Optical printed circuit board and its fabricating method

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-11899255-B2
Application number	US-202217843102-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Jun 17, 2022
Priority date	Jun 17, 2022
Publication date	Feb 13, 2024
Grant date	Feb 13, 2024

Abstract

There is provided a method for fabricating an optical printed circuit board. The method includes preparing a first printed circuit board portion with an array of optical fibers attached thereon, assembling an optical fiber connector with the first printed circuit board portion such that the optical fiber connector is arranged at ends of the array of optical fibers, and attaching one or more second printed circuit board portions to the first printed circuit board portion to form an optical printed circuit board with the optical fiber connector embedded therein. The optical fiber connector includes an engagement mechanism arranged for engagement with an external optical device.

First claim

The invention claimed is:

1. A method for fabricating an optical printed circuit board (OPCB), comprising:
preparing a first printed circuit board portion with an array of optical fibers attached thereon;
assembling an optical fiber connector with the first printed circuit board portion such that the optical fiber connector is arranged at ends of the array of optical fibers; and
attaching one or more second printed circuit board portions to the first printed circuit board portion to form an optical printed circuit board with the optical fiber connector embedded therein,
wherein the optical fiber connector comprises an engagement mechanism arranged for engagement with an external optical device.

2. The method of claim 1 , wherein preparing the first printed circuit board portion comprises,
forming a recess in the first printed circuit board portion, and
attaching the array of optical fibers onto the first printed circuit board portion such that the ends of the array of optical fibers are arranged in the recess.

3. The method of claim 1 , wherein assembling the optical fiber connector comprises,
arranging a lower glass fixture to the first printed circuit board portion, the lower glass fixture including one or more grooves formed on an upper surface of the lower glass fixture, wherein the array of optical fibers of the first printed circuit board portion are placed in the one or more grooves; and
attaching an upper glass fixture onto the lower glass fixture such that the array of optical fibers are placed between the lower glass fixture and the upper glass fixture.

4. The method of claim 3 , wherein the engagement mechanism comprises a guide member arranged to be received in a corresponding socket on the external optical device, and the guide member defines a plug.

5. The method of claim 4 , further comprising arranging the guide member on the lower glass fixture prior to attaching the upper glass fixture onto the lower glass fixture, wherein the guide member comprises guide pins for the plug and the one or more grooves further include larger size of grooves for receiving the guide pins.

6. The method of claim 4 , wherein the guide member has a cylindrical body, and the guide member is metallic.

7. The method of claim 6 , wherein the cylindrical body extends in and projects from the optical printed circuit board.

8. The method of claim 3 , wherein the engagement mechanism comprises a guide member defining a socket for receiving a corresponding plug on the external optical device.

9. The method of claim 8 , wherein the guide member has a tubular body that defines the socket, and the guide member is metallic.

10. The method of claim 3 , wherein the one or more grooves are V-shaped.

11. The method of claim 1 , wherein the engagement mechanism comprises a guide member, and the guide member extends in parallel with a plane surface of the first printed circuit board portion.

12. The method of claim 1 , wherein attaching one or more second printed circuit board portions to the first printed circuit board portion comprises laminating the first printed circuit board portion and the one or more second printed circuit board portions.

13. An optical printed circuit board (OPCB), comprising:
an electrical conductor arranged for conducting an electrical signal;
an array of optical fibers arranged for transmitting an optical signal; and
an optical fiber connector embedded in the optical printed circuit board and arranged at ends of the array of optical fibers, the optical fiber connector comprising an engagement mechanism arranged for engagement with an external optical device to optically couple the external optical device with the array of the optical fibers,
wherein the engagement mechanism is at least in part exposed to engage with the external optical device.

14. The optical printed circuit board of claim 13 , wherein the optical fiber connector comprises,
a lower glass fixture including one or more grooves formed on an upper surface of the lower glass fixture, and
an upper glass fixture attached onto the lower glass fixture,
wherein the ends of the array of fibers are placed in the one or more grooves between the lower glass fixture and the upper glass fixture.

15. The optical printed circuit board of claim 14 , wherein the optical fiber connector is a built-in component formed in integral with the optical printed circuit board.

16. The optical printed circuit board of claim 14 , wherein the engagement mechanism comprises a guide member, and the guide member extends in parallel with a plane surface of the optical printed circuit board.

17. The optical printed circuit board of claim 14 , wherein the engagement mechanism comprises a guide member defining a socket for receiving a corresponding plug on the external optical device, and the guide member has a tubular body that defines the socket and is metallic.

18. The optical printed circuit board of claim 17 , wherein the tubular body extends in the optical printed circuit board.

19. The optical printed circuit board of claim 13 , wherein the engagement mechanism comprises a guide member arranged to be received in a corresponding socket on the external optical device, and the guide member has a cylindrical body defining a plug and is metallic.

20. The optical printed circuit board of claim 19 , wherein the cylindrical body extends in and projects from the optical printed circuit board.

21. The optical printed circuit board of claim 19 , wherein the guide member comprises guide pins, and the lower glass fixture further includes larger size of grooves formed on an upper surface of the lower glass fixture for receiving the guide pins.

22. The optical printed circuit board of claim 21 , wherein the one or more grooves and the larger size of grooves are V-shaped.

Assignees

• Univ City Hong Kong

Inventors

• Chiang Kin Seng
• Jin Wei
• Lor Kar Pong
• Chan Hau Ping

Classifications

• G02B6/4292 Primary

  the light guide being disconnectable from the opto-electronic element, e.g. mutually self aligning arrangements · CPC title

• G02B6/3897 Primary

  Connectors fixed to housings, casing, frames or circuit boards (G02B6/44528 takes precedence) · CPC title

• G02B6/4231

  with intermediate elements, e.g. rods and balls, between the elements · CPC title

• G02B6/3829

  Bent or angled connectors (G02B6/3827 takes precedence) · CPC title

• G02B6/4243

  Mounting of the optical light guide into a groove (mounting optical light guides into a groove in general G02B6/3636) · CPC title