Patent ID: 8821033
Filing Date: 2014-09-02
Classification: G02B

Abstract:
1. An optical proximity connector, comprising: a connector plate having a connecting face to mate with a different connecting face on a different proximity connector; a slot formed in a side of the connector plate and having a length (L) extending from the connecting face to an opposite face in a direction perpendicular to the connecting face; a groove formed in a groove portion of a bottom wall of the slot and at least partially extending along the length of the slot, the groove being shaped to receive an optical fiber; and a retaining block shaped to fit between side walls of the slot and between the connecting face and the opposite face to retain the optical fiber within the groove; and a slot datum area formed in a datum portion of the bottom wall of the slot, the slot datum area comprising a datum area depth (SDD) which is greater than a groove depth (GD), and a datum side wall extending between the slot datum area and the groove.