Fiber optic circuit board connector
View Patent ↗An optical connector for use in multilayer electro-optic circuit boards. An electro-optical back plane circuit board uses both electrical and optical connectors to carry signals in both electrical and light form. The optical connector employs redundant alignment features to provide for reliable connectivity between plug in boards and the electro-optic back plane. A process is of forming the back plane and other multilevel circuit boards so as to embed optical connectors is disclosed.
1. An optical connector for use with an electro-optical board, the optical connector comprising:
a right angle interface body having one or more first optical paths and one or more second optical paths, each of the first optical paths corresponding to a respective second optical path, wherein the first optical paths are disposed in a first plane and the one or more second optical paths are disposed in a second plane, the first and second optical planes being substantially at right angles with respect to one another;
a female self-alignment body having a tapered channel substantially aligned with the first plane; and
an anchor body adapted to securely engage an exterior surface of the female self-alignment body and adapted to anchor to a surface of the electro-optical board;
a tapered male self-alignment body sized to fit closely into the tapered channel of the female self-alignment body, and having one or more third optical paths adapted to align with the first optical paths when the tapered male self-alignment body is engaged with the female self-alignment body;
wherein the third optical paths are adapted for connection to one or more optical fibers disposed outside the electro-optical board, and
wherein the second optical paths are adapted for connection to optical fibers embedded in the electro-optical board.
2. An electro-optical back plane comprising:
a fiber management system formed of plural optical fibers;
an electrical bus circuit;
a board, wherein the fiber management system and the electrical bus circuit are embedded inside the board;
plural optical connectors disposed on the board, each of the plural optical connectors being coupled to one or more of the plural optical fibers of the fiber management system; and
plural electrical connectors disposed on the board, each of the electrical connectors being electrically connected to the electrical bus circuit;
wherein each of the optical connectors comprises:
a right angle interface body embedded into the board for connection to one or more fibers of the fiber management system;
an anchor body securely fastened to the surface of the board; and
a female self-alignment body having a tapered channel, wherein the female self-alignment body is held by the anchor body so that the tapered channel is in registration with an upper surface of the right angle interface body.