Optical engine and external optical path coupling assembly

Abstract

The invention discloses an optical engine and external optical path coupling assembly, and relates to the technical field of optical fiber equipment, the optical engine and external optical path coupling assembly comprises a connector and a socket, the connector comprises a shell and an optical fiber array, the shell is enclosed to form a containing cavity, the shell is provided with an insertion end and a wire inlet end, an exposure hole is formed in the insertion end, and a wire inlet hole is formed in the wire inlet end; the exposing hole and the wire inlet hole are communicated with the accommodating cavity, the optical fiber array is partially arranged in the accommodating cavity and partially extends out of the exposing hole, and the shell is provided with a cantilever buckle; the socket is used for being connected with a PIC substrate, a jack is formed in the socket, a clamping hole communicated with the jack is further formed in the socket, an elastic pressing part is arranged in the clamping hole, the insertion end is inserted in the jack, the cantilever buckle is clamped in the clamping hole and is opposite to the elastic pressing part, and the elastic pressing part is configured to drive the cantilever buckle to be separated from the clamping hole after being pressed. And the opening and closing hasp does not need to be rotated, the required space during locking and unlocking is small, the connection strength of cantilever buckle clamping connection is high, and the anti-drawing performance is high.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] This invention relates to the field of optical fiber equipment technology, and in particular to an optical engine and external optical path coupling component. Background Technology

[0002] With the explosive growth in demand for AI computing power, CPO (co-packaged optical and electrical components) technology has become the core architecture for next-generation high-speed optical communication due to its advantages of high integration and low power consumption by co-packaging optical engines and switching chips.

[0003] In a CPO system, the optical engine contains a PIC (Photonic Integrated Circuit) substrate and an EIC (Electronic Integrated Circuit) substrate integrated together using packaging technology. The PIC substrate is used for high-precision optical coupling with external optical fibers. The optical engine-external optical path coupling assembly is a passive device that connects the PIC substrate to the external optical path. The current deployment space within a CPO module is extremely compact, placing stringent requirements on the size and ease of assembly / disassembly of the optical engine-external optical path coupling assembly. Related technologies utilize locking structures to achieve repeated assembly / disassembly of the external circuitry and the optical engine. There are two main types of locking structures for the optical engine-external optical path coupling assembly: first, a latching method, which requires tools for disassembly, and the large operating space required for opening and closing the latches is unsuitable for the confined environment inside a CPO; second, a magnetic fixing design, which cannot guarantee a secure connection and suffers from insufficient locking stability. Summary of the Invention

[0004] The main objective of this invention is to propose a coupling component between an optical engine and an external optical path, aiming to solve the problems of large operating space requirements and insufficient connection stability in related technologies.

[0005] To achieve the above objectives, the optical engine and external optical path coupling assembly proposed in this invention includes a connector and a socket. The connector includes a housing and an optical fiber array. The housing encloses a receiving cavity and has an insertion end and an inlet end. The insertion end has an exposed hole, and the inlet end has an inlet hole. Both the exposed hole and the inlet hole communicate with the receiving cavity. The optical fiber array is partially disposed in the receiving cavity and partially extends out of the exposed hole. The housing is provided with a cantilever buckle. The socket is used to connect with a PIC substrate. The socket has a socket and a snap-fit ​​hole communicating with the socket. The snap-fit ​​hole has an elastic pressing part. The insertion end is inserted into the socket. The cantilever buckle snaps into the snap-fit ​​hole and is disposed opposite to the elastic pressing part. The elastic pressing part is configured to drive the cantilever buckle to disengage from the snap-fit ​​hole when pressed.

[0006] In one embodiment, the socket includes an outer frame and a limiting member, both of which are used for fixed connection with the PIC substrate; the outer frame encloses to form the insertion hole, the limiting member is disposed in the insertion hole, a limiting groove is formed on the limiting member, and the fiber array is limited within the limiting groove.

[0007] In one embodiment, the connector further includes a positioning pin, which is fixedly connected to the fiber array and partially extends out of the exposure hole; the end of the limiting member away from the PIC substrate is provided with a positioning hole, and the positioning pin is inserted into the positioning hole.

[0008] In one embodiment, the fiber array includes a base plate, a plurality of optical fibers, a first pressure plate, and a second pressure plate; both the second pressure plate and the first pressure plate are fixedly connected to the base plate, and a portion of the first pressure plate extends out of the exposed hole and is confined within the limiting groove; the base plate is provided with a plurality of parallel first fixing grooves, and the first pressure plate is provided with a plurality of parallel second fixing grooves, each of the first fixing grooves and a second fixing groove forming an optical fiber fixing channel, and each optical fiber being confined within an optical fiber fixing channel; the base plate is also provided with a third fixing groove, and the second pressure plate is also provided with a fourth fixing groove, the third fixing groove and the fourth fixing groove forming a positioning pin fixing channel, and the positioning pin being confined within the positioning pin fixing channel.

[0009] In one embodiment, the connector further includes a stop and an elastic member. The stop is located on the side of the base plate opposite to the limiting member and is connected to the positioning pin. The two ends of the elastic member abut against the stop and the inner wall of the receiving cavity away from the insertion end, respectively.

[0010] In one embodiment, the connector further includes a first microlens, which is attached to one end of the first pressure plate near the limiting member, and the ends of the plurality of optical fibers near the limiting member are all connected to the first microlens; a second microlens is also provided in the socket, which is used to connect to the PIC substrate, and the second microlens is disposed opposite to the first microlens.

[0011] In one embodiment, the base plate has a stepped portion at one end near the exposed hole, the stepped portion abutting against the periphery of the exposed hole, and the stepped portion forming a gap with the plurality of optical fibers.

[0012] In one embodiment, the outer casing includes an upper cover, a bottom cover, and a tail sleeve. The upper cover and the bottom cover are detachably connected and enclose the exposed hole. The tail sleeve has the inlet hole and is detachably connected to the end of the bottom cover away from the exposed hole. The tail sleeve, the upper cover, and the bottom cover enclose the receiving cavity.

[0013] In one embodiment, the outer wall of the housing is provided with a first guide portion, and the inner wall of the insertion hole is provided with a second guide portion. The first guide portion and the second guide portion are slidably connected, and both the first guide portion and the second guide portion are parallel to the axial direction of the insertion hole. One of the first guide portion and the second guide portion is a guide rail, and the other is a guide groove.

[0014] In one embodiment, the housing has a first slit to form the cantilever buckle; and / or, the socket has a second slit to form the elastic pressing portion, the elastic pressing portion being a cantilever structure.

[0015] The optical engine and external optical path coupling assembly proposed in this invention includes: a connector and a socket. The connector includes a housing and an optical fiber array. The housing encloses and forms a receiving cavity. The housing has an insertion end and an inlet end. The insertion end has an exposure hole, and the inlet end has an inlet hole. Both the exposure hole and the inlet hole communicate with the receiving cavity. The optical fiber array is partially disposed in the receiving cavity and partially extends out of the exposure hole. The housing is provided with a cantilever buckle. The socket is used to connect with a PIC substrate. The socket has a socket and a snap-fit ​​hole communicating with the socket. The snap-fit ​​hole has an elastic pressing part. The insertion end is inserted into the socket. The cantilever buckle snaps into the snap-fit ​​hole and is disposed opposite to the elastic pressing part. The elastic pressing part is configured to drive the cantilever buckle to disengage from the snap-fit ​​hole after being pressed. The connector is used to connect to external optical fibers, and the socket is used to connect to the PIC substrate. The connector and socket are mated together, with a cantilever latch on the connector housing and a locking hole on the socket for the cantilever latch to engage. This allows the connector to be temporarily locked after insertion by the cantilever latch engaging with the inner wall of the locking hole, while maintaining optical connectivity between the external optical fiber and the PIC substrate. In addition, the socket has a spring-loaded pressing part. When the connector needs to be removed, pressing the spring-loaded pressing part pushes the cantilever latch out of the locking hole, allowing the connector to be pulled out. Compared to traditional latch connections, there is no need to rotate the latch to open and close it, requiring less space for locking and unlocking. Compared to magnetic connections, the cantilever latch connection has higher connection strength and stronger pull-out resistance, thus saving space and improving connection stability. Attached Figure Description

[0016] To more clearly illustrate the technical solutions in the embodiments of the present invention or the prior art, the drawings used in the description of the embodiments or the prior art will be briefly introduced below. Obviously, the drawings described below are only some embodiments of the present invention. For those skilled in the art, other drawings can be obtained based on the structures shown in these drawings without creative effort.

[0017] Figure 1This is a schematic diagram of an embodiment of the optical engine and external optical path coupling component provided by the present invention. Figure 2 for Figure 1 Longitudinal cross-section of the optical engine in the locked state with the external optical path coupling component; Figure 3 for Figure 2 A magnified view of a section at point A in the middle; Figure 4 for Figure 2 Longitudinal cross-section of the optical engine in the unlocked state with the external optical path coupling component; Figure 5 for Figure 2 A cross-sectional view of the central optical engine in the unlocked state when coupled to the external optical path component; Figure 6 for Figure 1 A schematic diagram of the connector structure; Figure 7 for Figure 1 A partial sectional view of the center socket; Figure 8 for Figure 6 Exploded view of the connector; Figure 9 for Figure 8 Exploded view of the middle section of the structure; Figure 10 A schematic diagram of another embodiment of the connector provided by the present invention; Figure 11 for Figure 10 Another structural diagram of the connector; Figure 12 A schematic diagram of another embodiment of the socket provided by the present invention.

[0018] Explanation of icon numbers: 100. Optical engine and external optical path coupling components; 1. Connector; 11. Housing; 11a. Receiving cavity; 11b. Exposed hole; 111. Top cover; 111a. First gap; 1111. Cantilever buckle; 112. Bottom shell; 1121. Guide rail; 113. Tail sleeve; 113a. Cable inlet; 12. Fiber optic array; 121. Base plate; 121a. First fixing slot; 121b. Third fixing slot; 1211. Stepped section; 1211a. Gap; 122. Fiber optic cable; 123. First pressure plate; 123a. Second fixing slot; 124. Second pressure plate; 124a. Fourth fixing slot; 13. Positioning pin; 14. Stop; 15. Elastic element; 16. First microlens; 2. Socket; 21. Outer frame; 21a. Socket; 21b. Snap-fit ​​hole; 21c. Guide groove; 21d. Second gap; 211. Elastic pressing part; 22. Limiting component; 22a. Limiting groove; 22b. Positioning hole; 23. Second microlens; 200, PIC substrate; 300, EIC substrate.

[0019] The realization of the objective, functional features and advantages of the present invention will be further explained in conjunction with the embodiments and with reference to the accompanying drawings. Detailed Implementation

[0020] The technical solutions of the embodiments of the present invention will be clearly and completely described below with reference to the accompanying drawings. Obviously, the described embodiments are only a part of the embodiments of the present invention, and not all of the embodiments. Based on the embodiments of the present invention, all other embodiments obtained by those of ordinary skill in the art without creative effort are within the scope of protection of the present invention.

[0021] It should be noted that if the embodiments of the present invention involve directional indicators (such as up, down, left, right, front, back, etc.), the directional indicators are only used to explain the relative positional relationship and movement of the components in a specific posture. If the specific posture changes, the directional indicators will also change accordingly.

[0022] Furthermore, if the embodiments of this invention involve descriptions such as "first" or "second," these descriptions are for descriptive purposes only and should not be construed as indicating or implying their relative importance or implicitly specifying the number of technical features indicated. Thus, a feature defined with "first" or "second" may explicitly or implicitly include at least one of those features. Additionally, the use of "and / or" or "and / or" throughout the text includes three parallel solutions. For example, "A and / or B" includes solution A, solution B, or a solution where both A and B are satisfied simultaneously. Furthermore, the technical solutions of the various embodiments can be combined with each other, but this must be based on the ability of those skilled in the art to implement them. When the combination of technical solutions is contradictory or impossible to implement, it should be considered that such a combination of technical solutions does not exist and is not within the scope of protection claimed by this invention.

[0023] This invention proposes a light engine and an external light path coupling component 100.

[0024] Please see Figures 1 to 5In one embodiment of the present invention, the optical engine and external optical path coupling assembly 100 includes a connector 1 and a socket 2. The connector 1 includes a housing 11 and an optical fiber array 12. The housing 11 encloses a receiving cavity 11a and has an insertion end and an inlet end. The insertion end has an exposure hole 11b and the inlet end has an inlet hole 113a. Both the exposure hole 11b and the inlet hole 113a communicate with the receiving cavity 11a. The optical fiber array 12 is partially disposed in the receiving cavity 11a and partially extends out of the exposure hole 11b. The outer casing 11 is provided with a cantilever buckle 1111; the socket 2 is used to connect with the PIC substrate 200. The socket 2 has a socket 21a and a snap-fit ​​hole 21b communicating with the socket 21a. The snap-fit ​​hole 21b is provided with an elastic pressing part 211. The insertion end is inserted into the socket 21a. The cantilever buckle 1111 is snapped into the snap-fit ​​hole 21b and is disposed opposite to the elastic pressing part 211. The elastic pressing part 211 is configured to drive the cantilever buckle 1111 to disengage from the snap-fit ​​hole 21b after being pressed.

[0025] In this embodiment, connector 1 receives the bare fiber array introduced by external optical fiber 122, socket 2 is fixed to PIC substrate 200 and pre-aligned with optical port, after the two are inserted, the bare fiber end face and PIC waveguide port form a continuous low loss connection, and EIC substrate 300 is located below PIC substrate 200.

[0026] Specifically, the outer shell 11 of connector 1 can be made of injection molded parts or sheet metal parts. Taking sheet metal parts as an example, the outer shell 11 of connector 1 is a sheet metal bending part. The sheet metal can be stainless steel or nickel-plated phosphor bronze. After stamping, bending, and riveting, it is surrounded to form a through-cavity 11a. The cavity shrinks into an exposed hole 11b at the insertion end and into an inlet hole 113a at the wire inlet end. The top wall of the outer shell 11 retains a cantilever buckle 1111 integrally formed with the shell near the insertion end. The cantilever buckle 1111 is formed by partial cutting and secondary bending of the top wall of the outer shell 11. That is, the fixed end of the cantilever buckle 1111 is an integral structure with the outer shell 11. The cantilever buckle 1111 is elastic. The free end of the cantilever buckle 1111 is bent or stamped to form a snap-fit ​​protrusion. The snap-fit ​​protrusion protrudes outward from the shell and is used to be pressed into the cavity 11a during the insertion process and automatically popped out after aligning with the snap-fit ​​hole 21b to form a snap-fit ​​connection.

[0027] The fiber array 12 includes multiple external optical fibers 122 and a substrate for fixing the external optical fibers 122. The external optical fibers 122 extend into the inlet hole 113a and have bare fiber segments stripped out. The bare fiber segments are cured on the substrate in parallel with UV curing adhesive. The substrate portion extends out of the exposure hole 11b to form a short overhang segment. The bare fiber extends out of the exposure hole 11b along with the short overhang end.

[0028] The socket 2 is a flat frame made of metal or high-temperature resistant plastic. The rear end of the socket 2 is fixedly connected to the PIC substrate 200 by adhesive or the like. The front end of the socket 2 has a socket 21a for the insertion end of the connector 1 housing 11 to be inserted. The top wall of the socket 2 has a snap-fit ​​hole 21b that passes through the socket 21a. The hole is rectangular. On one side of the snap-fit ​​hole 21b, the socket 2 has two slits to form a cantilever-shaped elastic pressing part 211. Its free end is opposite to the snap-fit ​​protrusion of the cantilever buckle 1111, that is, they overlap each other. When an external force presses down on the elastic pressing part 211, the free end of the elastic pressing part 211 pushes down the free end of the cantilever buckle 1111, so that the cantilever buckle 1111 has enough deflection to make the snap-fit ​​protrusion disengage from the snap-fit ​​hole 21b, thereby unlocking.

[0029] When connector 1 and socket 2 are inserted, the insertion end slides into the socket 21a axially. The locking protrusion of the free end of the cantilever latch 1111 first contacts the upper wall of the socket 21a and is pressed into the receiving cavity 11a. It continues to push until the barb is aligned with the locking hole 21b. The cantilever rebounds and the locking protrusion is locked into the locking hole 21b. At this time, the bare fiber end face of the cantilever section of the fiber array 12 is aligned with the PIC waveguide outlet under the elastic floating action, realizing the continuity of the optical path. When separation is required, the elastic pressing part 211 is pressed down to push the cantilever latch 1111 back into the receiving cavity 11a. At the same time, the outer shell 11 of connector 1 is held and pulled back to complete the unlocking. The whole operation does not require lateral swing space or additional tools. With the above-mentioned structure, connector 1 and socket 2 can slide to lock and unlock. The cantilever buckle 1111 and the elastic pressing part 211 form a fastening and unfastening mechanism, which does not require rotation or magnetic attraction. The space occupied is only slightly larger than the cross-section of the fiber array 12 itself. After the buckle is engaged, it forms a rigid hook, which has better anti-vibration and anti-cable pulling performance than the magnetic attraction solution. Thus, while ensuring the stability of the optical path, it meets the dual requirements of CPO module for compact wiring and frequent maintenance.

[0030] Further, please refer to Figure 6 , Figure 7 , Figures 10 to 12 In one embodiment of the present invention, the socket 2 includes an outer frame 21 and a limiting member 22. Both the outer frame 21 and the limiting member 22 are used to be fixedly connected to the PIC substrate 200. The outer frame 21 encloses to form a socket 21a. The limiting member 22 is disposed in the socket 21a. A limiting groove 22a is formed on the limiting member 22. The fiber array 12 is limited in the limiting groove 22a.

[0031] In this embodiment, the socket 2 consists of an outer frame 21 and a limiting member 22, both of which are fixedly connected to the PIC substrate 200. The outer frame 21 is a rectangular flat frame, which can be an injection molded part or a sheet metal bent part. The inner edge of the frame encloses a socket 21a, and the outline of the socket 21a can be clearance-fitted with the insertion end of the connector 1. The limiting member 22 is an independently processed ceramic or high-temperature resistant plastic block, which is fixed to the bottom of the socket 21a or the PIC substrate 200 by adhesive or laser welding. The top surface of the limiting member 22 is recessed to form a limiting groove 22a, which can be U-shaped, rectangular, etc., and the groove width is slightly larger than the thickness of the fiber array 12 substrate. The front end of the fiber array 12 substrate extends out of the exposed hole 11b to form a short overhang. When the short overhang is inserted, it falls into the limiting groove 22a. The groove wall forms a lateral constraint on both sides of the substrate, so that the lateral misalignment between the bare fiber end face and the PIC waveguide outlet is limited to the range that can be compensated by elastic floating.

[0032] The separate design of the outer frame 21 and the limiting member 22 decouples the outline of the socket 21a from the precision alignment function. The outer frame 21 only needs to ensure macroscopic guidance with the insertion end, while the limiting member 22 focuses on microscopic alignment of the fiber array 12, thereby reducing the overall processing accuracy requirements. When fiber arrays 12 with different channel numbers need to be replaced, only the limiting member 22 with the corresponding slot width needs to be replaced, and the outer frame 21 can remain universal, reducing mold costs. On the assembly site, the limiting member 22 can be pre-mounted on the PIC substrate 200 and then simultaneously cured with the outer frame 21 by reflow soldering, achieving dual positioning in one welding and simplifying the process.

[0033] With the outer frame 21 providing insertion and removal guidance and the limiting component 22 providing precise alignment, the socket 2, while maintaining the original locking functions of the cantilever buckle 1111 and the elastic pressing part 211, brings the lateral offset of the bare fiber end face and the risk of longitudinal over-insertion into a controllable range. This changes the optical path alignment accuracy from the error of a single component to the superposition of errors of two components, but the overall tolerance capability is improved. This further reduces the additional loss of the CPO module under transportation, temperature cycling, and board bending conditions, and meets the long-term stability requirements of high-density cabling.

[0034] Further, please refer to Figure 5 , Figures 8 to 9 In one embodiment of the present invention, the connector 1 further includes a positioning pin 13, which is fixedly connected to the fiber array 12 and partially extends out of the exposure hole 11b; the end of the limiting member 22 away from the PIC substrate 200 is provided with a positioning hole 22b, and the positioning pin 13 is inserted into the positioning hole 22b.

[0035] In this embodiment, the positioning pin 13 can be a stainless steel columnar structure, which is fixed to the substrate of the fiber array 12 by laser spot welding or adhesive. Two positioning pins 13 can be symmetrically arranged along the central axis of the substrate of the fiber array 12. The tail of the positioning pin 13 is embedded in the substrate, and the head extends out of the exposed hole 11b to form a short insertion pin segment. The end is hemispherically chamfered to reduce the insertion resistance. The positioning pin 13 is arranged in parallel with the bare fiber, so that the extension length of the positioning pin 13 is slightly greater than the extension length of the bare fiber, so that the positioning pin 13 enters the mating area before the bare fiber during the insertion process, which plays a pre-guiding role. The limiting member 22 has a positioning hole 22b at the end furthest from the PIC substrate 200. The positioning hole 22b is a straight circular hole or a stepped hole with a flared front end and a straight rear end. The hole diameter is clearance-fitted with the positioning pin 13. The hole position maintains a relative positional tolerance with the bare fiber arrangement area of ​​the fiber array 12. This tolerance is less than the lateral tolerance between the bare fiber and the PIC waveguide. The depth of the positioning hole 22b is greater than the extension length of the positioning pin 13, so that after the positioning pin 13 is fully inserted, its end face and the bottom of the hole retain a slight gap, avoiding the pin tip from jamming and causing overpressure between the bare fiber end face and the waveguide outlet. The positioning pin 13 inserted into the positioning hole 22b can ensure the parallelism between the bare fiber section at the end of the fiber array 12 and the waveguide outlet on the PIC substrate 200. For example, the fit length between the positioning pin 13 and the positioning hole 22b is 1.9 mm, and the maximum difference between the outer diameter of the positioning pin 13 and the inner diameter of the positioning hole 22b is 0.001 mm. Therefore, the maximum tilt angle θmax produced when the positioning pin 13 is inserted into the positioning hole 22b is θmax = arctan[(0.001 / 2) / 1.9] ≈ arctan(0.00026316) ≈ 0.00026316 rad ≈ 0.0151°. Thus, theoretically, the positioning pin 13 can tilt approximately 0.0151° within the positioning hole 22b. This fitting angle is much less than 2°, and also much less than the angle error produced by some fitting methods in the market.

[0036] Further, please refer to Figure 8 and Figure 9In one embodiment of the present invention, the fiber array 12 includes a base plate 121, a plurality of optical fibers 122, a first pressure plate 123, and a second pressure plate 124; the second pressure plate 124 and the first pressure plate 123 are both fixedly connected to the base plate 121, and the first pressure plate 123 partially extends out of the exposure hole 11b and is confined within the limiting groove 22a; the base plate 121 is provided with a plurality of parallel first fixing grooves 121a, and the first pressure plate 123 is provided with a plurality of parallel second fixing grooves 123a, each first fixing groove 121a and a second fixing groove 123a encloses to form a fixing channel for an optical fiber 122, and each optical fiber 122 is confined within the fixing channel for an optical fiber 122; the base plate 121 is also provided with a third fixing groove 121b, and the second pressure plate 124 is also provided with a fourth fixing groove 124a, the third fixing groove 121b and the fourth fixing groove 124a enclose to form a fixing channel for a positioning pin 13, and the positioning pin 13 is confined within the fixing channel for a positioning pin 13. The second fixing groove 123a is not shown in the attached drawing.

[0037] In this embodiment, the fiber array 12 is formed by stacking and fixing a base plate 121, multiple optical fibers 122, a first pressure plate 123, and a second pressure plate 124. The base plate 121 can be a thin sheet made of materials such as plastic, silicon, quartz, or ceramic. Multiple first fixing grooves 121a are opened parallel to each other on the top wall, and the grooves can be V-shaped or arc-shaped. The first pressure plate 123 is stacked on top of the base plate 121, and multiple second fixing grooves 123a are opened parallel to each other on its bottom surface. The second fixing grooves 123a correspond one-to-one with the first fixing grooves 121a and form a complete optical fiber 122 fixing channel. The optical fiber 122 is placed in the channel and held by the upper and lower groove walls, and can be fixed by applying UV-curing adhesive or thermosetting epoxy adhesive. The front end of the first pressure plate 123 extends out of the front end face of the base plate 121 to form a short overhang section. This overhang section is the part that extends out of the exposed hole 11b and falls directly into the limiting groove 22a to receive lateral limiting.

[0038] A third fixing groove 121b is also provided on the top wall of the base plate 121. The third fixing groove 121b is parallel to the first fixing groove 121a but located outside the fiber optic 122 arrangement area. The groove depth and groove width are both greater than the first fixing groove 121a and are adapted to the outer diameter of the positioning pin 13. The second pressure plate 124 is stacked on top of the base plate 121 and located next to the first pressure plate 123. A fourth fixing groove 124a is provided on its bottom wall. The fourth fixing groove 124a and the third fixing groove 121b form a fixing channel for the positioning pin 13. The positioning pin 13 is placed in this channel and is held by the upper and lower groove walls. It can also be cured by dispensing glue. The center line of the fixing channel for the positioning pin 13 is parallel to the center line of the fiber optic 122 arrangement, and the front end of the channel is flush with the front end of the base plate 121, so that the head of the positioning pin 13 and the bare fiber section of the fiber optic 122 extend out of the exposure hole 11b at the same time.

[0039] The first pressure plate 123 and the second pressure plate 124 can be processed independently. The materials can be the same as those of the base plate 121 or materials with similar coefficients of thermal expansion, such as glass, ceramics, and plastics, to reduce relative displacement under temperature cycling. The two pressure plates are fixed to the base plate 121 with epoxy glue, etc., and after curing, they form an integral rigid body. This ensures the relative positional accuracy of the optical fiber 122 and the positioning pin 13, and also facilitates the separate grinding and polishing process before assembly, avoiding precision end face processing inside the connector 1 housing 11.

[0040] Further, please refer to Figure 8 and Figure 9 In one embodiment of the present invention, the connector 1 further includes a stop member 14 and an elastic member 15. The stop member 14 is located on the side of the base plate 121 opposite to the limiting member 22 and is connected to the positioning pin 13. The two ends of the elastic member 15 respectively abut against the stop member 14 and the inner wall of the receiving cavity 11a away from the insertion end.

[0041] In this embodiment, the connector 1 is provided with a stop 14 and an elastic member 15 on the side of the base plate 121 facing away from the limiting member 22. The stop 14 is a C-shaped plate made of stainless steel sheet metal. Its main body plane is perpendicular to the axis of the positioning pin 13. A through hole is punched in the center of the main body for the optical fiber 122 to pass through. The two sides of the main body are punched with locking holes. The diameter of the locking holes is smaller than the diameter of the tail end of the positioning pin 13. An annular groove is machined at the tail end of the positioning pin 13. The groove width is clearance-fitted with the plate thickness of the stop 14. After the locking hole is aligned with the annular groove and pressed in, the stop 14 is axially hooked and radially tightened, realizing the locking of the positioning pin 13 and the stop 14. The elastic element 15 can be a stainless steel compression helical spring or a disc-shaped spring, sleeved on the outer periphery of multiple optical fibers 122 and located between the stop 14 and the inner wall of the receiving cavity 11a away from the insertion end; the free length of the elastic element 15 is greater than the installation spacing, and it is pre-compressed after assembly. Its restoring force is transmitted to the positioning pin 13 through the stop 14 and then to the base plate 121, so that the base plate 121 obtains a continuous thrust in the direction of the exposure hole 11b, thereby making the base plate 121 press against the periphery of the exposure hole 11b facing the receiving cavity 11a, so that the optical fiber array 12 is kept in a tensioned state in the housing 11, avoiding axial movement caused by transportation or vibration; when the connector 1 is inserted into the socket 2 and the front end of the positioning pin 13 touches the bottom of the positioning hole 22b, the elastic element 15 is further compressed to absorb the excessive insertion stroke, prevent the bare fiber end face from making hard contact with the PIC waveguide outlet, and play a buffering role. In the locked state, the thrust of the elastic element 15 is opposite to the hooking force of the cantilever latch 1111. After the two are balanced, a stable force closed loop is formed between the connector 1 housing 11, the fiber array 12, and the socket 2. This ensures that the bare fiber end face is aligned with the waveguide outlet and avoids the end face chipping caused by overpressure. When unlocking is required, the thrust of the elastic element 15 can also provide an auxiliary pop-out force at the moment the cantilever latch 1111 is released, reducing the manual pull-out force and improving the convenience of the unlocking operation.

[0042] Further, please refer to Figure 3 In one embodiment of the present invention, the connector 1 further includes a first microlens 16, which is attached to one end of the first pressure plate 123 near the limiting member 22. One end of the plurality of optical fibers 122 near the limiting member 22 is connected to the first microlens 16. A second microlens 23 is also provided in the socket 21a. The second microlens 23 is used to connect to the PIC substrate 200. The second microlens 23 is disposed opposite to the first microlens 16.

[0043] In this embodiment, the first microlens 16 and the second microlens 23 can be fabricated using femtosecond laser processing to generate a microlens array at the PIC substrate 200 end and the fiber array 12 end, or the microlens array device can be directly mounted. The first microlens 16 is used to shape the beam output from the fiber 122 to the PIC, for example, to collimate the light reflected in multiple directions within the fiber 122 to accurately direct it to the waveguide port of the PIC. The second microlens 23 is used to focus the beam directed from the first microlens 16 to the waveguide port of the PIC before it enters the waveguide port of the PIC. For example, taking the mounting of a microlens array device as an example, the connector 1 mounts a first microlens 16 on the end face of the first pressure plate 123 facing the limiting member 22. The lens can be a quartz or silicon-based planar convex lens array. The number of lens units of the first microlens 16 corresponds one-to-one with the optical fiber 122. After the bare fiber end face of each optical fiber 122 is glued with ultraviolet glue, it is coupled and cured with the back of the corresponding lens unit to form an integral light-emitting surface. The socket 2 fixes a second microlens 23 at the bottom of the socket 21a. The structure of the second microlens 23 is a mirror image of the first microlens 16. Its back is bonded to the PIC substrate 200 with epoxy glue or solder. Each lens unit of the second microlens 23 corresponds one-to-one with the PIC wave inlet. The second microlens 23 and the first microlens 16 are arranged opposite each other. The gap between them is maintained as an air gap or a micron-level gap 1211a that can be filled with refractive index matching glue after insertion, so as to avoid hard contact between the two lenses. In this way, by coupling the end face of each optical fiber 122 to the first microlens 16, and by aligning the first microlens 16 with the second microlens 23, the optical paths are connected. There is no need to perform additional precise positioning on each optical fiber 122, which reduces the complexity of the manufacturing process and saves production costs.

[0044] Further, please refer to Figure 3 In one embodiment of the present invention, a step portion 1211 is provided at one end of the base plate 121 near the exposure hole 11b. The step portion 1211 abuts against the periphery of the exposure hole 11b, and a gap 1211a is formed between the step portion 1211 and a plurality of optical fibers 122.

[0045] In this embodiment, a stepped portion 1211 is machined at one end of the base plate 121 adjacent to the exposed hole 11b. The stepped portion 1211 is formed by locally thinning the upper surface of the base plate 121, and the outer contour of the thinned area is consistent with the periphery shape of the exposed hole 11b. When the fiber array 12 extends outward from the receiving cavity 11a, the end face of the stepped portion 1211 just abuts against the inner end face of the exposed hole 11b, thereby achieving axial positioning of the base plate 121. At the same time, the height of the stepped portion 1211 is lower than the bottom surface of the fixed channel of the fiber 122, so that a continuous gap 1211a is maintained between the multiple fibers 122 and the top surface of the stepped portion 1211. The gap 1211a can accommodate excess adhesive during the dispensing and curing stage, preventing the adhesive from climbing up the end face of the base plate 121 to the end face where the step portion 1211 abuts against the exposed hole 11b. If the adhesive seeps into this abutting surface, the adhesive ridge formed after curing will raise the base plate 121, causing tilting or uneven gaps between the first microlens 16 and the second microlens 23, thereby introducing additional insertion loss. In this embodiment, the preset gap 1211a between the step portion 1211 and the optical fiber 122 confines the adhesive within the gap, thus keeping the abutting end face clean, ensuring the unique axial position of the base plate 121 after insertion, guaranteeing the stability of the gap between the two microlenses, and improving the docking accuracy and long-term reliability.

[0046] Further, please refer to Figure 8 In one embodiment of the present invention, the outer shell 11 includes an upper cover 111, a bottom shell 112, and a tail sleeve 113. The upper cover 111 and the bottom shell 112 are detachably connected and enclose to form an exposure hole 11b. The tail sleeve 113 has a wire inlet hole 113a. The tail sleeve 113 is detachably connected to the end of the bottom shell 112 away from the exposure hole 11b. The tail sleeve 113, the upper cover 111, and the bottom shell 112 enclose to form a receiving cavity 11a.

[0047] In this embodiment, the outer shell 11 is composed of three detachable parts: an upper cover 111, a bottom shell 112, and a tail sleeve 113. Both the upper cover 111 and the bottom shell 112 can be sheet metal stamping parts. The bottom shell 112 has a punched tab on its side wall, and the upper cover 111 has a corresponding snap-fit ​​hole. The two parts slide and snap together perpendicular to the insertion / removal direction, with their front ends partially open to form an exposed hole 11b. After snapping together, the inner surface of the upper cover 111 presses against the top surface of the fiber array 12, and the inner surface of the bottom shell 112 supports the base plate 121, jointly restricting the array's degree of freedom perpendicular to the axial direction. The tail sleeve 113 can be a plastic injection molded part, with its tail portion shrinking to form an inlet hole 113a. The outer wall of the front end of the tail sleeve 113 has an elastic buckle, and the rear end of the bottom shell 112 has a snap-fit ​​hole. After snapping together, the two parts, together with the upper cover 111, form a complete receiving cavity 11a. The detachable structure of the housing 11 of the connector 1 in this embodiment facilitates the maintenance or replacement of the internal fiber optic array 12, avoids overall scrapping, and allows for the replacement of the tail sleeve 113 for optical cables of different outer diameters and models, thereby improving the versatility of the housing 11.

[0048] Further, please refer to Figures 6 to 7 , Figures 10 to 12 In one embodiment of the present invention, the outer wall of the outer shell 11 is provided with a first guide portion, and the inner wall of the insertion hole 21a is provided with a second guide portion. The first guide portion and the second guide portion are slidably connected, and both the first guide portion and the second guide portion are parallel to the axial direction of the insertion hole 21a. One of the first guide portion and the second guide portion is a guide rail 1121, and the other is a guide groove 21c.

[0049] In this embodiment, the outer wall of the outer shell 11 is integrally stamped or injection molded with a first guide portion, and the inner wall of the insertion hole 21a is correspondingly formed with a second guide portion. Both extend axially along the insertion hole 21a and are parallel to each other. The first guide portion and the second guide portion are paired with a guide rail 1121 and a guide groove 21c. The guide rail 1121 can be a rectangular convex strip or a dovetail convex strip, and the guide groove 21c is a groove with a corresponding cross section. The convex strip and the groove are fitted with a clearance, so that the connector 1 retains only axial freedom when inserted or removed, suppressing torsion and sway. Figures 6 to 7 The guide rail 1121 can be disposed on the side wall of the bottom shell 112, and the guide groove 21c is opened on the inner wall corresponding to the insertion hole 21a; such as Figures 11 to 12 The guide rail 1121 can be located on the bottom wall of the base shell 112, and the guide groove 21c is formed on the inner wall corresponding to the insertion hole 21a. This sliding fit between the guide rail 1121 and the guide groove 21c reduces the risk of tilting during insertion. The front end of the guide groove 21c can also be provided with an inlet chamfer to facilitate the smooth insertion of the guide rail 1121, reduce jamming, and improve the insertion feel. In this embodiment, the sliding connection between the guide rail 1121 and the guide groove 21c ensures that the bare fiber end face and the PIC waveguide remain parallel and close throughout the insertion process, reducing chipping caused by contact with the end face edge. At the same time, the guide pair formed by the guide rail 1121 and the guide groove 21c bears the lateral force, reducing the lateral load on the positioning pin 13 and the positioning hole 22b, ensuring that the lens array remains accurately aligned after multiple insertions and removals, and improving coupling life and stability.

[0050] Further, please refer to Figures 6 to 7 , Figures 10 to 12 In one embodiment of the present invention, the outer shell 11 is provided with a first gap 111a to form a cantilever buckle 1111; and / or, the socket 2 is provided with a second gap 21d to form an elastic pressing part 211, the elastic pressing part 211 being a cantilever structure.

[0051] In this embodiment, the outer shell 11 is directly cut or punched to create a first slit 111a on its top wall. The first slit 111a is U-shaped or U-shaped, and the enclosed area forms a plate-type cantilever buckle 1111. The root of the cantilever is integrated with the outer shell 11, and its thickness is the same as the plate thickness. After the free end of the cantilever is bent, it forms a snap-fit ​​protrusion and protrudes outward. It can elastically retract and automatically reset after aligning with the snap-fit ​​hole 21b when inserted without the need for additional parts, without increasing the total height of the outer shell 11. Similarly, two parallel second slits 21d are cut into the top wall of socket 2. The middle area enclosed by the second slits 21d and the snap-fit ​​hole 21b forms an elastic pressing part 211. This pressing part is a cantilever structure. Its fixed end is connected to the frame of socket 2, and its free end is opposite to the free end of the cantilever buckle 1111, i.e., there is an overlapping area. When pressed down, the elastic pressing part 211 undergoes elastic deformation around the fixed end, pushing the cantilever buckle 1111 out of the snap-fit ​​hole 21b. After being released, it returns to its original position due to the elasticity of the material itself, without the need for additional springs or rubber. In this embodiment, by setting the first slit 111a and the second slit 21d, a cantilever buckle 1111 and an elastic pressing part 211 with a cantilever structure are formed. The thickness is maintained at the original plate thickness and does not protrude outward, so that the dimensions of connector 1 and socket 2 in the snap-fit ​​direction are compressed to the plate thickness level, which meets the millimeter-level stacking requirements of CPO modules. At the same time, the cantilever and the body are integrally formed, reducing the number of parts and assembly steps, improving batch consistency and reducing material costs.

[0052] The above description is merely an exemplary embodiment of the present invention and does not limit the patent scope of the present invention. Any equivalent structural transformations made using the contents of the present invention specification and drawings under the technical concept of the present invention, or direct / indirect applications in other related technical fields, are included within the patent protection scope of the present invention.

Claims

1. A light engine and external optical path coupling assembly, characterized in that, include: The connector includes a housing and an optical fiber array. The housing encloses a receiving cavity and has an insertion end and an inlet end. The insertion end has a visible aperture, and the inlet end has an inlet hole. Both the visible aperture and the inlet hole communicate with the receiving cavity. The optical fiber array is partially disposed within the receiving cavity and partially extends out of the visible aperture. The housing is provided with a cantilever latch. A socket is provided for connection with a PIC substrate. The socket has a socket hole and a snap-fit ​​hole communicating with the socket hole. An elastic pressing part is provided in the snap-fit ​​hole. The insertion end is inserted into the socket hole. The cantilever buckle is snapped into the snap-fit ​​hole and is disposed opposite to the elastic pressing part. The elastic pressing part is configured to drive the cantilever buckle to disengage from the snap-fit ​​hole when pressed.

2. The optical engine and external optical path coupling component as described in claim 1, characterized in that, The socket includes an outer frame and a limiting member, both of which are used for fixed connection with the PIC substrate; The outer frame encloses the insertion hole, the limiting member is disposed inside the insertion hole, a limiting groove is formed on the limiting member, and the optical fiber array is limited within the limiting groove.

3. The optical engine and external optical path coupling component as described in claim 2, characterized in that, The connector also includes a positioning pin, which is fixedly connected to the fiber array and partially extends out of the exposed hole; The end of the limiting member away from the PIC substrate is provided with a positioning hole, and the positioning pin is inserted into the positioning hole.

4. The optical engine and external optical path coupling component as described in claim 3, characterized in that, The fiber array includes a base plate, multiple optical fibers, a first pressure plate, and a second pressure plate; Both the second pressure plate and the first pressure plate are fixedly connected to the base plate, with the first pressure plate extending out of the exposed hole and confined within the limiting groove; The base plate is provided with a plurality of parallel first fixing slots, and the first pressure plate is provided with a plurality of parallel second fixing slots. Each first fixing slot and a second fixing slot together form an optical fiber fixing channel, and each optical fiber is confined within an optical fiber fixing channel. The base plate is also provided with a third fixing groove, and the second pressure plate is also provided with a fourth fixing groove. The third fixing groove and the fourth fixing groove together form a positioning pin fixing channel, and the positioning pin is limited to the positioning pin fixing channel.

5. The optical engine and external optical path coupling component as described in claim 4, characterized in that, The connector further includes a stop and an elastic member. The stop is located on the side of the base plate opposite to the limiting member and is connected to the positioning pin. The two ends of the elastic member abut against the stop and the inner wall of the receiving cavity away from the insertion end, respectively.

6. The optical engine and external optical path coupling component as described in claim 4, characterized in that, The connector further includes a first microlens, which is attached to one end of the first pressure plate near the limiting member, and the ends of the plurality of optical fibers near the limiting member are all connected to the first microlens. The socket is also provided with a second microlens, which is used to connect to the PIC substrate. The second microlens is arranged opposite to the first microlens.

7. The optical engine and external optical path coupling assembly as described in claim 4, characterized in that, The base plate has a stepped portion at one end near the exposed hole, the stepped portion abuts against the periphery of the exposed hole, and the stepped portion forms a gap with the plurality of optical fibers.

8. The optical engine and external optical path coupling assembly as described in any one of claims 1 to 7, characterized in that, The outer casing includes an upper cover, a bottom cover, and a tail sleeve. The upper cover and the bottom cover are detachably connected and enclose each other to form the exposure hole. The tail sleeve has the inlet hole, and the tail sleeve is detachably connected to the end of the bottom shell away from the exposed hole. The tail sleeve, the top cover, and the bottom shell together form the receiving cavity.

9. The optical engine and external optical path coupling assembly as described in any one of claims 1 to 7, characterized in that, The outer wall of the housing is provided with a first guide portion, and the inner wall of the socket is provided with a second guide portion. The first guide portion and the second guide portion are slidably connected, and both the first guide portion and the second guide portion are parallel to the axial direction of the socket. Of the first guide portion and the second guide portion, one is a guide rail and the other is a guide groove.

10. The optical engine and external optical path coupling assembly as described in any one of claims 1 to 7, characterized in that, The outer casing is provided with a first gap to form the cantilever buckle; And / or, the socket is provided with a second gap to form the elastic pressing part, the elastic pressing part being a cantilever structure.

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