Photoelectric connector applied to vehicle, assembling method thereof and active cable

Abstract

The invention provides a photoelectric connector applied to a vehicle, an assembling method of the photoelectric connector and an active cable. The photoelectric connector comprises a shell; the photoelectric conversion module is arranged in the accommodating cavity of the shell; the electric connecting piece is partially arranged in the accommodating cavity of the shell and is connected with the photoelectric conversion module; the optical connecting piece is partially arranged in the accommodating cavity of the shell and is connected with the photoelectric conversion module; and the cured pouring sealant is filled in the accommodating cavity of the shell and covers the parts of the photoelectric conversion module, the electric connecting piece and the optical connecting piece in the accommodating cavity of the shell. The photoelectric connector can ensure that an active cable can be applied to an automatic driving vehicle, and low-delay, large-bandwidth and high-reliability video data transmission between a camera and a vehicle electronic system is realized.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] Embodiments of the present invention relate to the field of optoelectronic devices. More specifically, the present invention relates to an optoelectronic connector for use in a vehicle, an assembly method for the optoelectronic connector, and an active cable for use in a vehicle and including the optoelectronic connector. Background Art

[0002] With the rapid advancement of science and technology, vehicle intelligent driving technology is entering an unprecedented height. The level of autonomous driving has steadily moved from the initial L1 stage to the advanced stage of L4 according to the SAE J3016 "Driving Automation Classification" standard. With the improvement of the level of autonomous driving technology, more stringent requirements are placed on the performance of the vehicle perception system. For example, as the core component of the perception system, the video data obtained by the camera needs to have higher clarity, faster frame rate and larger data volume to cope with the increasingly complex driving environment. However, this surge in demand has posed a huge challenge to the traditional electrical transmission method based on coaxial cables (copper wires). Its bandwidth limitation and signal attenuation problems have become increasingly prominent, making it difficult to meet the stringent standards of advanced autonomous driving.

[0003] In this context, active cables with transmission optical fiber as the core have become an ideal choice for replacing electrical transmission and optimizing video data transmission between cameras and vehicle electronic systems due to their low latency, large bandwidth and high reliability transmission characteristics. However, the promotion of existing active cables in vehicle applications still faces a key challenge, namely the lack of an optoelectronic connector that connects the transmission optical fiber in the cable to the vehicle's electronic system or camera. This technical gap limits the practical application of active cables in autonomous vehicles and hinders the realization of low latency, large bandwidth and high reliability transmission of video data. Summary of the invention

[0004] In order to solve one or more of the technical problems mentioned above, the present invention provides an optoelectronic connector applied to a vehicle, an assembly method of the optoelectronic connector, and an active cable applied to a vehicle and including the optoelectronic connector. The optoelectronic connector can ensure that the active cable can be used in autonomous driving vehicles to achieve low-latency, large-bandwidth and high-reliability video data transmission between a camera and a vehicle electronic system.

[0005] According to a first aspect of the present invention, there is provided an optoelectronic connector for use in a vehicle, comprising: a housing having a housing cavity; a photoelectric conversion module, which is disposed in the housing cavity of the housing; an electrical connector, a first portion of which is disposed in the housing cavity of the housing and connected to the photoelectric conversion module, and a second portion of which is disposed outside the housing, so that the second portion of the electrical connector can be directly connected to a camera or an electronic system of the vehicle; an optical connector, a first portion of which is disposed in the housing cavity of the housing and connected to the photoelectric conversion module, and a second portion of which is disposed outside the housing cavity of the housing, so that the second portion of the optical connector can be connected to the electronic system or camera of the vehicle through the transmission optical fiber of the vehicle's cable and another optoelectronic connector; and a cured potting compound, which fills the housing cavity of the housing and wraps the first portion of the electrical connector, the first portion of the optical connector and the photoelectric conversion module, so as to fix the relative positions of the electrical connector, the optical connector and the photoelectric conversion module.

[0006] Furthermore, in the accommodating cavity, the electrical connector and the optical connector are respectively arranged on both sides of the plane where the optoelectronic coupling element of the optoelectronic conversion module is located, and at least the part of the optical connector used for docking the transmission optical fiber is parallel to the circuit board of the optoelectronic conversion module.

[0007] Furthermore, the optical connector includes a core inserted through the housing and parallel to the plane where the optoelectronic coupling element is located, and a bent optical fiber having a first end fixed in the core and a second end connected to the optoelectronic conversion module;

[0008] The bent optical fiber includes a bent portion between a first end and a second end thereof and completely located in the accommodating cavity.

[0009] Furthermore, the transmission direction of the light in the first end of the bent optical fiber and the transmission direction of the light in the second end of the bent optical fiber are both parallel to the plane where the photoelectric coupling element of the photoelectric conversion module is located and are opposite to each other;

[0010] The distance from the first end of the bent optical fiber to the plane where the optoelectronic coupling element of the optoelectronic conversion module is located is greater than the distance from the second end of the bent optical fiber to the plane where the optoelectronic coupling element of the optoelectronic conversion module is located.

[0011] Furthermore, the bent optical fiber allows the light from the transmission optical fiber to be turned 180 degrees and then enter the photoelectric conversion module connected to the bent optical fiber.

[0012] Furthermore, the orthographic projection of the ferrule on the plane where the circuit board is located completely falls into the area where the circuit board is located on the plane.

[0013] Furthermore, the optoelectronic conversion module includes a circuit board connected to the electrical connector, the optoelectronic coupling element disposed on the circuit board and connected to the electrical connector via conductive traces in the circuit board, an optical component disposed on the circuit board and at least covering the optoelectronic coupling element, and a fixing seat disposed on the circuit board and used to fix the bent optical fiber, wherein the fixing seat is used to keep the bent optical fiber in a state of docking with the optical component.

[0014] Further, the optical component is used to transmit the optical signal obtained from the bent optical fiber to the optoelectronic coupling element, and the fixing seat enables the bent optical fiber to transmit the optical signal obtained from the transmission optical fiber to the optical component; and / or

[0015] The optical component is used to transmit the optical signal obtained from the optoelectronic coupling element to the bent optical fiber, and the fixing seat enables the bent optical fiber to transmit the optical signal obtained from the optical component to the transmission optical fiber.

[0016] Furthermore, the spacing between the ferrule and the circuit board is greater than or equal to twice the minimum bending radius of the bent optical fiber.

[0017] Furthermore, an end face of the ferrule used for connecting to the end of the bent optical fiber is flush with an end face of the fixing seat used for connecting to the end of the bent optical fiber.

[0018] Further, the bent portion of the bent optical fiber includes a starting point, an end point, and a selected point between the starting point and the end point;

[0019] The starting point refers to the point in the bending portion that is closest to the ferrule, and its orthographic projection on the plane where the circuit board is located is the first point;

[0020] The end point refers to the point in the bending portion that is farthest from the ferrule, and its orthographic projection on the plane where the circuit board is located is the second point position;

[0021] The selected point refers to a point in the bending portion that is closest to the cavity wall of the accommodating cavity of the housing in a direction parallel to the central axis of the ferrule, and its orthographic projection on the plane where the circuit board is located is the third point position;

[0022] The second point and the third point are respectively located on both sides of a selected straight line, and the selected straight line is a straight line passing through the first point and perpendicular to the central axis of the insert.

[0023] Furthermore, the distance between the ferrule and the circuit board is greater than the minimum bending radius of the bent optical fiber and less than twice the minimum bending radius of the bent optical fiber.

[0024] Furthermore, the accommodating cavity includes a first space for partially accommodating the optical connector, and a second space for partially accommodating the electrical connector while accommodating the photoelectric conversion module, wherein the volume of the second space is greater than that of the first space.

[0025] Furthermore, the light propagation direction in the ferrule is a first direction, and the direction perpendicular to the plane where the photoelectric coupling element of the photoelectric conversion module is located is a second direction;

[0026] The size of the second space in the first direction is greater than the size of the first space in the first direction;

[0027] A size of the second space in the second direction is greater than a size of the first space in the second direction.

[0028] Further, the second space includes a first area and a second area closer to the first space than the first area, and a size of the first area in the first direction is greater than a size of the second area in the first direction;

[0029] The first area is used to accommodate the photoelectric conversion module and the portion of the bent optical fiber;

[0030] The second area is used to accommodate the bent portion of the bent optical fiber.

[0031] Furthermore, a size of the second area in the first direction is greater than a size of the first space in the first direction.

[0032] Furthermore, the optoelectronic connector also includes a calibration sleeve fixed outside the optical connector, and the calibration sleeve can at least partially receive the end of the transmission optical fiber and guide it to dock with the end of the transmission optical fiber.

[0033] Furthermore, the ferrule and the calibration sleeve are both made of ceramic material or metal material.

[0034] Furthermore, the optical connector includes a socket component that is penetrated through the housing and parallel to the plane where the optoelectronic coupling element of the optoelectronic conversion module is located. The optoelectronic conversion module includes a circuit board connected to the electrical connector and used to fix the socket component, and a optoelectronic coupling element that is arranged on the circuit board and connected to the electrical connector through conductive traces in the circuit board. The socket component is used to receive the end of the transmission optical fiber and connect the transmission optical fiber to the optoelectronic coupling element.

[0035] Furthermore, the optical connector does not include an optical fiber.

[0036] Furthermore, the socket component changes the light transmission direction so that the light output by the transmission optical fiber is perpendicular to the light transmission direction entering the optoelectronic coupling element.

[0037] Furthermore, the housing includes a first shell and a second shell which are connected to each other and together form the accommodating cavity, wherein the first shell has an outlet hole allowing a core or socket component of the optical connector to partially pass through, and the second shell is configured to press the core or socket component into the first shell when it is connected to the first shell.

[0038] Furthermore, the outlet hole includes a large diameter section and a small diameter section which is farther away from the accommodating cavity than the large diameter section, the ferrule includes a ferrule body which is fixedly sleeved outside the bent optical fiber and partially placed in the small diameter section of the outlet hole, and a positioning flange which is arranged outside the ferrule body and placed in the large diameter section of the outlet hole, and the second shell includes a boss which is arranged on its inner wall and is used to press the positioning flange of the ferrule into the large diameter section of the outlet hole, and the boss has an avoidance groove which avoids the optical connector.

[0039] Furthermore, the outlet hole includes a large diameter section and a small diameter section which is further away from the accommodating cavity than the large diameter section and can partially accommodate the socket member, and a positioning convex is fixedly provided outside the socket member and can be located in the large diameter section of the socket member, and the second shell includes a boss arranged on its inner wall and used to press the photoelectric conversion module into the accommodating cavity, and the boss can indirectly press the positioning flange into the large diameter section of the outlet hole through the photoelectric conversion module.

[0040] Furthermore, a protruding or recessed embedded structure is provided on the boss.

[0041] Furthermore, the optoelectronic connector also includes a bayonet structure fixedly arranged outside the first shell, and the bayonet structure is used to accommodate the second part of the optical connector, so that the end of the transmission optical fiber can be sealed and mounted in the bayonet structure in the form of a plug structure, and force the optical docking piece at the end of the transmission optical fiber to dock with the optical connector.

[0042] Furthermore, the optoelectronic connector also includes a first guide structure arranged in the bayonet structure, and the first guide structure is used to cooperate with a second guide structure arranged on the plug structure to correct the assembly position of the plug structure in the bayonet structure, wherein one of the first guide structure and the second guide structure is a ridge and the other is a groove.

[0043] Furthermore, a first card slot and a second card slot are provided on the inner wall of the first shell, and the first card slot and the second card slot respectively receive opposite edges of the circuit board of the photoelectric conversion module so that the photoelectric conversion module can be placed in the accommodating cavity.

[0044] Furthermore, the first shell has an avoidance opening, the electrical connector includes a plurality of conductive pins fixed on the photoelectric conversion module and passing through the opening of the first shell, the photoelectric connector includes an attached cover fixed on the first shell and covering the avoidance opening, the attached cover has a plurality of pinholes, the plurality of pinholes allow each of the conductive pins to pass through, and each of the conductive pins passing through the plurality of conductive pinholes is used to connect to the socket of the vehicle's electronic system.

[0045] Furthermore, a first glue injection hole and a second glue injection hole are provided on the second shell, wherein the position of the first glue injection hole is set to guide the liquid potting glue to flow to one side of the plane where the circuit board of the photoelectric conversion module is located, and the position of the second glue injection hole is set to guide the liquid potting glue to flow to the other side of the plane where the circuit board of the photoelectric conversion module is located.

[0046] Furthermore, the optoelectronic connector also includes a first plug-in structure provided on the first shell, the first plug-in structure is used to cooperate with a second plug-in structure provided on the electronic system of the vehicle, and can guide each of the conductive pins to be inserted into the corresponding sockets one by one, wherein one of the first plug-in structure and the second plug-in structure has a positioning protrusion, and the other has a positioning groove.

[0047] According to the second aspect of the present invention, there is provided a method for assembling the optoelectronic connector as described in the first aspect of the present invention, comprising the following steps: obtaining a shell having the accommodating cavity; connecting the electrical connector and the optical connector to the optoelectronic conversion module; installing the electrical connector, the optical connector and the optoelectronic conversion module into the shell so that the first part of the electrical connector is in the accommodating cavity of the shell and the second part is outside the shell, and then making a part of the optical connector in the accommodating cavity of the shell and the second part is outside the accommodating cavity; and, pouring liquid potting glue into the accommodating cavity of the shell and wrapping the optoelectronic conversion module, the electrical connector and the optical connector in the accommodating cavity of the shell, and waiting for the potting glue to solidify.

[0048] According to a third aspect of the present invention, there is provided an active cable for use in a vehicle, comprising a transmitting-end photoelectric connector, a receiving-end photoelectric connector and a cable connecting the transmitting-end photoelectric connector and the receiving-end photoelectric connector, wherein the transmitting-end photoelectric connector and / or the receiving-end photoelectric connector are photoelectric connectors as described in any one of claims 1 to 21, the transmitting-end photoelectric connector is used to acquire an optical signal from the electronic system of the vehicle, and the receiving-end photoelectric connector is used to output the acquired optical signal to the electronic system of the vehicle; and the cable includes a transmission optical fiber.

[0049] In the three aspects mentioned above, the photoelectric connector involved can be used as the transmitting end photoelectric connector or the receiving end photoelectric connector of the active cable, and ensure that the active cable containing the photoelectric connector can be smoothly used in autonomous driving vehicles, realizing low-latency, large-bandwidth and high-reliability video data transmission between the camera and the vehicle electronic system, thereby promoting autonomous driving technology to a higher level (L4 and above). In addition, the potting glue is filled in the housing cavity of the shell and covers the photoelectric conversion module and the electrical connector and the optical connector in the housing cavity of the shell, so as to improve the waterproof, dustproof and shock-resistant performance of the photoelectric connector, and ensure that the photoelectric connector can work stably and reliably. BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0050] By reading the following detailed description with reference to the accompanying drawings, the above and other objects, features and advantages of the exemplary embodiments of the present invention will become readily understood. In the accompanying drawings, several embodiments of the present invention are shown in an exemplary and non-limiting manner, and the same or corresponding reference numerals represent the same or corresponding parts, wherein:

[0051] Figure 1 This is a functional structure block diagram of an active cable according to Embodiment 1 of the present invention;

[0052] Figure 2 is a three-dimensional diagram of a photoelectric connector according to a second embodiment of the present invention;

[0053] Figure 3 An exploded view of the photoelectric connector according to the second embodiment of the present invention;

[0054] Figure 4 is a cross-sectional view of a photoelectric connector according to a second embodiment of the present invention;

[0055] Figure 5 A partial enlarged view of the optoelectronic connector according to the second embodiment of the present invention;

[0056] Figure 6 The first shell of the housing of the optoelectronic connector according to the second embodiment of the present invention is shown;

[0057] Figure 7An exploded view of the optoelectronic connector according to the third embodiment of the present invention;

[0058] Figure 8 It is a cross-sectional view of the optoelectronic connector according to the third embodiment of the present invention.

[0059] Description of reference numerals: 100, optoelectronic connector; 200, cable; 300, electronic system; 400, camera; 1, housing; 11, first housing; 111, through hole; 111a, large diameter section; 111b, small diameter section; 111c, transition section; 112, first card slot; 113, second card slot; 114, avoidance opening; 115, first plug-in structure; 12, second housing; 121, boss; 122, embedded structure; 13, accommodating cavity; 131, first space; 132, second space; 14, first glue injection Hole; 15, second glue injection hole; 2, photoelectric conversion module; 21, circuit board; 22, photoelectric coupling element; 23, optical component; 24, fixing seat; 3, electrical connector; 31, conductive pin; 4, optical connector; 41, ferrule; 411, ferrule body; 412, positioning flange; 42, bent optical fiber; 42a, starting point; 42b, end point; 42c, point selection; 43, calibration sleeve; 44, socket component; 45, positioning convex; 6, attached cover; 61, pinhole; 7, bayonet structure; S1, first direction; S2, second direction. DETAILED DESCRIPTION

[0060] The following will be combined with the drawings in the embodiments of the present disclosure to clearly and completely describe the technical solutions in the embodiments of the present disclosure. Obviously, the described embodiments are part of the embodiments of the present disclosure, not all of the embodiments. Based on the embodiments in the present disclosure, all other embodiments obtained by those skilled in the art without creative work are within the scope of protection of the present disclosure.

[0061] Embodiment 1 of the present invention provides an active cable for use in a vehicle, wherein the active cable is mainly used to connect a camera 400 and an electronic system 300 and realize signal transmission between the two. The active cable generally includes a transmitting end photoelectric connector 100a, a receiving end photoelectric connector 100b, and a cable 200 connecting the transmitting end photoelectric connector 100a and the receiving end photoelectric connector 100b, wherein the cable 200 includes a transmission optical fiber. When in use, the electronic system 300 of the vehicle generates a low-speed signal and transmits it to the camera 400 through the active cable for configuring and waking up the camera 400. The awakened camera 400 generates a high-speed signal and transmits it to the electronic system 300 through the transmission optical fiber of the active cable.

[0062] As an example, the transmission optical fiber of the cable 200 includes a high-speed signal transmission optical fiber for transmitting high-speed signals and a low-speed signal transmission optical fiber for transmitting low-speed signals. When in use, the receiving end photoelectric connector 100b converts the received low-speed signal of the vehicle electronic system 300 into an optical signal and transmits it to the transmitting end photoelectric connector 100a through the low-speed signal transmission optical fiber. The transmitting end photoelectric connector 100a then converts the optical signal into a low-speed electrical signal including control data and then outputs it to the camera 400 to configure and wake up the camera 400 to generate an electrical signal including video data. The transmitting end photoelectric connector 100a is used to obtain an electrical signal including video data from the camera 400 of the vehicle, and after converting the electrical signal into an optical signal, transmits it to the receiving end photoelectric connector 100b through the high-speed signal transmission optical fiber. The receiving end photoelectric connector 100b then converts the optical signal into an electrical signal including video data and then outputs it to the electronic system 300 of the vehicle. In this way, the active cable can be used in autonomous driving vehicles to achieve low-latency, high-bandwidth and high-reliability video data transmission between the camera and the vehicle's electronic system, thereby promoting autonomous driving technology to a higher level (L4 and above). It should be noted that in the above embodiment, the receiving-end photoelectric connector 100b can obtain the power required for operation from the electronic system 300 of the vehicle connected thereto, or from other ECUs (Electronic Control Units) of the vehicle through Y-cable. It can be understood that the transmitting-end photoelectric connector 100a can obtain the power required for operation from the receiving-end photoelectric connector 100b through copper wire, or from other ECUs of the vehicle through Y-cable. Specifically, the vehicle electronic system 300 first outputs a GPIO (General Purpose Input / Output Port) low-speed signal, which is converted into a low-speed optical signal by the receiving-end photoelectric connector 100b and output to the camera end to reset the power-on timing of the camera sensor chip. The vehicle electronic system 300 then outputs an I2C low-speed signal to configure the register of the sensor chip. After the initialization is completed, the video signal chip in the camera 400 outputs multiple serial signals. The receiving-end photoelectric connector 100b converts the multiple serial high-speed electrical signals into a single serial electrical signal, and then converts the single serial signal into a high-speed optical signal and transmits it to the vehicle electronic system 300. The first high-speed signal optical module of the receiving-end photoelectric connector 100b converts the received high-speed optical signal into a single serial electrical signal, and then converts the single serial electrical signal into multiple serial electrical signals and outputs them to the corresponding signal path of the vehicle electronic system 300.

[0063] As another example, the transmission optical fiber of the cable 200 includes a high-speed signal transmission optical fiber and a copper wire for transmitting high-speed signals. When in use, the low-speed signal generated by the vehicle electronic system 300 is transmitted to the camera 400 through the copper wire to configure and wake up the camera 400 to generate an electrical signal including video data. The transmitting end photoelectric connector 100a is used to obtain an electrical signal including video data from the camera 400 of the vehicle, and after converting the electrical signal into an optical signal, transmit it to the receiving end photoelectric connector 100b through a high-speed signal transmission optical fiber, and the receiving end photoelectric connector 100b converts the optical signal into an electrical signal including video data and then outputs it to the electronic system 300 of the vehicle. It can be understood that in this embodiment, the receiving end photoelectric connector 100b can obtain the power required for operation from the electronic system 300 of the vehicle connected thereto, or from other ECUs (Electronic Control Units) of the vehicle through Y-cable. It can be understood that the transmitting end photoelectric connector 100a can obtain the power required for operation from the receiving end photoelectric connector 100b through the copper wire, or from other ECUs of the vehicle through Y-cable.

[0064] like Figures 2 to 6 or Figure 7 to Figure 8 As shown, both Embodiment 2 and Embodiment 3 of the present invention provide a photoelectric connector 100 applied to a vehicle. The transmitting end photoelectric connector 100a and the receiving end photoelectric connector 100b mentioned above can be selected as the photoelectric connector 100. In order to save space, in Embodiment 2 and Embodiment 3, only the components with significant differences in function and structure are marked with different reference numerals, and the components with the same or similar structure and function are marked with the same reference numerals. Next, the photoelectric connector 100 is described in detail.

[0065] like Figures 2 to 6 or Figure 7 to Figure 8 As shown, the photoelectric connector 100 includes a housing 1 having a housing cavity 13, and a photoelectric conversion module 2 disposed in the housing cavity 13 of the housing 1. The photoelectric connector 100 also includes an electrical connector 3, the first part of which is disposed in the housing cavity 13 of the housing 1 and connected to the photoelectric conversion module 2, and the second part thereof is disposed outside the housing 1. The photoelectric connector 100 also includes an optical connector 4, the first part of which is disposed in the housing cavity 13 of the housing 1 and connected to the photoelectric conversion module 2, and the second part thereof is disposed outside the housing 1. The photoelectric connector 100 also includes a potting compound (already solidified) filled in the housing cavity 13 of the housing 1 and covering the photoelectric conversion module 2 and the first part of the electrical connector 3 and the first part of the optical connector 4. The potting compound is used to improve the waterproof, dustproof, seismic resistance and structural stability of the photoelectric connector 100, so as to ensure that the photoelectric connector 100 can work stably and reliably.

[0066] When the photoelectric connector 100 is used as a transmitting end photoelectric connector 100a, the second part of the electrical connector 3 can be directly connected to the camera 400 of the vehicle, and the second part of the optical connector 4 is connected to the electronic system 300 of the vehicle through the transmission optical fiber of the cable 200 of the vehicle and another photoelectric connector (i.e., the receiving end photoelectric connector 100b). Thus, the photoelectric conversion module 2 of the photoelectric connector 100 obtains the electrical signal including the video data generated by the camera 400 through the electrical connector 3, and converts it into an optical signal to transmit it to the receiving end photoelectric connector 100b through the transmission optical fiber of the cable 200. After the receiving end photoelectric connector 100b receives the aforementioned optical signal, it can convert it into an electrical signal and transmit it to the electronic system 300.

[0067] When the photoelectric connector 100 is used as a receiving end photoelectric connector 100b, the second part of the electrical connector 3 can be directly connected to the electronic system 300 of the vehicle, and the second part of the optical connector 4 is connected to the camera 400 of the vehicle through the transmission optical fiber of the cable 200 of the vehicle and another photoelectric connector (i.e., the transmitting end photoelectric connector 100a). Thus, the photoelectric conversion module 2 of the photoelectric connector 100 can obtain an optical signal including video data from the transmission optical fiber of the cable 200 through the optical connector 4, and the optical signal is obtained by converting the electrical signal generated by the camera 400 through the transmitting end photoelectric connector 100a. After obtaining the aforementioned optical signal, the photoelectric conversion module 2 can convert the optical signal into an electrical signal including the aforementioned video data, and transmit it to the electronic system 300 through the electrical connector 3.

[0068] In the optoelectronic connector 100 provided above, it can be used as the transmitting end optoelectronic connector 100a or the receiving end optoelectronic connector 100b of the active cable, and ensure that the active cable including the optoelectronic connector 100 can be successfully used in autonomous driving vehicles, realizing low-latency, large-bandwidth and high-reliability video data transmission between the camera 400 and the vehicle electronic system 300, thereby promoting autonomous driving technology to a higher level (L4 and above).

[0069] In the second and third embodiments, in the accommodating cavity 13 of the housing 1 of the optoelectronic connector 100, the electrical connector 3 and the optical connector 4 are respectively arranged on both sides of the plane where the optoelectronic coupling element 22 of the optoelectronic conversion module 2 is located, and at least the portion of the optical connector 4 used for connecting the cable 200 is parallel to the optoelectronic coupling element 22 of the optoelectronic conversion module 2. Such an arrangement allows the electrical connector 3, the optoelectronic conversion module 2, and the optical connector 4 to be arranged mainly along a specified direction (such as a vertical direction), which can improve the space utilization of the optoelectronic connector 100 in the specified direction, reduce the size of the optoelectronic connector 100 in other directions (such as a horizontal direction), and enable the optoelectronic connector 100 to achieve a more compact layout in a limited space, which is particularly suitable for the interior of a vehicle with strict space requirements.

[0070] Next, combine Figures 2 to 6 and Figure 7 to Figure 8 The optical connector 4 and the photoelectric conversion module 2 are described and two embodiments are provided as follows.

[0071] In the second embodiment, Figure 3 to Figure 4 As shown, the optical connector 4 includes a ferrule 41 which is provided through the housing 1 and parallel to the circuit board 21, and a bent optical fiber 42 whose one end (referred to as the first end) is fixedly provided in the ferrule 41 and the other end (referred to as the second end) is connected to the photoelectric conversion module 2. The bent optical fiber 42 includes a bent portion located between the first end and the second end and located in the accommodating cavity 13 of the housing 1, and the bent portion refers to a position where a bend (the curvature is not zero) exists in the bent optical fiber 42, and the position is located between the first end and the second end thereof. Among them, the bent optical fiber 42 connects the adapter ferrule 41 and the optoelectronic conversion module 2. This method not only ensures that the optical connector 4 can smoothly establish docking with the end of the transmission optical fiber in the cable 200 (including another ferrule) through the ferrule 41, and transmits the optical signal from the cable 200 to the optoelectronic conversion module 2 with the help of the ferrule 41 and the bent optical fiber 42, but also ensures that the ferrule 41 as the optical connector 4 is arranged in parallel on one side of the circuit board 21, thereby realizing the high space utilization of the optoelectronic connector 100 in a specified direction (such as a vertical direction). Preferably, the orthographic projection of the ferrule 41 on the plane where the circuit board 21 is located completely falls into the area where the circuit board 21 is located in the plane, thereby further improving the space utilization of the optoelectronic connector 100 in a specified direction (such as a vertical direction).

[0072] Preferably, the transmission direction of the light in the first end of the bent optical fiber 42 and the transmission direction of the light in the second end of the bent optical fiber 42 are both parallel to the plane where the photoelectric coupling element 22 of the photoelectric conversion module 2 is located and opposite to each other, and the distance from the first end of the bent optical fiber 42 to the plane where the photoelectric coupling element 22 of the photoelectric conversion module 2 is located is greater than the distance from the second end of the bent optical fiber 42 to the plane where the photoelectric coupling element 22 of the photoelectric conversion module 2 is located. In this way, the bent optical fiber 42 allows the light from the transmission optical fiber to be turned 180 degrees before entering the connected photoelectric conversion module 2.

[0073] In the second embodiment, the photoelectric conversion module 2 includes a circuit board 21 connected to the electrical connector 3, a photoelectric coupling element 22 provided on the circuit board 21 and connected to the electrical connector through a conductive trace in the circuit board 21, an optical component 23 provided on the circuit board 21 and at least covering the photoelectric coupling element 22, and a fixing seat 24 provided on the circuit board 21 and used to fix the bent optical fiber 42, the fixing seat 24 is used to keep the bent optical fiber 42 in a state of docking with the optical component 23. The number of the bent optical fiber 42 is one, two or more, which can not only receive the optical signal from the ferrule 41 and transmit it to the optical component 23, but also receive the optical signal from the optical component 23 and transmit it to the ferrule 41. The optical component 23 can not only transmit the optical signal received from the bent optical fiber 42 to the optoelectronic coupling element 22, so that the optoelectronic coupling element 22 can first convert the optical signal into an electrical signal, and then transmit it to the electrical connector 3 and the electronic system 300 connected thereto in sequence, but also transmit the optical signal received from the optoelectronic coupling element 22 (i.e., the electrical signal produced by the electronic system 300 and converted by the optoelectronic coupling element 22) to the transmission optical fiber of the ferrule 41 and the cable 200 in sequence. Among them, the optical component 23 can generally be selected as a lens component, which is mainly used to guide the flow of optical signals. The optoelectronic coupling element 22 can generally be selected as a VCSEL (Vertical-Cavity Surface-Emitting Laser) or a PD (Photodiode), which realizes the mutual conversion between optical signals and electrical signals.

[0074] As an example, the spacing between the ferrule and the circuit board is greater than or equal to times the minimum bending radius of the bent optical fiber to prevent the bent optical fiber from being broken. Preferably, the spacing between the ferrule and the circuit board is configured to be approximately equal to twice the minimum bending radius of the bent optical fiber, and the end face of the end of the ferrule used to connect the bent optical fiber 42 is flush with the end face of the fixed seat used to connect the end of the bent optical fiber. At this time, the size of the bent optical fiber required to be used is smaller and the bending radius is smaller, which is conducive to further improving the space utilization of the optoelectronic connector in a specified direction (such as the vertical direction).

[0075] As another example, the bending portion of the bent optical fiber 42 mentioned above includes a starting point 42a, an end point 42b, and a selected point 42c between the starting point 42a and the end point 42b. The starting point 42a refers to the point in the bending portion that is closest to the ferrule 41, and its orthographic projection on the plane where the circuit board 21 is located is the first point. The end point 42b refers to the point in the bending portion that is farthest from the ferrule 41, and its orthographic projection on the plane where the circuit board 21 is located is the second point. The selected point 42c refers to the point in the bending portion that is closest to the cavity wall of the accommodating cavity 13 of the housing 1 in a direction parallel to the central axis of the ferrule 41, and its orthographic projection on the plane where the circuit board 21 is located is the third point. The second point and the third point are respectively located on both sides of the selected straight line, and the selected straight line is a straight line passing through the first point and perpendicular to the plane where the ferrule 41 and the circuit board 21 are located. In this way, the distance between the core 41 and the circuit board 21 is greater than the minimum bending radius of the bent optical fiber 42 and less than twice the minimum bending radius of the bent optical fiber 42, thereby further improving the space utilization of the optoelectronic connector 100 in a specified direction (such as the vertical direction).

[0076] Furthermore, the accommodating cavity 13 includes a first space 131 for partially accommodating the optical connector 4, and a second space 132 for partially accommodating the electrical connector 3 while accommodating the optoelectronic conversion module 2, wherein the volume of the second space 132 is greater than the volume of the first space 131. In this way, the volume of each part of the accommodating cavity 13 is adapted to the volume of the corresponding component to be accommodated, which not only ensures the stable installation of each component, but also greatly improves the compactness and space utilization of the overall structure of the optoelectronic connector 100.

[0077] Furthermore, the propagation direction of the light in the ferrule 41 is the first direction S1, and the direction perpendicular to the plane where the optoelectronic coupling element 22 of the optoelectronic conversion module 2 is located is the second direction S2. The size of the second space 132 of the accommodating cavity 13 in the first direction S1 is larger than the size of its first space 131 in the first direction S1; the size of the second space 132 of the accommodating cavity 13 in the second direction S2 is larger than the size of the first space 131 in the second direction S2. Preferably, the second space 132 of the accommodating cavity 13 includes a first area and a second area closer to the first space 131 than the first area, and the size of the first area in the first direction S1 is larger than the size of the second area in the first direction S1; the first area is used to accommodate the optoelectronic conversion module 2 and the part of the bent optical fiber 42; the second area is only used to accommodate the bent portion of the bent optical fiber 42. More preferably, the size of the second area in the first direction S1 is larger than the size of the first space 131 in the first direction S1. The accommodating cavity 13 composed of the first space 131 and the second space 132 can reduce the volume of the accommodating cavity 13 as much as possible while meeting the requirements of accommodation and assembly, so as to further improve the compactness and space utilization of the overall structure of the optoelectronic connector 100. In particular, when the second space 132 is composed of the first area and the second area, the accommodating cavity 13 can minimize its own volume while meeting the requirements of accommodation and assembly, thereby further improving the compactness and space utilization of the overall structure of the optoelectronic connector 100.

[0078] Further, the optoelectronic connector 100 may also include a calibration sleeve 43 fixed outside the optical connector 4, and the calibration sleeve 43 can at least partially receive the end of the cable 200 and guide the optical connector 4 to accurately dock with the transmission optical fiber in the cable 200, so as to facilitate the stable and efficient transmission of the optical signal at the docking point. It should be noted that whether the calibration sleeve 43 can fully receive the end of the cable 200 is closely related to the end structure of the cable 200. For example, when the end of the cable 200 is selected as an optical docking member including a transmission optical fiber (such as another ferrule structure suitable for docking with the ferrule 41), the calibration sleeve 43 can directly and completely receive the optical docking member and guide it to dock with the ferrule 41 of the optoelectronic connector 100. For another example, when the end of the cable 200 is selected as a plug structure including an optical docking member, the bayonet structure 7 (see below for details) of the optoelectronic connector 100 can fully receive the plug structure, but the calibration sleeve 43 can only fully receive the optical docking member and guide it to dock with the ferrule 41 of the optoelectronic connector 100. The calibration sleeve 43 and the ferrule 41 can be made of ceramic material or metal material. Compared with metal material, the calibration sleeve 43 and the ferrule 41 made of ceramic material have better stability and wear resistance, which can further improve the reliability and stability of the aforementioned joint when transmitting optical signals.

[0079] In the third embodiment, Figure 7 to Figure 8As shown, the optical connector 4 includes a socket member 44 which is provided on the housing 1 and parallel to the photoelectric conversion module 2. The photoelectric conversion module 2 includes a circuit board 21 connected to the electrical connector 3 and used to fix the socket member 44, and a photoelectric coupling element 22 which is provided on the circuit board 21 and connected to the electrical connector 3 through the conductive traces in the circuit board 21. The socket member 44 is used to receive the end of the cable 200 and connect the transmission optical fiber in the cable 200 with the optical connector 23, so that the optical signal obtained from the transmission optical fiber in the cable 200 is transmitted to the photoelectric coupling element 22, so as to ensure that the photoelectric coupling element 22 can convert the optical signal into an electrical signal and transmit it to the electrical connector 3. Different from the second embodiment, the optical connector 4 of the third embodiment does not use the ferrule 41 and the bent optical fiber 42, or even any optical fiber, but directly uses the socket member 44 and is integrated with the optical connector 2. This design ensures that the structure of the photoelectric conversion module 2 in a specified direction (such as the vertical direction) is more compact and the overall volume is smaller. In addition to the annular structure for realizing the receiving function, the socket member 44 may also include an optical component disposed at the end of the annular structure, and the optical component is used to change the direction of light transmission. For example, the optical component may include a reflector for changing the direction of light transmission, so that the light output by the transmission optical fiber is perpendicular to the light entering the optoelectronic coupling element 22.

[0080] Next, combine Figure 3 to Figure 4 and Figure 7 to Figure 8 The housing 1 mentioned above is described in detail. In the second and third embodiments, as Figure 3 to Figure 4 or Figure 7 to Figure 8 As shown, the housing 1 includes a first housing 11 and a second housing 12 that are connected to each other and together form a housing cavity 13. The housing 1 mainly composed of the first housing 11 and the second housing 12 can greatly facilitate the installation of components such as the photoelectric conversion module 2, the optical connector 4 and the electrical connector 3 in the housing 1. At the same time, the first housing 11 has a through hole 111 that allows the ferrule 41 or the socket member 44 of the optical connector 4 to partially pass through, and the second housing 12 is configured to press the ferrule 41 or the socket member 44 in the first housing 11 when it is connected to the first housing 11. Therefore, when the first housing 11 and the second housing 12 are assembled into the aforementioned housing 1, the second housing 12 can also fix the ferrule 41 or the socket member 44 of the optical connector 4 in the first housing 11, so that the ferrule 41 or the socket member 44 of the optical connector 4 does not need to use additional locking or fixing components when it is fixed in the housing 1, which is conducive to reducing production costs and improving manufacturing efficiency.

[0081] In the second embodiment, in order to improve the fixing effect of the ferrule 41 of the optical connector 4 in the housing 1, as shown in FIG. Figure 5As shown, the through hole 111 includes a large diameter section 111b and a small diameter section 111a which is farther away from the accommodating cavity 13 than the large diameter section 111b. The ferrule 41 includes a ferrule body 411 fixedly sleeved outside the bent optical fiber 42 and partially disposed in the small diameter section 111a of the through hole 111, and a positioning flange 412 disposed outside the ferrule body 411 and disposed in the large diameter section 111b of the through hole 111. Figure 4 and Figure 5 As shown, the second housing 12 includes a boss 121 disposed on its inner wall and used to press the positioning flange 412 of the ferrule 41 into the large diameter section 111b of the through hole 111, and the boss 121 has a groove for avoiding the optical connector 4, especially the end of the ferrule 41 and the bent optical fiber 42. Embodiment 2 Through the mutual cooperation of the large diameter section 111b of the through hole 111, the positioning flange 412 of the ferrule 41 and the boss 121 of the second housing 12, and when the first housing 11 and the second housing 12 are assembled into the aforementioned housing 1, the ferrule 41 of the optical connector 4 is firmly fixed in the housing 1. As a preferred example, the through hole 111 also includes a transition section 111c formed by a conical surface between the large diameter section 111b and the small diameter section 111a. When the ferrule 41 is installed in the through hole 111, the transition section 111c can guide the ferrule 41 to accurately pass through the through hole 111 and force the two to be coaxial with each other.

[0082] In the second embodiment, a protruding or recessed embedded structure 122 may be provided on the boss 121. When the embedded structure 122 is covered or buried by the cured potting compound, the embedded structure 122 is beneficial to improve the connection strength between the boss 121 and the potting compound, and indirectly improve the connection firmness between the second shell 12 and the first shell.

[0083] In the third embodiment, in order to improve the fixing effect of the socket member 44 of the optical connector 4 in the housing 1, as shown in FIG. Figure 7 and Figure 8As shown, the through hole 111 includes a large diameter section 111b and a small diameter section 111a which is farther away from the accommodating cavity 13 than the large diameter section 111b and is partially accommodated in the socket member 44. A positioning clamping protrusion 45 which can be located in the large diameter section 111b of the socket member 44 is fixedly provided outside the socket member 44. The second housing 12 includes a boss 121 which is arranged on its inner wall and is used to press the photoelectric conversion module 2 in the accommodating cavity 13. The boss 121 can press the positioning clamping protrusion 45 in the large diameter section 111b of the through hole 111 through the photoelectric conversion module 2. Embodiment 3 can also achieve the stable fixation of the socket member 44 of the optical connector 4 in the housing 1 through the mutual cooperation of the large diameter section 111b of the through hole 111, the positioning clamping protrusion 45 of the socket member 44 and the boss 121 of the second housing 12, and when the first housing 11 and the second housing 12 are assembled into the aforementioned housing 1. As a preferred example, the through hole 111 further includes a transition section formed by a conical surface between the large diameter section 111b and the small diameter section 111a. When the ferrule 41 is inserted into the through hole 111, the transition section can guide the ferrule 41 to accurately pass through the through hole 111 and force the two to be coaxial with each other.

[0084] In the second and third embodiments, the optoelectronic connector 100 further includes a bayonet structure 7 fixedly arranged outside the first shell 11. The bayonet structure 7 can be connected to the first shell 11 by a fixing method such as bonding or integral molding. The bayonet structure 7 is used to accommodate the portion of the optical connector 4 outside the first shell 11, so that the end of the transmission optical fiber in the cable 200 can be sealed and mounted in the bayonet structure 7 in the form of a plug structure, and force the optical docking member at the end of the transmission optical fiber in the cable 200 to dock with the optical connector 4. When the optoelectronic connector 100 includes the bayonet structure 7, the end of the cable 200 may include a plug structure engaged with the bayonet structure 7, and an optical docking member (such as another ferrule structure suitable for docking with the ferrule 41) arranged in the plug structure and docked with the optical connector 4, thereby ensuring that a better and more reliable mechanical connection and communication connection can be established between the transmission optical fiber in the cable 200 and the optoelectronic connector 100.

[0085] Preferably, the optoelectronic connector 100 further includes a first guide structure provided in the bayonet structure 7, the first guide structure being used to cooperate with a second guide structure provided on the plug structure, wherein one of the first guide structure and the second guide structure is a convex ridge and the other is a groove. When the end (plug structure) of the transmission optical fiber in the cable 200 is inserted into the bayonet structure 7, the first guide structure and the second guide structure that cooperate with each other cooperate to introduce the plug structure accurately into the bayonet structure 7, correct the assembly position of the plug structure in the bayonet structure 7, and ensure that the optical docking piece at the end of the transmission optical fiber in the cable 200 and the optical connector 4 can establish effective docking and realize stable transmission of optical signals therein.

[0086] In the second and third embodiments, the inner wall of the first housing 11 is provided with a first card slot 112 and a second card slot 113 opposite to each other, and the first card slot 112 and the second card slot 113 are used to accommodate the opposite sides of the circuit board 21 of the photoelectric conversion module 2, see Figure 6 or Figure 7 When the second shell 12 is not connected to the first shell 11, the first shell 11 can receive the opposite sides of the circuit board 21 of the photoelectric conversion module 2 through the first slot 112 and the second slot 113, respectively, so that the photoelectric conversion module 2 can be placed in the accommodating cavity 13 and prevent the circuit board 21 from rotating and moving toward the optical connector 4 or the electrical connector 3.

[0087] In the second and third embodiments, the first housing 11 may also have an escape opening 114, the electrical connector 3 includes a plurality of conductive pins 31 vertically connected to the circuit board 21 of the photoelectric conversion module 2 and passing through the escape opening 114 of the first housing 11, and each conductive pin 31 is inserted into a corresponding socket of the electronic system 300 to achieve electrical connection between the electronic system 300 and the photoelectric conversion module 2. At the same time, the photoelectric connector 100 includes an attached cover 6 fixed to the first housing 11 and covering the escape opening 114. The attached cover 6 has a plurality of pinholes 61, and the plurality of pinholes 61 allow each conductive pin 31 to pass through and be inserted into a corresponding socket of the electronic system 300. When the attached cover 6 is fixed on the first shell 11, the conductive pins 31 extending from the pinholes 61 of the attached cover 6 can provide additional positioning for the circuit board 21 and make up for the deficiencies (such as horizontal direction) caused by the first card slot 112 and the second card slot 113 when positioning the circuit board 21, thereby completely preventing the circuit board 21 from moving and rotating in the accommodating cavity 13.

[0088] In the second and third embodiments, a first injection hole 14 and a second injection hole 15 are provided on the second housing 12, wherein the first injection hole 14 is positioned to guide the liquid potting glue to flow to one side of the plane where the circuit board 21 of the photoelectric conversion module 2 is located, and the second injection hole 15 is positioned to guide the liquid potting glue to flow to the other side of the plane where the circuit board 21 of the photoelectric conversion module 2 is located. The first injection hole 14 and the second injection hole 15 ensure that the potting glue can smoothly enter the accommodating cavity 13 of the housing 1, and evenly and comprehensively cover the photoelectric conversion module 2 and the electrical connector 3 and the optical connector 4 in the accommodating cavity 13 of the housing 1, thereby improving the waterproof, dustproof, shockproof performance and structural stability of the photoelectric connector 100, and ensuring that the photoelectric connector 100 can work stably and reliably.

[0089] In the second and third embodiments, the optoelectronic connector 100 further includes a first plug-in structure 115 provided on the first housing 11, and the first plug-in structure 115 is used to cooperate with a second plug-in structure provided on the electronic system 300. As an example, the first plug-in structure 115 is selected as a positioning protrusion, and the second plug-in structure is selected as a positioning groove. When in use, the positioning protrusion of the optoelectronic connector 100 can be directly inserted into the positioning groove of the electronic system 200, thereby ensuring that this cooperation can guide each conductive pin 31 to be inserted into the corresponding socket of the electronic system 200 one by one. As another example, the first plug-in structure 115 can be selected as a positioning groove, and the second plug-in structure is selected as a positioning protrusion that can be inserted into the positioning groove.

[0090] Next, the assembly method of the optoelectronic connector 100 involved in the second and third embodiments is introduced. The assembly method includes: step 1, obtaining a housing 1 having a housing cavity 13; step 2, connecting the electrical connector 3 and the optical connector 4 to the optoelectronic conversion module 2; step 3, installing the electrical connector 3, the optoelectronic connector 4 and the optoelectronic conversion module 2 into the housing 1, so that a part of the electrical connector 3 is in the housing cavity 13 of the housing 1 and the other part is outside the housing 1, and then a part of the optical connector 4 is in the housing cavity 13 of the housing 1 and the other part is outside the housing 1; step 4, pouring liquid potting glue into the housing cavity 13 of the housing 1 and covering the optoelectronic conversion module 2, the electrical connector 3 and the optical connector 4 in the housing cavity 13 of the housing 1 until the potting glue is solidified.

[0091] In the second embodiment, the specific operations of the above steps 1 to 4 are as follows. Prepare the first housing 1 and the second housing 12 and keep them in an unassembled state as much as possible. Insert one end of the bent optical fiber 42 into the ferrule 41 and fix it in the ferrule 41 by dispensing glue, and cut and grind the protruding part of the bent optical fiber 42, and then insert the other end of the bent optical fiber 42 into the fixing seat 24 of the electric conversion module 2, and assemble and fix the fixing seat 24 with the bent optical fiber 42 and the optical component 23 together on the circuit board 21 pre-installed with the optoelectronic coupling element 22 and the electrical connector 3. Next, the core 41 is partially passed through the outlet hole 111 of the first shell 11 from the inside to the outside, and the optical fiber 42 is bent, and then the electric conversion module 2 with the electrical connector 3 is installed into the first shell 11, so that the multiple conductive pins 31 of the electrical connector 3 pass through the avoidance opening 114, and then the attached cover 6 is installed on the first shell 11, and while covering the avoidance opening 114, each conductive pin 31 is allowed to pass through each pinhole 61 of the attached cover 6, and then the second shell 12 is snapped on the first shell 11 to obtain an optoelectronic connector 100 without glue filling. The bayonet structure 7 of the un-glue-filled optoelectronic connector 100 is facing downward, and the first glue injection hole 14 and the second glue injection hole 15 of the second shell 12 are facing upward. Then, liquid potting glue is poured into the shell 1 through the first glue injection hole 14 and the second glue injection hole 15 until the potting glue covers the optoelectronic conversion module 2 and the electrical connector 3 and the optical connector 4 in the accommodating cavity 13 of the shell 1. After it is cured, the optoelectronic connector 100 is obtained.

[0092] In the third embodiment, the specific operations of the above steps 1 to 4 are as follows. Prepare the first shell 1 and the second shell 12 and keep them in an unassembled state as much as possible. Fix the integrated socket component 44 on the circuit board 21 pre-installed with the optoelectronic coupling element 22 and the electrical connector 3, and set a protective component, such as tape or copper foil, on the optical component 23 to prevent the opening of the optical component toward the first shell from being contaminated in the subsequent process. The socket component 44 is partially passed through the through hole 111 of the first shell 11 from the inside to the outside, forcing the electric conversion module 2 with the electrical connector 3 to be placed in the first shell 11, so that the multiple conductive pins 31 of the electrical connector 3 pass through the avoidance opening 114, and then the attached cover 6 is installed on the first shell 11 and allows each conductive pin 31 to pass through each pinhole 61 of the attached cover 6 while covering the avoidance opening 114, and then the second shell 12 is buckled on the first shell 11 to obtain the unfilled optoelectronic connector 100. Finally, the bayonet structure 7 of the un-glue-filled optoelectronic connector 100 is facing downward, and the first glue injection hole 14 and the second glue injection hole 15 of the second shell 12 are facing upward, and the liquid potting glue is poured into the shell 1 through the first glue injection hole 14 and the second glue injection hole 15 until the potting glue covers the optoelectronic conversion module 2 and the electrical connector 3 and the optical connector 4 in the accommodating cavity 13 of the shell 1, and wait for it to solidify to obtain the optoelectronic connector 100.

[0093] In the above description of the present application, unless otherwise clearly specified and limited, the terms "fixed", "installed", "connected" or "connected" and the like should be understood in a broad sense. For example, with regard to the term "connection", it can be a fixed connection, a detachable connection, or an integral one; it can be a mechanical connection or an electrical connection; it can be a direct connection or an indirect connection through an intermediate medium, or it can be the internal connection of two elements or the interaction relationship between two elements. Therefore, unless otherwise clearly defined in the present application, those skilled in the art can understand the specific meanings of the above terms in the present invention according to the specific circumstances.

[0094] According to the above description of the present application, those skilled in the art may also understand that the terms used below, such as "vertical", "horizontal", etc., indicating the orientation or position relationship, are based on the orientation or position relationship shown in the drawings of the present application, and are only for the purpose of facilitating the explanation of the scheme of the present invention and simplifying the description, rather than explicitly or implicitly indicating that the device or element involved must have the specific orientation, be constructed and operate in a specific orientation. Therefore, the above-mentioned orientation or position relationship terms cannot be understood or interpreted as limiting the scheme of the present invention.

[0095] In addition, the terms "first" or "second" used in this application to refer to numbers or ordinals are only used for descriptive purposes and cannot be understood as explicitly or implicitly indicating relative importance or implicitly indicating the number of technical features indicated. Thus, a feature defined as "first" or "second" may explicitly or implicitly include at least one such feature. In the description of this application, the meaning of "plurality" is at least two, such as two, three or more, etc., unless otherwise clearly and specifically defined.

[0096] Although multiple embodiments of the present invention have been shown and described herein, it will be apparent to those skilled in the art that such embodiments are provided by way of example only. Those skilled in the art may conceive of many changes, modifications, and alternatives without departing from the thought and spirit of the present invention. It should be understood that in the process of practicing the present invention, various alternatives to the embodiments of the present invention described herein may be adopted. The appended claims are intended to define the scope of protection of the present invention, and therefore cover equivalents or alternatives within the scope of these claims.

Claims

1. An optoelectronic connector for a vehicle, characterized in that: include: A housing having a receiving cavity; A photoelectric conversion module is arranged in the accommodating cavity of the housing; an electrical connector, a first portion of which is disposed in the housing cavity of the housing and connected to the photoelectric conversion module, and a second portion of which is disposed outside the housing, so that the second portion of the electrical connector can be directly connected to a camera or an electronic system of the vehicle; an optical connector, a first portion of which is disposed in the housing cavity of the housing and connected to the photoelectric conversion module, and a second portion of which is disposed outside the housing cavity of the housing, so that the second portion of the optical connector can be connected to the electronic system or camera of the vehicle through the transmission optical fiber of the cable of the vehicle and another of the photoelectric connectors; as well as A cured potting compound fills the accommodating cavity of the housing and wraps the first portion of the electrical connector, the first portion of the optical connector, and the photoelectric conversion module to fix the relative positions of the electrical connector, the optical connector, and the photoelectric conversion module.

2. The optoelectronic connector according to claim 1, characterized in that: In the accommodating cavity, the electrical connector and the optical connector are respectively arranged on both sides of the plane where the optoelectronic coupling element of the optoelectronic conversion module is located, and at least the part of the optical connector used for connecting the transmission optical fiber is parallel to the circuit board of the optoelectronic conversion module.

3. The optoelectronic connector according to claim 2, characterized in that: The optical connector includes a core inserted through the housing and parallel to the plane where the optoelectronic coupling element is located, and a bent optical fiber with a first end fixed in the core and a second end connected to the optoelectronic conversion module; The bent optical fiber includes a bent portion between a first end and a second end thereof and completely located within the accommodating cavity.

4. The optoelectronic connector according to claim 3, characterized in that: The transmission direction of the light in the first end of the bent optical fiber and the transmission direction of the light in the second end of the bent optical fiber are both parallel to the plane where the photoelectric coupling element of the photoelectric conversion module is located and are opposite to each other; The distance from the first end of the bent optical fiber to the plane where the optoelectronic coupling element of the optoelectronic conversion module is located is greater than the distance from the second end of the bent optical fiber to the plane where the optoelectronic coupling element of the optoelectronic conversion module is located.

5. The optoelectronic connector according to claim 3, characterized in that: The photoelectric conversion module includes a circuit board connected to the electrical connector, the photoelectric coupling element provided on the circuit board and connected to the electrical connector via a conductive trace in the circuit board, an optical component provided on the circuit board and at least covering the photoelectric coupling element, and a fixing seat provided on the circuit board and used to fix the bent optical fiber, wherein the fixing seat is used to keep the bent optical fiber in a state of docking with the optical component; The distance between the ferrule and the circuit board is greater than or equal to twice the minimum bending radius of the bent optical fiber.

6. The optoelectronic connector according to claim 3, characterized in that: The bent portion of the bent optical fiber includes a starting point, an end point, and a selected point between the starting point and the end point; The starting point refers to the point in the bending portion that is closest to the ferrule, and its orthographic projection on the plane where the circuit board is located is the first point; The end point refers to the point in the bending portion that is farthest from the ferrule, and its orthographic projection on the plane where the circuit board is located is the second point position; The selected point refers to a point in the bending portion that is closest to the cavity wall of the accommodating cavity of the housing in a direction parallel to the central axis of the ferrule, and its orthographic projection on the plane where the circuit board is located is the third point position; The second point and the third point are respectively located on both sides of a selected straight line, and the selected straight line is a straight line passing through the first point and perpendicular to the central axis of the insert; The distance between the ferrule and the circuit board is greater than the minimum bending radius of the bent optical fiber and less than 2 times of the minimum bending radius of the bent optical fiber.

7. The optoelectronic connector according to claim 2, characterized in that: The optical connector includes a socket component which is arranged on the housing in a through-type manner and is parallel to the plane where the optoelectronic coupling element of the optoelectronic conversion module is located. The optoelectronic conversion module includes a circuit board which is connected to the electrical connector and used to fix the socket component, and an optoelectronic coupling element which is arranged on the circuit board and connected to the electrical connector through conductive traces in the circuit board. The socket component is used to receive the end of the transmission optical fiber and connect the transmission optical fiber with the optoelectronic coupling element.

8. The optoelectronic connector according to claim 7, characterized in that: The optical connector does not include an optical fiber; The socket component changes the light transmission direction so that the light output from the transmission optical fiber is perpendicular to the light transmission direction entering the photoelectric coupling element.

9. The optoelectronic connector according to any one of claims 3 to 8, characterized in that: The housing includes a first shell and a second shell which are connected to each other and together form the accommodating cavity, wherein the first shell has an outlet hole allowing a core or socket component of the optical connector to partially pass through, and the second shell is configured to press the core or socket component into the first shell when it is connected to the first shell.

10. The optoelectronic connector according to claim 11, characterized in that: The outlet hole includes a large diameter section and a small diameter section that is further away from the accommodating cavity than the large diameter section. The ferrule includes a ferrule body fixedly sleeved outside the bent optical fiber and partially placed in the small diameter section of the outlet hole, and a positioning flange arranged outside the ferrule body and placed in the large diameter section of the outlet hole. The second shell includes a boss arranged on its inner wall and used to press the positioning flange of the ferrule into the large diameter section of the outlet hole, and the boss has an avoidance groove for avoiding the optical connector.

11. The optoelectronic connector according to claim 10, characterized in that: The optoelectronic connector also includes a bayonet structure fixedly arranged outside the first shell, and the bayonet structure is used to accommodate the second part of the optical connector, so that the end of the transmission optical fiber can be sealed and mounted in the bayonet structure in the form of a plug structure, and force the optical docking piece at the end of the transmission optical fiber to dock with the optical connector.

12. A method for assembling a photoelectric connector as claimed in any one of claims 1 to 11, characterized in that: The steps include: Obtaining a housing having the accommodating cavity; Connecting the electrical connector and the optical connector to the photoelectric conversion module; Installing the electrical connector, the optical connector and the photoelectric conversion module into the housing so that a first portion of the electrical connector is in the housing cavity of the housing and a second portion is outside the housing, and a portion of the optical connector is in the housing cavity of the housing and a second portion is outside the housing; as well as The liquid potting glue is poured into the accommodating cavity of the shell and wraps the photoelectric conversion module, the electrical connector and the optical connector in the accommodating cavity of the shell, and waits for the potting glue to solidify.

13. An active cable for use in a vehicle, characterized in that: It comprises a transmitting end photoelectric connector, a receiving end photoelectric connector and a cable connecting the transmitting end photoelectric connector and the receiving end photoelectric connector, wherein the transmitting end photoelectric connector and / or the receiving end photoelectric connector are photoelectric connectors as described in any one of claims 1 to 11, the transmitting end photoelectric connector is used to obtain an optical signal from the electronic system of the vehicle, and the receiving end photoelectric connector is used to output the obtained optical signal to the electronic system of the vehicle; and the cable comprises a transmission optical fiber.

Images