High-Temperature Optical Fiber Connector
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Solution Overview
Problem
Conventional optical fiber connectors made of plastic, such as polyphenylene sulfide, deform at high temperatures during solder reflow processes, leading to optical misalignment and increased insertion loss, and high-temperature-resistant plastic materials have not proven reliable.
Innovation Solution
The development of an optical fiber connector with a lower plate, guide elements, and a secure assembly structure that uses materials like glass or ceramic to withstand temperatures above 250°C without deformation, ensuring reliable alignment and low insertion loss.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Ease of manufacture
If plastic materials like polyphenylene sulfide are used for optical fiber connectors, then ease of manufacture is improved, but reliability deteriorates at high temperatures due to deformation
Solution Approach 1:
The patent employs a composite structure consisting of a lower plate, cover plate, and upper plate that can be made from high-temperature resistant materials such as glass, ceramic, or metal. This composite approach allows the connector to withstand solder reflow temperatures above 250°C without deformation, thereby maintaining alignment reliability while still allowing for manufacturing through conventional processes.
2Reliability
If high-temperature-resistant plastic materials are used, then reliability at high temperatures is improved, but ease of manufacture deteriorates due to unproven reliability and processing difficulty
Solution Approach 1:
The patent changes the material parameter from conventional plastic to high-temperature resistant materials such as glass, ceramic, or metal. This parameter change enables the connector to maintain structural integrity at solder reflow temperatures above 250°C, achieving the required reliability while these materials can be processed using established manufacturing techniques.
3Device complexity
If plastic connectors are used, then device complexity is reduced, but manufacturing precision deteriorates due to deformation-induced misalignment
Solution Approach 1:
The multi-plate composite structure made from high-temperature resistant materials prevents deformation during solder reflow, thereby maintaining the precise alignment of optical fibers and waveguides. This ensures manufacturing precision is preserved even though the overall device structure remains relatively simple.
Data Source
AI summary
An optical fiber connector includes a lower plate having a plurality of optical fiber alignment structures. First and second guide element alignment structures are formed in the lower plate. A plurality of optical fibers are respectively disposed in the plurality of optical fiber alignment structures. First and second guide elements are respectively disposed within the first and second guide element alignment structures so as to extend outside of a periphery of the lower plate. A cover plate is secured to the lower plate to hold the plurality of optical fibers within the plurality of optical fiber alignment structures. An upper plate is disposed over each of the cover plate, the first guide element, and the second guide element. The upper plate is secured to the lower plate to hold the first and second guide elements within the first and second guide element alignment structures, respectively.