Single mode fiber array connector for opto-electronic transceivers

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-9435965-B2
Application number	US-201313755843-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Jan 31, 2013
Priority date	Feb 1, 2012
Publication date	Sep 6, 2016
Grant date	Sep 6, 2016

Abstract

An apparatus for providing single mode optical signal coupling between an opto-electronic transceiver and a single mode optical fiber array takes the form of a lens array and a ferrule component. The lens array includes a plurality of separate lens element disposed to intercept a like plurality of single mode optical output signal from the opto-electronic transceiver and provide as an output a focused version thereof. The ferrule component includes a plurality of single mode fiber stubs that are passively aligned with the lens array and support the transmission of the focused, single mode optical output signals towards the associated single mode optical fiber array.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. An apparatus for providing single mode optical signal coupling between an opto-electronic transceiver and a single mode optical fiber array, the apparatus comprising:
a lens array including a plurality of separate lens elements, each of the plurality of lens elements disposed to intercept a separate single mode optical output signal from the opto-electronic transceiver and provide as an output a focused version thereof;
a connector housing for supporting the lens array, the connector housing including an opening and a first plurality of alignment fiducials disposed within the opening and extending out of the opening along a first direction; and
a ferrule component including a plurality of single mode fiber stubs and a second plurality of alignment fiducials, the ferrule component disposable within the connector housing opening such that the second plurality of alignment fiducials mate with the first plurality of alignment fiducials before the ferrule component is at least partly disposed within the connector housing opening and the plurality of single mode fiber stubs passively align with respective ones of the plurality of lens elements in at least two axes normal to the first direction,
wherein the plurality of single mode fiber stubs are entirely disposed within the ferrule component.

2. The apparatus as defined in claim 1 , wherein the first plurality of alignment fiducials comprises a pair of alignment fiducials and the second plurality of alignment fiducials comprises a mating pair of alignment fiducials.

3. The apparatus as defined in claim 1 , wherein the first plurality of alignment fiducials comprises a plurality of pins extending outward from the connector housing and the second plurality of alignment fiducials comprises a plurality of holes formed within the ferrule component.

4. The apparatus as defined in claim 3 , wherein the first plurality of alignment fiducials comprises a pair of alignment pins disposed on opposite sides of the connector housing opening and the second plurality of alignment fiducials comprises a pair of alignment holes disposed on opposite sides of an endface termination of the ferrule component.

5. The apparatus as defined in claim 1 , wherein the ferrule component comprises a first, lower portion and a second, upper portion, with the first, lower portion including a plurality of grooves for supporting the plurality of single mode fiber stubs.

6. The apparatus as defined in claim 5 , wherein the plurality of grooves are formed to create an essentially uniform center-to-center spacing between adjacent single mode fiber stubs of the plurality of single mode fiber stubs.

7. The apparatus as defined in claim 5 , wherein the plurality of grooves comprises a plurality of at least one of V-shaped grooves and U-shaped grooves.

8. A system, comprising:
an opto-electronic transceiver for generating a plurality of single mode optical output signals and receiving a plurality of single mode optical input signals;
a cable comprising an array of single mode optical fibers; and
a connector disposed between the opto-electronic transceiver and the cable for creating aligned optical signal paths therebetween, the connector comprising:
a lens array including a plurality of separate lens elements, each of the plurality of lens elements disposed to intercept a separate single mode optical output signal from the opto-electronic transceiver and provide as an output a focused version thereof;
a connector housing for supporting the lens array, the connector housing including an opening and a first plurality of alignment fiducials disposed within the opening and extending out of the opening along a first direction; and
a ferrule component including a plurality of single mode fiber stubs and a second plurality of alignment fiducials, the ferrule component disposable within the connector housing such that the second plurality of alignment fiducials mate with the first plurality of alignment fiducials when the ferrule component is disposed within the connector housing opening and the plurality of single mode fiber stubs passively align with respective ones of the plurality of lens elements in at least two axes normal to the first direction,
wherein the plurality of single mode fiber stubs are entirely disposed within the ferrule component.

9. The apparatus as defined in claim 8 , wherein the first plurality of alignment fiducials comprises a pair of alignment fiducials and the second plurality of alignment fiducials comprises a mating pair of alignment fiducials.

10. The apparatus as defined in claim 8 , wherein the first plurality of alignment fiducials comprises a plurality of pins extending outward from the connector housing and the second plurality of alignment fiducials comprises a plurality of holes formed within the ferrule component.

11. The apparatus as defined in claim 10 , wherein the first plurality of alignment fiducials comprises a pair of alignment pins disposed on opposite sides of the connector housing opening and the second plurality of alignment fiducials comprises a pair of alignment holes disposed on opposite sides of an endface termination of the ferrule component.

12. The apparatus as defined in claim 8 , wherein the ferrule component comprises a first, lower portion and a second, upper portion, with the first, lower portion including a plurality of grooves for supporting the plurality of single mode fiber stubs.

13. The apparatus as defined in claim 12 , wherein the plurality of grooves are formed to create an essentially uniform center-to-center spacing between adjacent single mode fiber stubs of the plurality of single mode fiber stubs.

14. The apparatus as defined in claim 12 , wherein the plurality of grooves comprises a plurality of at least one of V-shaped grooves and U-shaped grooves.

15. The apparatus as defined in claim 8 , wherein the connector is disposed in an in-line connection configuration with the opto-electronic transceiver.

16. The apparatus as defined in claim 8 , wherein the connector is disposed in a 90° oriented configuration with the opto-electronic transceiver, the opto-electronic transceiver including a transparent lid and configured to transmit single mode optical output signals through the transparent lid and into the connector.

17. The apparatus as defined in claim 8 , wherein the connector is actively aligned to opto-electronic transceiver such that the plurality of single mode optical output signals are coupled into the lens elements of the connector lens array.

18. A system, comprising:
a quad small form factor pluggable (QSFP) transceiver module for supporting the transmission of a set of four single mode optical output signals and the reception of a set of four single mode optical input signals;
a multiple fiber push-on/pull-off (MPO) optical fiber cable including an array of single mode optical fibers; and
a connector for coupling the QSFP transceiver module to the MPO single mode optical fiber cable, the connector comprising
a lens array including a plurality of separate lens elements, each of the plurality of lens elements disposed to intercept a separate single mode optical output signal from the opto-electronic transceiver and provide as an output a focused version thereof;
a connector housing for supporting the lens array, the connector housing including an opening and a first plurality of alignment fiducials within the opening and extending out of the opening along a first direction; and
a ferrule component including a plurality of single mode fiber stubs, th

Assignees

• Cisco Tech Inc

Inventors

• Togami Chris Kiyoshi
• Pathak Soham
• Shastri Kalpendu
• Dama Bipin
• Patel Vipulkumar
• Kachru Ravinder
• DESAI Kishor

Classifications

• G02B6/4244

  Mounting of the optical elements · 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

• G02B6/421 Primary

  the intermediate optical component consisting of a short length of fibre, e.g. fibre stub · CPC title

• G02B6/4204

  the coupling comprising intermediate optical elements, e.g. lenses, holograms (encapsulated active devices H01S5/02208) · CPC title

• G02B6/423

  using guiding surfaces for the alignment · CPC title