Patent ID: 6945709

Claim:
An optocapsule unit for an optohybrid assembly ( 10 ), comprising: a lower casing part ( 36 ) and a compatible upper cover part ( 54 ), wherein said lower casing part and said upper cover part together form, at one end ( 50 ) thereof, an integral receptacle section for obtaining an optomechanical interface and receiving and detachably holding therein an optical connector with at least one external optical fiber, a central section ( 38 ) of the lower casing part ( 36 ) having a cavity ( 42 ) for receiving, in a form-closed manner, a ferrule ( 12 ) of the optohybrid assembly ( 10 ), said ferrule ( 12 ) defining at a first surface ( 30 ) thereof an optical interface for alignment of a distal end of at least one primary optical fiber ( 22 , 24 ) extending through said ferrule ( 12 ) with a proximal end of the external optical fiber, said primary optical fiber having an exposed section ( 22 , 24 ) protruding from a second surface of the ferrule ( 12 ) and terminating at a proximal end, said lower casing part ( 36 ) having, at a second end thereof, a base plate ( 44 ) for supporting a substrate ( 20 ) having at least one optochip ( 26 , 28 ) and the proximal end of the primary optical fiber ( 22 , 24 ) mounted thereon, wherein said cover part ( 54 ) has a section ( 58 ) covering the substrate ( 20 ) and at least a portion of the base plate ( 44 ) of the lower part ( 36 ), and wherein said assembly includes an aperture ( 60 ) through said integral receptacle section for receiving a clasp on said optical connector, whereby said optical connector can be detachably connected to said optohybrid assembly ( 10 ).