JP3292915B2 - Optical module - Google Patents

Description

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0001]

The present invention relates to an optical module, and more particularly, to an optical module for optically connecting an optical component such as a laser diode or a photodiode to an optical fiber.

[0002]

2. Description of the Related Art In the multimedia age, it has become urgent to establish high-speed, large-capacity data transmission technology, and an optical bus using an optical fiber board has been studied. For example, at the 1997 IEICE Electronics Society Conference (C-3-49), a report was made on an optical bus. The optical fiber board is composed of a plurality of optical fibers wired on a substrate, an electrical / optical conversion circuit or an optical / electrical conversion circuit, a star coupler, an optical connector, and other optical components. Here, the connection between the laser diode LD which is an electric / optical conversion element or the photodiode PD which is an optical / electric conversion element and the optical fiber is made by integrating the LD or PD with an MU type receptacle of an optical connector. The connection is made by a module, and the connection is reduced in size and the density is increased. Here, as the demand for further miniaturization of the connection increases, the conventional optical fiber that can easily connect the optical fiber laid on the substrate and the optical component on the board and has a higher degree of freedom in connection has been improved. An easily detachable optical module having a structure different from that of a connector has been proposed.

Hereinafter, a conventional example will be specifically described with reference to the drawings. First, referring to FIG. 3, a conventional example will be described. This optical module holds an optical component 1, such as an LD or PD module, a receptacle 2 for fixing the optical component 1, an optical fiber 3, and an optical fiber 3. The housing 4 includes a housing 4 fixed to the receptacle 2 and an optical fiber fixing plate 5 for fixing the optical fiber 3 to the housing 4. 31
Denotes a bare optical fiber, and 41 denotes a bare optical fiber extending surface. 4
Reference numeral 2 denotes a U-shaped projecting frame in which the optical fiber fixing plate 5 is accommodated and fixed, and has a U-shaped cross section in the horizontal direction.
And is configured integrally. Reference numeral 6 denotes a spherical lens.

The light radiated from the LD as the optical component 1 is
The light is emitted through the spherical lens 6 of the optical component 1 and is
Is incident on the bare optical fiber 31 of the optical fiber 3 fixed to the optical fiber 3, and propagates therethrough to be transmitted to the outside. On the contrary,
Light transmitted from outside via the bare optical fiber 31 enters the optical component 1 via the spherical lens 6. The light incident on the optical component 1 irradiates the PD and is converted into a current.

FIG. 4 is an exploded view of the optical module of FIG. 4A is a view showing a cross section of the housing, FIG. 4B is a view showing the receptacle and the optical component viewed from above, and FIG. 4C is a view showing a lateral cross section of the receptacle and the optical component. It is. As shown in FIG. 4B, a guide groove 8 is formed in the base 7 of the receptacle 2 in the longitudinal direction. When the housing 4 and the receptacle 2 are connected to each other, the bare optical fiber 31 of the optical fiber 3 held by the housing 4 fits into the guide groove 8 and is positioned extending along the guide groove 8, and its central axis and the spherical lens 6 is configured to coincide with the center. The width of the guide groove 8 is set to be substantially equal to the outer diameter of the bare optical fiber 31. Assuming that the outer diameter of the bare optical fiber 31 is 125 μm, the dimension is set to about 1.3 times the size.

[0006]

Referring to FIG. 5 and FIG. 6, the conventional example of the optical module described above includes a housing 4
Is moved in the direction of the arrow to couple it to the receptacle 2. In this case, if the bare optical fiber 31 of the optical fiber 3 held by the housing 4 is shifted from the guide groove 8 formed in the receptacle 2, the bare optical fiber 3
A stress is applied in a vertical direction via the optical fiber fixing plate 5 at a position corresponding to the vicinity of the end of the base 7 of the base 1. The bare optical fiber 31 may be broken at the position indicated by the mark x in FIG. 6A due to this stress.

The area where the optical fiber 3 is fixed to the housing 4 is only the part fixed by the optical fiber fixing plate 5 which is a part of the housing 4 as shown in FIG. Therefore, the bare optical fiber 31 of the optical fiber 3 is held and fixed to the housing 4 while being inclined with respect to the guide groove 8, or the optical fiber 3 itself is bent at the time of storage, as shown in FIG. ) Is removed from the guide groove 8 as shown in FIG.
1 was occasionally broken.

[0008] Such a problem is caused by a demand for improving the positioning accuracy of the bare optical fiber 31, and the bare optical fiber 3
1. The margin of the groove width of the guide groove 8 with respect to the outer diameter of 1 is set extremely small, and the bare optical fiber 31 to be positioned in the guide groove 8 is extremely vulnerable to stress in the direction perpendicular to its axis. This is caused by: These problems have reduced the reliability of the fiber connection of the optical module and the reproducibility at the time of attachment and detachment.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION The present invention provides an optical module that can easily connect an optical fiber to an optical component such as an LD, a PD, and the like, and is excellent in reliability and reproducibility.

[0010]

Means for Solving the Problems Claim 1: Optical fiber 3
A housing 4 holding the optical component 1, a receptacle 2 formed with a guide groove 8 for fitting the bare optical fiber 31 to the base portion 7, and a housing 4 and the receptacle 2 interconnecting the bare optical fiber. An optical module for making the optical axis of the optical component 31 coincide with the optical module 31 was constructed.

[0011] Then, housings 4 constituted the optical module and has a projecting portion 42 which rotation about the one end portion 71 of the base portion 7 of the receptacle 2.
Claim 2: In addition to the above configuration, an optical module is formed in which a tapered inclined guide groove 9 communicating with the guide groove 8 is formed on the upper surface of one end 71 of the base 7 of the receptacle 2.

Further, claim 3: claim 1 and claim 2
In the optical module described in any one of the above, the upper surface of the protrusion 42 engaging with one end 71 of the base 7 of the receptacle 2 is formed on the bare optical fiber extending surface 41 of the housing 4.
Thus, an optical module which is the inclined portion 44 formed at an obtuse angle was formed.

[0013]

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS The present invention relates to a method of connecting a housing 4 and a receptacle 2 to each other.
Even if the relative position between the optical fiber 3 held by the optical fiber 3 and the guide groove 8 of the receptacle 2 is slightly shifted, the bare optical fiber 31 of the optical fiber 3 can be easily guided into the guide groove 8 formed in the receptacle 2. In this case, the bare optical fiber 31 is not broken. That is, according to the present invention, when the housing 4 and the receptacle 2 are connected to each other, the housing 4 has a configuration in which the housing 4 rotates around one end 71 of the base 7 and the bare optical fiber 3
1 is gradually approached to the base 7 of the receptacle 2 in an inclined state, and a tapered shape communicating with the guide groove 8 is formed on the upper surface of one end 71 of the base 7 where the optical fiber enters the guide groove. The inclined guide groove 9 was formed.

[0014]

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS An embodiment of the present invention will be described with reference to FIGS. 1 (a), 1 (b) and 1 (c) show the reception
The drawing shows a process in which the housing is rotated in the order of a, b, and c with one end of the base of the tuckle as a center of rotation.
FIG. 2A illustrates a tapered inclined guide groove, and FIG.
FIG. 2B is a diagram illustrating a cross section taken along line bb in FIG.

1 and 2, FIG. 3 and FIG.
The same reference numerals are given to the members common to the members in. That is, 1 is an optical component, 2 is a receptacle, 3
Is an optical fiber, 4 is a housing, 5 is an optical fiber fixing plate, 7 is a base portion, and 8 is a guide groove. Reference numeral 42 denotes a projecting frame for fixing the optical fiber fixing plate, and constitutes a projecting portion of the housing 4. 31 is a bare optical fiber, 43 is an elastic locking portion. Light emitted from the LD that is the optical component 1 is
The light is emitted through the spherical lens 6 of the optical component 1 and is
Is incident on the bare optical fiber 31 of the optical fiber 3 fixed to the optical fiber 3, and propagates therethrough to be transmitted to the outside. On the contrary,
Light transmitted from outside via the bare optical fiber 31 enters the optical component 1 via the spherical lens 6. The light incident on the optical component 1 irradiates the PD and is converted into a current. Reference numeral 44 denotes an inclined portion formed on the front surface of the projecting frame 42 which is the projecting portion of the housing 4. The inclined portion 44 is formed at an obtuse angle from the bare optical fiber extending surface 41. This angle is set to about 115 °, and when the inclined portion 44 is engaged with the end surface of the one end portion 71 of the base portion 7, the angle formed between the bare optical fiber extending surface 41 and the upper surface of the base portion 7. Is set to about 25 °.

As shown in FIG. 1, this embodiment has a tapered inclined guide groove 9 formed on the upper surface of one end 71 of the base 7.
Is formed so as to communicate with the guide groove 8. Hereinafter, the tapered inclined guide groove 9 will be described with reference to FIG. In FIG. 2, reference numeral 91 denotes a side wall of the tapered inclined guide groove 9;
Indicates a ridge line. Although the illustrated tapered inclined guide groove 9 is exaggerated, the degree of the opening is appropriately set in consideration of the mounting accuracy of the optical fiber 3 and the bending of the bare optical fiber 31.

Here, in order to fix the housing 4 to the receptacle 2, first, the projecting frame 42 of the housing 4 is used.
Is engaged with the end face of one end 71 of the base 7 of the receptacle 2. Then, Ikara b as shown in FIG. 1 (b) and FIG. 1 (c), the order of C, the receptacle 2
The housing 4 is rotated about one end 71 of the base 7 of the base 4 as a center of rotation, and the housing 4 is made to approach the receptacle 2. In this case, if the center axis of the bare optical fiber 31 is slightly deviated from the center axis of the guide groove 8, FIG.
The bare optical fiber 31 has a tapered inclined guide groove 9 communicating with the guide groove 8 between FIG. 1A and FIG.
Contact somewhere on the ridge line 92. However, since the tapered inclined guide groove 9 is formed on the upper surface of the one end 71 of the base portion 7 so as to communicate with the guide groove 8, the rotation of the housing 4 reaches B in FIG. From here, the bare optical fiber 31 and the ridge line 9 are further advanced to C in FIG.
The contact point 2 is pushed to the entrance of the guide groove 8 along the ridgeline 92. Apart from the extreme bending of the bare optical fiber 31, the bare optical fiber 31 is now aligned with the guide groove 8. Finally, the bare optical fiber 31 of the optical fiber 3 held by the housing 4 fits into the guide groove 8 and is stretched and positioned along the guide groove 8 so that the central axis thereof coincides with the central axis of the spherical lens 6. To reach.

The sectional shape of the guide groove 8 can be set to a V-shape, a U-shape or any other shape. The shape of the tapered inclined guide groove 9 is not limited as long as it is a shape that opens toward the end face of the base 7 and easily guides the bare optical fiber 31 into the guide groove 8. No problem.

[0019]

As described above, according to the present invention, the bare optical fiber fixed to the housing is fixed to the receptacle by the rotation operation, and the bare optical fiber is easily connected to the receptacle via the tapered inclined guide groove. Is attracted to the guide groove. As a result, even if the center axis of the bare optical fiber is slightly deviated from the guide groove of the receptacle, the bare optical fiber can be fitted with the housing without breaking, thereby improving the reliability and workability of the optical module. It can be dramatically improved.

[Brief description of the drawings]

FIG. 1 illustrates an embodiment.

FIG. 2 is a diagram illustrating details of an embodiment.

FIG. 3 illustrates a conventional example.

FIG. 4 is a diagram separately illustrating the conventional example of FIG. 3;

FIG. 5 is a view showing the direction of connection in a conventional example.

FIG. 6 is a diagram showing a positional relationship between a bare optical fiber and a guide groove.

[Explanation of symbols]

 DESCRIPTION OF SYMBOLS 1 Optical component 2 Receptacle 3 Optical fiber 31 Bare optical fiber 4 Housing 41 Bare optical fiber extension surface 42 Projection frame 43 Elastic locking part 44 Inclined part 5 Optical fiber fixing plate 6 Ball lens 7 Base part 71 End part 8 Guide groove 9 Taper Inclined guide groove 91 side wall 92 ridgeline LD laser diode PD photodiode

──────────────────────────────────────────────────続 き Continuing on the front page (72) Inventor Tsuyoshi Hayashi Nippon Telegraph and Telephone Corporation 3-9-1-2 Nishishinjuku, Shinjuku-ku, Tokyo (72) Inventor Yukiharu Ohno 3--19 Nishishinjuku, Shinjuku-ku, Tokyo No. 2 Inside Nippon Telegraph and Telephone Corporation (72) Inventor Satoru Satoru Yamaguchi 3-19-2 Nishi Shinjuku, Shinjuku-ku, Tokyo Inside Nippon Telegraph and Telephone Corporation (56) References JP-A-8-201664 (JP, A ) Large-scale Optic al Backboard Bus , I EEE 6th Topical Me eting on Electrica l Performance of E lectronic Packagin g, the United States, October 29, 1997, p13-16 (58) investigated the field (Int.Cl. ^7, (DB name) G02B 6/42

Claims (3)

(57) [Claims] 1. A housing for holding an optical fiber and having a protruding portion which rotates around one end of a base of a receptacle, and a guide for holding an optical component and fitting a bare optical fiber to the base. An optical module, comprising: the receptacle having a groove formed therein; wherein the housing and the receptacle are interconnected to align the optical axis of the bare optical fiber with the optical component. 2. A housing for holding an optical fiber and having a protruding portion that rotates around one end of a base of the receptacle, and a guide for holding an optical component and fitting a bare optical fiber to the base. A receptacle formed with a groove and having a tapered inclined guide groove communicating with the guide groove on the upper surface of one end of the base portion, wherein the housing and the receptacle are interconnected to form a bare optical fiber and an optical component. An optical module, wherein the optical axes of the optical module are matched. 3. A light module as described in any one of the claims 1 and 2, the upper surface of the projecting portion engaged with one end of the base portion of the receptacle bare optical fiber extension surface of the housing An optical module that is an inclined portion formed at an obtuse angle from the optical module.