Single fiber connector for pluggable card or module optical

Abstract

A single fiber connector for a pluggable card or module optical interconnection is formed of a connector socket that may be mounted to a printed circuit card or optical module and a connector pin that is attached to a housing or a suitable bulkhead by which the printed circuit card or optical module is to be supported. Each of the connector socket and the connector pin has an internally threaded axial bore for receiving and retaining a single optical fiber cable coupler from the end of which an optical fiber strand extends. Each pin and socket includes a further precision bore through which the fibers pass to abut end-to-end in the precision bore of the socket. The socket further has a tapered end male section that is inserted into a corresponding tapered end female section of the pin, with the fiber held by the pin being automatically guided into the precision bore of the male section of the socket as the printed circuit card or module is inserted into the connector on the bulkhead. To effect this automatic guidance of the fibers together, a bracket is mounted on the printed circuit card for holding the connector socket. The bracket is dimensionally positioned relative to the end of the card so that when the card is mounted on the bulkhead through associated hardware, such as electrical pin connector support units, the optical fiber connector and socket will be properly dimensionally located for alignment and fiber coupling.