Multi-fiber ferrule with improved eye safety

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-12007608-B2
Application number	US-202318183831-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Mar 14, 2023
Priority date	May 22, 2015
Publication date	Jun 11, 2024
Grant date	Jun 11, 2024

Abstract

A multi-fiber ferrule has lenses that have different prescriptions to disperse the light emitted from the multi-fiber ferrule. Alternatively, the lens for each individual optical fiber can be moved relative to the optical fiber or the optical fiber opening in the multi-fiber ferrule to cause the laser beam exiting the multi-fiber ferrule to be redirected into a structure that absorbs or blocks the laser.

First claim

We claim:

1. An optical fiber connection system comprising:
a structure having a front end, a back end, an inside surface extending between the front end and the back end defining an opening in the structure;
a multi-fiber ferrule configured to be inserted into the opening of the structure, the multi-fiber ferrule comprising:
a main body having a front end, a back end, and a middle portion disposed between the front end and the back end, the back end configured to receive at least two optical fibers;
a plurality of optical fiber structures extending from the back end toward the front end, each of the plurality of optical fiber structures configured to receive an optical fiber and having an axis extending longitudinally therethrough; and
a plurality of lenses disposed in the main body, each of the plurality of lenses being in optical alignment with a respective one of the plurality of optical fiber structures, each of the plurality of lenses having an optical axis such that light incident on the plurality of lenses is directed to the inside surface of the structure after collimation from the plurality of lenses.

2. The optical fiber connection system of claim 1 , wherein the structure is a connector housing.

3. The optical fiber connection system of claim 1 , wherein the structure is an adapter.

4. The optical fiber connection system of claim 1 , wherein the structure includes light absorbing material disposed therein and upon which the light exiting the plurality of lenses falls.

5. The optical fiber connection system of claim 1 , wherein the plurality of lenses is disposed in a row with each of the plurality of lenses in the row having a prescription different from an adjacent one of the plurality of lenses.

6. The optical fiber connection system of claim 1 , wherein the multi-fiber ferrule is disposed at least partially within the structure.

7. The optical fiber connection system of claim 1 , wherein the back end comprises a first opening through which the at least two optical fibers are inserted into the multi-fiber ferrule.

8. The optical fiber connection system of claim 1 , further comprising an additional multi-fiber ferrule configured to mate with the multi-fiber ferrule within the structure such that the light reaches the additional multi-fiber ferrule when mated within the structure and when unmated the light falls on the inside surface of the structure.

9. The optical fiber connection system of claim 1 , wherein the main body of the multi-fiber ferrule is a unitary main body.

10. An optical fiber connection system comprising:
a mated pair of multi-fiber ferrules including a first multi-fiber ferrule mated to a second multi-fiber ferrule within a structure, each of the first multi-fiber ferrule and the second multi-fiber ferrule comprising:
a main body having a front end, a back end, and a middle portion disposed between the front end and the back end, the back end configured to receive at least two optical fibers;
a plurality of optical fiber structures extending from the back end toward the front end, each of the plurality of optical fiber structures configured to receive an optical fiber and having an axis extending longitudinally therethrough; and
a plurality of lenses disposed in the main body, each of the plurality of lenses being in optical alignment with a respective one of the plurality of optical fiber structures, each of the plurality of lenses having an optical axis such that light incident on the plurality of lenses is directed to the inside surface of the structure after interaction with the plurality of lenses when the first multi-fiber ferrule and the second multi-fiber ferrule are unmated, and when mated the light travels between the first multi-fiber ferrule and the second multi-fiber ferrule.

11. The optical fiber connection system of claim 10 , wherein the structure is a connector housing.

12. The optical fiber connection system of claim 10 , wherein the structure is an adapter.

13. The optical fiber connection system of claim 10 , wherein the structure includes light absorbing material disposed therein and upon which the light exiting the plurality of lenses falls.

14. The optical fiber connection system of claim 10 , wherein the plurality of lenses is disposed in a row with each of the plurality of lenses in the row having a prescription different from an adjacent one of the plurality of lenses.

15. The optical fiber connection system of claim 10 , wherein the multi-fiber ferrule is disposed at least partially within the structure.

16. The optical fiber connection system of claim 10 , wherein the back end comprises a first opening through which the at least two optical fibers are inserted into the multi-fiber ferrule.

Assignees

• Us Conec Ltd

Inventors

• Childers Darrell R
• Hughes Michael E
• Kurtz Daniel D

Classifications

• G02B6/3825

  with an intermediate part, e.g. adapter, receptacle, linking two plugs · CPC title

• G02B2006/4297

  having protection means, e.g. protecting humans against accidental exposure to harmful laser radiation · CPC title

• G02B6/3885

  Multicore or multichannel optical connectors, i.e. one single ferrule containing more than one fibre, e.g. ribbon type (optical ribbon cable G02B6/4403, G02B6/448) · CPC title

• G02B6/3853 Primary

  Lens inside the ferrule (lensed connectors G02B6/32) · CPC title