Fiber Optic Guide Sleeve for Automatic Connector Alignment

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Solution Overview

Problem

Existing imaging systems face misalignment issues during automatic engagement of fiber optic connectors and adapters, leading to potential damage and misalignment complications, especially when using sacrificial adapters or attenuators.

Innovation Solution

The implementation of a guide sleeve with flexible members that guides the fiber optic connector into the adapter, compensating for misalignment by reorienting the connector to ensure proper engagement, whether a sacrificial adapter is present or not.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Productivity

If automatic engagement operation is used to connect fiber optic connector with adapter, then productivity is improved, but misalignment occurs due to tolerance stack-up between connector and adapter

Engineering Contradiction:

Improveengagement operation efficiencyVSAvoidalignment precision

Core Design Contradiction:

ProductivityVSManufacturing precision

Solution Approach 1:

A guide sleeve is introduced as an intermediary component between the fiber optic connector and the adapter. The guide sleeve includes a guide bore with a longitudinal axis that receives the connector, and a guide surface that interacts with the connector during engagement to ensure proper alignment, thereby compensating for tolerance stack-up issues

Inventive Principle:

Principle #24Intermediary (Mediator)

Solution Approach 2:

The guide sleeve performs preliminary alignment of the fiber optic connector before it fully engages with the adapter. The guide surface pre-positions the connector in the correct orientation and location, ensuring that even with automatic engagement and tolerance variations, the connector will be properly aligned during the engagement process

Inventive Principle:

Principle #10Preliminary action

2Reliability

If sacrificial adapter is used to protect fiber end from damage, then reliability is improved, but device complexity increases due to additional components

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvefiber end protectionVSAvoidconnection system structure

Core Design Contradiction:

ReliabilityVSDevice complexity

Solution Approach 1:

The guide sleeve serves multiple functions: it guides the connector into the adapter during engagement, provides alignment through its guide bore and guide surface, and protects the fiber end from damage. By combining these functions into a single component, the need for a separate sacrificial adapter is eliminated, reducing device complexity while maintaining reliability

Inventive Principle:

Principle #6Universality (Multi-functionality)

3Manufacturing precision

If guide sleeve with flexible members is used to compensate misalignment, then alignment precision is improved, but device complexity increases

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvealignment precisionVSAvoidconnector structure

Core Design Contradiction:

Manufacturing precisionVSDevice complexity

Solution Approach 1:

The guide sleeve incorporates flexible members that can deform to accommodate misalignment between the connector and adapter. These flexible members allow the guide sleeve to adapt to tolerance variations and ensure proper alignment without requiring complex adjustment mechanisms, achieving high alignment precision with relatively simple structure

Inventive Principle:

Principle #30Flexible shells and thin films

Data Source

PatentUS20260029587A1Imaging system with fiber optical connection

Publication Date: 2026.01.29 CANON USA INC

AI summary

An optical connection system comprises a fiber optic connector, a fiber optic adapter, and a guide sleeve. The guide sleeve is coupleable with the fiber optic adapter and includes a plurality of flexible members configured to guide the fiber optic connector into the fiber optic adapter to engage the fiber optic connector with the fiber optic adapter.