Optical Fiber Holder Confinement Slots for Transceiver Routing
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Solution Overview
Problem
Optical transceivers face challenges in maintaining optical efficiency and preventing damage to intermediate optical fibers due to acute bending and overcrowding within small form-factor housings, which can lead to signal attenuation and manufacturing issues, particularly in scaling down while maintaining performance.
Innovation Solution
An optical fiber holder with confinement slots is introduced to maintain a minimum bend radius for intermediate optical fibers, allowing for secure routing and repositioning without adhesives, thereby reducing the risk of damage and improving manufacturing efficiency.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Volume of moving object
If optical transceivers are scaled down to smaller form factors, then device size is reduced, but fiber routing becomes more difficult and fibers are more prone to acute bending and damage
Solution Approach 1:
The housing is divided into multiple compartments, each dedicated to routing specific intermediate optical fibers. This segmentation allows organized fiber placement and prevents tangling or acute bending, even in compact form factors.
Solution Approach 2:
Confinement slots act as intermediary structures between the fiber optic cables and the housing walls. These slots provide a controlled pathway that maintains proper fiber bend radius and prevents direct contact with housing surfaces that could cause damage.
2Adaptability or versatility
If more intermediate optical fibers are routed through the housing, then channel density increases, but fiber overcrowding occurs leading to increased risk of damage and manufacturing difficulties
Solution Approach 1:
Multiple separate confinement slots are provided within the housing, allowing numerous intermediate optical fibers to be routed through distinct pathways. This prevents overcrowding and makes the assembly process more manageable, maintaining high channel density while improving manufacturing yield.
Solution Approach 2:
The confinement slots are positioned at different locations and orientations within the housing, utilizing three-dimensional space efficiently. This allows multiple fibers to be routed without overlapping or interfering with each other, accommodating high channel density.
3Stability of the object's composition
If adhesive is used to secure intermediate optical fibers in place, then fiber positioning is improved, but manufacturing complexity and potential damage during application increase
Solution Approach 1:
The confinement slots provide mechanical retention through their physical geometry rather than requiring adhesives. The slots are designed with dimensions that naturally hold the fibers in place through friction and geometric constraint, eliminating the need for additional adhesive application steps.
Solution Approach 2:
The adhesive securing step is completely removed from the manufacturing process. Instead, the housing structure itself provides the securing function through the confinement slots, simplifying the assembly process and reducing potential points of failure.
Data Source
AI summary
An optical fiber holder is disclosed herein that includes at least one confinement slot for routing intermediate optical fibers within a housing of an optical assembly module, and preferably, a plurality of confinement slots for maintaining a target/nominal fiber bending radius for one or more intermediate optical fibers within the housing. Preferably, the optical fiber holder is disposed within the housing of an optical subassembly between an optical component, e.g., a TOSA arrangement and/or ROSA arrangement, and optical coupling receptacles, e.g., LC coupling receptacles, for optically coupling with external fibers for sending and/or receiving optical signals.