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EP-4737970-A2 - OPTICAL FIBER SUPPORT STRUCTURE

EP4737970A2EP 4737970 A2EP4737970 A2EP 4737970A2EP-4737970-A2

Abstract

An optical fiber support structure for an optical fiber includes a substrate having a groove configured to receive the optical fiber and running lengthwise generally parallel to the optical fiber and at least two projections from the substrate and into the groove, each of said at least two projections including a surface to receive the optical fiber. The optical fiber support structures may also be included in a fiber optic ferrule. There may also be a plurality of optical fiber openings included with the fiber optic ferrule.

Inventors

  • KURTZ, Daniel
  • CHILDERS, DARRELL R.

Assignees

  • US Conec, Ltd

Dates

Publication Date
20260506
Application Date
20210504

Claims (15)

  1. 1. A fiber optic ferrule (100, 200) for receiving a plurality of optical fibers (104) in a plurality of optical fiber support structures (102, 202) comprising: a main body (106) extending between a front end (108) and a rear end (110), the main body having a top surface (112) and a bottom surface (114); a longitudinal axis (A) extending between the front end and the rear end and parallel to the plurality of optical fiber support structures (102); the plurality of support structures being disposed in the main body, each of the plurality of support structures have a groove (124) and being generally parallel to the longitudinal axis of the fiber optic ferrule and each being configured to receive an optical fiber; and a plurality of fiber openings (140, 240), a respective one of the plurality of fiber openings is aligned with a respective one of the plurality of optical fiber support structures and rearward thereof but not on the rear end, each of the plurality of fiber openings having an tubular configuration to accept the optical fibers insertable from the rear end of the ferrule and onto a respective one of the plurality of optical fiber support structures, characterized in that the fiber optic (100) has a rear singular opening (142) extending from the rear end (110) towards the front end (108) of the main body (106) providing acess to the plurality of the fiber openings (140, 240), in that the fiber optic ferrule has a first window (150) in the top surface (112) of the main body (106), in that the fiber optic ferrule has a second window (152) being closer to the front end (108) than the first window and allowing access to the optical fibers (104) that are disposed within the optical fiber support structure (102), and in that the optic fiber ferrule has a divider wall (154, 54) being between the first window and the second window.
  2. 2. The fiber optic ferrule according to claim 1, wherein the divider wall (154) is recessed from the top surface (112).
  3. 3. The fiber optic ferrule according to claim 1, wherein the divider wall (154) extends up to the top surface (112).
  4. 4. The fiber optic ferrule according to claim 1, wherein the fiber openings (140) are directly underneath the divider wall (154).
  5. 5. The fiber optic ferrule according to claim 1, wherein the fiber optic ferrule (100) is made of an optically clear or translucent material.
  6. 6. The fiber optic ferrule according to claim 1, wherein the fiber optic ferrule (110) has a circumferential portion (120) extending around the rear end (110) of the main body and creating a shoulder (122) or the fiber optic ferrule is shoulder-less.
  7. 7. The fiber optic ferrule according to claim 1, wherein each of the grooves (124) includes at least two projections (134) extending into the groove, each of said at least two projections including a surface (136) to receive the optical fiber (104).
  8. 8. The fiber optic ferrule according to claim 7, wherein the at least two projections (134) are disposed at a front end of each of the plurality of optical fiber support structures (102, 202).
  9. 8. The fiber optic ferrule according to claim 1, further comprising a chamfered surface (144) for each of the plurality of support structures (102, 202) disposed between respective ones of the fiber openings (140, 240) and each of the plurality of support structures.
  10. 10. The fiber optic ferrule according to claim 1, wherein the at least two projections (134) have a curved surface (136) directed into the groove (124).
  11. 11. The fiber optic ferrule according to claim 10, wherein the curved surface (136) on each of the at least two projections (134) have a curvature that is the same as that of the optical fiber.
  12. 12. The fiber optic ferrule according to claim 7, wherein the at least two projections (134) comprise six projections.
  13. 13. The fiber optic ferrule according to claim 1, wherein the plurality of fiber openings (140, 240) are disposed rearwardly of the plurality of optical fiber support structures (102, 202) and they are separated from one another by a distance between them.
  14. 14. The fiber optic ferrule according to claim 1, wherein there is a space (228) between the plurality of fiber openings (140, 240) and the plurality of optical fiber support structures (102, 202) to receive epoxy therein.
  15. 15. The fiber optic ferrule (100, 200) according to claim 1, wherein each of the grooves (124) is running lengthwise between the front end (108) and rear end (110) and at least two projections (134) are provided at a front end of each of the grooves.

Description

Reference to Related Case This application claims priority under 35 U.S.C. § 119 (e) to U.S. provisional application no. 63/019,528 filed on May 4, 2020, the contents of which are hereby incorporated by reference in their entirety. BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION Optical fibers are used as an optical transport medium in various communications scenarios. In some cases, they are mated to other optical fibers, while in some cases, they are aligned to a transceiver that transmits and receives the optical output to and from the optical fibers. When mated with other optical fibers, the optical fibers need to be precisely positioned and aligned due to the micrometer level dimensions of the output beam profile and of the optical fibers. Optical fibers may be supported by a silicon or a glass substrate having a groove-like structure upon which the optical fibers are placed and an adhesive applied to secure the optical fibers within the substrate. Such groove-like structures may include V-grooves or U-grooves, such as the one shown in U.S. Patent No. 7,058,275 assigned to Oz Optics of CA. Alternatively, optical fibers are commonly used in fiber optic ferrules that have cylindrical openings into which the optical fibers are inserted from the rear of the fiber optic ferrules. These fiber optic ferrules may be single fiber or multi-fiber, and typically mated to other ferrules. In certain cases, these fiber optic ferrules may be aligned to on-board optics that bidirectionally transfer the optical beam between the fiber optic ferrule and the transceiver. Certain fiber optic ferrules may utilize groove-like structures too, and the optical fibers are typically placed in these grooves and an adhesive is applied to secure the optical fibers. However, such fiber optic ferrules with grooves do not have any optical fiber openings associated with conventional MT or lensed ferrules. Additionally, mechanical forces applied through a cap may be used to push the optical fibers toward the base of the grooves. Each of the optical fiber openings in a ferrule material, and grooves in glass or silicon, have their own set of challenges in manufacturing from a precision and tolerance perspective. In the case of multi-fiber groove support structures, such as V-grooves, a uniform pair of angled opposing surfaces has to be created throughout the length of the V-groove support structure. Similar issues exist for U-grooves. Typically, making V-grooves involves processes such as etching (when the V-groove is in Silicon) or the use of a diamond disc (when the structure is on a glass substrate). Further, due to the inherent crystal structure of silicon, the optimal angle between the opposing surfaces of the V-groove is 54.6°. However, with glass, this angle is typically 60°. This may lead to misalignment when the optical transport utilizes both, one side being a glass ferrule, and the other side being a silicon substrate. When V-grooves are used in ferrules, the contact of the optical fibers with the ferrule material creates a depression on the walls of the V-grooves in the ferrule material that is dependent on the force that is applied to the optical fibers when placed in the grooves. This occurs due to the difference in the optical fiber and ferrule material, and creates potential misalignment of the optical fibers during mating with other optical fibers. In the case of fiber openings inside the fiber optic ferrule, they need to have uniform diameters throughout the length to ensure proper insertion and subsequent positioning of the optical fibers therein. Measuring such uniformity of the fiber openings is challenging and cumbersome and may be error prone. SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION According to one aspect, the present invention is directed to a fiber optic ferrule for receiving a plurality of optical fibers in a plurality of optical fiber support structures comprising: a main body extending between a front end and a rear end, the main body having a top surface and a bottom surface;a longitudinal axis (A) extending between the front end and the rear end and parallel to the plurality of optical fiber support structures;the plurality of support structures being disposed in the main body, each of the plurality of support structures have a groove and being generally parallel to the longitudinal axis of the fiber optic ferrule and each being configured to receive an optical fiber; anda plurality of fiber openings, a respective one of the plurality of fiber openings is aligned with a respective one of the plurality of optical fiber support structures and rearward thereof but not on the rear end, each of the plurality of fiber openings having an tubular configuration to accept the optical fibers insertable from the rear end of the ferrule and onto a respective one of the plurality of optical fiber support structures, characterized in that the fiber optic has a rear singular opening extending from the rear end towards the front end of the main body providing a