Abstract: A ferrule has a receiving area for receiving and securing an optical waveguide and an optical element for receiving light from an optical waveguide received and secured at the receiving area and changing at least one of a divergence and a propagation direction of the received light. A plurality of registration features are configured to permit a stacking of the ferrule in a stacking direction such that the ferrules in the stack are aligned relative to each other along a length of the ferrule and along a direction perpendicular to the stacking direction.

Abstract: A hybrid connector includes a connector housing, one or more first connection elements configured to transfer a first type of energy or a fluid, and one or more second connection elements configured to transfer a second type of energy, different from the first type of energy, or the fluid. The first connection elements are rotationally fixed and the second connection elements are configured to rotate around an axis that is substantially perpendicular to a mating axis of 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: 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: 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: The disclosure generally relates to individual optical waveguides, sets of optical waveguides such as optical fiber ribbons, and fiber optic connectors useful for connecting individual optical waveguides or multiple optical fibers such as in optical fiber ribbon cables. In particular, the disclosure provides an efficient, compact, and reliable optical fiber connector that exhibits a low insertion loss for use with multimode optical waveguides. The optical connectors incorporate a unitary light coupling unit combining the features of optical fiber alignment, along with redirecting and shaping of the optical beam.

Abstract: An optical ferrule includes at least one light affecting element configured to affect one or more characteristics of light from an optical waveguide as the light propagates in the optical ferrule, the light affecting element having an input surface. At least one receiving element receives and secures the optical waveguide to the ferrule so that an output surface of the waveguide is optically coupled to the input surface of the light affecting element. A waveguide stop limits movement of the waveguide toward the input surface of the light affecting element when the optical waveguide is installed in the receiving element. A space between the output surface of the optical waveguide and the input surface of the light affecting element is inaccessible to the optical waveguide when the optical waveguide is installed in the receiving element.

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: An optical connector includes a first attachment area (110) for receiving and permanently attaching to an optical waveguide (115). A light coupling unit (120) 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 (121) 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 (122). 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 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: A connector is disclosed that includes a light coupling unit designed to receive light from an input side of the light coupling unit and transmit the received light to a mating connector from an output side of the light coupling unit along a direction different than the mating direction of the connector. The light coupling unit rotates when the connector mates with the mating connector.

Abstract: A light coupling unit includes a first major surface comprising one or more substantially parallel first grooves oriented along a first direction for receiving one or more optical waveguides. A second major surface for slidably contacting a mating light coupling unit comprises an optically transmitting window for propagating an optical signal therethrough, and a region of second grooves and lands configured to capture particulate contaminants in the second grooves.

Abstract: A coupling unit includes a light coupling element comprising an attachment area for receiving and permanently attaching to a plurality of optical waveguides. One or more grooves are provided at the attachment area. Each groove is configured to receive an optical waveguide and defined by a bottom surface, a first region, a second region, and an opening. The first region is defined between the bottom surface and the second region. The first region in cross section has substantially parallel sidewalls separated by a spacing. The second region is disposed between the first region and the opening. A width of the opening is greater than the spacing.

Abstract: A hybrid connector includes a connector housing, one or more first connection elements configured to transfer a first type of energy or a fluid, and one or more second connection elements configured to transfer a second type of energy, different from the first type of energy, or the fluid.

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: 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: 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, expandable or compliant. An optical ferrule having first and second alignment features is described, wherein the ferrule is adapted such that the mating/unmating to/from a corresponding ferrule can be effected along two orthogonal dimensions of the ferrule. Additionally an optical ferrule having first and second alignment features is described, wherein the first and second alignment features are located at substantially different first and second locations/contact regions along the ferrule mating direction; the contact regions may also be offset along the thickness direction of the ferrule.

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: Ferrules, alignment frames and connectors having at least one flexing element are provided. A ferrule or an alignment frame may include a body and first and second flexible arms, and a connector may include the ferrule or the alignment frame. A ferrule may have a first flexible arm that has a first fixed end attached to a first side of the body of the ferrule and an opposite first free end, and may have a second flexible arm having a second fixed end attached to a second side of the body, opposite the first side, and an opposite second free end. When the ferrule is mated with a mating ferrule, the first and second flexible arms are flexed away from the respective first and second sides of the body, and the first and second free ends contact the mating ferrule.

Abstract: The present invention relates to a hybrid connector. The connector comprises an insulating housing having parallel rows of first and second terminals disposed in the housing. Each first and second terminal includes a terminal portion configured to make contact with an electrically conductive trace of a circuit board; and a mating portion configured to contact a terminal of a mating connector, the mating portions of the first terminals parallel to and facing the mating portions of the second terminals. The housing defines a cavity formed therein between the mating portions of the first and second terminals, wherein the cavity defining a cavity opening at an external surface of the housing for receiving light therefrom. An optical relay portion is disposed in the cavity, wherein the optical relay portion comprises at least one of an optical transceiver, an optical lens and an optical waveguide.