Optical Contact Ferrule Protection and Alignment
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing optical contacts are vulnerable to damage during handling and assembly, and suffer from lateral and angular offsets when connected, requiring complex repositioning systems and potentially necessitating disassembly for repairs.
Innovation Solution
An optical contact design featuring a ferrule enclosed within a protective body with movable components and spring mechanisms, allowing for improved centering and alignment of contacts, and enabling easy assembly and disassembly without rewiring.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If the ferrule is exposed in known optical contacts, then the assembly structure is simple, but the ferrule is vulnerable to damage during handling and insertion
Solution Approach 1:
The ferrule is nested within the body structure, with the body forming a protective housing that encloses the ferrule. The body includes internal features such as shoulders and stops that contain the ferrule while allowing it to be positioned correctly. This nesting arrangement protects the ferrule from external damage during handling and insertion into connectors.
2Manufacturing precision
If traditional centering pins with small chamfers are used, then the connector structure is simple, but large lateral and angular offsets cannot be compensated
Solution Approach 1:
The body includes pre-formed alignment features such as shoulders, stops, and guiding surfaces that are integrated into the body structure itself. These features perform the centering and alignment functions beforehand, eliminating the need for separate repositioning systems or complex pin arrangements. The alignment is achieved through the geometric configuration of the body features rather than additional active components.
3Ease of repair
If elements are permanently fixed in the optical contact, then the structure is stable, but repair requires disassembly of the entire contact
Solution Approach 1:
The optical contact is segmented into distinct functional elements: the body, the ferrule, and the optical fiber. The ferrule is held in the body through mechanical features such as shoulders and stops that allow for controlled movement and replacement. This segmentation enables individual elements to be accessed, removed, or replaced without requiring disassembly of the entire optical contact assembly, while maintaining stable operation during use.
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
The solution reduces the risk of ferrule damage during handling, facilitates precise alignment and connection of optical contacts, and allows for simple and cost-effective repairs by eliminating the need for disassembly of the entire contact.
Implementation Method 1
The contact comprises for example a spring mounted in the body and one end of which bears, directly or not, that is to say with or without intermediate pieces, against the rear face of the ferrule
Data Source
Figure 1~3
Figure 4~6
Figure 7~9
AI summary
The contact (1) has a ferule (6) e.g. male type ferrule, extending along a longitudinal axis (X), and a body (2) receiving the ferrule at an inner side in a movable/non-movable manner. End of the body is opposite to a complementary optical contact when the contact is connected to the complementary optical contact. The end includes a portion formed of arms (30, 32) and step (31) extending above a front face of the ferule toward an outer side of the ferule for any position of the ferule at an inner side of the body. The end of the body has a portion (35) above which the front face is extended. An independent claim is also included for a method for connecting optical contacts.