US 12,436,343 B2
Multi-fiber ferrule end face features and corresponding methods thereof
James Ronald Merriken, Granite Falls, NC (US); and Charles Gregory Stroup, Lincolnton, NC (US)
Assigned to CORNING RESEARCH & DEVELOPMENT CORPORATION, Corning, NY (US)
Filed by CORNING RESEARCH & DEVELOPMENT CORPORATION, Corning, NY (US)
Filed on Feb. 10, 2023, as Appl. No. 18/167,111.
Claims priority of provisional application 63/310,792, filed on Feb. 16, 2022.
Prior Publication US 2023/0258879 A1, Aug. 17, 2023
Int. Cl. G02B 6/38 (2006.01)
CPC G02B 6/3885 (2013.01) [G02B 6/3833 (2013.01); G02B 6/3855 (2013.01); G02B 6/3863 (2013.01)] 20 Claims
OG exemplary drawing
 
1. A multi-fiber optical ferrule assembly comprising:
a ferrule body comprising a top surface, a bottom surface, a pair of opposing edge surfaces, a rear portion, and an end face;
the ferrule body including a plurality of microholes configured to receive a plurality of optical fibers, wherein the plurality of microholes extend at least partially through the ferrule body to the end face;
the end face including a protrusion extending from a surface of the end face, wherein the protrusion covers the plurality of microholes on the end face;
wherein the protrusion has a maximum height ranging between 10 microns and 5000 microns from the surface of the end face to an outer edge of the protrusion; and
wherein the multi-fiber optical ferrule assembly has an insertion loss of less than 0.5 decibels (dB) at a reference wavelength between 850 nanometers (nm) and 1300 nm.