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 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 ferrule has a different thermal expansion coefficient than a substrate to which a optical device is mounted, the ferrule optically coupling the device to one or more optical fibers. The optical ferrule includes and/or a cradle in which the ferrule is mounted include lateral and longitudinal engagement feature that ensure alignment with the optical device at an operating temperature, the ferrule expanding relative to the substrate when transitioning to the operating temperature.

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 connector has a first magnetic member proximate an opening of the connector. A door of the connector has a gate with a peripheral shape conforming to a shape of an opening of the connector. A pivot of the door rotatably engages with the at least one pivot attachment of the housing on a pivot axis that extends across the gate. A protrusion of the door extends from the pivot axis away from the gate. The protrusion includes a second magnetic member. The first and second magnetic members cause the gate to block the opening in an unmated configuration of the connector.

Abstract: An optical ferrule comprises first and second compound stop features respectively disposed at opposing sides of the optical ferrule. Each compound stop feature has upper and lower contact surfaces. The lower contact surface is offset below the mating surface of the optical ferrule along a thickness axis perpendicular to the mating surface. The upper contact surface is offset above the mating surface along the thickness axis. The lower contact surface is offset forward from the upper stop surface along a mating direction of the optical ferrule. A connecting surface connects the upper contact surface and the lower contact surface.

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 assembly includes a hermaphroditic cassette comprising a hood that includes a narrower section and a wider section. The narrower and wider sections are separated by slots such that the narrower section fits at least partially within a wider section of an identical mating hood of a mating optical assembly and the wider section receives a narrower section of the mating hood. The hood has first and second stop features configured to engage with second and first stop features of the mating hood. The first stop feature comprises a mating end of the narrower section of the hood and the second stop feature comprises a stop surface disposed within the wider section of the hood. Engagement of the stop features of the hood with stop features of the mating hood is configured to stop relative translational movement of the hood and the mating hood along the mating axis during mating.

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: Cartridges for sample partitioning and methods of making and using the cartridges are provided. The cartridges include a pouch to receive a mated stem-well film and a sealing film covered by a release liner. The stem film and the sealing film can be respectively separated from the well film and sealing film simultaneously by pulling a pull tab.

Abstract: An automotive electric fluidic pump includes a brushless and electronically commutated electric drive motor. The electric drive motor includes a permanent-magnetic motor rotor which rotates around a rotation axis and includes rotor poles, stator-sided electro-magnetic coils, a printed circuit board with openings, at least two stator-sided Hall sensors arranged on a proximal side of the printed circuit board to face the permanent-magnetic motor rotor, and a ferromagnetic back iron member arranged at a distal side of the printed circuit board to provide a direct magnetic coupling of the Hall sensors with each other. The Hall sensors are arranged eccentrically to detect axial magnetic fields of the rotor poles. The ferromagnetic back iron member comprises axial protrusions. An axial protrusion extends into an opening of the printed circuit board. Each axial protrusion faces a Hall sensor.

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: A light coupling unit for use in an optical connector includes a waveguide alignment member that receives and aligns at least one optical waveguide. The light coupling unit includes a light redirecting member that has an input surface configured to receive input light from the end face of the optical waveguide. A curved reflective surface of the light redirecting member receives light from the input surface propagating along an input axis and redirects the light such that the redirected light propagates along a different redirected axis. An output surface of the light redirecting member receives the redirected light and transmits the redirected light as output light propagating along an output axis and exiting the light redirecting member. A curved intersection of the curved reflective surface and a first plane formed by the input and redirected axes has a radius of curvature. The curved reflective surface has an axis of revolution disposed in the first plane.

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 inspection device for an optical ferrule includes one or more reflectors. Each reflector has a mating surface and a mirror disposed at an oblique angle with respect to the mating surface. Each reflector is configured to mate with the optical ferrule when the optical ferrule is disposed within a housing of an optical connector. When the mating surface of the reflector is in mated contact with the mating surface of the optical ferrule, the mirror is positioned to provide a reflected view of at least a portion of a mating surface of the optical ferrule.

Abstract: An optical connector includes multiple optical subconnectors, wherein each optical subconnector comprises a subconnector housing and one or more optical cable assemblies. The optical connector has two or more housing components, including at least a first housing component and a second housing component. Control of x, y, and z translation of the multiple optical subconnectors is distributed between the first and second housing components such that each housing component controls movement of the optical subconnectors along at least one but not all of the x, y, and z axes.

Abstract: A shoulder coil for use in MR imaging includes a rigid housing configured to be positioned on the posterior portion of the shoulder and a flexible coil assembly, mounted to the rigid housing, where the flexible coil assembly is repositionable with respect to the first housing. The flexible coil assembly may be folded outward to facilitate loading of the patient or positioning of the shoulder coil with respect to the patient and folded inward to rest on the shoulder of the patient during imaging. The shoulder coil is positioned at an angle with respect to the shoulder to extend from the superior surface to the lateral surface of the shoulder. Antennas are located in the rigid housing, flexible coil assembly and between the two housings to detect NMR signals from each surface of the shoulder.