Patent Document

BACKGROUND 
       [0001]    1. Technical Field 
         [0002]    The present disclosure relates to optoelectronic transmission devices having solar cell units. 
         [0003]    2. Description of Related Art 
         [0004]    An optoelectronic transmission device typically includes an optical signal source, a light detector, a first optical fiber for sending output optical signals emitted from the optical signal source and a second optical fiber for receiving and directing input optical signals to the light detector. The light detector converts the input optical signals into electrical signals. The optical signal source and the light detector consume electrical power. The electrical power may be provided by an outer power source, which may result inconvenient use of the optoelectronic transmission device. 
         [0005]    Therefore, an optoelectronic transmission device, which can overcome the above-mentioned problems, is needed. 
     
    
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
         [0006]      FIG. 1  is a schematic view of an optoelectronic transmission device, according to a first embodiment. 
           [0007]      FIG. 2  is an exploded view of the optoelectronic transmission device of  FIG. 1 . 
           [0008]      FIG. 3  is a sectional view taken along line III-III of the optoelectronic transmission device of  FIG. 1 . 
           [0009]      FIG. 4  is a sectional view taken along line IV-IV of the optoelectronic transmission device of  FIG. 1 . 
           [0010]      FIG. 5  is a sectional view of an optoelectronic transmission device of  FIG. 1 . 
       
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION 
       [0011]    Referring to  FIGS. 1 to 4 , an optoelectronic transmission device  200 , according to a first embodiment, includes a base  20 , an optical fiber carrier  30 , a fastener  40 , a reflector  50 , four optical fibers  60 , two optical signal sources  70 , two light detectors  80 , a processing unit  90 , a solar cell unit  100 , and a power storage unit  102 . 
         [0012]    The base  20  may be a printed circuit board. The optical signal sources  70 , the light detectors  80 , the processing unit  90 , the solar cell unit  100 , and the power storage unit  102  are positioned on the base  20  and electrically connected to the base  20 . 
         [0013]    The optical fiber carrier  30  includes a body  31 , and two supports  32 . The body  31  is substantially a cuboid and includes a first surface  310 , a second surface  312  and a top surface  313 . The top surface  313  connects the first surface  310  and the second surface  312 . The first surface  310  and the second surface  312  are at opposite sides of the body  31 . 
         [0014]    Two fastening recesses  314  and four fiber receiving grooves  315  are defined in the top surface  313  and extend from the first surface  310  to the second surface  312 . Four through holes  316  are defined from the first surface  310  to the second surface  312  and are in communication with the four fiber receiving grooves  315  respectively. The fiber receiving grooves  315  are arranged between the two fastening recesses  314  and support the four optical fibers  60  respectively. 
         [0015]    The two supports  32  extend from the second surface  312  along a direction away from the first surface  310 . The four through holes  316  are positioned between the two supports  32 . Each support  32  is substantially L-shaped. Two positioning holes  317  are defined in the second surface  312 . Each of the positioning holes  317  is between a corresponding support  32  and the through holes  316  on the second surface  312 . 
         [0016]    The fastener  40  includes a bottom plate  41 , a first side plate  42  and a second side plate  43 . The first side plate  42  and the second side plate  43  extend from the bottom plate  41  and are substantially parallel to each other. The bottom plate  41 , the first side plate  42  and the second side plate  43  cooperatively form a receiving space  44  for receiving the optical fiber carrier  30 . 
         [0017]    A first tab  45  extends from one end of the first side plate  42  towards the second side plate  43 . A first hook  47  extends from another end of the first side plate  42  towards the second side plate  43 . A second tab  46  extends from one end of the second side plate  43  towards the first side plate  42 . A second hook  48  extends from another end of the second side plate  43  towards the first side plate  42 . A first guiding arm  49  extends from the first side plate  42  towards the second side plate  43  between the first tab  45  and the first hook  47 . A second guiding arm  49   a  extends from the second side plate  43  towards the first side plate  42  between the second tab  46  and the second hook  48 . The first tab  45  corresponds to the second tab  46 . The first hook  47  corresponds to the second hook  48 . The first guiding arm  49  corresponds to the second guiding arm  49   a.    
         [0018]    The first guiding arm  49  and the seconding guiding arm  49   a  are received in the respective fastening recesses  314 . The first tab  45  and the second tab  46  abut against the body  31  of the carrier  30 . 
         [0019]    The reflector  50  includes a third surface  51 , a reflector top surface  52 , a fourth surface  53 , a reflector bottom surface  54 , a first side surface  55  and a second side surface  56 . The third surface  51 , the first side surface  55 , the fourth surface  53  and the second side surface  56  are connected end-to-end to each other. The reflector top surface  52  and the reflector bottom surface  54  are connected to the third surface  51 , the first side surface  55 , the fourth surface  53  and the second side surface  56 . The third surface  51  is substantially parallel to the fourth surface  53 . 
         [0020]    Two positioning posts  57  extend from the third surface  51  towards the second surface  312 . Each positioning post  57  is securely received in the corresponding positioning hole  317 . Two wings  58  extend from the first side surface  55  and the second side surface  56  respectively. Each wing  58  includes a front portion  581  and a rear portion  582 . A thickness of the front portion  581 , measured from the reflector bottom surface  54  to the reflector top surface  52 , is smaller than that of the rear portion  582 , measured from the reflector bottom surface  54  to the reflector top surface  52 . The front portion  581  is supported on the corresponding support  32 . The rear portion  582  includes a protrusion  583  at one end of the rear portion  582  adjacent to the fourth surface  53 . The protrusion  583  is engaged in the corresponding hook  47 ( 48 ). Therefore, the fastener  40  can secure the carrier  30  and the reflector  50  in place together. 
         [0021]    A first recess  520  and a second recess  522  are defined in the reflector top surface  52  in that order from the third surface  51  and the fourth surface  53 . The reflector  50  includes a first reflective surface  524  in the first recess  520  and a second reflective surface  526  in the second recess  522 . The first reflective surface  524  is substantially parallel to the reflective surface  526 . The first recess  520  and the second recess  522  are substantially elongated. 
         [0022]    The first reflective surface  524  includes a transflective portion  541  (see  FIG. 3 ) and a internally-totally reflective portion  542  (see  FIG. 4 ). The transflective portion  541  is capable of reflecting a first part of light and allowing a second part of the light to pass therethrough. The transflective portion  541  can be achieved by forming an optical film using physical vapor deposition or electron-beam gun evaporation on a corresponding portion of the first reflective surface  524  in the first recess  520 . The internally-totally reflective portion  542  is capable of internally totally reflecting light impacting on the totally reflective portion  542 . The internally-totally reflective portion  542  can be achieved by forming another optical film using physical vapor deposition or electron-beam gun evaporation on another corresponding portion of the first reflective surface  524  in the first recess  520 . 
         [0023]    The second reflective surface  526  is capable of internally-totally reflecting light impacting on the second reflective surface  526 . The optical signal sources  70  and the light detectors  80  are arranged along a longitudinal direction of the first recess  520  on the base  20  and correspond to the first reflective surface  524 . Specifically, the optical signal sources  70  correspond to the internally-totally reflective portion  542 . The light detectors  80  correspond to the transflective portion  541 . The light detectors  80  and the solar cell unit  100  are positioned on the base  20  in that order from the third surface  51  to the fourth surface  53 . 
         [0024]    A third recess  527  is defined in the reflector bottom surface  54  and corresponds to the first recess  520  and the second recess  522 . The optical signal sources  70 , the light detectors  80 , the processing unit  90 , and the solar cell unit  100  are received in the third recess  527 . Four lenses  701  are formed on the reflector bottom surface  54  in the third recess  527 . The four lenses  701  are corresponding to the two optical signal sources  70  and the light detectors  80 . The first reflective surface  524 , the lens  701  and the optical signal source  70 /the light detector  80  are arranged along a light path associated with the optical signal source  70 /the light detector  80 . 
         [0025]    The four optical fibers  60  are received in the receiving grooves  315 , respectively. Inclined angles of the first reflective surface  524  and the second reflective surface  526  are about 45 degrees with respective to the optical fiber  60  in the receiving groove  315 . Two of the optical fibers  60  are configured to output first light (optical signals) emitted from the optical signal sources  70  and another two of the optical fibers  60  are configured to transmit second light (optical signals) to the light detectors  80 . Two of the lenses  701  are configured to direct the first light into the two of the optical fibers  60  from the optical signal sources  70 . Another two of the lenses  701  are configured to direct a first part of the second light into the light detectors  80  from the another two of the optical fibers  60 . The light detectors  80  are configured to convert the first part of the second light into electrical signals. The second light may have a wavelength of about 850 nm. The processing unit  90  is electrically connected to the optical signal sources  70  and the light detectors  80 . The processing unit  90  is configured to control the optical signal sources  70  to emit the first light and receive the electrical signals from the light detectors  80 . The electrical signals can be used for data/instructions transmission. 
         [0026]    The solar cell unit  100  is positioned correspondingly to the second reflective surface  526  and is electrically connected to the power storage unit  102 . In this embodiment, the solar cell unit  100  is comprised of GaAs. The solar cell unit  100  is configured to receive light reflected by the second reflective surface  526  and covert the light into electrical energy. The power storage unit  102  stores the electrical energy. The processing unit  90 , the light detectors  80  and the optical signal sources  70  are electrically connected to the power storage unit  102 . The power storage unit  102  can power the processing unit  90 , the light detectors  80  and the optical signal sources  70 , if needed. 
         [0027]    When in use, the processing unit  90  controls the optical signal sources  70  to emit the first light. The first light is directed by the two of the lenses  701  into the internally-totally reflective portion  542 . The internally-totally reflective portion  542  totally reflects the first light into the two of the optical fibers  60 . The two of the optical fibers  60  transmit the first light to other devices. Therefore, optical signals can be transmitted to other devices in light form. 
         [0028]    The another two of the optical fibers  60  transmit the second light from the other devices. The second light then impacts on the transflective portion  541 . The transflective portion  541  reflects a first part of the second light to the another two of the lenses  701  and allows a second part of the second light to pass therethrough toward the second reflective surface  526 . The another two of the lenses  701  directs the first part of the second light the light detectors  80 . The light detectors  80  convert the first part of the second light into electrical signals. The second reflective surface  526  internally totally reflects the second part of the second light to the solar cell unit  100 . The solar cell unit  100  convert the second part of the second light into electrical energy. The power storage unit  102  stores the electrical energy. 
         [0029]    Referring to  FIG. 5 , an optoelectronic transmission device  400 , according to a second embodiment, is shown. The differences between the optoelectronic transmission device  400  and the optoelectronic transmission device  200  are that positions of light detectors  180 , a solar cell unit  110  and two of four lenses  702  differs. 
         [0030]    In this embodiment, the light detectors  180  correspond to a second reflective surface  726  of a reflector  150 . The second reflective surface  726 , the two of the lenses  702  and the light detectors  180  are arranged along a light path associated with the light detector  180 . The solar cell unit  110  is positioned correspondingly to a transflective portion  741  of the reflector  150 . The solar cell unit  110  and the light detectors  80  are positioned on a base  120  in that order from a third surface  71  to a fourth surface  73  of the reflector  150 . 
         [0031]    Usages of the optoelectronic transmission device  400  of this embodiment are substantially the same as those of the optoelectronic transmission device  200  of the first embodiment. 
         [0032]    It is to be understood, however, that even though numerous characteristics and advantages of the present embodiments have been set forth in the foregoing description, together with details of the structures and functions of the embodiments, the disclosure is illustrative only, and changes may be made in detail, especially in matters of shape, size, and arrangement of parts within the principles of the disclosure to the full extent indicated by the broad general meaning of the terms in which the appended claims are expressed.

Technology Category: g