US 12,306,446 B2
Ferrule and optical connector
Sho Yakabe, Osaka (JP); Yuto Fujihara, Osaka (JP); Dai Sasaki, Osaka (JP); Motoyoshi Kimura, Komaki (JP); and Manabu Izaki, Komaki (JP)
Assigned to SUMITOMO ELECTRIC INDUSTRIES, LTD., Osaka (JP); and NIPPON TSUSHIN DENZAI CO., LTD., Komaki (JP)
Appl. No. 18/015,687
Filed by SUMITOMO ELECTRIC INDUSTRIES, LTD., Osaka (JP); and NIPPON TSUSHIN DENZAI CO., LTD., Komaki (JP)
PCT Filed Sep. 7, 2021, PCT No. PCT/JP2021/032822
§ 371(c)(1), (2) Date Jan. 11, 2023,
PCT Pub. No. WO2022/065023, PCT Pub. Date Mar. 31, 2022.
Claims priority of application No. 2020-161209 (JP), filed on Sep. 25, 2020.
Prior Publication US 2023/0251434 A1, Aug. 10, 2023
Int. Cl. G02B 6/38 (2006.01)
CPC G02B 6/3885 (2013.01) [G02B 6/3838 (2013.01); G02B 6/3839 (2013.01); G02B 6/3853 (2013.01); G02B 6/3881 (2013.01)] 18 Claims
OG exemplary drawing
 
1. A ferrule comprising:
a tip surface;
an opening portion provided on a side opposite to the tip surface in a first direction intersecting the tip surface;
a plurality of fiber grooves extending along the first direction and arranged along a second direction intersecting the first direction between the tip surface and the opening portion, the plurality of fiber grooves being capable of respectively supporting a plurality of optical fibers; and
a plurality of lenses respectively disposed on extension lines of the plurality of fiber grooves, wherein:
the fiber groove has a first fiber groove portion for positioning the optical fiber with respect to the lens and a second fiber groove portion for introducing the optical fiber into the first fiber groove portion,
the first fiber groove portion is disposed closer to the lens than the second fiber groove portion in the first direction, and
the first fiber groove portion includes:
a straight portion where a diameter of a virtual circle centered on an optical axis of the lens and inscribed in the first fiber groove portion is constant at each position along the first direction;
a first tapered portion disposed between the straight portion and the second fiber groove portion in the first direction and inclined such that the diameter of the virtual circle centered on the optical axis of the lens and inscribed in the first fiber groove portion increases as a distance from the straight portion increases; and
a second tapered portion disposed between the lens and the straight portion in the first direction and inclined such that the diameter of the virtual circle centered on the optical axis of the lens and inscribed in the first fiber groove portion increases as a distance from the straight portion increases.