Abstract: A connector is disclosed that includes a housing and first and second attachment areas located in the housing and spaced apart from each other along the mating direction of the connector. The second, but not the first, attachment area is designed to move relative to the housing. The connector further includes an optical waveguide that is permanently attached to, and under a first bending force between, the first and second attachment areas. The connector also includes a light coupling unit located in the housing for receiving light from the optical waveguide and transmitting the received light to a mating connector along a direction different than the mating direction of the connector. The mating of the connector to the mating connector causes the optical waveguide to be under a greater second bending force between the first and second attachment areas.

Abstract: (Problem) To provide an optical ferrule that can easily accommodate multicore optical fibers, without an accompanying increase in the number of components. (Resolution Means) The optical ferrule 1 includes a guide opening 14 formed by an upper wall 10, a bottom wall 11, and a pair of side walls 12 and 13; a guide part 15 that extends forward from the upper wall 10 and the guide opening 14; and an optical coupler 20 provided on the upper surface of the upper wall 10. The optical coupler 20 has a waveguide aligning part 21 that aligns and holds an optical waveguide 2, and a light direction converter 22 that changes the direction of light from the optical waveguide 2 and emits the light toward an opposing optical ferrule 1.

Abstract: An optical connector includes a first attachment area for receiving and permanently attaching to an optical waveguide. A light coupling unit is disposed and configured to move translationally and not rotationally within the housing of the connector. The light coupling unit includes a second attachment area for receiving and permanently attaching to an optical waveguide received and permanently attached at the first attachment area. The light coupling unit also includes light redirecting surface. The light redirecting surface is configured such that when an optical waveguide is received and permanently attached at the first and second attachment areas, the light redirecting surface receives and redirects light from the optical waveguide. The optical waveguide limits, but does not prevent, a movement of the light coupling unit within the housing.

Abstract: An optical connector includes a first attachment area for receiving and permanently attaching to an optical waveguide. A light coupling unit is disposed and configured to move translationally and not rotationally within the housing of the connector. The light coupling unit includes a second attachment area for receiving and permanently attaching to an optical waveguide received and permanently attached at the first attachment area. The light coupling unit also includes light redirecting surface. The light redirecting surface is configured such that when an optical waveguide is received and permanently attached at the first and second attachment areas, the light redirecting surface receives and redirects light from the optical waveguide. The optical waveguide limits, but does not prevent, a movement of the light coupling unit within the housing.

Abstract: An optical waveguide propagates an optical mode at a first wavelength along a length of the waveguide. The optical waveguide has an optical core with a substantially polygonal cross-section in a plane substantially perpendicular to the length of the waveguide. The optical core has an index of refraction n1 at the first wavelength. A first optical cladding is disposed adjacent the optical core and has an index of refraction n2 at the first wavelength, n2<n1. A spatially modulated index region has alternating higher and lower index regions extending along a width, and arranged along the length, of the optical waveguide, and configured to extract an optical mode that would otherwise propagate along the length of the waveguide.

Abstract: An optical connector (100) includes a housing (112) configured to contain one or more optical ferrules (121) disposed within the housing and accessible through an opening at a mating end of the housing. A cover (130) is disposed at the mating end, the cover configured to be rotated about a pivoting axis between a closed position an open position. An actuator (135, 136) is configured to cause the cover to rotate about the pivoting axis from the closed position to the open position.

Abstract: A light coupling element including a groove and a light redirecting member is described. The groove is for receiving and aligning an optical waveguide and incudes an open front end and a back end. The light redirecting member includes an input side for receiving light from an optical waveguide received and supported in the groove and a light redirecting side for changing a direction of light received from the input side. The groove may include a bottom surface extending between the front and back ends of the groove and including a raised bottom surface portion raised upwardly relative to an unraised bottom surface portion. The unraised bottom surface portion of the bottom surface may be disposed between the raised bottom surface portion of the bottom surface and the input side of the light redirecting member. Optical coupling assemblies including the light coupling element and an optical waveguide are described.

Abstract: An optical ferrule adapted to receive and transmit light is described. The optical ferrule includes first and second alignment features for mating with corresponding alignment features of a mating optical ferrule. One of the first and second alignment features may be compressible or expandable.

Abstract: (Problem) To provide an optical ferrule that can easily accommodate multicore optical fibers, without an accompanying increase in the number of components. (Resolution Means) The optical ferrule 1 includes a guide opening 14 formed by an upper wall 10, a bottom wall 11, and a pair of side walls 12 and 13; a guide part 15 that extends forward from the upper wall 10 and the guide opening 14; and an optical coupler 20 provided on the upper surface of the upper wall 10. The optical coupler 20 has a waveguide aligning part 21 that aligns and holds an optical waveguide 2, and a light direction converter 22 that changes the direction of light from the optical waveguide 2 and emits the light toward an opposing optical ferrule 1.

Abstract: An optical connector includes a first attachment area for receiving and permanently attaching to an optical waveguide. A light coupling unit is disposed and configured to move translationally and not rotationally within the housing of the connector. The light coupling unit includes a second attachment area for receiving and permanently attaching to an optical waveguide received and permanently attached at the first attachment area. The light coupling unit also includes light redirecting surface. The light redirecting surface is configured such that when an optical waveguide is received and permanently attached at the first and second attachment areas, the light redirecting surface receives and redirects light from the optical waveguide. The optical waveguide limits, but does not prevent, a movement of the light coupling unit within the housing.

Abstract: An optical system including first and second optical elements for guiding light therein. For each optical element, the propagating light enters or exits the optical element through a coupling surface of the optical element. The coupling surfaces of the optical elements face, and align with, each other so that light propagating in one of the optical elements exits the optical element through the coupling surface of the optical element and enters the other optical element through the coupling surface of the other optical element. The coupling surfaces are separated from each other and define a region therebetween. The region is filled with a coolant, the coolant substantially surrounding at least one of the first and second optical elements.

Abstract: An optical ferrule (200) has opposing major top (10) and bottom (20) surfaces where the bottom surface includes discrete spaced apart first (90) and second (100) platforms arranged along a mating direction of the optical ferrule (200). During a mating of the ferrule (200) with a mating optical ferrule (200?), the first (90) and second (100) platforms of the ferrule (200) slide against corresponding respective first (90?) and second (100?) platforms of the mating ferrule (200?). Upon full mating of the ferrule (200) with the mating ferrule (200?), the second platforms (100, 100?) of the ferrule and the mating ferrule remain in contact with and rest on each other, and the first platform (90, 90?) of neither ferrule makes contact with the other ferrule.

Abstract: An optical cable subassembly includes one or more optical waveguides, at least light coupling unit comprising a first attachment area permanently attached to the optical waveguides, and at least one cable retainer comprising a second attachment area permanently attached to the optical waveguides and adapted to be installed in a housing. A length of the optical waveguides between the first attachment area and the second attachment area allows a bend in the optical waveguides that provides a predetermined mating spring force at a predetermined angle of the light coupling unit when installed in the housing.

Abstract: An optical communication subassembly includes one or more optoelectronic devices, one or more optical elements, and a transceiver light coupling unit. Each optical element is configured to change a divergence of the outgoing light relative to a divergence of the incoming light and is spaced apart from and optically aligned with a corresponding optoelectronic device. The transceiver light coupling unit has a mating surface configured for mating with a connector light coupling unit attached to an optical waveguide. A mating direction of the optical light coupling unit forms an angle with the mating surface of the transceiver light coupling unit such that when the connector light coupling unit mates with the transceiver light coupling unit, the angle between the mating direction of the connector light coupling unit and the mating surface of the transceiver light coupling unit causes the optical waveguide to bend.

Abstract: An optical ferrule includes an optical coupling member with a light redirecting element that redirects input light from a waveguide toward an output window. The optical coupling member has a mating surface configured to slidably mate with a mating optical coupling member along a longitudinal axis of the optical ferrule. The optical ferrule also includes at least one stacking member along a longitudinal edge of the optical coupling member. The stacking member has a distal end extending beyond one of the mating surface and a top surface opposed to the mating surface. The stacking member also has a contact surface opposed to the distal end. The contact surface is configured to rotatably interface with a corresponding distal end of a of an adjacently stacked optical ferrule.

Abstract: An optical cable subassembly includes one or more optical waveguides, at least light coupling unit comprising a first attachment area permanently attached to the optical waveguides, and at least one cable retainer comprising a second attachment area permanently attached to the optical waveguides and adapted to be installed in a housing. A length of the optical waveguides between the first attachment area and the second attachment area allows a bend in the optical waveguides that provides a predetermined mating spring force at a predetermined angle of the light coupling unit when installed in the housing.

Abstract: An optical system including first and second optical elements for guiding light therein. For each optical element, the propagating light enters or exits the optical element through a coupling surface of the optical element. The coupling surfaces of the optical elements face, and align with, each other so that light propagating in one of the optical elements exits the optical element through the coupling surface of the optical element and enters the other optical element through the coupling surface of the other optical element. The coupling surfaces are separated from each other and define a region therebetween. The region is filled with a coolant, the coolant substantially surrounding at least one of the first and second optical elements.

Abstract: A multi-piece optical coupling device comprises a first piece that includes one or more first receiving elements configured to receive and secure one or more optical waveguides. The first piece further includes one or more light affecting elements configured to affect one or more characteristics of light from the optical waveguides while propagating the light within the optical coupling device. A second piece is separate from the first piece and includes one or more second receiving elements configured to receive the waveguides, the first receiving elements and the second receiving elements configured to align the second piece and the first piece using the optical waveguides. The second piece also includes one or more mating alignment features configured to engage with a mating optical coupling device and to align the optical coupling device with the mating optical coupling device.

Abstract: A unitary optical ferrule is molded to include one or more elements for receiving and securing one or more optical waveguides one or more elements for affecting one or more characteristics of light from the optical waveguide while propagating the light within the ferrule. The optical ferrule also includes one or more first alignment features and one or more second alignment features that, when the ferrule is mated with a mating ferrule, each controls alignment of the ferrule with the mating ferrule along three mechanical degrees of freedom. The surface of the optical ferrule can be divided along the thickness axis into a first section and an opposing second section, wherein the first section of the surface includes the receiving and securing elements, the light affecting elements, and the first alignment features and the second section of the surface includes the second alignment features.

Abstract: An optical connector (100) includes a housing (112) configured to contain one or more optical ferrules (121) disposed within the housing and accessible through an opening at a mating end of the housing. A cover (130) is disposed at the mating end, the cover configured to be rotated about a pivoting axis between a closed position an open position. An actuator (135, 136) is configured to cause the cover to rotate about the pivoting axis from the closed position to the open position.