Optical connector with sloped surface

[0001] 1. Technical Field

[0002] The present disclosure relates to optical connectors, and particularly to an optical connector which has a sloped surface.

[0003] 2. Description of Related Art

[0004] Optical connectors typically include a photoelectric conversion chip, such as a laser diode or a photo diode, and an optical fiber. The photoelectric conversion chip emits or receives light carrying data to or from the optical fiber for data transmission. In certain circumstances, the light path between the photoelectric conversion chip and the optical fiber must be bent about 90 degrees to reduce a length or height of the optical connector. This may be achieved by a reflective mirror tilted at 45 degrees with respect to the photoelectric conversion chip and the optical fiber. However, the essential step of accurately aligning the reflective mirror with the photoelectric conversion chip is a complex and difficult process.

[0005] Therefore, it is desirable to provide an optical connector which can overcome the above-mentioned limitations.

[0011] FIGS. 1-4 show an optical connector 100, according to an embodiment. The optical connector 100 includes a printed circuit board (PCB) 1, an optical-electric coupling element 10, a jumper 20 and four optical fibers 30. The optical-electric coupling element 10 is positioned on the PCB 1. The jumper 20 is detachably connected to the optical-electric coupling element 10. The four optical fibers 30 are received in the jumper 20.

[0012] The PCB 1 includes a supporting surface 1a. A photoelectric conversion module 1b is positioned on the supporting surface 1a and electrically connected to the PCB 1. The photoelectric conversion module 1b includes four photoelectric conversion chips, such as two laser diodes 104 and two photo diodes 105. The PCB 1 contains various circuits (not shown) that connect with the photo electric conversion module 1b, to drive the laser diodes 104 to emit light according to input for transmitting the input data, and for the demodulation of data in the light received by the photo diodes 105.

[0013] The optical-electric coupling element 10 includes an upper surface 11 and a lower surface 12 facing away from the upper surface 11. The upper surface 11 is substantially parallel with the lower surface 12. The optical-electric coupling element 10 defines a first cavity 120 in the lower surface 12. A bottom portion 1201 of the first cavity 120 forms four first coupling lenses 13. In the embodiment, all of the first coupling lenses 13 are convex lenses and are integrally formed with the optical-electric coupling element 10. The lower surface 12 is positioned on the supporting surface 1a of the PCB 1, with each of the coupling lens 13 aligning with a laser diode 104 or a photo diode 105.

[0014] The optical-electric coupling element 10 also includes a first external sidewall 14 and a second external sidewall 15 facing away from the first external sidewall 14. The first external sidewall 14 is substantially parallel with the second external sidewall 15. The lower surface 12 perpendicularly connects to both the first external surface 14 and the second external surface 15.

[0015] The upper surface 11 defines a sloped surface 17 extending from the upper surface 11 to the second external sidewall 15. The second external sidewall 15 and the sloped surface 17 define an angle therebetween. In the embodiment, the angle is about 45 degrees. An angle between an optical axis of each first coupling lens 13 and the sloped surface 17 is therefore about 45 degrees.

[0016] The optical-electric coupling element 10 defines a stepped receiving cavity 140 in the first external sidewall 14. The stepped receiving cavity 140 includes a first receiving cavity 141 and a second receiving cavity 142 communicating with the first receiving 141. Both the first receiving cavity 141 and the second receiving cavity 142 are rectangular in shape. A width of the first receiving cavity 141 is smaller than a width of the second receiving cavity 142. As such, a stepped surface 143 is formed between the first receiving cavity 141 and the second receiving cavity 142. A bottom surface 1411 of the second receiving cavity 142 forms four second coupling lenses 16. In the embodiment, all of the second coupling lenses 16 are convex lenses and are integrally formed with the optical-electric coupling element 10. Each of the second coupling lenses 16 corresponds to a respective one of the first coupling lenses 13. A distance between the stepped surface 143 and the bottom surface 1411 is greater than a thickness of each second coupling lens 16. In other words, a depth of the first receiving cavity 141 is greater than the thickness of the each second coupling lens 16, and each second coupling lens 16 and the stepped surface 143 are spaced by a distance. An angle between the sloped surface 17 and an optical axis of each second coupling lens 16 is about 45 degrees.

[0017] A shape and a size of the jumper 20 are respectively corresponds with a shape and a size of the second receiving cavity 142. In the embodiment, the jumper 20 is rectangular in shape. The jumper 20 is detachably receiving in the second receiving cavity 142 and insertion is limited by the stepped surface 143.

[0018] The jumper 20 defines four receiving holes 22 for receiving the four optical fibers 30. The optical fibers 30 are thus positioned above and substantially parallel with the PCB 1, and correspond to the photoelectric conversion chips.

[0019] In use, light emitted from the two laser diodes 104 is directed into the optical-electric coupling element 10 by two of the first coupling lenses 13, then directed into the jumper 20 by two of the second coupling lenses 28, the light path is bent about 90 degrees by the sloped surface 17. In the embodiment, two of the optical fibers 30 are positioned on the light path reflected by the sloped surface 17 from the laser diodes 104. As such, the light is finally reflected into the two optical fibers 30 by the sloped surface 17. A process of the photo diodes 105 receiving light is the reverse to that of the laser diodes 104 emitting light.

[0020] In other embodiments, the numbers of the laser diodes 104, the photo diodes 105, the first coupling lenses 13, the second coupling lenses 16 and the optical fibers 30 can be changed depending on need.

[0021] It will be understood that the above particular embodiments are shown and described by way of illustration only. The principles and the features of the present disclosure may be employed in various and numerous embodiment thereof without departing from the scope of the disclosure as claimed. The above-described embodiments illustrate the possible scope of the disclosure but do not restrict the scope of the disclosure.