US 12,222,557 B2
Ferrule with molded internal tilted refractive surfaces
Daniel Kurtz, Huntersville, NC (US); Ke Wang, Waxhaw, NC (US); and Darrell R Childers, Hickory, NC (US)
Assigned to US Conec Ltd., Hickory, NC (US)
Appl. No. 17/794,808
Filed by US Conec Ltd., Hickory, NC (US)
PCT Filed Jan. 25, 2021, PCT No. PCT/US2021/014886
§ 371(c)(1), (2) Date Jul. 22, 2022,
PCT Pub. No. WO2021/151064, PCT Pub. Date Jul. 29, 2021.
Claims priority of provisional application 62/965,280, filed on Jan. 24, 2020.
Prior Publication US 2023/0147914 A1, May 11, 2023
Int. Cl. G02B 6/38 (2006.01)
CPC G02B 6/3853 (2013.01) [G02B 6/3818 (2013.01); G02B 6/3882 (2013.01); G02B 6/3885 (2013.01)] 14 Claims
OG exemplary drawing
 
1. A fiber optic ferrule comprising:
a main body having a front end, a rear end, and a top surface and a bottom surface joined together by opposing side surfaces, the main body having a longitudinal axis extending between the front end and the rear end;
a plurality of optical fiber support structures disposed between the front end and rear end and configured to receive a plurality of optical fibers;
an end face at the front end of the fiber optic ferrule through which an optical beam passes; and
a front facing refractive surface and a rear facing refractive surface both integrally molded with the main body, the front facing refractive surface and the rear facing refractive surface located between the end face and the plurality of optical fiber support structures, the rear facing refractive surface being closer to the end face than the front facing refractive surface, and being at an angle to the front facing refractive surface.