Optical repeater and optical connector device

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-2016282576-A1
Application number	US-201615055717-A
Country	US
Kind code	A1
Filing date	Feb 29, 2016
Priority date	Mar 25, 2015
Publication date	Sep 29, 2016
Grant date	—

Abstract

An optical repeater to be arranged between a substrate and an optical connector, the optical repeater includes: a body part including a plurality of optical paths to transmit an optical signal between the substrate and the optical connector, a substrate-side end-face in which one end of each of the optical paths opposes the substrate, and a connector connecting part to connect another end of each of the optical paths to the optical connector, the body part being configured from a material with a greater coefficient of linear expansion than that of the substrate; and a reinforcing member arranged so as to surround the optical paths in a side to the substrate-side end-face, the reinforcing member being configured from a material with a smaller coefficient of linear expansion than that of the body part.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1 . An optical repeater to be arranged between a substrate and an optical connector, the optical repeater comprising:
a body part including a plurality of optical paths to transmit an optical signal between the substrate and the optical connector, a substrate-side end-face in which one end of each of the optical paths opposes the substrate, and a connector connecting part to connect another end of each of the optical paths to the optical connector, the body part being configured from a material with a greater coefficient of linear expansion than that of the substrate; and a reinforcing member arranged so as to surround the optical paths in a side to the substrate-side end-face, the reinforcing member being configured from a material with a smaller coefficient of linear expansion than that of the body part.

2 . An optical repeater according to claim 1 , wherein
the substrate-side end-face is arranged with a plurality of end-faces of optical fibers configuring the optical paths, and the reinforcing member is configured so as to surround a periphery of the plurality of the optical fibers.

3 . An optical repeater according to claim 2 , wherein
the reinforcing member is configured so as to surround a periphery of each of the plurality of the optical fibers.

4 . An optical repeater according to claim 1 , wherein
the substrate-side end-face is provided with a recess and a plurality of lens parts that have been formed in the optical paths of the recess, and the reinforcing member is configured so as to surround a periphery of the end-faces of the plurality of the optical fibers configuring the optical paths, a periphery of the plurality of the lens parts, and a light transmission part configuring the optical paths between the end-faces of the optical fibers and the lens parts.

5 . An optical repeater according to claim 1 , wherein
the substrate-side end-face is provided with a positioning part that engages with a substrate side positioning part that has been formed in the substrate.

6 . An optical repeater according to claim 5 , wherein
the reinforcing member is configured so as to surround the optical paths and the positioning part.

7 . An optical repeater according to claim 1 , wherein
the substrate-side end-face is provided with the plurality of the lens parts that have been formed in the optical paths, the body part has a reflecting part that changes the optical paths between the end-faces of the optical fibers configuring the optical paths and the lens parts, the plurality of the optical fiber end-faces and the reflecting part are arranged sandwiched with the two reinforcing members, and one of the two reinforcing members is configured so as to surround a periphery of the plurality of the lens parts.

8 . An optical connector device comprising:
a substrate; an optical connector; and an optical repeater to be arranged between the substrate and the optical connector, wherein the optical repeater includes
a body part including a plurality of optical paths to transmit an optical signal between the substrate and the optical connector, a substrate-side end-face in which one end of each of the optical paths opposes the substrate, and a connector connecting part to connect another end of each of the optical paths to the optical connector, the body part being configured from a material with a greater coefficient of linear expansion than that of the substrate, and
a reinforcing member arranged so as to surround the optical paths in a side to the substrate-side end-face, the reinforcing member being configured from a material with a smaller coefficient of linear expansion than that of the body part.

Assignees

• Fujikura Ltd

Inventors

• Nishimura Akito

Classifications

• G02B6/3845

  ferrules comprising functional elements, e.g. filters · 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

• G02B6/3882

  using rods, pins or balls to align a pair of ferrule ends · CPC title

• G02B6/4292

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

• G02B6/4267 Primary

  Reduction of thermal stress, e.g. by selecting thermal coefficient of materials · CPC title