Optical Connector Ferrule With Through-Hole Guidance for Fiber Assembly
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing ferrules for optical transmission members have a small clearance between the V-groove and the fiber, making it difficult to accurately position the fiber and complicate assembly.
Innovation Solution
A ferrule design with through holes and grooves that guide and secure optical transmission members, allowing for precise positioning and easy assembly, featuring through holes that guide the members into grooves for accurate alignment.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Manufacturing precision
If the clearance between the V-groove and the fiber is made small to improve positioning precision, then the fiber positioning accuracy is improved, but the assembly difficulty increases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent introduces a guide structure (protrusion and groove) as an intermediary element between the fiber and the V-groove. This guide structure facilitates the fiber insertion process by providing a clear guiding path, allowing the fiber to be easily positioned into the V-groove despite the small clearance. The guide structure acts as a mediator that simplifies the assembly operation without compromising positioning accuracy.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent implements preliminary positioning actions through the guide structure that is formed before the fiber insertion. The protrusion and groove are pre-formed features that guide the fiber into the correct position before the final positioning in the V-groove occurs. This preliminary guiding action makes the assembly process easier while maintaining precision.
2Manufacturing precision
If the clearance between the V-groove and the fiber is made small to improve positioning precision, then the fiber positioning accuracy is improved, but the assembly time increases
Solution Approach 1:
The guide structure serves as an intermediary that accelerates the fiber insertion process. By providing a clear protrusion-groove guiding path, the fiber can be quickly and accurately positioned into the V-groove without time-consuming trial and error. The guide structure enables rapid alignment while maintaining the small clearance needed for precision positioning.
3Device complexity
If a traditional V-groove structure is used to hold the fiber, then the structure is simple, but the fiber positioning accuracy deteriorates
Solution Approach 1:
The patent segments the holding structure into distinct functional components: the V-groove for final positioning, the guide structure (protrusion and groove) for alignment, and the holding part for securing. This segmentation allows each component to perform its specific function optimally, maintaining structural simplicity while improving positioning accuracy through the added guide features.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent applies local quality enhancement by adding the guide structure (protrusion and groove) at specific locations within the holding part. Rather than complicating the entire structure, the guide features are locally positioned to provide alignment guidance where needed, while the rest of the V-groove structure remains simple and effective for final positioning.
Data Source
AI summary
A ferrule includes a holding part, a first surface and a second surface. The holding part includes a first holding recess including the first surface and a third surface facing the first surface, a first wall, at least one through hole that is open at the third surface and a fourth surface, the fourth surface being located on a side on which the plurality of optical transmission members is inserted, and a plurality of first grooves disposed at the first holding recess along an extending direction of the plurality of optical transmission members, the plurality of optical transmission members inserted to the at least one through hole is respectively disposed at the plurality of first grooves.