Optical Fiber Connector with Relaxed Alignment Tolerance
Find Innovative SolutionsGenerate Solutions
Solution Overview
Problem
Conventional optical fiber connectors are costly and have high alignment tolerance requirements, making them unsuitable for disposable medical devices, such as photonic needles, where low-cost and simplified manufacturing processes are necessary.
Innovation Solution
An optical fiber connector design that includes a buffer layer surrounding the cladding layer of the optical fiber, which simplifies the manufacturing process, reduces mechanical stress, and allows for relaxed alignment tolerances, using an alignment sleeve and optional positive lens with an air gap to improve alignment and reduce wear.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Manufacturing precision
If conventional optical fiber connectors are used to ensure high alignment accuracy and low insertion losses, then optical performance is improved, but manufacturing cost increases and manufacturing complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent applies the disposable principle by designing an optical fiber connector intended for single-use in medical applications. The connector is manufactured with simpler, lower-cost processes suitable for disposal after one use, eliminating the need for expensive high-precision manufacturing while maintaining adequate performance for the intended application lifecycle.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent changes the alignment tolerance parameter from tight (conventional) to relaxed (this invention), accepting higher misalignment tolerance in exchange for simplified manufacturing. This parameter change enables the use of lower-cost manufacturing processes while maintaining sufficient optical performance for disposable medical devices.
2Manufacturing precision
If conventional optical fiber connectors are used to ensure high alignment accuracy, then optical performance is improved, but the number of mating cycles decreases due to mechanical wear
Solution Approach 1:
The patent introduces an intermediary air gap between the optical fiber end faces, replacing direct physical contact. This air gap acts as a mediator that prevents mechanical wear and dust contamination while maintaining optical coupling through the expanded beam, thereby increasing the number of mating cycles the connector can withstand.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent employs lens elements that create an expanded spherical beam profile, allowing the optical interface to occur within the expanded beam region rather than at a sharp point contact. This curvature-based approach distributes the optical interaction over a larger area, reducing mechanical stress and wear.
3Loss of energy
If physical contact connectors are used to achieve low insertion loss, then optical performance is improved, but mechanical wear increases and lifetime decreases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent introduces an intermediary air gap between the optical fiber end faces, replacing direct physical contact. This air gap acts as a mediator that prevents mechanical wear and dust contamination while maintaining optical coupling through the expanded beam, thereby increasing the number of mating cycles the connector can withstand.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent employs lens elements that create an expanded spherical beam profile, allowing the optical interface to occur within the expanded beam region rather than at a sharp point contact. This curvature-based approach distributes the optical interaction over a larger area, reducing mechanical stress and wear.
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
The solution results in a low-cost, robust optical fiber connector with improved alignment and reduced wear, suitable for disposable medical devices, while maintaining effective light transfer and minimizing misalignment-induced losses.
Implementation Method 1
an alignment sleeve that is arranged coaxially with the bore
Implementation Method 2
a positive lens that is arranged within the alignment sleeve
Implementation Method 3
wherein there is an air gap between the end face of the optical fiber and the positive lens
Implementation Method 4
the cladding layer is surrounded by a buffer layer for at least a portion of the axial extent of the optical fiber
Data Source
Figure 1~3
Figure 4~6
Figure 7~8
AI summary
The present invention relates to an optical fiber connector arrangement that finds application in the general field of optical interconnection. The optical fiber connector arrangement (935) comprises a first optical fiber connector (922) including a first optical fiber (905) and a counterpart optical fiber connector (923) including a counterpart optical fiber (925); wherein the first optical fiber connector (922) is configured to mate with the counterpart optical fiber connector (923). The first optical fiber (905) of the first optical fiber connector (922) has a core diameter D1 and a Numerical Aperture NA1; and the counterpart optical fiber (925) of the counterpart optical fiber connector (923) has a counterpart core diameter D2 and a counterpart Numerical Aperture NA2. At least one of the ratio (D1/D2) or the ratio (NA1/NA2) either exceeds 1.15 or is less than 0.85.