Optical connector having high coupling precision

An optical connector includes a first optical-electric coupling element, a second optical-electric coupling element, and a fixing device. The first optical-electric coupling element defines a first cavity and a second cavity. The second cavity includes two opposite first sidewalls. Each first sidewall defines a locating cutout. The second optical-electric coupling element is received in the second cavity, and defines a third cavity. The third cavity includes two opposite second sidewalls. Each second sidewall defines a through hole. The fixing device includes two elastic deformable portions conforming the two through holes, and a number receiving holes each for receiving a optical fiber. The fixing device is received in the through holes, with the elastic deformable portion resisting against an internal sidewall of the locating cutout, to firmly lock the second optical-electric coupling element into the second cavity of the first optical-electric coupling element.

BACKGROUND

1. Technical Field

The present disclosure relates to optical connectors, and particularly to an optical connector which has a high coupling precision.

2. Description of Related Art

An optical connector includes a laser diode for emitting optical signals, a first optical transmission assembly, a second optical transmission assembly coupled with the first optical transmission assembly, and a photo diode. The optical signals emitted from the laser diode enter the first optical transmission assembly, and are transmitted through the second optical transmission assembly to the photo diode, and finally can be converted into electrical signals by the photo diode.

The first optical transmission assembly includes a plurality of first coupling lenses and the second optical assembly includes a plurality of second coupling lenses for coupling the first coupling lenses to allow optimum signal transmittance. The first optical transmission assembly has to be mechanically and precisely engaged and configured with the second optical transmission assembly via a plurality of positioning holes and positioning posts to ensure the lenses are precisely aligned with the optical fibers. However, it is difficult to consistently align the positioning holes and the positioning posts together, which may result in lowered coupling precision between the coupling lenses and the optical fibers, and thus poor optical signals transmittance.

Therefore, it is desirable to provide an optical connector which can overcome the above-mentioned limitations.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION

FIGS. 1-3show an optical connector100, according to an embodiment. The optical connector100includes a first optical-electric coupling element10, a second optical-electric coupling element20, and a fixing device25for locking the second optical-electric coupling element20into the first optical-electric coupling element10, and four optical fibers30received in the first optical-electric coupling element10and the second optical-electric coupling element20.

The first optical-electric coupling element10is made of a transparent material, such as glass or plastic, and includes a first lower surface11, a first upper surface12facing away from the first lower surface11, a first side surface13and a second side surface14facing away from the first side surface13. The first upper surface12is substantially parallel with the first lower surface11. The first side surface13is substantially parallel with the second side surface14. The first side surface13substantially perpendicularly connects the first upper surface12to the first lower surface11. The second side surface14also substantially perpendicularly connects the first upper surface12to the first lower surface11.

The first upper surface12defines a first cavity15and a second cavity16. The first cavity15runs through the first side surface13. The second cavity16runs through the second side surface14. The first optical-electric coupling element10also includes a rib17formed between the first cavity15and the second cavity16. The rib17includes a third side surface171in the second cavity16. The first optical-electric coupling element10also includes two first coupling lenses172formed on the third side surface171. In the embodiment, all of the first coupling lenses172are convex lenses and are integrally formed with the first optical-electric coupling element10.

The first cavity15includes a first bottom surface151. The first bottom surface151defines two first receiving holes152each aligning with a first coupling lens17. An axis of the first coupling lens172is parallel with a lengthwise direction of the first receiving hole152. Each first receiving hole152receives an optical fiber30. In the embodiment, two optical fibers30are received in the two first receiving holes152via an adhesive.

The second cavity16includes a second bottom surface161and two opposite first sidewalls162. The first optical-electric coupling element10also includes two position posts163substantially perpendicularly extending from the second bottom surface161. Each first sidewall162defines a locating cutout164running through the first upper surface12and communicating with the second cavity162.

The second optical-electric coupling element20is also made of a transparent material, and includes a second lower surface21, a second upper surface22facing away from the second lower surface21, a fourth side surface23facing the third side surface171, and a fifth side surface24facing away from the fourth side surface23. The second upper surface22is substantially parallel with the second lower surface21. The fourth side surface23is substantially parallel with the fifth side surface24. The fourth side surface23perpendicularly connects the second upper surface22to the second lower surface21. The fifth side surface24also substantially perpendicularly connects the second upper surface22to the second lower surface21.

The second lower surface21defines two position holes210matching with the position posts163.

The second optical-electric coupling element20also includes two second coupling lenses230formed on the fourth side surface23. In the embodiment, all of the second coupling lenses230are convex lenses and are integrally formed with the second optical-electric coupling element20. Each second coupling lens230aligns with a first coupling lens172.

The second upper surface22defines a third cavity220. The third cavity220runs through the fifth side surface24. The third cavity220includes a third bottom surface221. The third bottom surface221defines two second receiving holes222each aligning with a second coupling lens230. An axis of the second coupling lens230is parallel with a lengthwise direction of the second receiving hole222. The two second receiving holes222receive the other two optical fibers30. In the embodiment, each optical fiber30is received in a second receiving hole222also via an adhesive.

The third cavity220includes two opposite second sidewalls223. Each second sidewall223defines a through hole224running through the second upper surface22. The through holes224communicate with the third cavity220.

A shape and a size of the second optical-electric coupling element20respectively conform a shape and a size of the second cavity16. The second optical-electric coupling element20is fixedly received in the second cavity16by the fixing device25. In the embodiment, the fixing device25is stripped and includes two elastic deformable portions251conforming the two through holes224. The fixing device25defines two receiving holes252. A shape and a size of the receiving hole252conforms with the optical fiber30.

When assembling, first, the second optical-electric coupling element20is received in the second cavity16. Each first coupling lens172aligns with a second coupling lens230. Each through hole224aligns with the locating cutout164. Then, two optical fibers30are received in the second receiving holes222. The fixing device25is received in the through holes224, with the elastic deformable portion251resisting against an internal sidewall of the locating cutout164, as such, the position posts163are inserted into the position holes210as a pinch fit to firmly attach the second optical-electric coupling element20to the first optical-electric coupling element10.

In other embodiments, the numbers of the first coupling lenses172, the second coupling lenses230and the optical fibers30can be changed depending on need, and the number of the receiving holes252will change correspondingly. The numbers of the position holes210and the position posts163can also be changed depending on need.

In other embodiments, both the position holes210and the position posts163can be omitted.