Patent Publication Number: US-2020278499-A1

Title: Optical transceiver and optical subassembly thereof

Description:
BACKGROUND 
     Technical Field 
     The disclosure relates to an optical communication device, more particularly to an optical transceiver. 
     Related Art 
     Optical transceivers are generally installed in electronic communication facilities in modern high-speed communication networks. In order to make flexible the design of an electronic communication facility and less burdensome the maintenance of the same, an optical transceiver is inserted into a corresponding cage that is disposed in the communication facility in a pluggable manner. In order to define the electrical-to-mechanical interface of the optical transceiver and the corresponding cage, different specifications such as XFP (10 Gigabit Small Form Factor Pluggable) used in 10 GB/s communication rate, QSFP (Quad Small Form-factor Pluggable), or other form factors at different communication rates have been proposed and employed. 
     Generally, an optical subassembly in the optical transceiver includes a package, a receptacle, and a ferrule for constructing optical fiber cables and assemblies. The ferrule is adhered to the receptacle by glue. 
     SUMMARY 
     According to one aspect of the present disclosure, an optical subassembly includes a receptacle, a ferrule and a ferrule fastening component. The ferrule and the ferrule fastening component are connected with the receptacle. The ferrule fastening component includes a fastening portion and a blocking portion connected with each other. The fastening portion is fastened with the receptacle, and the blocking portion touches the ferrule. 
     According to another aspect of the present disclosure, an optical transceiver an optical transceiver includes the aforementioned optical subassembly. 
    
    
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
       The present disclosure will become more fully understood from the detailed description given below and the accompanying drawings which are given by way of illustration only and thus are not intending to limit the present disclosure and wherein: 
         FIG. 1  is a perspective view of an optical transceiver according to an embodiment of the present disclosure; 
         FIG. 2  is a perspective view of an optical subassembly in the optical transceiver of  FIG. 1 ; 
         FIG. 3  is an exploded view of the optical subassembly in  FIG. 2 ; 
         FIG. 4  is a side view of the optical subassembly in  FIG. 2 ; 
         FIG. 5  is a front view of the optical subassembly in  FIG. 2 ; and 
         FIG. 6  is a front view of an optical subassembly according to another embodiment of the present disclosure. 
     
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION 
     In the following detailed description, for purposes of explanation, numerous specific details are set forth in order to provide a thorough understanding of the disclosed embodiments. It will be apparent, however, that one or more embodiments may be practiced without these specific details. In other instances, well-known structures and devices are schematically shown in order to simplify the drawing. 
     According to one embodiment of the present disclosure, an optical subassembly includes a receptacle, a ferrule and a ferrule fastening component. Please refer to  FIG. 1  through  FIG. 3 .  FIG. 1  is a perspective view of an optical transceiver according to an embodiment of the present disclosure.  FIG. 2  is a perspective view of an optical subassembly in the optical transceiver of  FIG. 1 .  FIG. 3  is an exploded view of the optical subassembly in  FIG. 2 . In this embodiment, an optical transceiver, which is insertable into a cage in a pluggable manner, includes an optical subassembly  1  and a casing  2  configured to accommodate the optical subassembly  1 . The optical subassembly  1  includes a package  10 , at least one receptacle  20 , at least one ferrule  30  and at least one ferrule fastening component  40 . The optical subassembly  1  is a transmitter optical subassembly (TOSA) or a receiver optical subassembly (ROSA) in the optical transceiver. It is worth noting that the protective scope of the present disclosure is not limited to the numbers of receptacle  20 , ferrule  30  and ferrule fastening component  40  shown in  FIG. 1 . 
     The package  10 , for example, is a ceramic cap in which bonding wires, pins, optical lens and IC chip are accommodated. The receptacle  20  is connected with the package  10 . The ferrule  30  is connected with the receptacle  20 . The ferrule fastening component  40 , for example, is an arc-shaped elastic metal clip. The ferrule fastening component  40  is disposed around the receptacle  20  and includes a fastening portion  410  and a blocking portion  420  connected with each other. The fastening portion  410  is fastened with the receptacle  20 , and the blocking portion  420  touches the ferrule  30 . 
     According to one embodiment of the present disclosure, the receptacle includes an axial portion and an assembling portion. Please refer to  FIG. 4 , which is a side view of the optical subassembly in  FIG. 2 . As shown in  FIG. 3  and  FIG. 4 , the receptacle  20  includes an axial portion  210  and an assembling portion  220 . The axial portion  210  is connected with the package  10  through a flange  211 . The assembling portion  220  is sleeved on the axial portion  210 . The flange  211  of the axial portion  210  and the assembling portion  220  jointly form a groove  230  therebetween. The fastening portion  410  of the ferrule fastening component  40  includes a hook structure  411  extending into the groove  230  of the receptacle  20 , allowing for the fastening portion  410  to be fastened with the assembling portion  220 . 
     According to one embodiment of the present disclosure, the ferrule fastening component further includes a connecting portion. A shown in  FIG. 3  and  FIG. 4 , the ferrule fastening component  40  includes a connecting portion  430 . The fastening portion  410  and the blocking portion  420  are respectively connected with opposite ends of the connecting portion  430 . The connecting portion  430  extends along an axis A of the receptacle  20  (shown in  FIG. 3 ) and is sleeved on the assembling portion  220  of the receptacle  20 . 
     According to one embodiment of the present disclosure, the blocking portion of the ferrule fastening component includes a hook structure. As shown in  FIG. 3  and  FIG. 4 , the blocking portion  420  of the ferrule fastening component  40  includes a hook structure  421 . A taper  4211  of the hook structure  421  touches the ferrule  30  for confining the movement of the ferrule  30 . The hook structure  421  is favorable for enhancing the structural strength of the blocking portion  420 . It is worth noting that the protective scope of the present disclosure is not limited to the shape of the hook structure  421 . In some embodiments, the hook structure  421  includes a round corner touching the ferrule. 
     According to one embodiment of the present disclosure, an opening of the connecting portion of the ferrule fastening component exposes an annular outer surface of the receptacle. Please refer to  FIG. 5 , which is a front view of the optical subassembly in  FIG. 2 . As shown in  FIG. 3  and  FIG. 5 , the connecting portion  430  of the ferrule fastening component  40  covers a part of an annular outer surface  221  of the assembling portion  220  of the receptacle  20 , and a cross section of the connecting portion  430  is in a shape of incomplete circle. An area of the annular outer surface  221  is exposed from an opening  431  of the connecting portion  430 . Therefore, it is favorable for a user easily mounting the ferrule fastening component  40  on the receptacle  20  and unmounting the ferrule fastening component  40  from the receptacle  20  by bending the fastening component  40 . 
     According to one embodiment of the present disclosure, the connecting portion of the ferrule fastening component extends along the annular outer surface of the receptacle. As shown in  FIG. 3  and  FIG. 5 , the connecting portion  430  of the ferrule fastening component  40  extends along the annular outer surface  221  of the assembling portion  220  of the receptacle  20  to have a first segment length L 1  in a circumferential direction D of the receptacle  20 . The area of the annular outer surface  221  exposed from the opening  431  of the connecting portion  430  has a second segment length L 2  in the circumferential direction D, and the first segment length L 1  is larger than the second segment length L 2 . More specifically, the segment length L 1  is at least three times larger than the second segment length L 2 . Therefore, the ferrule fastening component  40  may be firmly engaging with the receptacle  20  for preventing any unpredictable misalignment between the ferrule  30  and the receptacle  20 . 
     It is worth noting that the aforementioned relationship between the first segment length L 1  and the second segment length L 2  is not limited in view of embodiments in the present disclosure.  FIG. 6  is a front view of an optical subassembly according to another embodiment of the present disclosure. In this embodiment, the first segment length L 1  the connecting portion  430  of the ferrule fastening component  40  is equal to the second segment length L 2  of the area of the annular outer surface  221  exposed from the opening  431 . 
     According to the present disclosure, the fastening portion of the ferrule fastening component is fastened with the receptacle, and the blocking portion of the ferrule fastening component touches the ferrule. Therefore, the ferrule is confined by the ferrule fastening component, rather than by glue used in conventional products. The confinement of the ferrule by ferrule fastening component is favorable for easily unmounting the ferrule when the ferrule fails corresponding coupling tests, such that the user is able to realign the ferrule with the receptacle without damaging optical components of the optical subassembly. 
     The embodiments are chosen and described in order to best explain the principles of the present disclosure and its practical applications, to thereby enable others skilled in the art to best utilize the present disclosure and various embodiments with various modifications as are suited to the particular use that is being contemplated. It is intended that the scope of the present disclosure is defined by the following claims and their equivalents.