US-12619040-B2 - Optical fiber module

US12619040B2US 12619040 B2US12619040 B2US 12619040B2US-12619040-B2

Abstract

An optical fiber module is attached to and detached from a host device having an optical engine and an internal optical connector optically connected to the optical engine. The optical fiber module includes a housing having a first surface exposed in a state of being attached to the host device and a second surface facing the first surface; at least one first optical connector provided on the first surface; and a second optical connector provided on the second surface and capable of being optically connected to the internal optical connector. Furthermore, the optical fiber module includes: a first optical fiber optically connecting the first optical connector and the second optical connector to each other; and a light source module supplying light to the optical engine via the second optical connector.

Inventors

Hong Chuyen NGUYEN
Tetsuya Nakanishi
Takayuki Yokochi

Assignees

SUMITOMO ELECTRIC INDUSTRIES, LTD.

Dates

Publication Date: 20260505
Application Date: 20220810
Priority Date: 20210910

Claims (7)

1 . An optical fiber module attached to and detached from a host device having an optical engine and an internal optical connector optically connected to the optical engine, the optical fiber module comprising: a housing having a first surface exposed in a state of being attached to the host device and a second surface facing the first surface; at least one first optical connector provided on the first surface; a second optical connector provided on the second surface and capable of being optically connected to the internal optical connector; a first optical fiber optically connecting the first optical connector and the second optical connector to each other; and a light source module supplying light to the optical engine via the second optical connector.
2 . The optical fiber module according to claim 1 , further comprising an electrical board electrically connected to the host device, wherein the light source module receives power from the electrical board and supplies the light.
3 . The optical fiber module according to claim 1 , further comprising a second optical fiber optically connecting the light source module and the second optical connector to each other.
4 . The optical fiber module according to claim 3 , wherein the second optical fiber includes at least one polarization maintaining fiber.
5 . The optical fiber module according to claim 1 , further comprising an optical multiplexer/demultiplexer for multiplexing and demultiplexing the light passing through the first optical fiber.
6 . The optical fiber module according to claim 1 , wherein the optical fiber module includes a plurality of the first optical connectors.
7 . The optical fiber module according to claim 1 , wherein the optical fiber module includes a plurality of the second optical connectors.

Description

TECHNICAL FIELD The present disclosure relates to optical fiber modules. This application claims priority based on Japanese Application No. 2021-147493 dated Sep. 10, 2021, the entire contents of which are incorporated herein by reference. BACKGROUND ART Non Patent Literature 1 describes a server. The server includes an optical engine mounted on an electronic circuit board, a plurality of optical fiber cables extending from the optical engine, a plurality of optical connectors, and a housing. The plurality of optical connectors are provided at the end of each optical fiber cable on the opposite side of the optical engine. The housing houses the optical engine and the optical fiber cable. The optical engine converts electrical signals into optical signals. Each of the plurality of optical fiber cables propagates the optical signal converted by the optical engine. The optical connector is attached to a panel constituting the side surface of the housing. CITATION LIST Non Patent Literature Non Patent Literature 1: Brian Welch, Cisco “Co-Packaged Optics Integration” Internet <https://epic-assoc.com/wp-content/uploads/2021/06/Brian-Welch_Cisco.pdf> SUMMARY OF INVENTION An optical fiber module according to the present disclosure is an optical fiber module attached to and detached from a host device having an optical engine and an internal optical connector optically connected to the optical engine. The optical fiber module includes: a housing having a first surface exposed in a state of being attached to the host device and a second surface facing the first surface; at least one first optical connector provided on the first surface; and a second optical connector provided on the second surface and capable of being optically connected to the internal optical connector. Furthermore, the optical fiber module includes: a first optical fiber optically connecting the first optical connector and the second optical connector to each other; and a light source module supplying light to the optical engine via the second optical connector. BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF DRAWINGS FIG. 1 is a plan view schematically illustrating an optical device including an optical fiber module and a host device according to an embodiment. FIG. 2 is a side view illustrating the optical fiber module and the host device according to the embodiment. FIG. 3 is a perspective view schematically illustrating the host device to which the optical fiber module according to the embodiment is attached. FIG. 4 is a diagram illustrating an internal structure of the optical fiber module according to the embodiment. FIG. 5 is a rear view illustrating the optical fiber module according to the embodiment. FIG. 6 is a diagram illustrating an internal structure of an optical fiber module according to a modified example. DESCRIPTION OF EMBODIMENTS Each of the plurality of optical fiber cables extending from the optical engine is connected to each of the plurality of optical connectors. When the number of optical fiber cables and the number of optical connectors are large, identifying and wiring the optical fiber cables can be difficult. That is, the work of connecting each of the plurality of optical connectors to each of the plurality of optical fiber cables may become complicated. An object of the present disclosure is to provide an optical fiber module that can easily perform a work of connecting optical connectors. DESCRIPTION OF EMBODIMENTS OF PRESENT INVENTION First, contents of an embodiment of the present disclosure will be listed and described. An optical fiber module according to an embodiment is an optical fiber module attached to and detached from a host device including (1) an optical engine and an internal optical connector optically connected to the optical engine. The optical fiber module includes: a housing having a first surface exposed in a state of being attached to the host device and a second surface facing the first surface; at least one first optical connector provided on the first surface; and a second optical connector provided on the second surface and capable of being optically connected to the internal optical connector. Furthermore, the optical fiber module includes: a first optical fiber optically connecting the first optical connector and the second optical connector to each other; and a light source module supplying light to the optical engine via the second optical connector. When the optical fiber module is attached to the host device, the second optical connector optically connects to the internal optical connector. By attaching the optical fiber module to the host device, the first optical connector and the second optical connector of the optical fiber module can be optically connected to the internal optical connector. Therefore, the work of connecting the optical connectors can be easily performed. (2) In (1) above, the optical fiber module may include an electrical board electrically connected to the host device, and the light sourc