Optical connector assembly
View Patent ↗The invention relates to an optical connector assembly for connecting optical waveguides to electro-optical components, in particular for producing multimedia connections in motor vehicles, for example in accordance with the MOST® standard. The connector assembly comprises a connector ( 12 ) having a mating connector receptacle ( 16 ) for receiving a complementary mating connector ( 112 ), the mating connector ( 112 ) for forming the mating connection with the connector ( 12 ), the optical waveguide ( 128 ), which is held at a contact end ( 138 ) by means of the mating connector ( 112 ) in order to establish an optical connection between the optical waveguide ( 128 ) and the electro-optical component ( 58 ) when the mating connection is formed between the connector ( 12 ) and the mating connector ( 112 ), and the electro-optical component ( 58 ), which is arranged on a rear side ( 22 ) of the connector ( 12 ) and has an optically active area ( 428 ) having a predetermined diameter for coupling optical signals in/out, the connector ( 12 ) having a connection element ( 68 ) for receiving the optical waveguide ( 128 ), an optical coupling element ( 28 ) being arranged in the connector ( 12 ) between the optical waveguide ( 128 ) and the electro-optical component ( 58 ) for transmitting light waves from the optical waveguide ( 128 ) to the electro-optical component ( 58 ), or vice versa, and the coupling element ( 28 ) comprising an essentially cylindrical optical waveguide section ( 318 ), which has a larger diameter than the optical waveguide ( 128 ).
1. An optical connector assembly ( 10 ), comprising:
a connector ( 12 ), the connector ( 12 ) including a connector housing ( 14 ), the connector housing ( 14 ) including a mating connector receptacle ( 16 ) formed by a cavity, the cavity being open on a front side ( 20 ) of the connector ( 12 ), the connector ( 12 ) further including first and second connection elements ( 66 , 68 ) protruding into the cavity from a rear side ( 22 ) of the connector ( 12 );
a mating connector ( 112 ) to mate with the connector ( 12 ); and
first and second optical fibers ( 126 , 128 ), each optical fiber ( 126 , 128 ) being held by the mating connector ( 112 ) at a contact end ( 136 , 138 ) thereof, each optical fiber ( 126 , 128 ) used to establish an optical connection, when the connector ( 12 ) is mated with the mating connector ( 112 ), between the first optical fiber ( 126 ) and a first electro-optical converter ( 56 ) and between the second optical fiber ( 128 ) and a second electro-optical converter ( 58 ), the first and second electro-optical converters ( 56 , 58 ) being arranged side-by-side on the rear side ( 22 ) of the connector ( 12 ), the second electro-optical converter ( 58 ) including an optically active area ( 428 ) for coupling optical signals in;
wherein a first optical coupling element ( 26 ) is arranged in the connector ( 12 ) between the first optical fiber ( 126 ) and the first electro-optical converter ( 56 ) for passing light waves from the first electro-optical converter ( 56 ) through the first optical coupling element ( 26 ) into the first optical fiber ( 126 );
wherein a second optical coupling element ( 28 ) is arranged within the connector ( 12 ) between the second optical fiber ( 128 ) and the second electro-optical converter ( 58 ) for passing light waves from the second optical fiber ( 128 ) through the second optical coupling element ( 28 ) into the second electro-optical converter ( 58 ), the second coupling element ( 28 ) comprising a substantially cylindrical optical waveguide section ( 318 ); and
wherein the optically active area ( 428 ) of the second electro-optical converter ( 58 ) has a larger diameter than the second optical fiber ( 128 ), and the second optical waveguide section ( 318 ) has a larger diameter than the second optical fiber ( 128 ).
2. The connector assembly ( 10 ) of claim 1 , wherein the first electro-optical converter ( 56 ) is a transmitter and the second electro-optical converter ( 58 ) is a receiver.
3. The connector assembly ( 10 ) of claim 2 , wherein each of the first and second connection elements ( 66 , 68 ) are adapted to receive an associated one of the first and second optical fibers ( 126 , 128 ).
4. The connector assembly ( 10 ) of claim 3 , wherein the first electro-optical converter ( 56 ) includes an optically active area ( 426 ) for coupling optical signals out.
5. The connector assembly ( 10 ) of claim 4 , the diameter of the second optical waveguide section ( 318 ) being between the diameter of the second optical fiber ( 128 ) and the diameter of the optically active area ( 428 ).
6. The connector assembly ( 10 ) of claim 5 , the diameter of the second optical waveguide section ( 318 ) being between 250 μm and 550 μm.
7. The connector assembly ( 10 ) of claim 6 , the diameter of the second optical waveguide section ( 318 ) being 400 μm +20%.
8. The connector assembly ( 10 ) of claim 4 , the optical waveguide section ( 316 , 318 ) having, on both sides, essentially planar contact faces ( 36 , 38 , 46 , 48 ) for connecting the optical fibers ( 126 , 128 ) and the electro-optical converters ( 56 , 58 ).
9. The connector assembly ( 10 ) of claim 4 , the second optical waveguide section ( 318 ) comprising a short stretch which is cut from a predetermined length of an optical fiber.
10. The connector assembly ( 10 ) of claim 9 , the second optical waveguide section ( 318 ) comprising a section of a polymer clad silica fiber.
11. The connector assembly ( 10 ) of claim 9 , the second optical waveguide section ( 318 ) comprising a section of a plastic fiber.
12. The connector assembly ( 10 ) of claim 9 , the second optical waveguide section ( 318 ) comprising a section of a fiber bundle.
13. The connector assembly ( 10 ) of claim 9 , the second optical waveguide section ( 318 ) comprising a section of a graded index fiber.
14. The connector assembly ( 10 ) of claim 9 , the second optical waveguide section ( 318 ) comprising a glass rod.
15. The connector assembly ( 10 ) of claim 5 , the diameter of the glass fibers ( 126 , 128 ) being in the range between 50 μm and 600 μm.
16. The connector assembly ( 10 ) of claim 4 , the first and second glass fiber ( 126 , 128 ) comprising a first and second polymer clad silica fiber, respectively.
17. The connector assembly ( 10 ) of claim 4 , the first and second channel ( 346 , 348 ) each being subdivided at least into a front and a rear section ( 356 , 358 ), the inner diameter of the front section ( 336 , 338 ) being matched to the diameter of the associated optical waveguide section ( 316 , 318 ) such that the front section ( 336 , 338 ) of the first and second channel ( 346 , 348 ) forms a fit for the first and second optical waveguide section ( 316 , 318 ), respectively.
18. The connector assembly ( 10 ) of claim 17 , the inner diameter of the rear section ( 356 , 358 ) of the first and second channel ( 346 , 348 ) being larger than that of the associated front section ( 336 , 338 ), and the rear sections ( 356 , 358 ) having an essentially triangular cross section.
19. The connector assembly ( 10 ) of claim 18 , the first optical waveguide section ( 316 ) and the second optical waveguide section ( 318 ) having different diameters.
20. The connector assembly ( 10 ) of claim 4 , wherein the first and second connection elements ( 66 , 68 ) have first and second rear trunk sections ( 76 , 78 ) being integrally formed with the connector housing ( 14 ) and defining first and second channels ( 346 , 348 ) accommodating the first and second coupling elements ( 26 , 28 ), respectively.
21. The connector assembly ( 10 ) of claim 20 , wherein the first and second trunk sections ( 76 , 78 ) are integrally formed with a rear wall ( 22 ) of the connector housing ( 14 ).
22. The connector assembly ( 10 ) of claim 21 , the first and second trunk sections ( 76 , 78 ) each having a rear portion ( 76 c , 78 c ) projecting into a recess ( 56 a , 58 a ) of the corresponding electro-optical converter ( 56 , 58 ).