Self-aligning optical connector with toothed ferrule guide
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing optical connectors face challenges in quickly and efficiently aligning optical fibers of different orientations, particularly in medical devices like spectrally encoded endoscopy, where a rotating optical connection is required without manual alignment.
Innovation Solution
The development of a self-aligning optical connector with a rotational self-alignment structure, such as a tooth configuration or friction sleeve, that allows optical fibers to automatically rotate into alignment upon connection, facilitating torque transfer and maintaining constant optical contact through springs and mechanical housing connections.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Productivity
If traditional optical connectors are used with fixed orientation requirements, then proper engagement is achieved, but connection time increases and operational complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The connector enables self-alignment through a toothed ring structure that automatically orients the optical fibers during insertion. The teeth guide the ferrules into proper alignment without requiring manual adjustment or precise pre-alignment by the operator, making the system self-servicing in terms of alignment.
Solution Approach 2:
The toothed ring structure performs preliminary alignment action during the insertion process itself. As the connector is pushed together, the teeth engage first and establish the correct rotational orientation before the optical faces make contact, ensuring proper alignment is achieved automatically during connection.
2Manufacturing precision
If manual alignment procedures are used, then precise optical alignment is achieved, but connection time increases
Solution Approach 1:
The toothed ring structure eliminates the need for manual alignment procedures by providing automatic self-alignment through its mechanical teeth that guide the ferrules into the correct orientation during insertion, achieving both precision and speed simultaneously.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent replaces manual mechanical alignment procedures with an automated mechanical guidance system. The toothed ring structure uses mechanical teeth to automatically establish proper orientation, substituting the need for operator skill and time with a self-aligning mechanical mechanism.
3Loss of energy
If keyed ferrules are used to reduce air gap, then light loss is reduced, but rotational flexibility is lost
Solution Approach 1:
The connector transitions from a static keyed ferrule system to a dynamic self-aligning system. The toothed ring structure allows the ferrules to rotate automatically during insertion into the optimal orientation, providing rotational flexibility while maintaining the keyed engagement needed to reduce air gap and light loss.
Solution Approach 2:
The toothed ring performs preliminary rotational alignment before the final keyed engagement occurs. This preliminary action of orienting the ferrules through tooth engagement ensures that when the keyed surfaces make contact, they are already in the correct rotational position to minimize air gap and light loss.
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
Enables quick and reliable optical and torque connections with low light loss, allowing for easy connection and disconnection of optical fibers in various orientations, suitable for medical devices like endoscopes, by using rotational self-alignment structures like tooth configurations or friction sleeves.
Implementation Method 1
The optical connection can include a spring, wherein drive torque is generated using friction from the friction sleeve and the axial forces of the spring
Implementation Method 2
drive torque is generated using friction from the friction sleeve and the axial forces of the spring
Data Source
AI summary
An optical connection includes a plurality of ferrules, an optical contact to allow transfer of light, a mechanical contact to allow torque transfer from the optical connection, and a rotational self-alignment structure to allow optical fibers of different optical connectors to self-rotate into rotational self-alignment upon action of connecting, wherein the ferrules are aligned and engage the torque transfer. The rotational self-alignment structure can be a tooth configuration, a helical thread configuration, a ferrule guide configuration, a spring sleeve configuration, derivatives thereof and combinations therefrom.