3m Innovative Properties Company

Changbao Ma

Bing Hao

Michael Albert Haase

Terry Lee Smith

Alexander Barr

Daniel F Cronch

Boon K Lee

Cheng Tang

Shiwen Chen

James M Nelson

Stephen Paul LeBlanc

An optical ferrule () includes an input surface () for receiving and transmitting a central light ray () from an optical fiber () attached to the optical ferrule. A light redirecting side () receives, along a first direction (), the central light ray () transmitted by the input surface () and redirects the received light along a different second direction (). The redirected central light ray () exits the optical ferrule through an output surface () of the optical ferrule. As the central light ray () propagates in the optical ferrule from the input surface () to the output surface (), the central light ray () propagates through distinct first and second portions () of the optical ferrule having different respective first and second compositions.

Expanded beam optical ferrules

An optical ferrule configured to move along a mating direction to mate with a mating optical ferrule. The optical ferrule includes an attachment portion for receiving and securing one or more optical waveguides. First and second engagement portions are formed integrally with the optical ferrule and spaced apart from each other along the mating direction. First and second engagement portions are formed integrally with the mating optical ferrule and spaced apart from each other along the mating direction. When the optical ferrule mates with the mating optical ferrule, the first and second engagement portions of the optical ferrule engage the respective second and first engagement portions of the mating optical ferrule. The engagement of the engagement portions of the optical ferrules prevents each of the optical ferules from moving relative to the other optical ferrule along at least mutually orthogonal first and second directions orthogonal to the mating direction.

Optical connector assembly

An optical transceiver module includes a housing having an electrical mating end for mating with a mating electrical connector and an opposing optical mating end for mating with a mating optical connector. A circuit board assembly, a ferrule assembly, and a first support are disposed in the housing. The circuit board assembly includes an optical coupler disposed on a circuit board. The ferrule assembly includes an optical ferrule including a first attachment feature for receiving and permanently attaching to at least one optical fiber and a second attachment feature assembled to the optical coupler. A ferrule support is removably assembled to an interior of the housing and includes at least one support feature. The optical ferrule rests on the at least one support feature. The first support makes contact with the at least one optical fiber. The contact causes a bend in the at least one optical fiber.

Optical transceiver module

An optical connector assembly includes first and second optical ferrules. Each of the first and second optical ferrules includes a front portion extending forwardly from a rear portion. The rear portion includes a top side and a bottom side. The bottom side of the rear portion defines a recessed portion. The first and second optical ferrules mate with each other such that the front portion of each of the first and second ferrules is disposed in the recessed portion of the other one of the first and second ferrules. Discrete retainers are assembled to opposite ends of the mated first and second ferrules. Each of the retainers defines a resilient portion resiliently forcing the front portion of one of the first and second mated ferrules against the other one of the first and second optical ferrules.

An optical ferrule assembly includes a hybrid optical ferrule having a glass portion assembled to a polymeric portion. The polymeric portion includes a groove for receiving and supporting an optical fiber having opposing open front and back ends. A light redirecting member includes an input surface for receiving light from the optical fiber and a light redirecting side. The open back end of the groove and the input surface define a recessed region therebetween. The glass portion includes an optically transparent glass insert disposed in the recessed region conforming in shape to an internal shape of the recessed region. An optical fiber is received and supported in the groove. The optical fiber includes a fiber end laser welded to the glass insert so that a central light ray from the optical fiber propagates through the glass insert before being received and redirected by the light redirecting side.

Optical ferrule assemblies

A light coupling element including a groove and a light redirecting member is described. The groove is for receiving and aligning an optical waveguide and incudes an open front end and a back end. The light redirecting member includes an input side for receiving light from an optical waveguide received and supported in the groove and a light redirecting side for changing a direction of light received from the input side. The groove may include a bottom surface extending between the front and back ends of the groove and including a raised bottom surface portion raised upwardly relative to an unraised bottom surface portion. The unraised bottom surface portion of the bottom surface may be disposed between the raised bottom surface portion of the bottom surface and the input side of the light redirecting member. Optical coupling assemblies including the light coupling element and an optical waveguide are described.

Light coupling element and assembly

An optical connector assembly () includes a housing (), an optical ferrule (); and an optical fiber array (). The housing () has a mating end () and an opposite cable end () and includes: a first housing portion () including a front support () proximate the mating end () and a rear support () disposed between the front support () and the cable end (); and a second housing portion () assembled to the first housing portion () and including a middle support () disposed between the front and rear supports (). The ferrule () is supported by the front support (). Front ends of optical fibers of the optical fiber array () are received by and attached to an attachment area of the ferrule (). When the second housing portion () is assembled to the first housing portion (), the middle support () of the second housing portion () contacts and bends the optical fiber array () about the middle support (). The bend causes the optical ferrule () to rotate about the front support ().

An optical ferrule includes at least one light affecting element configured to affect one or more characteristics of light from an optical waveguide as the light propagates in the optical ferrule, the light affecting element having an input surface. At least one receiving element receives and secures the optical waveguide to the ferrule so that an output surface of the waveguide is optically coupled to the input surface of the light affecting element. A waveguide stop limits movement of the waveguide toward the input surface of the light affecting element when the optical waveguide is installed in the receiving element. A space between the output surface of the optical waveguide and the input surface of the light affecting element is inaccessible to the optical waveguide when the optical waveguide is installed in the receiving element.

Optical ferrules with waveguide inaccessible space

An optical connector includes a housing having a resilient member and an optical ferrule. The optical ferrule includes a plurality of attachment areas for receiving and securing a plurality of optical waveguides and a light redirecting side for changing a direction of light received from an optical waveguide. The optical connector is configured such that when an optical waveguide is received and secured in any of the attachment areas and light from the optical waveguide propagates along an optical path, the resilient member is not in the optical path. When the optical ferrule mates with a mating optical ferule, the resilient member is resiliently deformed to resiliently force the optical ferrule against the mating optical ferrule.

Optical connectors and optical ferrules

An optical connector includes a housing with a bottom wall defining a window therein, and an optical ferrule disposed in the housing and comprising opposing major top and bottom surfaces. The major bottom surface of the optical ferrule faces the bottom wall of the housing. The major top surface includes a groove and a light redirecting surface configured to receive light along a first direction from an optical fiber received and secured in the groove, and redirect the received light along a different second direction. The redirected light exits the optical ferrule though the bottom surface and exits the housing through the window, such that, when the optical connector mates with a mating optical connector including a mating optical ferrule, the mating optical ferrule prevents any of the light exiting the optical ferrule from exiting the housing of the optical connector.

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Austin, TX, United States of America

Changbao Ma