FIBER OPTIC CONNECTOR AND ALIGNMENT MECHANISM FOR SINGLE LENS MULTI-FIBER CONNECTOR

摘要

The invention pertains to an optical connector assembly having an alignment mechanism for coupling two single-lens, multi-fiber optical connectors together. Particularly, each connector comprising a single lens through which the light from multiple fibers is expanded/focused for coupling to corresponding fibers in a mating connector. According to the invention, a fens (400) is provided for coupling a beam from each optical fiber of a first plurality of optical fibers (101-106) to a corresponding optical fiber of a second plurality of optical fibers (201-206). The lens (400) includes a front end (403), a rear end (402), and a longitudinal body (404) therebetween. The lens (400) also has a front optical face (405) substantially perpendicular to a longitudinal axis (413) of the lens. The lens (400) further includes a rotational alignment feature (417/416) extending longitudinally forward of the front optical face (405). The alignment feature comprising at least one protrusion (417) and at least one open space (416), the protrusion and space being substantially complementary in shape and size so that first and second such lenses (400a, 400b) can be mated facing each other with the protrusion of the first lens extending into the space of the second lens such that the first and second lenses can be so mated in a limited number of rotational orientations about their longitudinal axes (413).