Patent Application
20090285530
1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates a sleeve and an optical connector using the same.
2. Description of the Related Art
Referring to
Also referring to
The housing 12 defines a receiving hole 123. The optical medium 14 includes a cylindrical ferrule 141 and an optical fiber 143 received in the ferrule 141. An outer diameter of the ferrule 141 substantially equals to an inner diameter of the main body 101 of the sleeve 10. One end of the optical medium 14 fixed on the housing 12 and the other end of the optical medium 14 is received in the receiving hole 123. The sleeve 10 is sleeved on the optical medium 14 and is also received in the receiving hole 123.
In use, an optical medium 18 of an optical fiber connector is inserted into the cavity 103 of the sleeve 10 such that an end of the optical medium 18 resists an end of the optical medium 14. Then, optical signals can be transmitted between the optical fiber 183 and the optical fiber 143.
However, because the inner diameter of the cavity 103 substantially equals to the outer diameter of the ferrule 181, when the optical medium 18 is inserted into the cavity 103 of the sleeve 10, the outer surface of the ferrule 181 is tightly confined in the inner surface of the sleeve 10, thus, air in the cavity 103 becomes trapped in the space defined by the sleeve 10, the optical medium 14, and the optical medium 18. As a result, when optical signals pass through the air layer, some of the optical signals undergo total reflection due to the air and particles in the air. In addition, the air layer and particles blended in the air layer may absorb a certain amount of the optical signals. As a result, the optical connector has a high optical signal loss.
Therefore, a new optical connector is desired in order to overcome the above-described shortcoming.
A sleeve used for an optical connector includes a tubular main body. The main body is made of ceramic material. A cylindrical wall of the main body defines a cut-out.
Other advantages and novel features will become more apparent from the following detailed description of various embodiments, when taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawings.
The components in the drawings are not necessarily drawn to scale, the emphasis instead being placed upon clearly illustrating the principles of the present optical connector. Moreover, in the drawings, like reference numerals designate corresponding parts throughout several views, and all the views are schematic.
Reference will now be made to the drawings to describe an exemplary embodiment of the present sleeve and optical connector using the same in detail.
Referring to
The housing 30 defines a through hole 303. The through hole 303 includes a receptacle end 303a, a stem end 303b, and a buffer portion 303c between the receptacle end 303a and the stem end 303b.
Also referring to
The optical medium 50 includes a cylindrical ferrule 501 and an optical fiber 505. The ferrule 501 defines a through hole 503. The optical fiber 505 is received in the through hole 503. The sleeve 40 is inserted into the buffer portion 303c. The optical medium 50 partially protrudes into the sleeve 40 in a way such that the tip of the optical medium 50 protruding in the buffer portion 303c is substantially aligned with the cutout 45 and another portion of the ferrule 501 away the tip is attached to the housing 30. In other word, a portion of the first optical medium 50 is fixed on the second end 303b and the other end of the optical medium 50 extends into the central portion 303c within the sleeve 40. The sleeve 40 is received in the through hole 303. A lower half of the optical medium 50 is sleeved on the optical medium 50 in such manner that the one end of the optical medium 50 is adjacent to, but does not block, the cutout 45.
A method of making the sleeve 40 includes the following steps: firstly, a tubular main body is formed by injection molding with ceramic materials such as zirconia (ZrO2). Then, intering, abrasing, and polishing processes are performed on the main body in that order. Finally, a cutout 45 is defined in the cylindrical wall of the main body by a grinding wheel, thereby yielding the sleeve 40 shown in
To prevent the ferrule 501 displacement in the cavity 43, the inner diameter of the sleeve 40 substantially equals to the outer diameter of the ferrule 501. In addition, the thickness of the grinding wheel is in the range from 0.1 millimeters to 2 millimeters, as a result, the minimum width of the cutout 45 is in the range from 0.1 millimeters to 2 millimeters. Because the cutout 45 is relatively small, the cutout 45 does not weaken the structural strength of the sleeve 40.
In use, an optical medium 28 is inserted into the cavity 43 of the sleeve 40 from the receptacle end 303a. When the optical medium 28 moves towards the optical medium 50, air in the cavity 43 is expelled out of the cutout 45. As a result, air and particles between the end of the optical medium 28 and the end of the optical medium 50 is totally or mostly eliminated. Since there is not air layer and particles blended in the air layer that separates the end of the optical medium 28 from the end of the optical medium 50. optical signals can be transmitted between the optical fiber 505 and the optical fiber 283 directly with less reflections and absorptions. Therefore, optical signal loss is reduced.
Finally, while various embodiments have been described and illustrated, the invention is not to be construed as being limited thereto. Various modifications can be made to the embodiments by those skilled in the art without departing from the true spirit and scope of the invention as defined by the appended claims.
| Number | Date | Country | Kind |
|---|---|---|---|
| 200810301622.2 | May 2008 | CN | national |
