Device for providing enhanced optical transmission and / or signal loss performance without requiring a physical fiber contact connection

Abstract

A device for providing enhanced optical transmission and signal loss performance without requiring a physical fiber contact connection. The device may include an optical fanout transmission mechanism, assembly, arrangement, adapter, and / or other structure that may be configured to receive an optical signal from a first optical fiber and reflectively or refractively direct the optical signal to a second optical fiber during operation without requiring a physical fiber contact connection, such as a physical splitter or splice fiber contact connection, during operation.

Description

DEVICE FOR PROVIDING ENHANCED OPTICAL TRANSMISSION AND / OR SIGNAL LOSS PERFORMANCE WITHOUT REQUIRING A PHYSICAL FIBER CONTACT CONNECTIONCROSS REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATION

[0001] This application claims the benefit of U.S. Provisional Application No. 63 / 740,594, which was filed on December 31 , 2024, and is currently pending, the disclosure of which is hereby incorporated by reference herein in its entirety.TECHNICAL FIELD

[0002] The present disclosure is directed to a device for providing enhanced optical transmission and / or signal loss performance without requiring a physical fiber contact connection, and may more particularly be directed to, for instance, an optical transmission mechanism, assembly, arrangement, adapter, coupler, and / or other structure that may be configured to provide enhanced optical transmission connectivity between optical fiber connectors and / or enhanced signal loss performance without necessarily requiring a physical splitter or splice fiber contact connection, such as by protecting optical fibers from being subject to such stresses and / or kinking during manufacturing, assembly, and / or operation.BACKGROUND

[0003] As demand for greater digital bandwidth and speed increases, components of a distributed digital network have become more densely positioned. Such dense population of distributed network components may accommodate evolving data transmission needs, but may present physical challenges during installation and subsequent rework operations.

[0004] Although wireless signal pathways may be utilized to conduct data transmission, the relative speed, data security, and bandwidth capabilities of wired data cables cause more widespread use than wireless communication pathways. However, the physical placement of wires, cables, and connectors in denselyconfigured distributed network components create installation, organization, and replacement challenges. For these reasons, it is a continued goal to provide signal carrying cables that efficiently present multiple separate fibers for connection to components with densely populated ports.

[0005] Conventional breakouts of individual fibers from a multi-fiber cable to separate connectors include individual fibers routed through the breakout. Such individual fibers are subject to various stresses during manufacturing, assembly, and / or operation that can lead to kinking of the fibers, which in turn degrades the signal.

[0006] Accordingly, it may be desirable to provide an optical transmission mechanism, assembly, arrangement, adapter, coupler, and / or other structure that is configured to provide enhanced optical transmission between optical fiber connectors and / or enhanced signal loss performance without necessarily requiring an physical splitter or splice fiber contact connection.SUMMARY

[0007] In accordance with various aspects of the disclosure, a device may provide enhanced optical fanout transmission and signal loss performance without requiring a physical splitter or splice fiber contact connection with an optical fanout mechanism. The optical fanout mechanism may have an input portion that may receive a first optical fiber connector that may terminate a first optical fiber carrying an optical signal during operation. An output portion may receive a second optical fiber connector that may terminate a second optical fiber during operation. An optical transmission portion may be disposed between the input portion and the output portion. The optical transmission portion may have an optical component arrangement of optical components that may have optical surface portions that may receive an optical signal from the fiber optical fiber and direct the optical signal to the second optical fiber during operation. The input portion may receive a first optical fiber connector having a first form factor and the output portion may receive a second optical fiber connector having a second form factor different from the first form factor during operation. The optical surface portions may have reflective surfaces and / or refractive surfaces. The optical fanout mechanism may provide enhanced optical fiber transmission and enhanced signal loss performance without requiring a physical splitter or splice fiber contactconnection during operation by causing the optical surface portions to direct the optical signal from the first optical fiber to the second optical fiber without requiring the physical splitter or splice fiber contact connection during operation. The optical fanout mechanism may provide the enhanced signal loss performance by protecting optical fibers from being subject to stresses and / or kinking during manufacturing, assembly, and / or operation. The enhanced signal loss performance may have a 1 dB or less signal loss performance during operation.

[0008] Embodiments of the input portion may receive a multi-fiber connector and the output portion may receive a plurality of single optical fiber connectors. The input portion may receive a plurality of single optical fiber connectors and the output may receive a plurality of single optical fiber connectors, in some embodiments. A pitch between optical fibers at the input portion may be different from a pitch between optical fibers at the output portion, in other embodiments. The optical components, in some embodiments, may have a plurality of prisms that may refractively direct the optical signal to the second optical fiber during operation. Embodiments of the optical surface portions of the optical component arrangement of optical components may have a plurality of mirrors that may reflectively direct the optical signal to the second optical fiber during operation.

[0009] A device, in aspects of the disclosure, may provide enhanced optical fanout transmission and signal loss performance without requiring a fiber contact connection with an optical fanout transmission arrangement. The optical fanout transmission arrangement may have an input portion that may receive a first optical fiber connector that may terminate a first optical fiber carrying an optical signal during operation. An output portion may receive a second optical fiber connector that may terminate a second optical fiber during operation. An optical transmission portion may receive an optical signal from the fiber optical fiber and reflectively or refractively direct the optical signal to the second optical fiber during operation. The input portion may receive a first optical fiber connector having a first form factor and the output portion may receive a second optical fiber connector having a second form factor different from the first form factor during operation. The optical fanout transmission arrangement may provide enhanced optical fiber transmission and enhanced signal loss performance without requiring a fiber contact connection during operation by causing the opticaltransmission portion to reflectively or refractively direct the optical signal to the second optical fiber during operation without requiring the fiber contact connection during operation.

[0010] Embodiments of the optical transmission portion may have reflective surfaces and / or refractive surfaces that may direct the optical signal from the first optical fiber to the second optical fiber with 1 dB of signal loss or less during operation. The optical fanout transmission arrangement may provide the enhanced signal loss performance by protecting optical fibers from being subject to stresses and / or kinking during manufacturing, assembly, and / or operation, in some embodiments. The enhanced signal loss performance may have 1 dB or less signal loss performance during operation, in other embodiments.

[0011] Aspects of the fiber contact connection may have a physical splitter or splice fiber contact connection and the optical fanout transmission arrangement may provide the enhanced optical fiber transmission and the enhanced signal loss performance without requiring the physical splitter or splice fiber contact connection during operation. Some aspects of the input portion may receive a multi-fiber connector and the output portion may receive a plurality of single optical fiber connectors. In other aspects, the input portion may receive a plurality of single optical fiber connectors and the output portion may receive a plurality of single optical fiber connectors. A pitch between optical fibers at the input portion, in some aspects, may be different from a pitch between optical fibers at the output portion. The pitch between the optical fibers at the output portion, in other embodiments, may be greater than the pitch between optical fibers at the input portion.

[0012] In some aspects of the disclosure, a device may provide enhanced optical transmission and signal loss performance without requiring a physical fiber contact connection with an optical transmission structure that may receive an optical signal from a first optical fiber and reflectively or refractively direct the optical signal to a second optical fiber during operation. The optical transmission structure may provide enhanced optical transmission and signal loss performance by reflectively or refractively directing the optical signal from the first optical fiber to the second optical fiber without requiring a physical fiber contact connection during operation.

[0013] Embodiments of the optical transmission structure may reflectively or refractively direct the optical signal from the first optical fiber to the second optical fiber with 1 dB of signal loss or less during operation. In some embodiments, the device may have an input portion that may receive a first optical fiber connector that may terminate the first optical fiber carrying an optical signal during operation and an output portion that may receive a second optical fiber connector that may terminate the second optical fiber during operation. The input portion, in other embodiments, may receive a first optical fiber connector having a first form factor and the output portion may receive a second optical fiber connector having a second form factor that is different from the first form factor.

[0014] In some aspects, a pitch between optical fibers at the input portion may be different from a pitch between optical fibers at the output portion. The optical transmission portion, in other aspects, may have a prism portion having a refractive prism surface portion that may refractively direct the optical signal to the second optical fiber during operation. Aspects of the optical transmission portion may have a mirror portion having a reflective mirror surface portion that may reflectively direct the optical signal to the second optical fiber during operation.

[0015] The optical transmission structure, in some aspects may provide the enhanced optical transmission and signal loss performance by protecting optical fibers from being subject to stresses and / or kinking during manufacturing, assembly, and / or operation. In other aspects, the optical transmission structure may capture light with negligible scattering loss and without light expansion loss to provide a total loss of 0.8dB.BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0016] Further advantages and features of the present disclosure will become apparent from the following description and the accompanying drawings, to which reference is made.

[0017] FIG. 1 is a block representation of portions of a distributed network in which assorted embodiments can be practiced.

[0018] FIG. 2 illustrates aspects of a distributed network arranged and operated in accordance with various embodiments of this disclosure.

[0019] FIG. 3 shows portions of an exemplary signal carrying cable that may be employed in the distributed networks of FIGS. 1 and 2 in embodiments of this disclosure.

[0020] FIG. 4 conveys aspects of multi-fiber cable configured in accordance with assorted embodiments of this disclosure.

[0021] FIG. 5 is a representation of portions of a multi-fiber cable arranged in accordance with various embodiments of this disclosure.

[0022] FIG. 6 illustrates aspects of a multi-fiber cable configured and operated in accordance with some embodiments of this disclosure.

[0023] FIG. 7 shows portions of a multi-fiber cable capable of use in a distributed network in accordance with various embodiments of this disclosure.

[0024] FIG. 8 is a line representation of portions of a multi-fiber cable configured in accordance with various embodiments to operate in a distributed network.DETAILED DESCRIPTION

[0025] Embodiments of the disclosure include a signal carrying cable having multiple separate fiber optic cables that utilize a non-contact, non-fiber expanding adapter to increase the pitch between fiber optic cables.

[0026] Reference will now be made in detail to presently preferred embodiments and methods of the present disclosure, which constitute the best modes of practicing the present disclosure presently known to the inventors. However, it is to be understood that the disclosed embodiments are merely exemplary of the present disclosure that may be embodied in various and alternative forms. Therefore, specific details disclosed herein are not to be interpreted as limiting, but merely as a representative basis for any aspect of the present disclosure and / or as a representative basis for teaching one skilled in the art to variously employ the present disclosure.

[0027] It is also to be understood that this present disclosure is not limited to the specific embodiments and methods described below, as specific components and / or conditions may, of course, vary. Furthermore, the terminology used herein is used only for the purpose of describing particular embodiments of the present disclosure and is not intended to be limiting in any way.

[0028] With ever increasing generation and transmission of data, distributed networks are evolving to provide greater bandwidth and signal speed. Hence, emphasis is placed on minimization of signal loss during data transmission. Yet, conventional signal carrying cables may have relatively large signal loss, particularly in cables that house multiple separate fiber optic cables. Accordingly, various embodiments of a signal carrying cable provide reduced signal loss and expanding fiber optic cable pitches.

[0029] FIG. 1 illustrates a block representation of a distributed network 100 in which assorted embodiments of the present disclosure may be practiced. Any number of sources 110 may be individually, or concurrently, communicating with any number of destinations 120 via one or more signal pathways 130. A signal pathway 130 may provide one-way or two-way signal communications that are transmitted via wired and / or wireless components. For instance, data may travel between sources 110 and destinations 120 via a copper wire, fiber optic cable, or wireless channel.

[0030] The distributed network 100 may employ any number of signal carrying cables to provide selective communications between sources 110 and destinations 120. Some embodiments utilize multiple separate cables to distribute data and digital signals to assigned sources / destinations. Multiple separate signal carrying cables may be physically connected via one or more interconnects 140. As a non-limiting example, an interconnect 140 may split, reduce, repeat, or combine separate cables to allow selective formation of continuous signal pathways 130.

[0031] FIG. 2 illustrates a block representation of portions of a distributed network 200 that employs cabling in accordance with assorted embodiments. With increasing physical density of source port portions 210 and / or destination port portions 220 to accommodate greater network bandwidth, cable portions 230 have been structurally configured to incorporate multiple individual signal pathways 130. As shown in FIG. 2,a single cable portion 230 connects a single source port portion 210 of a source device 110 to multiple separate destination port portion 220, which may be part of one or more destination devices 120.

[0032] While the single cable portion 230 may have the constituent signal pathways 130 bundled from the source port portion 210 to a single destination port portion 220 to allow the destination device 120, various embodiments arrange the cable portion 230 to provide a single connector portion 240 that bundles separate signal pathways 130 on a first end and separates signal pathways 130 to terminate with physically separate connectors engaging the destination port portions 220 on a second end. As such, at some distance along the length of the cable portion 230, the individual signal pathways 130 are separated from the bundled group in what may be characterized as a breakout region.

[0033] It is noted that the breakout region of the connector portion 240 may comprise one or more component, such as a guide, adapter, or coupler, that physically separates signal pathways 130, such as fiber optic cables, to allow individual termination with connectors 240 that may physically engage separate destination port portions 220 as part of simplex, duplex, or quad connections. However, the physical separation of fiber optic cables may pose challenges due to the rigidity and fragility corresponding with optical signal transmission. Hence, the breakout region of the connector portion 240 may employ one or more optical elements to aid the physical separation of fiber optic cables from a bundled arrangement that has a static, small physical pitch between cables to a separated arrangement where the physical pitch between cables is larger and potentially variable due to the flexibility of a jacketed fiber optic cable over a length.

[0034] FIG. 3 illustrates a line representation of portions of a signal carrying cable 300 that may be utilized in the distributed network 200 of FIG. 2 in accordance with various embodiments. The cable 300 has a plurality of fiber optic cables 310 that may individually and concurrently communicate signals in one or more directions between sources and destinations, as shown in FIGS. 1 and 2. A contacting optics portion 320 (alternatively referred to as a fiberless optics portion 320, a non-fiber required optic portion 320, or an optics portion 320 that does not require a physical fiber contact connection, such as a splitter or spliced fiber contact connection) operates on a firstfiber optic cable 312 while a fiber optics portion 330 operates on a second fiber optic cable 314 to increase a bundled pitch distance (P1) between a first cable 312 and a second cable 314 to a breakout pitch distance (P2).

[0035] Although not limiting, embodiments of the contacting optics portion 320 utilize lens portions 322 on the respective first fiber optic cable 312 and first breakout cable 316 to allow optical signal transmission while expanding the pitch of the first fiber optic cable 312. The contacting optics portion 320 may attach each lens portion 322 to the respective cables 312 / 316 and subsequently align the lens portions 322 to minimize signal loss or introduction of unwanted noise. However, despite physical contact of the lens portions 322, optical signal losses may be introduced, such as Fresnel losses, losses to air, and internal lens 322 losses. It is contemplated that the contacting optics portion 320 may provide cable-to-cable physical contact without the lens portions 322, but such arrangement may also pose signal loss challenges.

[0036] Embodiments of the fiber optics portion 330 employ a unitary lens portion 332 the physically connects the second fiber optic cable 314 to a second breakout cable 318. The lens portion 332 may be permanently attached to, or floating between, the respective cables 314 / 318 to facilitate one-way, or two-way, signal communications. The lens portion 332, in some embodiments, is a fiber optic cable (alternatively referred to as an optical fiber cable) with matching, or dissimilar size, shape, and / or optical properties compared to the respective optic cables 314 / 318 that the lens portion 332 connects.

[0037] The ability to employ assorted different types of connections to expand the pitch between the respective fiber optic cables 312 / 314 allows for customization of the breakout region 340 to accommodate different cable capabilities, such as signal loss, flexibility, and reliability over time. Despite the customization options with physically contacting or other fiber-based connections that expands the pitch between fiber optic cables, the correct installation of the respective portions 320 / 330 may pose challenges and be time consuming. For instance, alignment of the lens portions 322 and / or separate fiber optic cables 314 / 318 to the unitary lens portion 332 may be difficult to create without inducing signal losses and may be time intensive, particularly for relatively large expansions in pitch distances.

[0038] Accordingly, embodiments of a cable 300 having multiple fiber optic cables 312 / 314 utilize optical means to increase the pitch between the cables to allow individual cable termination, articulation, and port engagement. FIG. 4 illustrates aspects of a multi-fiber cable 400 structurally configured in accordance with various embodiments to increase pitch distance between fiber optic portions. As shown, the cable 400 extends from a first terminal 410, such as a simplex or duplex connector, with multiple fiber optic cores 420 packaged with a first pitch 430 that enters an optical optics portion 440 that expands to a greater pitch 450 and separates the respective fiber optic cable cores 420 to allow for individual terminations 460.

[0039] It is noted that the bundled fiber optic cable cores 420 may have matching, or varying, pitch distances 430 along the cable’s length into the optics portion 440. Similarly, the separated cores 420 may have variable pitch distances 450 and may be structurally configured to have flexibility along their respective length from the optics portion 440. Hence, the optics portion 440 may accommodate the expansion of a variety of different pitch.

[0040] By structurally configuring the optics portion 440 to optically expand the bundled cable pitch 430 to the separated cable pitches 450, signal losses may be minimized, installation efficiency is increased, and cable 400 reliability is heightened compared to pitch expanding connections that utilize physically contacting or fiber lens aspects, as shown in FIG. 3. The use of optical guides in the optics portion 440 to expand the respective pitches 430 allows for custom pitch distances 450 by physically adjusting the size of the optics portion 440 and / or the structural configuration of optical beam redirecting elements of the optics portion 440.

[0041] FIG. 5 illustrates portions of a signal carrying cable 500 comprising multiple fiber optic cables that are expanded and separated with an optics portion 510 in accordance with various embodiments. As shown, the optics portion 510 may be structurally configured with a variety of different prisms 520 positioned and oriented to refract and transmit signal carrying light from a trunk fiber optic cable 530 to a breakout fiber optic cable 540.

[0042] It is noted that the respective prisms 520 may have different sizes, shapes, and number of surfaces to divert an optical beam 525 to a predetermined angle andpitch relative to a source trunk fiber optic cable 530. As such, the optics portion 510 may be customized to provide different pitch expansions by altering the size, position, and / or number of surfaces of one or more constituent prisms 520 of the optics portion 510. Some embodiments of the optics portion 510, and constituent prisms 520, are structurally configured to provide different pitch distances between fiber optic cables 540 while other embodiments arrange prisms 520 to provide matching pitch distances between fiber optic cables 540.

[0043] The construction of the assorted prisms 520 is not limited, but may provide minimal signal loss by converging expanding optical beams with specific prism radii. That is, prisms 520 of the optics portion 510 may have surfaces with angles and / or radii that direct light towards a breakout fiber optic cable 540 with minimal losses due to expanding optical beams as a result of the transition from trunk cable 530 to breakout cable 540. Construction of the prims 520 may further result in surfaces with custom lengths that encompass diverging beams based on the optics angle. Despite the customization of the assorted prisms 520, the optics portion 510 may suffer from degraded performance and / or reliability if the various fiber optic cables 530 / 540 do not properly align with the prisms 520.

[0044] Hence, some embodiments of the optics portion 510 incorporate alignment features to promote proper physical position of the prisms 520 over time. FIG. 6 illustrates aspects of a multi-fiber cable 600 structurally configured in accordance with various embodiments to provide predetermined optical alignment of fiber optic cables 530 / 540. The cable 600 has a single jacketed input 610 that is transitioned to a plurality of jacketed outputs 620 by a optics portion 630. It is noted that the optics portion 630 may utilize any number, type, size, and position of optical components, such as mirrors, prisms, or combination thereof, to physically separate fiber optic cables from the input 610 to the respective outputs 620.

[0045] As shown, the optics portion 630 is structurally configured with a number of alignment portions 640 that allow for proper physical positioning of the optics portion 630 relative to external components. For instance, the alignment portions 640 may respectively be rigid male pins or female pin receptacles that allow the optics portion 630 to be securely aligned with one or more external components, such as a port, device, ferrule, connector, or cable suspension, which are shown as segmented boxesin FIG. 6. Embodiments of the alignment portions 640 concurrently provide different mechanisms to promote fiber optic cable alignment with the optics portion 630 so that signal loss through the optics portion 630 is minimized.

[0046] FIG. 7 illustrates aspects of a multi-fiber cable 700 structurally configured in accordance with various embodiments to utilize reflective surfaces 710 to optically transition and expand the pitch (P) between fiber optic cables 720. The use of reflective surfaces 710, such as mirrors or coated substrates, in the optics portion 730 allow for efficient optical transition from a first pitch (P1) to one or more greater pitches (P2).

[0047] Some embodiments of the optics portion 730 employ cut-extrusions that are metalized to make mirror reflective surfaces 710. Such mirrored design may be independent of the refractive index of glass, but may add absorption losses based on the metal absorption coefficient of the material. It is noted that there is no loss in total internal reflection with metalized cut-extrusions. While a glass substrate may be structurally configured to provide reflective surfaces 710, it is contemplated that the optics portion 730 may be configured to integrate reflective surfaces 710 on a substrate with air between the surfaces 710.

[0048] In practice, a prism-based optics portion 730 may have four Fresnel reflections that produce .8dB of signal loss. The use of mirror reflective surfaces 710 on a glass substrate may add absorption losses to four Fresnel reflections to produce 1dB of signal loss. Meanwhile, integrating mirrored reflective surfaces 710 on a substrate with free space between the surfaces 710 reduce the Fresnel reflections to two and produce .6dB of signal loss.

[0049] With the optical transition provided by prisms or mirrored reflective surfaces, optical size is structurally configured to be large enough to encompass expanding light. Yet, optical size may not exceed double the size of a curvature. It is noted that for prism-based optics portions, the incident angle may be larger than a critical angle. Various embodiments of a optics portion arrange optical size to be wide enough to encompass a whole expanding beam spot as the beam expands and propagates. As a beam expands, curvature may be added to one or more optical aspects of an optics portion to converge the light. Accordingly, focal lengths may becalculated to preserve optical signal strength and quality while expanding from an input pitch to an output pitch.

[0050] As a result of the assorted calculations and optical considerations in structurally configuring the reflective, or refractive, aspects of a optics portion, signal losses may be minimized as a multi-fiber bundle of fiber optic cables is expanded and separated. FIG. 8 illustrates a line representation of a multi-fiber cable 800 that transitions fiber optic cables in accordance with various embodiments. The end-view of a first region of the cable 800 shows how multiple, separate fiber optic cables may be packaged within a single jacket 810 with a first pitch 820.

[0051] A optics portion 830 provides optical expansion and separation of the respective fiber optic cables. It is noted that the optics portion 830 may contain any number of reflective, or refractive, surfaces that are positioned and sized to provide a predetermined expansion to one or more output pitches 840. That is, the optical aspects contained within the optics portion 830 of the cable 800 may be arranged to provide customized output pitches 840 that may be matching, or dissimilar between the assorted fiber optic cables.

[0052] With the fiber optic cables separated on the output side of the optics portion 830, separate cable jackets 850 may protect the respective cables while allowing some flexibility over a distance. Some embodiments of the cable 800 terminate the respective fiber optic cables with connectors that allow for engagement with selected ports and devices. For instance, each separate fiber optic cable may be terminated with a simplex connector 860 of a selected type. As shown, different fiber optic cables may be terminated with a duplex connector 870, which corresponds with multiple fiber optic cables being combined at the connector 870 despite being contained in separate jackets 850. Similarly, separated fiber optic cables may be terminated in a quad connector (not shown).

[0053] Through the use of an optics portion that optically transitions a multi-fiber cable into separate, individual cables, fiber optic cable pitch may efficiently be expanded. The lack of contacting lenses or intervening fibers to expand the pitch of a multi-fiber cable allows for relatively low signal loss through the cable. The customization of the optical aspects of an optics portion further allows for differentpitch expansions and physical cable sizes that are conducive to different fiber optic cable environments.

[0054] Embodiments of a connector may provide non-fiber-based expansion (alternatively referred to as a non-fiber required expansion) of a fiber pitch by directing light from an array of fibers with any number of fibers to single fibers using prisms or mirrors. A prism-based connector, in accordance with some embodiments, may use an integrated optics, such as 24 integrated optics with 12 inputs and 12 outputs. Some embodiments utilize reflective surfaces while other embodiments utilize refractive surfaces. In the case of refractive surfaces, the surfaces are Total Internal Reflection (TIR) surfaces that reflect 100% of light toward the receiving side surfaces. The TIR could be a glass chip with cut-extruded prisms with the setup that light travels from fiber to air, air to glass, refraction from the first surface, refraction from the second surface, from glass to air, and finally from air to fiber. Sources of loss may be: Fresnel Reflections in changing media from fiber to air, then from air to glass on the input side and then Fresnel Reflections in changing media from lens to air and air to fiber on the receiving side.

[0055] The mirror-based (reflective-based) embodiments could be the same as prism-based described above, a glass chip with cut-extrusions. A difference, in accordance with some embodiments, is that the cut-extruded surfaced should be metalized to make mirrors or reflective surfaces. Sources of loss may be: Fresnel Reflections in changing media from fiber to air and from air to lens on the on the input side, then two absorptions by mirrors, and finally Fresnel Reflections in changing media from lens to air and air to fiber on the receiving side. The mirror-based product could, in some embodiments, be two arrays of mirrors sitting on a same substrate. So, light exits from fiber and gets reflected two times from two mirrors and then launched back into fiber. Sources of loss may be: Fresnel Reflections in changing media from fiber to air, then two absorptions by mirrors, and finally Fresnel Reflections in changing media from air to fiber on the receiving side.

[0056] Connector embodiments may be used as an adapter between two duplex connectors with different footprints, such as MDC to LC duplex. Embodiments may be designed between any numbers of single fiber connector to another type of single fiber connector, like 12 x LC to 12 x SC or 8 x FC to 8 x SC. The connector may be a non-physical contact connector, or a physical contact connector, with springs on the connectors to be attached to this optics and have index matching gel between connector and optics. A connector, in some embodiments, may be an alternative for all cassettes with Multifiber connector on one side, Single fiber connector on the other side and, a fanout inside the cassette.

[0057] It is contemplated that a connector may be a used as an adapter between single fibers to single fibers, such as 6 SC connector to 3 x SN connectors. The fiber in the input or output side could be in any angle, in various embodiments. A connector may be called an adapter, a coupler, a fanout, shuffle, etc.

[0058] In accordance with some embodiments, to expand the beam, a Graded Index (GRIN) lens may provide a multi-mode fiber with graded index profile which is spliced to the single mode fiber that expands the beam to a bigger Mode Field Diameter (MFD). It is contemplated that, to expand the beam, a ferrule may be employed with coupled lens for single fiber connectors. Embodiments of a connector may have expanded beam connectors for multi-fiber, where the collimating lens is glued to the fiber. In other embodiments, an Air Gap technology may be employed.

[0059] Various embodiments of a connector may be characterized as an expanded beam connector with the optics installed on fibers. However, in the adapter product the optics may be positioned in the middle and may be integrated to prevent alignment issues. A connector may be configured as a contact-less, non-fiber-based optics to direct the light from fibers side 1 to side 2 using refractive surfaces, which could be mirrors or prisms with each surface having its own specific radius of curvature to converge the expanding beam. It is contemplated that each surface may have its own angle to direct the light towards the receiving fiber. Each surface of a connector may have its own length to encompass the diverging beam completely based on the optics angle.

[0060] For the alignment purposes, a connector may have pin-guides to align the multi-fiber ferrule to the optics array. On the single fiber side, the product may have sleeves for the single fiber ferrules, In some embodiments, a single fiber connectors on both sides, the sleeve alignment method may be used on both sides. In case ofhaving MT-connectors on both sides, the pin-guide alignment method may be used on both sides. The half-adapters may be integrated into the optics.

[0061] A connector, in some embodiments, may be similar to the prism design with a difference of cut-extrusions that are metalized to make mirrors. With that step added, a connector may be independent of refractive index of the glass and there may not be a TIR requirement, however the mirrors may add absorption loss based on the metal absorption coefficient. It is noted that is no loss with TIR (Total Internal Reflection).

[0062] In comparison of loss of Prism-based to Mirror-based, all light may be supposed to be captured by optics and there is negligible scattering loss and may not use index matching gel and without light expansion loss, which may correspond with two matings on the MPO and LC side and a total loss of 0.8dB.

[0063] Embodiments may configure the optics size to be large enough to encompass the expanding light. The optics size may not exceed the double the size of curvature. The incident angle may be larger than critical angle (applicable to the prism design). The optics size may be wide enough to encompass the expanding beam. Embodiments may be cassettes that are fiber based, in which fibers may be rated in a cassette, fixed in flexible PCB ,or Low-pressure mold (LPM). With fibers not protected in PCB / LMP embodiments, a connector is not fiber-based and may come in one piece with zero assembly time for the fanout and there is no need for the LPM. A connector, in some embodiments, may be used between Multi-Fiber to Multi-Fiber connectors, single fiber to multi-fiber connectors, and single fiber to single fiber connectors. Aspects of a connector may be used as the adapter between two duplex connectors with different footprints like MDC and LC duplex.

[0064] A breakout connector, in accordance with some embodiments, may be configured to enlarge a pitch between fiber optic cores with an input portion, an output portion, and a breakout portion. An input portion, such as input 610, may bay multiple fiber optic cores, such as cores 720. An output portion, as illustrated in FIGS. 4-8, may provide each fiber optic fiber for connection to an external device, such as destination 120. A breakout portion, such as optics portion 510 / 630 / 730 / 830, disposed between the input portion and the output portion. Each fiber optic core may be separated by an input pitch distance, such as P1 in the input portion and by an output pitch distance,such as P2, in the output portion with the output pitch distance configured to be greater than the input pitch distance.

[0065] The breakout portion, in some embodiments, may have optical portions, such as prisms 520, positioned to enlarge the input pitch distance to the output pitch distance. Embodiments of the breakout portion may position a pair of optical portions to alter a beam portion, as shown in FIG. 7, from each fiber optic core. Each pair of optical portions may deviate a beam portion from a fiber optic core of the plurality of fiber optic cores in an angle relative to a longitudinal axis of the breakout portion, as illustrated in FIGS. 5 and 7. Each pair of optical portions may deviate a beam portion from a fiber optic core of the plurality of fiber optic cores from an orientation parallel to the longitudinal axis of the breakout portion at the input portion to an orientation parallel to the longitudinal axis of the breakout portion at the output portion, as illustrated in FIGS. 5 and 7. Each pair of optical portions may have different shapes, as shown in FIGS. 5 and 7. The optical surfaces may be reflective or refractive with a structural configuration to provide one decibel of signal loss or less.

[0066] In accordance with various aspects, the pitch distance (P1 / P2) may correspond with the type of connector coupled to fibers from the input portion and the output portion, respectively. For instance, a pitch distance may have a 2:1 , or 1 :2, ratio when LC type connectors are employed on one side (input / output) and SC type connectors are employed on the opposite side (input / output). In some embodiments, a pitch of fibers in an 8 fiber MPO connector to 8 separate LC type connectors may have a pitch of a predetermined distance. Other embodiments may arrange a pitch distance to accommodate a 12 fiber MPO connector on the input portion and 12 separate LC type connectors on the output portion by providing an output pitch distance (P2) conducive to such separation.

[0067] It is contemplated that various other connector arrangements may correspond with different pitch distances. As a non-limiting example, an LC Duplex connector with a pitch distance of X may translate to 2 LC Simplex type connectors with a pitch distance of Y. Other examples may have LC Quad type connectors connected to 2 LC Duplex connectors, or 4 Simplex connectors. It is contemplated that an input portion may receive SC Duplex connectors while the output portion may have 2 SC Simplex connectors. SC Duplex connector(s) to LC Duplex connector(s)may also be accommodated by the pitch distances of the input portion and the output portion.

[0068] In accordance with some embodiments, a standard LC type connector may translate to Mini LC type connectors, or vice versa, with the respective input portion and output portion, along with the corresponding different pitch distances (P1 / P2). Another aspect may configure a CS type connector to translate to LC Duplex type connector(s), or vice versa, with differing pitch distances.

[0069] Additional embodiments include any one of the embodiments described above, where one or more of its components, functionalities or structures is interchanged with, replaced by or augmented by one or more of the components, functionalities or structures of a different embodiment described above. It should be understood that various changes and modifications to the embodiments described herein will be apparent to those skilled in the art. Such changes and modifications can be made without departing from the spirit and scope of the present disclosure and without diminishing its intended advantages. It is therefore intended that such changes and modifications be covered by the appended claims.

[0070] Although several embodiments of the disclosure have been disclosed in the foregoing specification, it is understood by those skilled in the art that many modifications and other embodiments of the disclosure will come to mind to which the disclosure pertains, having the benefit of the teaching presented in the foregoing description and associated drawings. It is thus understood that the disclosure is not limited to the specific embodiments disclosed herein above, and that many modifications and other embodiments are intended to be included within the scope of the appended claims. Moreover, although specific terms are employed herein, as well as in the claims which follow, they are used only in a generic and descriptive sense, and not for the purposes of limiting the present disclosure, nor the claims which follow.

Claims

What is claimed is:

1. A device for providing enhanced optical fanout transmission and signal loss performance without requiring a physical splitter or splice fiber contact connection comprising:an optical fanout mechanism comprising:an input portion configured to receive a first optical fiber connector that is configured to terminate a first optical fiber carrying an optical signal during operation;an output portion configured to receive a second optical fiber connector that is configured to terminate a second optical fiber during operation;an optical transmission portion disposed between the input portion and the output portion;wherein the optical transmission portion comprises an optical component arrangement of optical components comprising optical surface portions configured to receive an optical signal from the fiber optical fiber and direct the optical signal to the second optical fiber during operation;wherein the input portion is configured to receive a first optical fiber connector having a first form factor, and the output portion is configured to receive a second optical fiber connector having a second form factor different from the first form factor during operation;wherein the optical surface portions comprise reflective surfaces and / or refractive surfaces;wherein the optical fanout mechanism is configured to provide enhanced optical fiber transmission and enhanced signal loss performance without requiring a physical splitter or splice fiber contact connection during operation by causing the optical surface portions to direct the optical signal from the first optical fiber to the second optical fiber without requiring the physical splitter or splice fiber contact connection during operation;wherein the optical fanout mechanism is configured to provide the enhanced signal loss performance by protecting optical fibers from beingsubject to stresses and / or kinking during manufacturing, assembly, and / or operation; andwherein the enhanced signal loss performance comprises 1 dB or less signal loss performance during operation.

2. The device of claim 1 , wherein the input portion is configured to receive a multifiber connector, and the output portion is configured to receive a plurality of single optical fiber connectors.

3. The device of claim 1, wherein the input portion is configured to receive a plurality of single optical fiber connectors, and the output portion is configured to receive a plurality of single optical fiber connectors.

4. The device of claim 2 or claim 3, wherein a pitch between optical fibers at the input portion is different from a pitch between optical fibers at the output portion.

5. The device of any one of claims 1 to 3, wherein the optical components comprise a plurality of prisms that are configured to refractively direct the optical signal to the second optical fiber during operation.

6. The device of any one of claims 1 to 3, wherein the optical surface portions of the optical component arrangement of optical components comprise a plurality of mirrors that are configured to reflectively direct the optical signal to the second optical fiber during operation.

7. A device for providing enhanced optical fanout transmission and signal loss performance without requiring a fiber contact connection comprising:an optical fanout transmission arrangement comprising:an input portion configured to receive a first optical fiber connector that is configured to terminate a first optical fiber carrying an optical signal during operation;an output portion configured to receive a second optical fiber connector that is configured to terminate a second optical fiber during operation;an optical transmission portion configured to receive an optical signal from the fiber optical fiber and reflectively or refractively direct the optical signal to the second optical fiber during operation;wherein the input portion is configured to receive a first optical fiber connector having a first form factor, and the output portion is configured to receive a second optical fiber connector having a second form factor different from the first form factor during operation; and wherein the optical fanout transmission arrangement is configured to provide enhanced optical fiber transmission and enhanced signal loss performance without requiring a fiber contact connection during operation by causing the optical transmission portion to reflectively or refractively direct the optical signal to the second optical fiber during operation without requiring the fiber contact connection during operation.

8. The device of claim 7, wherein the optical transmission portion comprises reflective surfaces and / or refractive surfaces that are structurally configured to direct the optical signal from the first optical fiber to the second optical fiber with 1 dB of signal loss or less during operation.

9. The device of claim 7, wherein the optical fanout transmission arrangement is configured to provide the enhanced signal loss performance by protecting optical fibers from being subject to stresses and / or kinking during manufacturing, assembly, and / or operation.

10. The device of claim 7, wherein the enhanced signal loss performance comprises 1 dB or less signal loss performance during operation.

11. The device of claim 7, wherein the fiber contact connection comprises a physical splitter or splice fiber contact connection, and the optical fanout transmission arrangement is configured to provide the enhanced optical fibertransmission and the enhanced signal loss performance without requiring the physical splitter or splice fiber contact connection during operation.

12. The device of claim 7, wherein the input portion is configured to receive a multifiber connector, and the output portion is configured to receive a plurality of single optical fiber connectors.

13. The device of claim 7, wherein the input portion is configured to receive a plurality of single optical fiber connectors, and the output portion is configured to receive a plurality of single optical fiber connectors.

14. The device of claim 12 or claim 13, wherein a pitch between optical fibers at the input portion is different from a pitch between optical fibers at the output portion.

15. The device of claim 14 wherein the pitch between the optical fibers at the output portion is greater than the pitch between optical fibers at the input portion.16,. A device for providing enhanced optical transmission and signal loss performance without requiring a physical fiber contact connection comprising:an optical transmission structure configured to receive an optical signal from a first optical fiber and reflectively or refractively direct the optical signal to a second optical fiber during operation; andwherein the optical transmission structure is structurally configured to provide enhanced optical transmission and signal loss performance by reflectively or refractively directing the optical signal from the first optical fiber to the second optical fiber without requiring a physical fiber contact connection during operation.

17. The device of claim 16, wherein the optical transmission structure is structurally configured to reflectively or refractively direct the optical signal from the first optical fiber to the second optical fiber with 1 dB of signal loss or less during operation.

18. The device of claim 16, further comprising an input portion configured to receive a first optical fiber connector that is configured to terminate the first optical fiber carrying an optical signal during operation, and an output portion configured to receive a second optical fiber connector that is configured to terminate the second optical fiber during operation.

19. The device of claim 18, wherein the input portion is configured to receive a first optical fiber connector having a first form factor, and the output portion is configured to receive a second optical fiber connector having a second form factor that is different from the first form factor.

20. The device of claim 16, wherein a pitch between optical fibers at the input portion is different from a pitch between optical fibers at the output portion.

21. The device of claim 16, wherein the optical transmission portion comprises a prism portion having a refractive prism surface portion that is configured to refractively direct the optical signal to the second optical fiber during operation.

22. The device of claim 16, wherein the optical transmission portion comprises a mirror portion having a reflective mirror surface portion that is configured to reflectively direct the optical signal to the second optical fiber during operation.

23. The device of claim 16, wherein the optical transmission structure is configured to provide the enhanced optical transmission and signal loss performance by protecting optical fibers from being subject to stresses and / or kinking during manufacturing, assembly, and / or operation.

24. The device of claim 16, wherein the optical transmission structure is configured to capture light with negligible scattering loss and without light expansion loss to provide a total loss of 0.8dB.

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