Connectored cable and method for manufacturing connectored cable

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-2016223756-A1
Application number	US-201615092661-A
Country	US
Kind code	A1
Filing date	Apr 7, 2016
Priority date	Sep 28, 2011
Publication date	Aug 4, 2016
Grant date	—

Abstract

A connectored cable including a cable having an optical fiber for transmitting an optical signal; and a connector that accommodates a substrate on which a photoelectric conversion portion that is optically coupled to an end face of the optical fiber is installed, and in which the optical fiber is wired so that at least three bent portions are formed, the orientation of the optical fiber in a front-rear direction being changed, the optical fiber being bent into a U shape at each of the bent portions, and so that one of two bent portions on a front side is located on a down side of the substrate and the other bent portion on the front side is located on an up side of the substrate.

First claim

1 . An optical connector comprising:
an optical fiber having a fiber end; and a housing, wherein the optical fiber enters the housing from a first direction and is secured within the housing in a second direction such that the optical fiber forms a bent portion within the housing, the bent portion being bent into a U-shape, wherein the optical fiber of the bent portion is free to move within the housing.

2 . The optical connector of claim 1 , wherein the first direction is substantially opposite from the second direction.

3 . The optical connector of claim 1 , further comprising a substrate comprising a first surface and a second surface, wherein the optical fiber enters the housing over the first surface of the substrate, and is secured within the housing at the second surface of the substrate.

4 . The optical connector of claim 1 , further comprising a substrate comprising a first surface, a second surface, and a recess, wherein the optical fiber enters the housing over the first surface of the substrate, passes through the recess, and is secured within the housing at the second surface of the substrate.

5 . The optical connector of claim 4 , wherein the housing and the substrate define an opening at the recess through which the optical fiber passes.

6 . The optical connector of claim 1 , wherein the fiber end is optically coupled to an optical component within the housing.

7 . The optical connector of claim 6 , wherein the optical component is a photoelectric conversion portion.

8 . The optical connector of claim 1 , further comprising an optical coupling portion within the housing and configured to turn an optical signal from a first direction of propagation to a second direction of propagation, wherein the fiber end is secured within the housing at the optical coupling portion.

9 . The optical connector of claim 8 , further comprising a photoelectric conversion portion optically coupled to the optical coupling portion.

10 . The optical connector of claim 1 , further comprising an electrical connector coupled to the housing.

11 . The optical connector of claim 1 , further comprising:
a substrate comprising a first surface and a second surface, wherein the optical fiber enters the housing on the first surface of the substrate; and an optical coupling portion coupled to the second surface, wherein the optical fiber turns from the first surface to the second surface and is coupled to the optical coupling portion.

12 . The optical connector of claim 11 , wherein the optical connector comprises multiple optical fibers that enter the housing in a first direction and are secured within the housing in a second direction.

13 . The optical connector of claim 1 , further comprising an optical cable comprising a sheath comprises an accommodating portion that spans the length of the optical cable, and the optical fiber is disposed within the accommodating portion.

14 . An optical connector comprising:
an optical fiber having a fiber end; a housing; and a substrate within the housing, the substrate comprising a first surface and a second surface, wherein the optical fiber enters the housing over the first surface of the substrate, and is secured within the housing at the second surface of the substrate, wherein the substrate is a circuit board and the optical fiber forms a bent portion within the housing, the bent portion being bent into a U-shape, wherein the optical fiber of the bent portion is free to move within the housing.

15 . The optical connector of claim 14 , wherein the substrate further comprises a recess, wherein the optical fiber enters the housing over the first surface of the substrate, passes through the recess, and is secured within the housing at the second surface of the substrate.

16 . The optical connector of claim 14 , further comprising an optical coupling portion coupled to the second surface of the substrate and configured to turn an optical signal from a first direction of propagation to a second direction of propagation, wherein the fiber end is coupled to the optical coupling portion.

17 . The optical connector of claim 16 , further comprising a photoelectric conversion portion optically coupled to the optical coupling portion.

18 . An optical connector comprising:
an optical fiber having a fiber end; a housing; a substrate within the housing, the substrate comprising a first surface and a second surface, wherein the optical fiber enters the housing over the first surface of the substrate in a first direction; an optical coupling portion coupled to the second surface of the substrate, wherein the fiber end is coupled to the optical coupling portion in a second and the optical fiber forms a bent portion within the housing, the bent portion being bent into a U-shape, wherein the optical fiber of the bent portion is free to move within the housing; a photoelectric conversion portion coupled to the second surface of the substrate and optically coupled to the optical coupling portion, wherein the photoelectric conversion portion is configured to transmit and/or receive optical signals to and/or from the optical fiber; and an electrical connector coupled to the housing.

Assignees

• Fujikura Ltd

Inventors

• Mori Masao
• Azegami Koji
• Abe Shinya

Classifications

• G02B6/4416

  Heterogeneous cables · 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

• G02B6/428

  containing printed circuit boards [PCB] · CPC title

• G02B6/3823

  containing surplus lengths, internal fibre loops (provisionally see also G02B6/444) · CPC title

• G02B6/3887

  Anchoring optical cables to connector housings, e.g. strain relief features · CPC title