Unitary Optical Ferrule Molded Alignment Features
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing optical ferrules face misalignment issues due to errors in the molding process, leading to increased optical insertion loss when mated with a mating ferrule, as the receiving and securing elements, light affecting elements, and alignment features are not accurately aligned.
Innovation Solution
A molded unitary optical ferrule design with parting line artifacts dividing the surface into sections, where one section includes elements for receiving and securing optical waveguides, affecting light characteristics, and controlling mechanical degrees of freedom, while the other section includes alignment features for precise mating and rotation, using a dual-mold side injection mold to ensure accurate alignment and minimize misalignment errors.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Ease of manufacture
If a molded unitary optical ferrule is manufactured using a single mold side, then the manufacturing process is simpler, but alignment precision between receiving elements, light affecting elements, and alignment features deteriorates
Solution Approach 1:
The mold is divided into two separate mold sides (first mold side and second mold side) that can be independently positioned and adjusted. The first mold side forms receiving and securing elements plus first alignment features, while the second mold side forms light affecting elements plus second alignment features. This segmentation allows each mold side to be precisely calibrated to ensure accurate alignment of all features in the final ferrule.
Solution Approach 2:
Second alignment features act as intermediary reference elements formed by the second mold side that interface with first alignment features from the first mold side. These intermediary features serve as precision registration marks that ensure the light affecting elements are accurately positioned relative to the receiving elements and first alignment features, thereby achieving high overall alignment precision.
2Ease of manufacture
If alignment features are not precisely controlled during molding, then the manufacturing process is more tolerant and easier, but optical insertion loss increases when mated with a mating ferrule
Solution Approach 1:
The mold design incorporates preliminary alignment actions where second alignment features are formed as precise reference elements during the molding process itself. These features pre-establish the correct spatial relationships between all ferrule components before the ferrule is even assembled or mated, ensuring that alignment is built-in during manufacturing rather than requiring post-processing adjustment.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent replaces complex mechanical alignment systems (such as adjustable mounts or post-assembly alignment mechanisms) with a precision molding system. By using precisely controlled mold sides that directly form all alignment features and light affecting elements in their final positions, the need for complex mechanical alignment systems is eliminated, achieving both ease of manufacture and high reliability.
3Device complexity
If receiving elements, light affecting elements, and alignment features are not accurately aligned, then device complexity is reduced, but optical insertion loss increases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent merges the formation of receiving elements, light affecting elements, and alignment features into a single integrated molding process using two coordinated mold sides. All these features are formed simultaneously in their precisely aligned positions within one molding cycle, eliminating the need for separate alignment mechanisms or post-assembly adjustment systems, thereby achieving both low complexity and high reliability.
Solution Approach 2:
The two mold sides serve multiple functions simultaneously: they form structural receiving elements, optical light affecting elements, and precision alignment features all in one process. The first mold side and second mold side are both structural and alignment reference elements, making the system universal and eliminating the need for separate dedicated alignment mechanisms.
Data Source
AI summary
A unitary optical ferrule is molded to include one or more elements for receiving and securing one or more optical waveguides one or more elements for affecting one or more characteristics of light from the optical waveguide while propagating the light within the ferrule. The optical ferrule also includes one or more first alignment features and one or more second alignment features that, when the ferrule is mated with a mating ferrule, each controls alignment of the ferrule with the mating ferrule along three mechanical degrees of freedom. The surface of the optical ferrule can be divided along the thickness axis into a first section and an opposing second section, wherein the first section of the surface includes the receiving and securing elements, the light affecting elements, and the first alignment features and the second section of the surface includes the second alignment features.