of claim 1 , wherein the channel has a closed end in the transparent plastic part, and wherein the transparent plastic part has a light entry surface at the light entry end.

6. The ferrule of claim 1 , wherein the channel extends through a tubular portion at an end opposite the light entry end, where the collar is arranged between the light entry end and the tubular portion.

7. The ferrule of claim 1 , wherein the channel has a minimum diameter in a range from 0.4 to 4 millimeters.

8. The ferrule of claim 1 , wherein the opaque plastic part extends beyond an end of channel.

9. A ferrule for terminating a light guide, comprising:
a transparent plastic part having a light entry end that is configured to receive an end of the light guide;
an opaque light-blocking plastic part connected to the transparent plastic part;
a channel extending through the transparent plastic and opaque light-blocking plastic parts, wherein the opaque plastic part has a collar that surrounds the channel and has an outer diameter that is greater than a maximum outer diameter of the transparent plastic part; and
an anchoring feature formed in the channel and a plastic compound filled into and cured within the channel to provide a form-fitting connection with the anchoring feature.

10. The ferrule of claim 9 , wherein the anchoring feature comprises an annular undercut, wherein the channel has a first diameter and the annular undercut has a second diameter.

11. The ferrule of claim 10 , further comprising a ratio of the first diameter to the second diameter is in a range from 3 to 10.

12. A lighting assembly, comprising:
a side-emitting light guide so that light injected at one end in the operating state thereof is continuously scattered out along a lighting portion that forms a linear light source, the side-emitting light guide having an end; and
a ferrule disposed on the end, the ferrule comprising: a transparent plastic part having a light entry end that is configured to receive end of the light guide; an opaque light-blocking plastic part connected to the transparent plastic part; and a channel extending through the transparent plastic and opaque light-blocking plastic parts, wherein the opaque plastic part has a collar that surrounds the channel and has an outer diameter that is greater than a maximum outer diameter of the transparent plastic part.

13. The lighting assembly of claim 12 , further comprising a piece of tubing surrounding a tubular portion of the ferrule, the light guide protruding from the ferrule at the tubular portion.

14. The lighting assembly of claim 12 , wherein the end of the light guide is potted and fixed in the channel in a synthetic resin.

15. The lighting assembly of claim 12 , wherein the light guide comprises a plurality of light-guiding side-emitting fibers running side by side.

16. A lighting assembly, comprising:
a side-emitting light guide so that light injected at one end in the operating state thereof is continuously scattered out along a lighting portion that forms a linear light source, the side-emitting light guide having an end;
a ferrule disposed on the end, the ferrule comprising: a transparent plastic part having a light entry end that is configured to receive an end of the light guide; an opaque light-blocking plastic part connected to the transparent plastic part; and a channel extending through the transparent plastic and opaque light-blocking plastic parts, wherein the opaque plastic part has a collar that surrounds the channel and has an outer diameter that is greater than a maximum outer diameter of the transparent plastic part; and
a housing with a light source, wherein the housing has an opening in which the ferrule is fitted.

17. The lighting assembly of claim 16 , wherein the collar seals the opening in the housing in a light-tight manner.

18. The lighting assembly of claim 16 , wherein the collar protrudes beyond the opening to cover the opening.

Assignees

• Schott Ag

Inventors

• Penkert Alexander
• Senner Eric
• Dietrich Andreas
• Schabacker Stephan

Classifications

• G02B6/4253 Primary

  by embedding housing components in an adhesive or a polymer material (G02B6/4212 takes precedence) · CPC title

• G02B6/4248

  Feed-through connections for the hermetical passage of fibres through a package wall (see provisionally also G02B6/4428) · CPC title

• G02B6/3855

  characterised by the method of anchoring or fixing the fibre within the ferrule (G02B6/3854 takes precedence) · CPC title

• F21S8/00

  Lighting devices intended for fixed installation (F21S9/00, F21S10/00 take precedence; using a string or strip of light sources F21S4/00) · CPC title

• G02B6/3865

  fabricated by using moulding techniques (shaping techniques of plastic materials in general B29C; producing plastic optical fiber connectors B29D11/0075) · CPC title