Fibre Optic Plug Lens Coupling for Mixed-Core Cable Connections
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing technologies struggle to connect hollow core fibre optic cables with full core fibre optic cables or cables of different diameters without significant signal attenuation, particularly in plug-and-play configurations.
Innovation Solution
A fibre optic cable plug with a lens system that focuses a beam bundle from a hollow core fibre optic cable onto the exit surface of a second fibre optic cable, allowing for precise alignment and sealing to minimize external influences, using anti-reflective coatings and pre-loading devices for optimal signal transmission.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If hollow core fibres are used to conduct light, then advantages over full core fibres are achieved, but the field diameter is about twice as large making connection to full core fibres difficult
Solution Approach 1:
A lens is introduced as an intermediary component between the hollow core fibre and the full core fibre. The lens receives the light beam from the hollow core fibre and focuses it onto the full core fibre, enabling coupling between fibres of different field diameters. This mediator transforms the incompatible beam profiles into compatible ones.
Solution Approach 2:
The lens changes the physical parameters of the light beam, specifically focusing the beam to reduce its diameter from the hollow core fibre's larger field diameter to match the smaller field diameter of the full core fibre. This parameter transformation enables compatible connection between different fibre types.
2Ease of operation
If plug connections are used to detachably connect fibre optic cables, then ease of operation is improved, but signal attenuation increases compared to splicing
Solution Approach 1:
The lens acts as a mediator in the plug connection, enabling precise alignment and focusing of light beams between connectors. This reduces misalignment losses and maintains lower signal attenuation while preserving the detachable connection advantage.
Solution Approach 2:
The lens performs preliminary focusing of the light beam before it enters the receiving fibre, ensuring optimal coupling conditions are established in advance. This preliminary action minimizes signal loss at the connection interface.
3Device complexity
If hollow core fibres are connected without a lens system, then device complexity is reduced, but precise alignment and focusing cannot be achieved
Solution Approach 1:
The lens serves as a precision intermediary that handles the complex alignment and focusing requirements. By offloading these precision requirements to the lens rather than requiring precise mechanical alignment of the fibres themselves, the overall system achieves high precision with manageable complexity.
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
Enables efficient connection of hollow core and full core fibre optic cables with reduced signal loss and protection from environmental factors, facilitating their combination in optical signal transmission systems.
Implementation Method 1
The lens is configured and arranged such that a beam bundle exiting the first optical fibre cable enters the entry surface of the lens and is projected onto the exit surface of the lens as a converging beam bundle
Implementation Method 2
a beam bundle exiting the first optical fibre cable enters the entry surface of the lens and is projected onto the exit surface of the lens as a converging beam bundle
Implementation Method 3
using anti-reflective coatings and pre-loading devices for optimal signal transmission
Data Source
AI summary
Fibre optic cable plug for a fibre optic cable connector for optically connecting a first fibre optic cable to a second fibre optic cable, where the fibre optic cable plug holds an end section of the first fibre optic cable with a fibre optic cable end face and a lens with an entry face, which faces the first optical fibre cable, and an exit surface, which faces away from the first fibre optic cable. The lens is configured and arranged so that a beam bundle exiting the first fibre optic cable fibre passes onto the entry surface and is projected onto the exit surface as a converging beam bundle. Also, a fibre optic cable plug for optically connecting a first fibre optic cable to a second fibre optic cable has a first fibre optic cable plug, in which an end section of the first fibre optic cable is held with a first fibre optic cable end face, and a second fibre optic cable plug, in which an end section of the second optical fibre is held with a second fibre optic cable end face. A lens arranged between the first fibre optic cable end face and the second fibre optic cable end face so that a beam of light exiting the first fibre optic cable end face is reproduced onto the second fibre optic cable end face.