Abstract:
An optical signal coupling assembly includes a first connector and a second connector. The first connector includes a first main body and a number of first optical coupling lenses. The second connector includes a second main body and a plurality of second optical coupling lenses to be optically coupled with the first optical coupling lenses. The first main body further includes two first connecting members, and the second main body further includes two second connecting members. The second connecting member matches with the first connecting member, the first connecting member and the second connecting member are configured for both fixing and aligning the first connector with the second connector.

Description:
FIELD 
     The subject matter herein generally relates to fiber optic communications. 
     BACKGROUND 
     In the field of fiber optic communications, an optical signal coupling assembly often includes a first connector and a second connector coupling to the first connector to realize transmission of optical signals. Transmission quality of the optical signals is determined by the alignment between the first connector and the second connector. 
    
    
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
       Implementations of the present technology will now be described, by way of example only, with reference to the attached figures. 
         FIG. 1  is an isometric view of an optical signal coupling assembly, in accordance with a first embodiment. 
         FIG. 2  is an exploded isometric view of the optical signal coupling assembly of  FIG. 1 . 
         FIG. 3  is similar to  FIG. 2 , but viewed from another angle. 
         FIG. 4  is a cross sectional view taken along line IV-IV of the optical signal coupling assembly of  FIG. 1 . 
     
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION 
     It will be appreciated that for simplicity and clarity of illustration, where appropriate, reference numerals have been repeated among the different figures to indicate corresponding or analogous elements. In addition, numerous specific details are set forth in order to provide a thorough understanding of the embodiments described herein. However, it will be understood by those of ordinary skill in the art that the embodiments described herein can be practiced without these specific details. In other instances, methods, procedures, and components have not been described in detail so as not to obscure the related relevant feature being described. Also, the description is not to be considered as limiting the scope of the embodiments described herein. The drawings are not necessarily to scale and the proportions of certain parts have been exaggerated to better illustrate details and features of the present disclosure. 
     Several definitions that apply throughout this disclosure will now be presented. 
     The term “substantially” is defined to be essentially conforming to the particular dimension, shape, or other feature that the term modifies, such that the component need not be exact. For example, “substantially cylindrical” means that the object resembles a cylinder, but can have one or more deviations from a true cylinder. The term “comprising,” when utilized, means “including, but not necessarily limited to”; it specifically indicates open-ended inclusion or membership in the so-described combination, group, series and the like. The references “a plurality of” and “a number of” mean “at least two.” 
       FIG. 1  shows an optical signal coupling assembly  100 . The optical signal coupling assembly  100  includes a first connector  10  and a second connector  20  coupling to the first connector  10 . 
     The first connector  10  includes a first main body  11  and a first connecting member  12 . The first main body  11  and the first connecting member  12  are integrally formed, the first main body  11  and the first connecting member  12  being manufactured at the same time, which simplifies the manufacturing process of the first connector  10 . 
       FIG. 2  illustrates the first main body  11  as being substantially a cuboid which includes a bottom surface  111 , a top surface  112  opposite to the bottom surface  111 , a first butting surface  113 , a first backside  114  opposite to the first butting surface  113 , and two first side surfaces  115  connecting the bottom surface  111  and the top surface  112 . The top surface  112  defines a mounting recess  116 , the mounting recess  116  is opened from the backside  114  and from the top surface  112 . The mounting recess  116  includes a first inner surface  118  parallel to the bottom surface  111  and a second inner surface  119  parallel to the first butting surface  113 . The first inner surface  118  defines a number of first receiving channels  120  for receiving optical fibers (not shown). In detail, the first receiving channels  120  are parallel to each other and extend in a direction perpendicularly to the first butting surface  113 . In this embodiment, the quantity of the first receiving channels  120  is two but the quantity of receiving channels  120  is not limited to being two. The first connector  10  further includes a number of first optical coupling lenses  128 , as shown in  FIG. 3 . The first optical coupling lenses  128  are arranged on the first butting surface  113  and correspond to the first receiving channels  120 . 
     As shown in  FIG. 2  and  FIG. 4 , the first connecting member  12  is substantially U-shaped and is arranged on the first side surface  115 . The first connecting member  12  includes a first section  121 , a second section  122 , a connecting section  123  connecting the first section  121  and the second section  122 , and an operation end  125  at a free end of the second section  122 . One end of the first section  121  is connected with the first side surface  115 , the first section  121  is extended in a direction close to the first butting surface  113 , and a gap is formed between the first side surface  115  and the first section  121 . The second section  122  is substantially parallel to the first section  121 . The first connecting member  12  has flexibility. When the operation end  125  is pressed, the second section closes towards the first section  121 . The first connecting member  12  further includes a number of first position portions  124 . In the illustrated embodiment, the first position portion  124  is rib protruding from the second section  122 . 
     The second main body  21  has a same structure and shape as those of the first main body  11 . The second connector  20  includes a second main body  21  and a second connecting member  22 . The second main body  21  and the second connecting member  22  are integrally formed. The second main body  21  includes a second butting surface  211  facing the first butting surface  113 , a number of second optical coupling lenses  212  corresponding with the first optical coupling lenses  128 , and a number of second receiving grooves  213 . The second main body  22  includes two second side surfaces  215  perpendicularly connected to the second butting surface  211 . 
     The second connecting member  22  is substantially a frame made of strips. One end of the second connecting member  22  is connected with the second side surface  215  and the other end of the second connecting member  22  is a free end extending outwardly from the second butting surface  211 . A distance between the two second connecting members  22  is not less than a distance between the two first surfaces. The second connecting member  22  includes a guide slot  221  configured for receiving the first connecting member  12 . An inner wall of the second connecting member  22  includes a number of second position portions  222  matching the first position portions  124 . The first position portions  124  and the second position portions  222  promote stability when the first connector  10  is assembled with the second connector  20 . In the illustrated embodiment, the second position portion  222  is a notch. 
     In assembling, as shown in  FIG. 3 , the first connecting member  12  of the first connector  10  is plugged into the second connecting member  22  and the first connecting member moves along the guiding slot until the second position portions are received in the first position portions  222 . The first butting surface  113  faces the second butting surface  211 , the first optical coupling lenses  128  are aligned with the second optical coupling lenses  212 . A path for optical signals between the first optical coupling lenses  128  and the second optical coupling lenses  212  is thus created. To disassemble the optical signal coupling assembly  100 , the two operation ends  125  are pressed toward each other, enabling the first position portions  124  to slide out of the second position portion  222 , and the first connector  10  can then be disengaged from the second connector  20 . 
     The embodiments shown and described above are only examples. Therefore, many such details are neither shown nor described. Even though numerous characteristics and advantages of the present technology have been set forth in the foregoing description, together with details of the structure and function of the present disclosure, the disclosure is illustrative only, and changes may be made in the details, including in matters of shape, size, and arrangement of the parts within the principles of the present disclosure, up to and including the full extent established by the broad general meaning of the terms used in the claims. It will therefore be appreciated that the embodiments described above may be modified within the scope of the claims.