Optical Connector Movable Housing for High-Density Fiber Alignment
Find Innovative SolutionsGenerate Solutions
Solution Overview
Problem
Connecting high-density multicore optical fibers using existing optical connectors is time-consuming and requires significant effort due to dimensional tolerance issues and varying pressure across ferrules, especially when using multicore fibers like 1000-core or 2000-core fibers.
Innovation Solution
An optical connector design featuring a receptacle and plug with movable housing components, spring-loaded ferrules, and a screwing mechanism that allows for precise alignment and pressure application, enabling collective connection of high-density multicore fibers with improved ease and efficiency by absorbing dimensional tolerance through floating mechanisms.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Quantity of substance
If multiple ferrules are used to connect high-density multicore optical fibers, then the number of connected fibers increases, but dimensional tolerance accumulation causes varying pressure and connection reliability deteriorates
Solution Approach 1:
The connector is divided into multiple independent connector modules, each housing a ferrule. Each module independently connects a subset of optical fibers, isolating dimensional tolerance errors to individual modules rather than allowing accumulation across all ferrules. This segmentation maintains connection reliability while enabling high-density fiber connectivity through parallel modular architecture.
Solution Approach 2:
The inner housing is designed to be movable relative to the outer housing, allowing dynamic adjustment of ferrule positions during connection. This movability compensates for dimensional tolerances by enabling self-alignment, ensuring uniform pressure distribution across all ferrule endfaces even when manufacturing variations exist, thereby maintaining connection reliability.
2Reliability
If push-back amount of ferrules is increased to accommodate dimensional tolerance, then connection reliability improves, but the required push-back amount becomes excessively long
Solution Approach 1:
The movable inner housing provides dynamic position adjustment capability, allowing the ferrules to self-align during connection. This reduces the required push-back distance compared to fixed housings that would need excessive travel to compensate for tolerances. The spring mechanism works efficiently with shorter travel distances because the movable housing concentrates the adjustment needed for tolerance compensation.
Solution Approach 2:
The movable inner housing enables self-alignment of ferrules during the connection process. As the connector modules are mated, the inner housing automatically adjusts to compensate for dimensional tolerances without requiring pre-adjustment or excessive push-back. This self-service mechanism achieves reliable connection with minimal push-back distance.
3Quantity of substance
If conventional fusion connection is used for multicore optical fibers, then fiber connectivity is achieved, but the connection operation requires great amount of time and effort
Solution Approach 1:
Optical fibers are pre-terminated with connector modules before deployment. The ferrules are pre-positioned and pre-aligned within their respective connector modules during manufacturing, so that during field installation, no time-consuming fusion splicing or complex alignment is required. The pre-performed termination work eliminates the need for lengthy connection operations while ensuring fiber connectivity.
Solution Approach 2:
The invention replaces the complex mechanical fusion splicing process with a simple mechanical coupling operation. Instead of requiring precise alignment and thermal fusion, the pre-terminated connector modules are simply mated together through the movable inner housing mechanism, dramatically reducing connection operation time and effort while maintaining fiber connectivity.
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
Facilitates efficient and collective connection of high-density multicore optical fibers by simplifying the connection process, maintaining consistent pressure across ferrules, and absorbing misalignment, thereby reducing operational effort and time.
Implementation Method 1
a spring that applies pressure to the ferrule
Data Source
Figure 1
Figure 2
Figure 3
AI summary
[Problem] To provide an optical connector capable of collectively connecting a plurality of ferrules that connect high-density multicore optical fibers to each other. [Solution] An optical connector of the present disclosure includes: an optical receptacle and an optical plug configured to be attached and detached, wherein the optical receptacle includes a plurality of receptacle-side connector modules including an outer housing, an inner housing, a receptacle-side ferrule housed in the inner housing, and a receptacle-side spring that applies pressure to the receptacle-side ferrule, the optical plug includes a plurality of plug-side connector modules including a plug-side housing, a plug-side ferrule housed in the plug-side housing, and a plug-side spring that applies pressure to the plug-side ferrule, the inner housing includes an engagement section, the plug-side housing includes an engaged section, and, in a state where the engagement section engages with the engaged section, the inner housing and the plug-side housing have a predetermined positional relationship, and the receptacle-side ferrule and the plug-side ferrule are butting against each other with predetermined pressure by the receptacle-side spring and the plug-side spring, the plug-side housing includes an unlocking section, and, when the unlocking section causes an unlocked state from a locked state where the inner housing is locked by the outer housing, the inner housing is made movable with respect to the outer housing, and, when the optical receptacle and the optical plug are connected to each other, in a state where the engagement section engages with the engaged section after the locked state shifts to the unlocked state in each of a receptacle-side connector module and a plug-side connector module, the inner housing and the plug-side housing move in a direction of attaching and detaching with respect to the outer housing.