ACTIVE OPTICAL CABLE ASSEMBLIES
The present disclosure describes active optical cable assemblies. A cable assembly includes a fixed active optical connector having a transceiver, a ruggedized optical fiber cable integrated with the fixed active optical connector, a main cable assembly comprising one or more optical fiber cables, wherein the ruggedized cable is spliced to the main cable assembly; and a removable shroud configured to surround at least a portion of the fixed active optical connector plugged into a remote radio unit and to be secured to a remote radio unit. Active optical cable and remote radio unit systems and kits are also described.
This application is a continuation of U.S. patent application Ser. No. 17/322,043, filed May 17, 2021, which claims priority from and the benefit of U.S. Provisional Application Ser. No. 63/027,467, filed May 20, 2020, the entire contents of each of which is incorporated herein by reference in their entirety.
FIELDThe present application is directed generally toward telecommunications equipment, and more particularly, active optical cable assemblies and remote radio systems.
BACKGROUNDTraditional optical assemblies have optical connectors on both ends of the assembly. These assemblies may be connected to a remote radio unit (RRU), remote radio head (RRH) or active antenna at one end and a base band unit (BBU), another RRU, or other telecommunication equipment via a small form-factor pluggable (SFP) optical connector (i.e., the optical assembly is connected to one end of the SFP via an optical connector/adapter and the other end of the SFP (i.e., the copper connection end) may be inserted into the RRU, RRH, etc.) to create an active optical cable assembly. Active optical cables (AOC) represent a cabling technology that accepts the same electrical inputs as a traditional copper cable, but uses optical fiber between connectors. Thus, the SFP converts an optical signal to an electrical signal. Active optical cables use optical-to-electrical conversion on the cable ends to improve speed and distance performance of the cable without sacrificing compatibility with standard electrical interfaces.
Generally speaking, mating optical connectors mechanically couple and align the cores of optical fibers so light can pass. The better the connector, the better the optical cleanliness of the connection (i.e., less light is lost due to reflection or misalignment of the optical fibers). The optical connector interface (e.g., on the optical connector of the optical assembly and/or on the optical connector/adapter of the SFP) is very small and delicate (e.g., glass), and is susceptible to dust, scratches, etc. which can affect the optical cleanliness of the connection. Therefore, during installation, a technician must have a proper tool to inspect the ends for a clean and scratch-less optical interface. If the ends are dirty, the technician also must have a cleaning tool and requires that the technician have special skills to perform these tasks. In addition, the technician must also test the optical assembly for damage. Even after inspecting and cleaning the optical interface, in many instances, it is discovered during activation of the RRU that the SFP is defective. Currently, there is not a way for the technician to test the SFP in the field without installing it into the RRU. Thus, there may be a need for an active optical cable assembly that would allow for better optical cleanliness when used with, for example, a remote radio unit.
SUMMARYA first aspect of the present invention is directed to an end cap for an active optical cable assembly. The end cap includes an outer protective shell surrounding an inner cavity, the outer protective shell having an open end configured to receive a fixed optical connector of the active optical cable assembly. The inner cavity is sized to fit around the fixed optical connector and configured to form an interference fit therewith.
Another aspect of the present invention is directed to an end cap adapted for use with an active optical cable assembly. The end cap includes a main body including one or more sidewalls, a closed end, and an opposing open end, the one or more sidewalls and closed end of the main body defining an inner cavity. The inner cavity is sized and configured to receive a fixed optical connector of the active optical cable assembly inserted through the open end of the main body.
Another aspect of the present invention is directed to an active optical cable assembly kit. The kit includes an active optical cable assembly, the active optical cable assembly comprising a fixed active optical connector and a shroud; and an end cap, the end cap including a main body having one or more sidewalls, a closed end, and an opposing open end, the one or more sidewalls and closed end of the main body defining an inner cavity. The inner cavity of the end cap is sized and configured to receive the fixed optical connector of the active optical cable assembly and the main body is configured to engage the shroud of the active optical cable assembly to secure the end cap thereto.
It is noted that aspects of the invention described with respect to one embodiment, may be incorporated in a different embodiment although not specifically described relative thereto. That is, all embodiments and/or features of any embodiment can be combined in any way and/or combination. Applicant reserves the right to change any originally filed claim and/or file any new claim accordingly, including the right to be able to amend any originally filed claim to depend from and/or incorporate any feature of any other claim or claims although not originally claimed in that manner. These and other objects and/or aspects of the present invention are explained in detail in the specification set forth below. Further features, advantages and details of the present invention will be appreciated by those of ordinary skill in the art from a reading of the figures and the detailed description of the preferred embodiments that follow, such description being merely illustrative of the present invention.
The present invention now is described more fully hereinafter with reference to the accompanying drawings, in which embodiments of the invention are shown. This invention may, however, be embodied in many different forms and should not be construed as limited to the embodiments set forth herein; rather, these embodiments are provided so that this disclosure will be thorough and complete, and will fully convey the scope of the invention to those skilled in the art.
The present invention now will be described more fully hereinafter with reference to the accompanying drawings, in which illustrative embodiments of the invention are shown. Like numbers refer to like elements throughout and different embodiments of like elements can be designated using a different number of superscript indicator apostrophes (e.g., 10′, 10″, 10′″).
In the figures, certain layers, components, or features may be exaggerated for clarity, and broken lines illustrate optional features or operations unless specified otherwise. This invention may, however, be embodied in many different forms and should not be construed as limited to the embodiments set forth herein; rather, these embodiments are provided so that this disclosure will be thorough and complete, and will fully convey the scope of the invention to those skilled in the art.
It will be understood that, although the terms first, second, etc. may be used herein to describe various elements, components, regions, layers and/or sections, these elements, components, regions, layers and/or sections should not be limited by these terms. These terms are only used to distinguish one element, component, region, layer or section from another region, layer or section. Thus, a first element, component, region, layer or section discussed below could be termed a second element, component, region, layer or section without departing from the teachings of the present invention. The sequence of operations (or steps) is not limited to the order presented in the claims or figures unless specifically indicated otherwise.
Unless otherwise defined, all terms (including technical and scientific terms) used herein have the same meaning as commonly understood by one of ordinary skill in the art to which this invention belongs. It will be further understood that terms, such as those defined in commonly used dictionaries, should be interpreted as having a meaning that is consistent with their meaning in the context of the specification and relevant art and should not be interpreted in an idealized or overly formal sense unless expressly so defined herein. Well-known functions or constructions may not be described in detail for brevity and/or clarity.
The terminology used herein is for the purpose of describing particular embodiments only and is not intended to be limiting of the invention. As used herein, the singular forms “a”, “an” and “the” are intended to include the plural forms as well, unless the context clearly indicates otherwise. It will be further understood that the terms “comprises” and/or “comprising”, when used in this specification, specify the presence of stated features, integers, steps, operations, elements, and/or components, but do not preclude the presence or addition of one or more other features, integers, steps, operations, elements, components, and/or groups thereof. As used herein, the term “and/or” includes any and all combinations of one or more of the associated listed items.
As used herein, phrases such as “between X and Y” and “between about X and Y” should be interpreted to include X and Y. As used herein, phrases such as “between about X and Y” mean “between about X and about Y.” As used herein, phrases such as “from about X to Y” mean “from about X to about Y.”
Pursuant to embodiments of the present invention, active optical cable assemblies are provided that may enhance the optical cleanliness of an optical connection. Active optical cable and remote radio unit systems are also provided herein. Embodiments of the present invention will now be discussed in greater detail with reference to
Referring now to the drawings, an active optical cable assembly 10 according to embodiments of the present is shown in
In some embodiments, the fixed optical connector 12 may have a pull tab 17 attached thereto. The pull tab 17 may be used by a technician to grip when removing (i.e., pulling) the fixed optical connector 12 from the input port 32 of the remote radio unit 30. In some embodiments, the pull tab 17 may also be used to help secure or lock the fixed connector 12 in place within the remote radio unit 30 (see, e.g.,
The active optical cable assembly 10 of the present invention may further include a main cable assembly 11. In some embodiments, the main cable assembly 11 may comprise one or more fiber optic cables 16 with active optical connectors 18 (i.e., an optical cable assembly) (see also, e.g.,
As shown in
The removable shroud 20 is further shown in
The locking section 26 (and mating end 26a) of the removable shroud 20 may be configured to secure the shroud 20 to the remote radio unit 30 (i.e., after a fixed active optical connector 12 has been plugged into an input port 32). In some embodiments, the shroud 20 may be configured to be secured to a mating interface 34 corresponding to an input port 32 of the remote radio unit 30 (see, e.g.,
To remove the shroud 20 from the remote radio unit 30, the coupling nut 28 is unscrewed from the threaded section 27 and the locking mechanism 24 is rotated in an opposite direction to release the securing feature 38 from the locking mechanism 24. Once released, the biasing member 23 pushes the locking mechanism 24 away from the locking section 26, thereby allowing the shroud 20 to be pulled away from the mating interface 34 of the remote radio unit 30.
In some embodiments, the mating end 26a of the shroud 20 may be configured to form an interference fit (e.g., via gasket compression) with the mating interface 34 of the remote radio unit 30. In other embodiments, the shroud 20 may comprise threads that correspond to threads on the mating interface 34, allowing the shroud 20 to be secured (i.e., screwed) onto the remote radio unit 30. The shroud 20 may help to enhance or increase optical cleanliness by providing protection to the optical connection between the fixed optical connector 12 and the remote radio unit 30 (e.g., protecting from dust and/or environmental conditions). In addition, in some embodiments, the shroud 20 may comprise one or more features configured to protect the fixed optical connector 12 from vibration and/or mechanical shock. For example, in some embodiments, the shroud 20 may be molded such that the interior of the shroud 20 corresponds to the shape of the fixed connector 12 which helps to hold the fixed connector 12 in place. In some embodiments, the vibration reduction and/or alignment feature may be a gasket or slotted spring feature. In some embodiments, the removable shroud 20 may be formed from a polymeric material, such as polyurethane, rubber, acrylonitrile butadiene styrene (ABS), or the like.
Referring to
To remove the shroud 200 from the remote radio unit 30, the coupling nut 206 is unscrewed from the metallic portion 202 and the metallic portion 202 is rotated in an opposite direction to release the securing features from the slots 38′. Once released, the shroud 200 may be pulled away from the mating interface 34′ of the remote radio unit 30.
Similar to the removable shroud 20 described above, the removable shroud 200 may help to enhance or increase optical cleanliness by helping to protect the optical connection between the fixed optical connector 12 and the remote radio unit 30. In some embodiments, the shroud 200 may be configured to form an interference fit with the mating interface 34 of the remote radio unit 30. In other embodiments, the shroud 200 may comprise threads that correspond to threads on the mating interface 34, thereby allowing the shroud 200 to be secured (i.e., screwed) onto the remote radio unit 30. In addition, in some embodiments, the shroud 200 may comprise one or more features configured to protect the fixed optical connector 12 from vibration and/or mechanical shock. The removable shrouds 20, 200 also provide protection against environmental conditions such as rain, snow, etc.
Referring now to
As shown in
Referring now to
As shown in
In some embodiments, the end cap 70 may further comprise an annular gasket 75 adjacent to the open end. The annular gasket 75 may help to provide a water-tight seal, for example, between the end cap 70 and the removable shroud 20, 200. In some embodiments, the end cap 70 may further include an aperture 77. The aperture 77 may be used during storage and/or may be used to help remove the end cap 70 from a fixed optical connector 12.
Referring now to
The shroud 300 further includes a coupling nut 308 configured to be threaded with a threaded section 302a of the main body 302. Similar to the shrouds 20, 200 described herein, as the coupling nut 308 is threaded with the threaded section 302a, a coupling mechanism 303 squeezes a coupling gasket 305 against the ruggedized cable 14, thereby creating a seal between the shroud 300 and the cable 14.
Referring now to
As shown in
The foregoing is illustrative of the present invention and is not to be construed as limiting thereof. Although exemplary embodiments of this invention have been described, those skilled in the art will readily appreciate that many modifications are possible in the exemplary embodiments without materially departing from the novel teachings and advantages of this invention. Accordingly, all such modifications are intended to be included within the scope of this invention as defined in the claims. The invention is defined by the following claims, with equivalents of the claims to be included therein.
Claims
1. An end cap for an active optical cable assembly, the end cap comprising:
- an outer protective shell surrounding an inner cavity, the outer protective shell having an open end configured to receive a fixed optical connector of the active optical cable assembly,
- wherein the inner cavity is sized to fit around the fixed optical connector and configured to form an interference fit therewith.
2. The end cap according to claim 1, further comprising an interior gasket molded within the inner cavity which correspond with an outer profile of the fixed optical connector.
3. The end cap according to claim 2, wherein the interior gasket has a rectangular shape.
4. The end cap according to claim 1, further comprising one or more securing features configured to engage the active optical cable assembly.
5. The end cap according to claim 4, wherein the one or more securing features extend outwardly in an axial direction from the open end of the end cap
6. The end cap according to claim 4, wherein the one or more securing features are configured to engage a shroud of the active optical cable assembly.
7. The end cap according to claim 4, wherein the one or more securing features comprise a snap-fit feature configured to deflect radially inwardly or outwardly until a protrusion engages with a corresponding feature of the active optical cable assembly.
8. The end cap according to claim 1, further comprising an annular gasket adjacent to the open end.
9. The end cap according to claim 1, wherein the fixed optical connector is a small form-factor pluggable (SFP) optical connector.
10. The end cap according to claim 1, in combination with an active optical cable assembly comprising a shroud, wherein the end cap is engaged with the shroud of the active optical cable assembly to secure the end cap to the active optical cable assembly.
11. An end cap adapted for use with an active optical cable assembly, the end cap comprising:
- a main body including one or more sidewalls, a closed end, and an opposing open end, the one or more sidewalls and closed end of the main body defining an inner cavity,
- wherein the inner cavity is sized and configured to receive a fixed optical connector of the active optical cable assembly inserted through the open end of the main body.
12. The end cap according to claim 11, wherein the inner cavity corresponds with an outer profile of the fixed optical connector.
13. The end cap according to claim 11, further comprising one or more securing features configured to engage the active optical cable assembly.
14. The end cap according to claim 13, wherein the one or more securing features are configured to engage a shroud of the active optical cable assembly.
15. The end cap according to claim 11, wherein the fixed optical connector is a small form-factor pluggable (SFP) transceiver.
16. The end cap according to claim 11, wherein the main body is formed from a polymeric material.
17. The end cap according to claim 11, in combination with an active optical cable assembly comprising a shroud, wherein the end cap is engaged with the shroud of the active optical cable assembly to secure the end cap to the active optical cable assembly.
18. An active optical cable assembly kit, the kit comprising:
- an active optical cable assembly, the active optical cable assembly comprising a fixed active optical connector and a shroud; and
- an end cap, the end cap comprising a main body having one or more sidewalls, a closed end, and an opposing open end, the one or more sidewalls and closed end of the main body defining an inner cavity,
- wherein the inner cavity of the end cap is sized and configured to receive the fixed optical connector of the active optical cable assembly and the main body is configured to engage the shroud of the active optical cable assembly to secure the end cap thereto.
19. The active optical cable assembly kit according to claim 18, wherein the fixed optical connector is a small form-factor pluggable (SFP) optical connector.
20. The active optical cable assembly kit according to claim 18, wherein the end cap further comprising one or more securing features configured to engage with the shroud of the active optical cable assembly to secure the end cap thereto.
Type: Application
Filed: Jan 11, 2023
Publication Date: May 25, 2023
Inventors: Nahid Islam (Westmont, IL), Anthony Leonard LeFebvre (Edina, MN)
Application Number: 18/153,011