Patents by Inventor Barry J. Koch
Barry J. Koch has filed for patents to protect the following inventions. This listing includes patent applications that are pending as well as patents that have already been granted by the United States Patent and Trademark Office (USPTO).
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Publication number: 20230367083Abstract: An optical ferrule assembly includes an optical ferrule including an attachment area, a light input surface and a light output surface; an optical fiber having a fiber end where the light input surface and the fiber end defines a gap therebetween substantially filled with an adhesive, such that light propagating along the optical fiber and having a peak intensity I1?3 GW/m2, exits the fiber end and enters the optical ferrule through the light input surface after traversing the gap through the adhesive, and exits the optical ferrule through the light output surface. The exiting light has a first beam size, such that after at least 100 hours of aging of the optical ferrule assembly, any change in the first beam size due to a photodegradation of the adhesive is no more than about 10%. The adhesive can be prepared by photocuring an optical adhesive formulation.Type: ApplicationFiled: April 25, 2023Publication date: November 16, 2023Inventors: Amanda K. Leone, David B. Stegall, Changbao Ma, Bing Hao, Barry J. Koch, Constantin-Christian A. Voll
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Patent number: 11719889Abstract: 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.Type: GrantFiled: August 10, 2021Date of Patent: August 8, 2023Assignee: 3M INNOVATIVE PROPERTIES COMPANYInventors: Michael A. Haase, Terry L. Smith, Barry J. Koch, Ding Wang, Alexander R. Mathews
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Publication number: 20210373247Abstract: 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.Type: ApplicationFiled: August 10, 2021Publication date: December 2, 2021Inventors: Michael A. Haase, Terry L. Smith, Barry J. Koch, Ding Wang, Alexander R. Mathews
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Patent number: 11119282Abstract: 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.Type: GrantFiled: March 31, 2020Date of Patent: September 14, 2021Assignee: 3M Innovative Properties CompanyInventors: Michael A. Haase, Terry L. Smith, Barry J. Koch, Ding Wang, Alexander R. Mathews
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Patent number: 11009653Abstract: 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.Type: GrantFiled: May 12, 2020Date of Patent: May 18, 2021Assignee: 3M Innovative Properties CompanyInventors: William J. Clatanoff, Daniel J. Treadwell, Phillip E. Tuma, Terry L. Smith, Donald K. Larson, Barry J. Koch
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Patent number: 10921537Abstract: 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.Type: GrantFiled: May 14, 2020Date of Patent: February 16, 2021Assignee: 3M Innovative Properties CompanyInventors: Terry L. Smith, Barry J. Koch, Michael A. Haase, Alexander R. Mathews
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Publication number: 20200379164Abstract: 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.Type: ApplicationFiled: May 12, 2020Publication date: December 3, 2020Inventors: William J. Clatanoff, Daniel J. Treadwell, Phillip E. Tuma, Terry L. Smith, Donald K. Larson, Barry J. Koch
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Publication number: 20200271876Abstract: 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.Type: ApplicationFiled: May 14, 2020Publication date: August 27, 2020Inventors: Terry L. Smith, Barry J. Koch, Michael A. Haase, Alexander R. Mathews
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Publication number: 20200225421Abstract: 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.Type: ApplicationFiled: March 31, 2020Publication date: July 16, 2020Inventors: Michael A. Haase, Terry L. Smith, Barry J. Koch, Ding Wang, Alexander R. Mathews
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Patent number: 10690870Abstract: 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.Type: GrantFiled: November 12, 2018Date of Patent: June 23, 2020Assignee: 3M Innovative Properties CompanyInventors: Terry L. Smith, Barry J. Koch, Michael A. Haase, Alexander R. Mathews
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Patent number: 10641969Abstract: 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.Type: GrantFiled: November 28, 2018Date of Patent: May 5, 2020Assignee: 3M Innovative Properties CompanyInventors: Michael A. Haase, Terry L. Smith, Barry J. Koch, Ding Wang, Alexander R. Mathews
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Patent number: 10514512Abstract: Optical connectors are provided for connecting sets of optical waveguides, such as optical fiber ribbons to each other, to printed circuit boards, or to backplanes. The provided connectors utilize expanded beam optics with non-contact optical mating resulting in relaxed mechanical precision requirements. The provided connectors can have low optical loss, are easily scalable to high channel count (optical fibers per connector) and can be compatible with low insertion force blind mating.Type: GrantFiled: September 27, 2013Date of Patent: December 24, 2019Assignee: 3M INNOVATIVE PROPERTIES COMPANYInventors: Michael A. Haase, Terry L. Smith, Barry J. Koch, Ding Wang, Alexander R. Mathews
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Patent number: 10386589Abstract: 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.Type: GrantFiled: January 29, 2018Date of Patent: August 20, 2019Assignee: 3M Innovation Properties CompanyInventors: Terry L. Smith, Saujit Bandhu, YunLong Qiao, Chin Hua Lim, Barry J. Koch
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Publication number: 20190094471Abstract: 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.Type: ApplicationFiled: November 28, 2018Publication date: March 28, 2019Inventors: Michael A. Haase, Terry L. Smith, Barry J. Koch, Ding Wang, Alexander R. Mathews
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Publication number: 20190079254Abstract: 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.Type: ApplicationFiled: November 12, 2018Publication date: March 14, 2019Inventors: Terry L. Smith, Barry J. Koch, Michael A. Haase, Alexander R. Mathews
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Patent number: 10168486Abstract: 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.Type: GrantFiled: September 28, 2016Date of Patent: January 1, 2019Assignee: 3M Innovative Properties CompanyInventors: Michael A. Haase, Terry L. Smith, Barry J. Koch, Ding Wang, Alexander R. Mathews
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Patent number: 10162140Abstract: 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.Type: GrantFiled: September 12, 2014Date of Patent: December 25, 2018Assignee: 3M Innovative Properties CompanyInventors: Terry L. Smith, Barry J. Koch, Michael A. Haase, Alexander R. Mathews
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Patent number: 10139571Abstract: 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.Type: GrantFiled: September 28, 2016Date of Patent: November 27, 2018Assignee: 3M Innovative Properties CompanyInventors: Michael A. Haase, Terry L. Smith, Barry J. Koch, Ding Wang, Alexander R. Mathews
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Publication number: 20180217341Abstract: 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.Type: ApplicationFiled: January 29, 2018Publication date: August 2, 2018Inventors: Terry L. Smith, Saujit Bandhu, YunLong Qiao, Chin Hua Lim, Barry J. Koch
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Publication number: 20170017047Abstract: 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.Type: ApplicationFiled: September 28, 2016Publication date: January 19, 2017Inventors: Michael A. Haase, Terry L. Smith, Barry J. Koch, Ding Wang, Alexander R. Mathews