Optical Fiber Connector Assembly with Positioning Unit
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Solution Overview
Problem
Conventional optical fiber connectors experience misalignment and deformation due to high welding temperatures during assembly, leading to optical loss during light transmission.
Innovation Solution
An optical fiber connector assembly with a connector housing and a positioning unit that includes first and second holding members and a coupling sleeve, allowing for precise alignment and assembly without high-temperature welding, using a connector housing with opposite side walls, a base wall, and a lid that covers an access opening to secure the positioning unit.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Strength
If high frequency welding is used to join housing halves, then assembly strength is improved, but housing deformation occurs due to high welding temperature
Solution Approach 1:
The housing is divided into two separate halves that are joined together. This segmentation allows each half to be manufactured independently with precise features, and the joining mechanism (interlocking protrusions and recesses) provides sufficient structural strength without requiring high-temperature welding that would cause deformation.
Solution Approach 2:
A positioning unit with alignment features acts as an intermediary element between the two housing halves. This positioning unit ensures precise alignment during assembly and maintains the correct spatial relationship between optical fiber lines, eliminating the need for high-temperature welding while preventing housing deformation.
2Manufacturing precision
If housing deformation is prevented, then optical fiber alignment is improved, but assembly complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The positioning unit is pre-assembled within one housing half before the final assembly with the other housing half. This preliminary action ensures that the optical fiber alignment features are already precisely positioned, eliminating the need for complex post-assembly adjustments and maintaining high manufacturing precision.
Solution Approach 2:
The positioning unit is integrated with one of the housing halves as a single assembly. This merging reduces the number of separate components and simplifies the overall assembly process while maintaining precise optical fiber alignment, as the positioning features are built-in rather than requiring separate adjustment mechanisms.
Data Source
AI summary
An optical fiber connector includes a connector housing and a positioning unit. The connector housing has two opposite side walls, a base wall disposed between and interconnecting the side walls, and a lid disposed between and inter-engaging releasably the side walls. The connector housing defines an inner space, and an access opening in spatial communication with the inner space and covered by the lid. The positioning unit is mounted in the inner space and includes first and second holding members and a coupling sleeve extending into and interconnecting the first and second holding members. The positioning unit is inserted into the inner space through the access opening so as to be mounted in the inner space before covering the access opening with the lid.