Claims
- 1. An optical coupler and housing arrangement, comprising:a housing portion adapted to receive an optical connector of a fiber optic cable; and an optical coupler portion integrally formed with said housing portion, said optical coupler portion being adapted to transmit optical signals to and from the fiber optic cable.
- 2. The optical coupler and housing arrangement recited in claim 1, wherein said optical coupler portion has opposing end surfaces, and a plurality of optical fibers for transmitting the optical signals, each of said optical fibers extending from one of said end surfaces to another one of said end surfaces.
- 3. The optical coupler and housing arrangement recited in claim 2, wherein each of said optical fibers terminates in a region of the respective end surfaces.
- 4. The optical coupler and housing arrangement recited in claim 3, wherein each of said optical fibers has a length that is greater than about 6 millimeters.
- 5. The optical coupler and housing arrangement recited in claim 2, wherein said optical coupler portion further comprises a first pair of alignment pins projecting from the one of said end surfaces and being disposed to flank opposing sides of said optical fibers, and a second pair of alignment pins projecting from the another one of said end surfaces and being disposed to flank the opposing sides of said optical fibers, said first pair of alignment pins being engageable with the optical connector when received by said housing portion, said second pair of alignment pins being engageable with a die carrier.
- 6. The optical coupler and housing arrangement recited in claim 2, wherein said housing portion has a recess for receiving the optical connector, the one of said end surfaces forming a back surface of the recess.
- 7. The optical coupler and housing arrangement recited in claim 6, wherein said housing portion further includes integrally formed latching fingers disposed on opposite sides of the recess and being adapted to engage with the optical connector to secure the optical connector within the recess.
- 8. The optical coupler and housing arrangement recited in claim 1, wherein said housing portion and said optical coupler portion are each comprised of a highly-filled polymer.
- 9. The optical coupler and housing arrangement recited in claim 1, wherein said housing portion comprises a first housing portion, and said optical coupler portion comprises a first optical coupler portion; further comprising a second housing portion adapted to receive a further optical connector; and a second optical coupler portion integrally formed with said second housing portion; said second housing portion being disposed adjacent to said first housing portion and connected thereto.
- 10. The optical coupler and housing arrangement recited in claim 9, wherein said second housing portion and said first housing portion are integrally formed together.
- 11. An optical transceiver arrangement, comprising:an optical coupler and housing arrangement, including a housing portion adapted to receive an optical connector of a fiber optic cable; and an optical coupler portion integrally formed with said housing portion; and a carrier assembly having a carrier connected to said housing portion, and a die chip connected to said carrier, said die chip having at least one active region, said optical coupler portion being adapted to transmit optical signals between the fiber optic cable and the active region of said die chip.
- 12. The optical transceiver arrangement recited in claim 11, further comprising:a laminate assembly having said carrier disposed thereon, said die chip being electrically coupled to said laminate assembly; and a cover disposed over said laminate assembly and connected to said carrier.
- 13. The optical transceiver arrangement recited in claim 12, wherein said cover is a heat sink for transferring heat from said laminate assembly.
- 14. The optical transceiver arrangement recited in claim 12, further comprising a flex cable electrically coupling said die chip to said laminate assembly.
- 15. The optical transceiver arrangement recited in claim 14, wherein said laminate assembly includes a wiring board having a ground plane and at least one conductive pad disposed on a surface of said wiring board, said conductive pad being electrically coupled to said ground plane, said flex cable being electrically coupled to said conductive pad.
- 16. The optical transceiver arrangement recited in claim 15, wherein said laminate assembly includes a coating covering the surface of said wiring board, said coating having at least one recess formed therein that exposes said at least one conductive pad to allow said flex cable to be electrically coupled to said conductive pad.
- 17. The optical transceiver arrangement recited in claim 16, wherein said flex cable has a conductive plate in electrical contact with said at least one conductive pad, and having ground wires electrically coupled to at least one of said die chip and said carrier, said ground wires further being electrically coupled to said conductive plate.
- 18. The optical transceiver arrangement recited in claim 17, wherein said flex cable further has signal wires extending therethrough, and an insulating coating covering said signal wires and said ground wires, said insulating coating having at least one window formed therein to expose said signal wires and said ground wires, to allow said signal wires to be electrically coupled to said die chip, and to allow the ground wires to be electrically coupled to said at least one of said die chip and said carrier.
- 19. The optical transceiver arrangement recited in claim 14, wherein said carrier has first and second spaced apart feet, said flex cable extending between said spaced apart feet.
- 20. The optical transceiver arrangement recited in claim 12, wherein said laminate assembly includes a wiring board having a ground plane and at least one conductive pad disposed on a surface of said wiring board, said conductive pad being electrically coupled to said ground plane; and wherein said carrier has a foot electrically coupled to said at least one conductive pad.
- 21. The optical transceiver arrangement recited in claim 12, wherein said laminate assembly includes a wiring board and a coating covering the surface of said wiring board, said coating having a locating hole formed therein; and wherein said housing portion has a locating pin extending from a bottom thereof, said locating pin being received within the locating hole to position said housing portion relative to said laminate assembly.
- 22. The optical transceiver arrangement recited in claim 12, wherein said housing portion comprises a first housing portion, and said optical coupler portion comprises a first optical coupler portion; further comprising a second housing portion adapted to receive a further optical connector; and a second optical coupler portion integrally formed with said second housing portion; said second housing portion being disposed adjacent to said first housing portion and connected thereto; further comprising an electromagnetic interference shield disposed around said first housing portion and said second housing portion to retain said housing portions in a side-by-side relationship.
- 23. The optical transceiver arrangement recited in claim 22, wherein said laminate assembly includes a wiring board having a ground plane and at least one conductive pad disposed on a surface of said wiring board, said conductive pad being electrically coupled to said ground plane; wherein said cover is a heat sink for transferring heat from said laminate assembly; and wherein said cover has a downwardly-projecting finger that extends between said housing portions and engages with said conductive pad to provide for electromagnetic separation.
- 24. The optical transceiver arrangement recited in claim 11, further comprising an electromagnetic interference shield disposed around said housing portion.
- 25. The optical transceiver arrangement recited in claim 11, wherein said optical coupler portion has opposing end surfaces, and a plurality of optical fibers for transmitting the optical signals, each of said optical fibers extending from one of said end surfaces to another one of said end surfaces.
- 26. The optical transceiver arrangement recited in claim 25, wherein each of said optical fibers terminates in a region of the respective end surfaces.
- 27. The optical transceiver arrangement recited in claim 26, wherein each of said optical fibers has a length that is greater than about 6 millimeters.
- 28. The optical transceiver arrangement recited in claim 25, wherein said housing portion has a recess for receiving the optical connector, the one of said end surfaces forming a back surface of the recess.
- 29. The optical transceiver arrangement recited in claim 28, wherein said housing portion further includes integrally formed latching fingers disposed on opposite sides of the recess and being adapted to engage with the optical connector to secure the optical connector within the recess.
- 30. The optical transceiver arrangement recited in claim 11, wherein said housing portion and said optical coupler portion are each comprised of a highly-filled polymer.
- 31. The optical transceiver arrangement recited in claim 11, wherein said carrier has two spaced apart lands, said die chip being disposed between said lands, said optical coupler portion being fixed to said lands so as to be positioned in front of said active region.
- 32. The optical transceiver arrangement recited in claim 31, wherein each land has an alignment hole formed therein; andwherein said optical coupler portion further has opposing end surfaces and a first pair of alignment pins projecting from one of the end surfaces, and a second pair of alignment pins projecting from another one of the end surfaces, said first pair of alignment pins being engageable with the optical connector when received by said housing portion, said second pair of alignment pins being receivable by respective alignment holes of said carrier.
- 33. A computer, comprising:a frame; a circuit board disposed within said frame; and an optical transceiver arrangement, comprising: an optical coupler and housing arrangement, including a housing portion adapted to receive an optical connector of a fiber optic cable; and an optical coupler portion integrally formed with said housing portion; and a carrier assembly having a carrier connected to said housing portion, and a die chip connected to said carrier, said die chip having at least one active region, said optical coupler portion being adapted to transmit optical signals between the fiber optic cable and the active region of said die chip.
- 34. The computer recited in claim 33, wherein said optical transceiver arrangement further comprises:a laminate assembly having said carrier disposed thereon, said die chip being electrically coupled to said laminate assembly; and a cover disposed over said laminate assembly and connected to said carrier.
- 35. The computer recited in claim 34, wherein said cover of said optical transceiver arrangement defines a heat sink disposed over said laminate assembly.
- 36. The computer recited in claim 35, wherein said housing portion has a rearwardly projecting ear in contact with said heat sink and establishing a gap between said carrier and said heat sink.
- 37. The computer recited in claim 34, wherein said optical transceiver arrangement further comprises a flex cable electrically coupling said die chip to said laminate assembly.
- 38. The computer recited in claim 33, wherein said housing portion comprises a first housing portion, and said optical coupler portion comprises a first optical coupler portion; wherein said optical coupler and housing arrangement further comprises a second housing portion adapted to receive a further optical connector; and a second optical coupler portion integrally formed with said second housing portion; said second housing portion being disposed adjacent to said first housing portion and connected thereto.
- 39. The computer recited in claim 38, wherein said optical transceiver arrangement further comprises an electromagnetic interference shield disposed around said first housing portion and said second housing portion to retain said housing portions in a side-by-side relationship.
- 40. The computer recited in claim 33, wherein said cover is a heat sink for transferring heat from said laminate assembly.
- 41. The computer recited in claim 33, further comprising a tailstock attached to said frame;wherein said optical transceiver arrangement further includes an electromagnetic interference shield disposed about said housing portion, and being engageable with said tailstock.
- 42. A method of making an optical coupler and housing arrangement, comprising:integrally forming together a housing portion and an optical coupler portion, said integrally forming including: adapting the housing portion to receive an optical connector of a fiber optic cable; and adapting the optical coupler portion to transmit optical signals to and from the fiber optic cable.
- 43. The method recited in claim 42, wherein said integrally forming includes molding the housing portion and the optical coupler portion.
- 44. The method recited in claim 43, wherein the housing portion and the optical coupler portion are simultaneously molded in a same operation.
- 45. The method recited in claim 44, wherein the housing portion and the optical coupler portion are simultaneously injection molded in the same operation.
- 46. The method recited in claim 42, wherein said integrally forming includes:arranging a plurality of optical fibers in a predetermined configuration; and after said arranging, performing a molding operation to simultaneously form said housing portion and said optical coupler portion while maintaining the predetermined configuration.
- 47. The method recited in claim 46, wherein said arranging includes aligning end faces of the optical fibers.
- 48. The method recited in claim 46, wherein said performing includes performing an injection molding operation.
- 49. The method recited in claim 46, wherein said performing forms the optical coupler to have opposing end surfaces, with each of the optical fibers extending from one of the end surfaces to another one of the end surfaces.
- 50. The method recited in claim 46, wherein said performing includes molding the housing portion to have a recess for receiving the optical connector of the fiber optic cable, and to have integrally formed latching fingers disposed on opposite sides of the recess, the latching fingers being adapted to engage with the optical connector to secure the optical connector within the recess.
- 51. The method recited in claim 46, wherein performing includes performing an injection molding operation that additionally fixes the optical fibers in place.
- 52. The method recited in claim 42, wherein the housing portion and the optical coupler portion are each comprised of a highly-filled polymer.
CROSS REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS
The subject matter of this application is related to the disclosures contained within U.S. patent application Ser. No. 09/894,934, entitled Enhanced Optical Transceiver Arrangement; within U.S. patent application Ser. No. 09/894,714, entitled Enhanced Optical Coupler; and within U.S. patent application Ser. No. 09/893,812, entitled A Processing Protective Plug Insert for Optical Modules, all having been assigned to International Business Machines, Corporation, and all having been filed on Jun. 28, 2001.
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Number |
Name |
Date |
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5199093 |
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A |
6450703 |
Shirakawa |
Sep 2002 |
B1 |