Optical Connector Waveguide for Visible Connection Status
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing optical connectors in patch panels lack efficient mechanisms for indicating connection status, leading to suboptimal efficiency in connection and disconnection work.
Innovation Solution
An optical connector design featuring a waveguide member with an incident surface, scattering portion, and reflecting portion to guide and scatter light, integrated with a housing and boot, allowing visual and electronic indication of connection status through color and light patterns.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Difficulty of detecting and measuring
If optical connectors are connected to patch panels without visual indication mechanisms, then the connection status cannot be easily detected, but adding LED indicators increases device complexity and cost
Solution Approach 1:
The optical connector uses its own transmitted light to indicate connection status through the scattering portion, eliminating the need for external power sources or additional indicator components. The connector serves itself by utilizing its operational light to provide visual feedback about its connection state.
Solution Approach 2:
The scattering portion changes its light scattering properties based on connection status, creating visible color or brightness changes that indicate whether the connector is properly connected. This provides intuitive visual feedback without requiring complex electronic indicators.
2Productivity
If workers manually check connection status without visual cues, then the system remains simple, but connection and disconnection work efficiency decreases
Solution Approach 1:
The scattering portion provides immediate visual feedback about connection status through light scattering patterns, allowing workers to instantly confirm proper connection without manual checking. This feedback mechanism significantly reduces the time required for connection and disconnection operations.
Solution Approach 2:
Visible light scattering changes provide immediate visual confirmation of connection status, enabling workers to quickly verify connections and reduce the time spent on connection and disconnection tasks.
3Loss of information
If LED indicators are added to patch panels for each port, then connection status can be detected, but the cost and complexity of the patch panel system increases significantly
Solution Approach 1:
The visual indication function is extracted from the patch panel system and relocated to the optical connector itself. The scattering portion on the connector housing provides the indication function independently, eliminating the need for LEDs or other indicator components in the patch panel.
Solution Approach 2:
The optical connector independently provides connection status indication through its scattering portion, without requiring the patch panel to provide additional indicator mechanisms. Each connector serves itself, reducing overall system 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
Enhances the visibility and efficiency of connection work by providing clear visual cues and electronic detection of connection states, improving overall workflow in data centers.
Implementation Method 1
a waveguide member, in which the waveguide member includes an incident surface, a waveguide portion that guides light incident from the incident surface to a front side
Implementation Method 2
a scattering portion that scatters the light guided by the waveguide portion
Implementation Method 3
a reflecting portion is provided on a part of the incident surface
Data Source
AI summary
An optical connector includes: a ferrule in which an optical fiber is inserted and which has a connection end surface from which the optical fiber is exposed; and a waveguide member. The waveguide member has an incidence surface, a waveguide part which guides light incident from the incidence surface toward the side opposite to the connection end surface, and a scattering part which scatters the light guided by the waveguide part.