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 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 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: A flexible coil includes a flexible substrate with a plurality of holes extending through the substrate. Each hole is configured to receive at least a portion of a fastener extending through the hole. Each fastener engages the flexible substrate and an antenna loop to positively retain the antenna loop to the flexible substrate. The holes are arranged in the flexible substrate to align each antenna loop with respect to the other antenna loops mounted to the flexible substrate. The fasteners are removably mounted to the flexible substrate such that the fastener positively retains the antenna loop to the flexible substrate when mounted to the flexible substrate but allows individual antenna loops to be removed from the flexible substrate when the fastener is removed from the flexible substrate. Multiple fasteners are provided for each antenna loop and are spaced apart from each other and positioned along the length of the loop.

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 wave guide 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 wave guide 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: An optical assembly includes an optical ferrule including a light redirecting member configured to receive light from an optical waveguide along a first direction and redirect the light along a different second direction, the redirected light exiting the optical ferrule at an exit location on a mating surface of the optical ferrule, and a cradle with a mating surface and configured to hold and align the optical ferrule to an optical component, wherein the mating surface of the optical ferrule and the mating surface of the cradle are held together by a magnetic attraction between opposing magnetic elements, wherein the optical ferrule and the cradle, but not the opposing elements, physically contact each other.

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 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 flexible coil includes a flexible substrate with a plurality of holes extending through the substrate. Each hole is configured to receive at least a portion of a fastener extending through the hole. Each fastener engages the flexible substrate and an antenna loop to positively retain the antenna loop to the flexible substrate. The holes are arranged in the flexible substrate to align each antenna loop with respect to the other antenna loops mounted to the flexible substrate. The fasteners are removably mounted to the flexible substrate such that the fastener positively retains the antenna loop to the flexible substrate when mounted to the flexible substrate but allows individual antenna loops to be removed from the flexible substrate when the fastener is removed from the flexible substrate. Multiple fasteners are provided for each antenna loop and are spaced apart from each other and positioned along the length of the loop.

Abstract: A first optical device is adapted to couple to a second optical device along a coupling direction and includes two spaced apart pairs of leading and trailing pads, such that when the first optical device lands and slides on a landing surface of the second optical device to optically couple to the second optical device, and for each pair of leading and trailing pads, the leading pad prevents any debris on the landing surface from collecting on the trailing pad. Upon full coupling of the first optical device with the second optical device, the leading pads do not make contact with the landing surface. The first optical device may be, for example, an optical ferrule or a cradle having a recess adapted to receive an optical ferrule.

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 modular optical connector includes a plurality of coupled optical ferrule support modules. Each optical ferrule support module comprises module connecting features configured to couple each ferrule support module with one or more neighboring ferrule support modules of the plurality of ferrule support modules. One or more optical ferrules are disposed and configured to rotate within the ferrule support module. Each optical ferrule includes a first attachment area configured to attach to one or more optical waveguides. One or more passageways are disposed within the ferrule support module. Each passageway is configured to receive the one or more optical waveguides. The passageway comprises a second attachment area configured to attach to the optical waveguides that are attached to the optical ferrule at the first attachment area. The passageway is dimensioned to constrain the optical waveguides to bend within the housing between the first attachment area and the second attachment area.

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: Each optical cable includes an array of at least one optical waveguide and at least one optical ferrule attached to the array of optical waveguides. The housing includes a first housing portion and a second housing portion engaged with the first housing portion. The second housing portion comprises at least one carrier and one frame. The carrier and frame of the second housing portion are configured to support the one or more optical cables. The first housing portion and the second housing portion are configured such that mechanical engagement of the first housing portion with the second housing portion moves the carrier relative to the frame. Movement of the carrier relative to the frame causes a bend in each optical waveguide and rotation of each ferrule. The bend provides a predetermined spring force of the optical waveguides at a predetermined angle of the ferrule.

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 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: 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: 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: An optical connector (100) comprises one or more optical cables (110) disposed within a housing (120). Each optical In cable (110) includes an array of at least one optical waveguide (111) and at least one optical ferrule (112) attached to the array of optical waveguides (111). The housing (120) includes a first housing portion (121) and a second housing portion (122) engaged with the first housing portion (121). The second housing portion (122) comprises at least one carrier (130) and one frame (140). The carrier (130) and frame (140) of the second housing portion (122) are configured to support the one or more optical cables (110). The first housing portion (121) and the second housing portion (122) are configured such that mechanical engagement of the first housing portion (121) with the second housing portion (122) moves the carrier (130) relative to the frame (140). Movement of the carrier (130) relative to the frame (140) causes a bend in each optical waveguide (111) and rotation of each ferrule (112).

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.