OPTICAL CONNECTOR WITH LENSES HAVING OPPOSING ANGLED PLANAR SURFACES

摘要

An optical connector for optically connecting at least one light source to at least one light receiver is disclosed. The optical connector includes first and second connector members respectively having first and second positive-power lens elements with respective first and second planar lens surfaces. The lens elements are arranged in their respective connector members such that when the two connector members are operably mated, the first and second lenses form an optical system where the first and second planar lens surfaces are spaced apart in opposition with a narrow gap in between, and are non-perpendicular to the optical system axis. The lenses may be conventional uniform-refractive-index lenses having a convex surface or may be gradient-index lenses having two planar surfaces. The optical connector is tolerant to contamination that can find its way into the narrow gap.