Optical Fiber Connector Housing with Gap and Deformable Pads
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Solution Overview
Problem
Optical fiber connectors face challenges in maintaining precise alignment and tolerances due to tolerance stackups, which can affect signal transmission quality and reliability, especially when using multiple printed circuit boards and optical fibers.
Innovation Solution
The design incorporates a housing with non-complementary gaps between the upper and lower housing portions and elastically deformable pads to securely hold printed circuit boards in place, allowing for optimal alignment and tolerance adjustments while accommodating variations in assembly forces.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Manufacturing precision
If traditional complementary edges are used to assemble upper and lower housing portions, then the housing structure is simple and easy to manufacture, but tolerance stackups occur causing misalignment of printed circuit boards and optical fibers
Solution Approach 1:
The housing is divided into upper and lower portions that are assembled together, with the gap feature introduced at the interface between these segments. This segmentation allows the gap to compensate for tolerance stackups while maintaining overall structural integrity.
Solution Approach 2:
The gap parameter is introduced between the upper and lower housing portions, changing the geometric parameter from a zero-gap complementary interface to a non-zero gap interface. This parameter change allows for tolerance compensation and improves alignment precision.
2Adaptability or versatility
If rigid housing portions are used to maintain structural stability, then the housing provides good structural support, but it cannot accommodate variations in assembly forces and component dimensions
Solution Approach 1:
Elastomeric pads are introduced between the rigid housing portions and the printed circuit boards. These flexible pads can deform to accommodate variations in assembly forces and component dimensions while the rigid housing maintains overall structural stability.
Solution Approach 2:
The elastically deformable pads introduce dynamic compliance to the otherwise rigid housing structure. These pads can dynamically adjust their deformation based on assembly forces, allowing the housing to adapt to variations without compromising structural strength.
3Productivity
If multiple printed circuit boards are assembled in the housing cavity, then the connector can handle multiple optical fibers and signals, but tolerance stackups between components increase alignment difficulty
Solution Approach 1:
The gap between upper and lower housing portions acts as an intermediary element that absorbs tolerance stackups from multiple printed circuit boards. This intermediary gap allows multiple components to be assembled without cumulative alignment errors affecting signal transmission capacity.
Solution Approach 2:
The gap feature is designed beforehand to cushion against future tolerance stackups that will occur during assembly of multiple printed circuit boards. This pre-designed gap compensates for alignment errors before they can affect the final assembly precision.
4Manufacturing precision
If elastically deformable pads are added to hold printed circuit boards, then alignment flexibility and tolerance accommodation improve, but the device complexity and manufacturing cost increase
Solution Approach 1:
Thin elastically deformable pads are used to hold printed circuit boards. These thin flexible pads provide the necessary alignment flexibility and tolerance accommodation without significantly increasing device complexity or manufacturing cost.
Solution Approach 2:
The elastically deformable pads are designed as simple, inexpensive components that can be easily manufactured and replaced if needed. Their simplicity ensures that the increase in device complexity is minimal while providing significant improvement in placement precision.
Applied Scientific Principles
This section explains which scientific principles are used to turn an abstract innovation direction into a practical engineering solution.
Function Achieved in This Case
This configuration reduces tolerance stackups, ensures secure placement of printed circuit boards, and maintains signal integrity by allowing for flexible alignment and deformation, enhancing the reliability and performance of optical fiber connectors.
Implementation Method 1
at least one printed circuit board in the plurality of printed circuit boards is held in place in the housing cavity by one or more elastically deformable pads
Data Source
AI summary
A plug connector for connecting a cable to a receptacle connector includes a housing (209) comprising an upper housing portion (212) assembled to a lower housing portion (211), the assembled portions defining a cavity (280) within the housing. One or more printed circuit boards (201, 202) are disposed in the housing cavity and a cable (100) is disposed in the housing cavity and connected to printed circuit boards. The assembled upper and lower housing portions define a first housing sidewall comprising an upper sidewall portion (221u) at the upper housing portion and a lower sidewall portion (221b) at the lower housing portion. The upper and lower sidewall portions define a gap (220-1) in the first housing sidewall at an interface between the upper and lower sidewall portions of the first housing sidewall. The gap extends only partially or at least partially along a length of the first housing sidewall.