Active optical cable and optical transceiver

Abstract

The invention provides an active optical cable. The active optical cable comprises a detachable optical cable and an optical transceiver detachably connected to the detachable optical cable. The removable optical cable includes an optical fiber unit, a sheath element disposed around an end of the optical fiber unit, a housing structure including at least one retaining element, and an optical coupling device located at the retaining element. The optical transceiver includes a housing unit, an optoelectronic substrate disposed in the housing unit, and a waveguide device disposed on the optoelectronic substrate. And the optical coupling device is detachably arranged at a position optically aligned with the waveguide device and is used for transmitting optical signals between the waveguide device and the optical fiber unit, so that the assembly efficiency is improved, and the maintenance or replacement of internal components of the optical cable is simplified.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] This invention relates to the field of optical connector technology, and more particularly to an active optical cable and an optical transceiver. Background Technology

[0002] Optoelectronic integrated circuits (OEICs) utilize photons instead of electrons for computation and data transmission in integrated circuits, bringing significant benefits to industries requiring high-performance data exchange, long-distance interconnection, 5G infrastructure, and computing devices. OEICs are configured with both photonic integrated circuits (PICs) and electronic integrated circuits (EICs) and can be co-packaged as co-packaged optics (CPOs). Optical communication is commonly used in data centers, which are equipped with numerous data machines such as data switches and servers, each of which needs to output data to other devices. Generally, pluggable active optical cables are primarily used in data centers for signal transmission with discrete devices due to their portability and convenience. However, the optical cables and transceivers of traditional active optical cables are not detachable, making connecting two data switches or servers located far apart within a data center very time-consuming. Furthermore, if the optical module of an active optical cable is damaged, it cannot be repaired, and the active optical cable must be replaced. Summary of the Invention

[0003] The purpose of this application is to provide an active optical cable with a detachable optical cable, wherein the active optical cable employs an optoelectronic integrated circuit or a co-packaged optical device.

[0004] Another object of this application is to provide a detachable optical transceiver with an adapter cable, the optical transceiver being equipped with an optoelectronic integrated circuit or a co-packaged optical device.

[0005] To achieve the above objectives, this application provides an active optical cable, including a detachable optical cable and an optical transceiver detachably connected to the detachable optical cable. The detachable optical cable includes: an optical fiber unit; a sheath element disposed around an end of the optical fiber unit; a housing structure attached to one end of the sheath element and including at least one retaining element; and an optical coupling device retained on the retaining element, with the end of the optical fiber unit extending to the optical coupling device. The optical transceiver includes: a housing unit defining a slot for inserting the detachable optical cable; an optoelectronic substrate disposed within the housing unit and configured for electro-optic signal conversion and optoelectronic signal conversion; and a waveguide device disposed on the optoelectronic substrate. The optical coupling device is optically aligned with the waveguide device for optical signal transmission between the waveguide device and the optical fiber unit.

[0006] Optionally, the housing structure further includes at least one engaging member that protrudes from the housing structure toward the housing unit and abuts against the inner wall of the housing unit within the slot.

[0007] Optionally, the housing unit defines at least one engaging groove corresponding to the engaging member, the engaging member being located and abutting against the engaging groove.

[0008] Optionally, the two holding elements are spaced apart from each other, and the optical coupling device is sandwiched between the two holding elements.

[0009] Optionally, the optical coupling device includes multiple attachment parts, the waveguide device includes a waveguide base and multiple positioning elements, the multiple positioning elements are disposed at the front end of the waveguide base facing the optical coupling device, and the attachment parts are respectively attached to the positioning elements.

[0010] Optionally, the active optical cable further includes a pushing element disposed in the housing structure, and one end of the pushing element pushes the optical coupling device toward the retaining element, so that the optical coupling device is tightly held between the retaining elements.

[0011] Optionally, the waveguide device further includes a waveguide substrate, the waveguide base including a recess exposed at the front end of the waveguide substrate, and the waveguide substrate being located in the recess and optically aligned with the optical coupling device.

[0012] Optionally, the detachable optical cable further includes at least one pressable fastener secured to the sheath element, and the optical transceiver further includes a fastener mounted to the housing unit, wherein a portion of the fastener is located in the slot, and the pressable fastener abuts tightly against that portion of the fastener.

[0013] Optionally, the fastener includes two limiting rods and a connecting plate connected between the two limiting rods. The limiting rods are symmetrically arranged at opposite ends of the connecting plate and perpendicular to the connecting plate. Each limiting rod includes a first limiting portion bent toward the slot. The pressable fastener includes two pressable arms fixed to opposite sides of the sheath element. Each pressable arm includes a fastening hook that can be fastened to the first limiting portion.

[0014] Optionally, each of the limiting rods further includes a second limiting portion protruding toward the slot, wherein two buffer elements are respectively disposed between the limiting rod and the housing unit, and one end of each buffer element abuts against the second limiting portion.

[0015] Optionally, the slot includes a main slot and two slot walls located on opposite sides of the main slot, and the pressable arms are respectively located above the slot walls.

[0016] On the other hand, this application also provides an optical transceiver for connecting a detachable optical cable. The optical transceiver includes: a housing unit including a first housing portion and a second housing portion, the first housing portion and the second housing portion jointly defining a slot for inserting the detachable optical cable; an optoelectronic substrate disposed on the second housing portion and configured for electro-optic signal conversion and optoelectronic signal conversion; a waveguide device detachably disposed on the optoelectronic substrate, including a waveguide base and a waveguide substrate located within the waveguide base; and a fixing member installed in the housing unit. Part of the fixing member is located in the slot for fixing the detachable optical cable, so that the optical signal output from the detachable optical cable can be transmitted to the waveguide substrate.

[0017] On the other hand, this application also provides an active optical cable, including a detachable optical cable and an optical transceiver detachably connected to the detachable optical cable. The detachable optical cable includes an optical fiber unit and an optical coupling device attached to one end of the optical fiber unit. The optical transceiver includes: a housing unit defining a slot for inserting the detachable optical cable; an optoelectronic substrate disposed within the housing unit and configured for electro-optic signal conversion and optoelectronic signal conversion; and a waveguide device including a waveguide base and a waveguide substrate located within the waveguide base, wherein the waveguide base is disposed on the optoelectronic substrate. The optical coupling device is detachably disposed at a position optically aligned with the waveguide substrate for transmitting optical signals between the waveguide substrate and the optical fiber unit.

[0018] Optionally, the waveguide base includes a recess that is exposed at the front end of the waveguide base, and the waveguide substrate is located in the recess of the waveguide base.

[0019] Optionally, the waveguide substrate includes a recess that is exposed at the front end of the waveguide substrate, and a portion of the edge of the optoelectronic substrate protrudes into the recess to define the waveguide substrate.

[0020] Optionally, the waveguide base includes a plurality of positioning elements, the optical coupling device includes a plurality of attachment parts, and the plurality of attachment parts are respectively attached to the plurality of positioning elements.

[0021] Accordingly, compared to the non-detachable active optical cable structure, the detachable optical cable of this application can be prepared separately from the optical transceiver, which can reduce the reprocessing time and thus help improve assembly efficiency. Compared with the optical transceiver without the assembled adapter cable, it can reduce troubleshooting time and simplify the maintenance or replacement of the internal components of the optical cable. Attached Figure Description

[0022] To describe the technical solutions of the embodiments of the present invention, the accompanying drawings used in the following description of the embodiments will be briefly introduced. The accompanying drawings in the following description only show some embodiments of the present invention, and those skilled in the art can derive other drawings based on these drawings without creative effort.

[0023] Figure 1 A schematic perspective view of a detachable active optical cable provided in an embodiment of this application.

[0024] Figure 2 This is a three-dimensional schematic diagram of an optical transceiver for an active optical cable according to an embodiment of the present invention.

[0025] Figure 3 This is a 3D diagram of an active optical cable assembly.

[0026] Figure 4 for Figure 3 A three-dimensional schematic diagram of an active optical cable without a first housing section.

[0027] Figure 5 This is an exploded view of an active optical cable provided in an embodiment of this application.

[0028] Figure 6 for Figure 5 A magnified composite image of a portion of an active optical cable.

[0029] Figure 7 for Figure 3 An exploded view of an active optical cable.

[0030] Figure 8 This is a partial perspective view of an active optical cable without a first housing and waveguide device according to an embodiment of this application.

[0031] Figure 9A This is a partial cross-sectional schematic diagram of an active optical cable according to an embodiment of this application.

[0032] Figure 9B This is a partial cross-sectional schematic diagram of an active optical cable according to an embodiment of this application.

[0033] Figure 10 This is a schematic diagram showing the structure in which multiple active optical cables can be detachably connected to the docking module.

[0034] Figure 11 This is a schematic diagram illustrating the detachable optical cable adapted to various types of optical transceivers in this application.

[0035] Figure 12A This is a partial exploded perspective view of an active optical cable according to an embodiment of this application.

[0036] Figure 12B This is a partial exploded perspective view of an active optical cable according to an embodiment of this application. Detailed Implementation

[0037] The following embodiments will be used to illustrate specific implementable embodiments of this application with reference to the accompanying drawings. The directional terms described in this application, such as up, down, front, back, left, right, inside, outside, and side, are merely directions with reference to the accompanying drawings. Therefore, the directional terms used are intended to describe and understand this application, but this application is not limited thereto.

[0038] It should be understood that although the terms first, second, etc., may be used herein to describe various components, these components should not be limited by these terms. Unless otherwise stated, these terms are used only to distinguish one component from another. Thus, for example, a first component, first part, or first portion discussed below may be referred to as a second component, second part, or second portion without departing from the teachings of this application. Furthermore, the reference numerals and / or letters may be repeated in various examples of the drawings. Such repetition is for simplicity and clarity and does not in itself determine the relationship between the various embodiments and / or configurations discussed.

[0039] This application provides an active optical cable and an optical transceiver. Specifically, a pluggable optical transceiver with a detachable optical cable constitutes an active optical cable, which is detachably connected to a switch in a data center or system, including a device or optoelectronic integrated circuit based on co-packaged optics (CPO), for optical signal transmission.

[0040] See Figure 1 , Figure 1This is a perspective view of a detachable optical cable 100 of an active optical cable provided in an embodiment of this application. The detachable optical cable 100 includes a sheath element 110, a pressable fastener 120, a housing structure 130, an optical fiber unit 140, and an optical coupling device 150. The housing structure 130 is attached to one end of the sheath element 110 and is located between the sheath element 110 and the optical coupling device 150. In some embodiments, the housing structure 130 is hollow inside to shield part of the optical fiber unit 140, and the housing structure 130 is made of a metallic or non-metallic material suitable for stamping or molding processes. The sheath element 110 is configured to be easily operable so as to insert and remove the detachable optical cable 100 from the optical transceiver 300 (e.g., ...). Figure 2 As shown in the following description.

[0041] In some embodiments, the sheath element 110 includes a guide sleeve portion 111 and a transition portion 113. Preferably, the guide sleeve portion 111 and the transition portion 113 are integrally formed to improve structural integrity and withstand repeated pulling. Specifically, one end of the guide sleeve portion 111 may, for example, be embedded into a portion of the housing structure 130, but is not limited thereto. The transition portion 113 is formed at the other end of the guide sleeve portion 111 away from the housing structure 130. In this embodiment, the transition portion 113 is designed to have a streamlined feature to facilitate airflow, thereby reducing air resistance and improving the heat dissipation efficiency of the switch or system. Specifically, the thickness of the transition portion 113 gradually decreases from its opposite ends, such that the profile of the transition portion 113 concentrically curves inward along its entire length to form a streamlined feature. Preferably, a polymer (antistatic or nano-filler) coating (not shown) is applied to the entire outer surface of the transition portion 113 to reduce air resistance caused by the transition portion 113 when dissipating heat from data processing machines such as switches.

[0042] Continue reading Figure 1A pressable fastener 120 is fixed to the guide sleeve portion 111. In some embodiments, the pressable fastener 120 includes a pair of pressable arms 121, which are symmetrically fixed to opposite sides of the guide sleeve portion 111. In this embodiment, the pressable arms 121 are disposed on the left and right sides of the guide sleeve portion 111. Alternatively, the pressable arms 121 may be disposed on the top and bottom of the guide sleeve portion 111. Specifically, each pressable arm 121 has a cantilever structure. Specifically, one end of each pressable arm 121 is fixed to the guide sleeve portion 111 by, for example, an insert molding. Each pressable arm 121 extends in the direction opposite to the transition portion 113, such that the other end of the pressable arm 121 extends beyond the guide sleeve portion 111 and can be displaced by pressing against the pressable arm 121. In some embodiments, the other end of the pressable arm 121 is bent outward relative to the guide sleeve portion 111 to form a fastening hook 122. The fastening hook 122 is used to ensure a secure connection between the sheath element 110 and the optical transceiver 300 after the detachable optical cable 100 is plugged in.

[0043] like Figure 1 As shown, the housing structure 130 includes a pair of retaining elements 131. In this embodiment, the retaining elements 131 are symmetrically disposed at one end of the housing structure 130 adjacent to the optical coupling device 150. More specifically, one end of the retaining element 131 is disposed within the housing structure 130, and the other end extends out of the end of the housing structure 130. Figure 1 As shown, the optical coupling device 150 is detachably disposed at the retaining element 131. Specifically, the retaining elements 131 are spaced apart from each other, forming a retaining space between them, such that the optical coupling device 150 is retained within the retaining space between the retaining elements 131. In some embodiments, the retaining element 131 forms a retaining through-hole 131a. The end of the optical coupling device 150 is larger than the rest of the optical coupling device 150, such that the larger portion of the optical coupling device 150 is held in the retaining through-hole 131a (see details). Figure 8 ).

[0044] Continue reading Figure 1 The housing structure 130 also includes two engaging members 133, which are symmetrically disposed on the left and right sides of the housing structure 130 and protrude outward from the housing structure 130. In some embodiments, the engaging members 133 may be integrally formed on the retaining element 131 by a stamping process and protrude outward through the side wall of the housing structure 130, or the engaging members 133 may also be formed on the side wall surface of the housing structure 130.

[0045] like Figure 1As shown, the fastening hooks 122 of the pair of pressable arms 121 are spaced apart from each other and face the left and right sides of the housing structure 130, respectively. An optical coupling device 150 is located at the foremost end of the detachable optical cable 100, and the fiber unit 140 is connected to the optical coupling device 150 through the transition portion 113 and the guide sleeve portion 111. In some embodiments, the fiber unit 140 may be a multi-core optical fiber having two or more cores (not shown) surrounded by cladding. For example, the fiber unit 140 may have four or eight cores arranged in an array. As is well known in the art, each core can transmit optical signals independently of the other cores, allowing the multi-core optical fiber to be used as multiple individual optical fibers and to transmit optical signals to the optical transceiver 300 via the optical coupling device 150.

[0046] Please see Figure 2 , Figure 2 This is a perspective view of an optical transceiver 300 for an active optical cable provided in an embodiment of this application. The optical transceiver 300 includes a housing unit 30 mainly composed of a first housing portion 310 and a second housing portion 320, a fixing member 330, a photoelectric substrate 340, and a waveguide device 350 (see reference). Figure 4 The first housing portion 310 and the second housing portion 320 are assembled together and together form a slot 301 at the end of the optical transceiver 300. Specifically, the size of the slot 301 is adapted to the insertion of the housing structure 130 and the guide sleeve portion 111 of the detachable optical cable 100. In this embodiment, the slot 301 includes a main slot portion 301a and two slot walls 301b located on the left and right sides of the main slot portion 301a. Specifically, the size of the main slot portion 301a matches the guide sleeve portion 111, and each slot wall 301b is spaced apart from the first housing portion 310 in the thickness direction to form a sub-slot portion, the size of which matches the size of the pressable arm 121.

[0047] like Figure 2 As shown, one end of the optoelectronic substrate 340 includes a connecting portion 341 for electrical connection to the docking module 500 (e.g., Figure 10 As shown, as described below. In some embodiments, the optoelectronic substrate 340 may be equipped with multiple chips, including electronic integrated circuits and photonic integrated circuits that can be co-packaged as a co-packaged optics (CPO). Specifically, the optoelectronic substrate 340 is used to convert electrical signals into optical signals, or optical signals into electrical signals, so that electrical signals can be transmitted between the connection portion 341 and the applied data processing device (not shown), and optical signals can be transmitted between the fiber optic unit 140 and the waveguide device 350.

[0048] Continue reading Figure 2 The first housing portion 310 may be equipped with a heat sink 311 located at the top of the first housing portion 310. The second housing portion 320 is generally U-shaped and includes a mounting hole 321 (see...). Figure 5The fastener 330 is mounted on the housing unit 30 (see...). Figure 5 The fastener 330 is partially located within the slot 301. Specifically, the fastener 330 includes two limiting rods 331 and a connecting plate 333 connecting the two limiting rods 331. The two limiting rods 331 are symmetrically arranged at opposite ends of the connecting plate 333 and are perpendicular to the connecting plate 333. In some embodiments, each limiting rod 331 includes a through hole 331a, a first limiting portion 3311, a second limiting portion 3312, and a third limiting portion 3313.

[0049] like Figure 2 As shown, the first limiting portion 3311 is located at one end of the limiting rod 331 and bends towards the slot 301. Specifically, the first limiting portion 3311 bends inward to extend between a corresponding slot wall 301b and the second housing portion 320, such that the first limiting portion 3311 is inclined relative to the slot 301. The second limiting portion 3312 bends inward from the through hole 331a to be located in the recess formed on the second housing portion 320. The third limiting portion 3313 is formed by bending the limiting rod 331 outward to create an outwardly curved profile. Furthermore, the third limiting portion 3313 can engage with the fixing hole 321 (see...). Figure 5 This ensures the fastening between the fastener 330 and the second housing portion 320.

[0050] See Figures 3 to 5 , Figure 3 This is a schematic diagram showing the combination of the detachable optical cable 100 and the optical transceiver 300 to form an active optical cable 1. Figure 4 for Figure 3 A perspective view of the active optical cable 1 without the first housing part 310. Figure 5 This is an exploded view of active optical cable 1. (See diagram below.) Figure 3 and Figure 5 As shown, the detachable optical cable 100 is plugged into the optical transceiver 300 to form an active optical cable 1, or the optical transceiver 300 is plugged into the detachable optical cable 100. The guide sleeve 111 is plugged into the main slot 301a, and the two pressable arms 121 are respectively located above the slot wall 301b.

[0051] like Figure 4As shown, the portion of the pressable arm 121 tightly abuts against the fixing member 330 in the slot 301. Specifically, the fastening hook 122 is detachably engaged with the first limiting portion 3311, so that the detachable optical cable 100 can be securely held within the optical transceiver 300 while the optical coupling device 150 and the waveguide device 350 are optically coupled. In this embodiment, at least an optoelectronic integrated circuit 360 and a waveguide device 350 are mounted on the optoelectronic substrate 340. The waveguide device 350 is actively aligned with the optical coupling device 150 before being fixed to the optoelectronic substrate 340, and is used to couple optical signals from the optical coupling device 150 or to the optical signals transmitted to the optical coupling device 150 after the optical coupling device 150 is inserted into the optical transceiver 300.

[0052] In some embodiments, such as Figure 4 As shown, the waveguide device 350 can be fabricated separately from the optoelectronic substrate 340. Specifically, the waveguide device 350 includes a waveguide base 370 and a waveguide substrate 351. The waveguide base 370 includes a recess 373, which is exposed at the front end of the waveguide base 370 and faces the detachable optical cable 100 (e.g., Figure 9A As shown (as described below), the waveguide substrate 351 is located in the recess 373 and optically aligned with the detachable optical cable 100. Furthermore, the waveguide device 350 and the detachable optical cable 100 can be fabricated separately from the optoelectronic substrate 340, thereby increasing the flexibility of active optical cable fabrication and facilitating component replacement.

[0053] In other embodiments, the waveguide substrate 351 may be part of the optoelectronic substrate 340, while the waveguide base 370 is disposed on the optoelectronic substrate 340. Specifically, the optoelectronic substrate 340 is made of silicon, silicate, or silicon dioxide, and a portion of the edge of the optoelectronic substrate 340 protrudes into the recess 373 to form the waveguide substrate 351. Integrating the waveguide substrate 351 and the optoelectronic substrate 340 into a single unit simplifies the manufacturing process and reduces manufacturing costs.

[0054] In some embodiments, the optoelectronic substrate 340 and / or waveguide substrate 351 are silicon-based substrates. Preferably, the waveguide substrate 351 is made of a material containing, for example, silicon dioxide, and includes multiple optical paths (not shown) for optical coupling with the optical coupling device 150. Alternatively, the waveguide substrate 351 may be made of a material containing a silicon-on-insulator (SOI) structure, lithium niobate (LiNbO3), or a polymer. In some embodiments, the waveguide substrate 351 may be formed using materials such as fused silica, quartz, glass, or borosilicate glass. It should be noted that the waveguide substrate 351 has a planar optical waveguide (PLC). The planar optical waveguide can adopt various structures, including but not limited to linear optical paths, optical splitters, arrayed waveguide grating wavelength multiplexers, cross-connected optical paths, etc. The planar optical waveguides in the embodiments of this application may adopt different types of waveguide optical paths or devices.

[0055] See 6 and Figure 7 When it is necessary to detach the detachable optical cable 100 from the optical transceiver 300, the user only needs to press the pressable arm 121 of the pressable fastener 120 and pull the sheath element 110 out of the optical transceiver 300. During assembly, simply insert the detachable optical cable 100 into the optical transceiver 300 from the slot 301, and press or not press the pressable arm 121 until the fastening hook 122 engages with the first limiting part 3311 of the fixing member 330.

[0056] See Figure 8 and Figure 9A , Figure 8 This is a partial perspective view of an active optical cable 1 without the first housing part 310 and the waveguide device 350. Figure 9A This is a partial cross-sectional schematic diagram of the active optical cable 1. The optical coupling device 150 includes multiple attachment portions 151 and multiple alignment slots 153. The multiple attachment portions 151 are disposed at the front end of the optical coupling device 150 and face the waveguide device 350, and the multiple alignment slots 153 are disposed between the multiple attachment portions 151 (e.g., ...). Figure 8 (As shown). The alignment slot 153 can be V-shaped and is configured to position multiple optical fibers of the fiber unit 140. (As shown) Figure 9A As shown, the waveguide base 370 includes two positioning members 371 disposed at the front end of the waveguide base 370 facing the optical coupler 150. An attachment portion 151 is attached to each positioning member 371 to optically align the alignment groove 153 with the waveguide substrate 351. In some embodiments, the positioning member 371 is pin-shaped and protrudes forward from the waveguide base 370, and the attachment portion 151 is recessed so that the pin-shaped positioning member 371 can be inserted into the recessed attachment portion 151. It is noteworthy that the size and shape of the attachment portion 151 and the positioning member 371 are designed to allow them to attach to each other to securely position and connect the optical coupler 150 to the waveguide base 370, and their outlines are not limited thereto.

[0057] like Figure 9A As shown, two buffer elements 322 are respectively disposed between the limiting rod 331 and the second housing portion 320. The buffer elements 322 are used to fix the limiting rod 331, thereby improving the assembly strength between the fixing member 330 and the housing unit 30. Specifically, one end of the buffer element 322 abuts against the second limiting portion 3312 of the limiting rod 331, and the other end abuts against the second housing portion 320. In some embodiments, the buffer element 322 may be an elastic element, such as a spring.

[0058] Continue reading Figure 8 and 9AIn some embodiments, a pushing element 155 is provided in the housing structure 130, one end of which pushes the optical coupling device 150 toward the retaining element 131, so that the optical coupling device 150 is tightly held between the retaining elements 131. In some embodiments, the pushing element 155 may be an elastic element, such as a spring.

[0059] See Figure 9B This is a partial cross-sectional schematic diagram of the active optical cable 1. In some embodiments, the housing unit 30 forms two engaging grooves 323 corresponding to the engaging members 133. Specifically, the engaging grooves 323 are recessed into the second housing portion 320 and adjacent to the slot 301. The engaging members 133 are respectively located within and abut against the engaging grooves 323. Figure 9A and 9B As shown, the engagement between the locking member 133 and the locking slot 323 not only further enhances the secure connection between the detachable optical cable 100 and the optical transceiver 300, but also provides position feedback, allowing the user to sense that the optical coupling device 150 is connected in place when the locking member 133 and the locking slot 323 are engaged.

[0060] See Figure 10 This illustrates how multiple active optical cables 1A can be detachably connected to the docking module 500. For example... Figure 10 As shown, the docking module 500 can be installed in a switch (not shown) and configured to connect to four active optical cables 1A, each of which consists of an optical transceiver 300 and a detachable optical cable 100.

[0061] See Figure 11 The detachable optical cables 100 of different sizes can be adapted to various types of optical transceivers 300, 300', and 300" provided in this application. In some embodiments, the optical transceivers 300, 300', and 300" can be 1.6 terabits per second, referred to as 1.6T, 3.2T, or 6.4T optical transceivers, respectively, thereby realizing various applications with different capacity requirements.

[0062] See Figure 12A and 12B This is a partial exploded perspective view of an active optical cable according to different embodiments of this application, such as... Figure 12A As shown, the waveguide base 370 is disposed on the optoelectronic substrate 340, and the waveguide device 350 is assembled with the waveguide base 370. In this embodiment, the waveguide base 370 includes a plurality of positioning elements 371, which are perforated and located on opposite sides of the waveguide base 370.

[0063] See Figure 12AThis is a partial exploded perspective view of the active optical cable 1B provided in this embodiment. In this embodiment, the active optical cable 1B includes a detachable optical cable 100', which includes an optical fiber unit 140 and an optical coupling device 150'. For clarity, the sheath element 110, the pressable fastener 120, and the housing structure 130 described in the above embodiment are not shown. It is worth noting that, for clarity, Figure 12A The housing unit 30 and the optoelectronic integrated circuit 360 are not shown in the diagram. That is, the structure of the active optical cable 1B is simplified. Specifically, the detachable optical cable 100' includes an optical coupling device 150', which includes a plurality of pin-shaped fixing parts 151. The fixing parts 151 can be inserted into the positioning part 371 of the waveguide base 370 of the waveguide device 350, so that the detachable optical cable 100' can be detachably connected to the waveguide base 370, thereby realizing the optical signal transmission between the waveguide device 350 and the optical fiber unit 140.

[0064] like Figure 12B The image shown is a partial exploded perspective view of the active optical cable 1C provided in an embodiment of this application. In this embodiment, the waveguide base 370 includes a plurality of pin-shaped positioning members 371 disposed on opposite sides thereon, and the optical coupling device 150' includes a plurality of slot-shaped fixing parts (not shown for clarity) corresponding to the pin-shaped positioning members 371, for the pin-shaped positioning members 371 to be inserted, thereby making the fixing parts and the positioning members 371 tightly cooperate to realize the optical signal transmission between the waveguide device 350 and the optical fiber unit 140.

[0065] Accordingly, compared to a non-detachable active optical cable structure, the detachable optical cable 100 of this application can be prepared separately from the optical transceiver 300, which can reduce reprocessing time and thus help improve assembly efficiency. Compared with an optical transceiver without an assembled adapter cable, it can reduce troubleshooting time and simplify the maintenance or replacement of internal components of the optical cable.

[0066] The above embodiments are used to illustrate the technical concept disclosed herein, and are not intended to limit the technical concept disclosed herein. Therefore, the scope of protection of this disclosure is not limited to these embodiments. The scope of protection of this disclosure should be interpreted by the claims, and should be interpreted as including all technical concepts that are the same as or equivalent to the above scope of protection within the scope of rights of this disclosure.

Claims

1. An active optical cable, characterized in that, include: Detachable optical cable, including; Fiber optic unit; A sheath element is disposed around the end of the optical fiber unit; A housing structure, attached to one end of the sheath element and including at least one retaining element; and An optical coupling device, held in place by the holding element, wherein the end of the optical fiber unit extends into the optical coupling device; as well as An optical transceiver, detachably connected to the detachable optical cable, wherein the optical transceiver includes: A housing unit that defines a slot for inserting the detachable optical cable; An optoelectronic substrate, disposed within the housing unit, and configured for electro-optical signal conversion and optoelectronic signal conversion; and A waveguide device is disposed on the optoelectronic substrate, wherein the optical coupling device is detachably disposed at a position optically aligned with the waveguide device for optical signal transmission between the waveguide device and the optical fiber unit.

2. The active optical cable according to claim 1, characterized in that, The housing structure further includes at least one engaging member that protrudes from the housing structure toward the housing unit and abuts against the inner wall of the housing unit within the slot.

3. The active optical cable according to claim 2, characterized in that, The housing unit defines at least one engagement groove corresponding to the engagement member, the engagement member being located and abutting against the engagement groove.

4. The active optical cable according to claim 1, characterized in that, It includes two holding elements spaced apart from each other, and the optical coupling device is sandwiched between the two holding elements.

5. The active optical cable according to claim 4, characterized in that, The optical coupling device includes multiple attachment parts, and the waveguide device includes a waveguide base and multiple positioning elements. The multiple positioning elements are disposed at the front end of the waveguide base facing the optical coupling device, and the multiple attachment parts are respectively attached to the multiple positioning elements.

6. The active optical cable according to claim 5, characterized in that, The active optical cable also includes a pushing element disposed in the housing structure, and one end of the pushing element pushes the optical coupling device toward the retaining element, so that the optical coupling device is tightly held between the retaining elements.

7. The active optical cable according to claim 5, characterized in that, The waveguide device further includes a waveguide substrate, the waveguide base including a recess exposed at the front end of the waveguide substrate, and the waveguide substrate being located in the recess and optically aligned with the optical coupling device.

8. The active optical cable according to claim 1, characterized in that, The detachable optical cable also includes at least one pressable fastener secured to the sheath element, and the optical transceiver also includes a fastener mounted to the housing unit, wherein a portion of the fastener is located in the slot, and the pressable fastener abuts tightly against that portion of the fastener.

9. The active optical cable according to claim 8, characterized in that, The fastener includes two limiting rods and a connecting plate connected between the two limiting rods. The limiting rods are symmetrically arranged at opposite ends of the connecting plate and perpendicular to the connecting plate. Each limiting rod includes a first limiting portion that bends toward the slot. The pressable fastener includes two pressable arms that are fixed to opposite sides of the sheath element. Each pressable arm includes a fastening hook that can be fastened to the first limiting portion.

10. The active optical cable according to claim 9, characterized in that, Each of the limiting rods further includes a second limiting portion protruding into the slot, wherein two buffer elements are respectively disposed between the limiting rod and the housing unit, and one end of each buffer element abuts against the second limiting portion.

11. The active optical cable according to claim 9, characterized in that, The slot includes a main slot and two slot walls located on opposite sides of the main slot, and the pressable arms are respectively located above the slot walls.

12. An optical transceiver for connecting a detachable optical cable, characterized in that, The optical transceiver includes: The housing unit includes a first housing portion and a second housing portion, the first housing portion and the second housing portion together defining a slot for inserting the detachable optical cable; An optoelectronic substrate is disposed on the second housing portion and configured for electro-optic signal conversion and optoelectronic signal conversion; A waveguide device, detachably mounted on the optoelectronic substrate, includes a waveguide base and a waveguide substrate located within the waveguide base; and A fastener is installed in the housing unit, wherein a portion of the fastener is located in the slot for securing the detachable optical cable, so that the optical signal output from the detachable optical cable can be transmitted to the waveguide substrate.

13. The optical transceiver according to claim 12, characterized in that, The waveguide base includes a recess that is exposed at the front end of the waveguide base facing the detachable optical cable, and the waveguide substrate is located in the recess and configured to be optically aligned with the detachable optical cable.

14. The optical transceiver according to claim 12, characterized in that, The fastener includes two limiting rods and a connecting plate connected between the two limiting rods. The two limiting rods are symmetrically arranged at opposite ends of the connecting plate and perpendicular to the connecting plate. Each limiting rod includes a first fixing part that bends toward the slot.

15. The optical transceiver according to claim 14, characterized in that, Each of the limiting rods further includes a second limiting portion protruding toward the slot, wherein two buffer elements are respectively disposed between the limiting rod and the second housing portion, and one end of each buffer element abuts against the second limiting portion.

16. An active optical cable, characterized in that, include: Detachable optical cable, including: Fiber optic unit; and An optical coupling device is attached to one end of the optical fiber unit; and An optical transceiver, detachably connected to the detachable optical cable, wherein the optical transceiver includes: A housing unit that defines a slot for inserting the detachable optical cable; An optoelectronic substrate, disposed within the housing unit, and configured for electro-optical signal conversion and optoelectronic signal conversion; and A waveguide device includes a waveguide base and a waveguide substrate located within the waveguide base, wherein the waveguide base is disposed on the optoelectronic substrate, and wherein the optical coupling device is detachably disposed at a position optically aligned with the waveguide substrate for transmitting optical signals between the waveguide substrate and the optical fiber unit.

17. The active optical cable according to claim 16, characterized in that, The waveguide substrate includes a recess that is exposed at the front end of the waveguide substrate, and the waveguide substrate is located in the recess of the waveguide substrate.

18. The active optical cable according to claim 16, characterized in that, The waveguide substrate includes a recess that is exposed at the front end of the waveguide substrate, and a portion of the edge of the optoelectronic substrate protrudes into the recess to define the waveguide substrate.

19. The active optical cable according to claim 16, characterized in that, The waveguide base includes multiple positioning elements, and the optical coupling device includes multiple attachment parts, with the multiple attachment parts respectively attached to the multiple positioning elements.

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