A fiber gripper component includes a fiber receiving recess which extends from a first surface of the fiber gripper component toward a second surface of the fiber gripper component. The fiber receiving recess extends from a front face to a rear face. The fiber receiving recess has a fiber receiving surface which is positioned between the first surface and the second surface. A plurality of resilient fiber receiving grooves extend from the fiber receiving surface toward the second surface. The resilient fiber receiving grooves have a width which is less than an outer-diameter dimension of mating optical fibers to provide a press fit of the optical fibers into the resilient fiber receiving grooves. The fiber gripper component is molded with tolerances in the submicron range to maintain part functionality to allow automatable fiber assembly.

An optical fiber connector for terminating a fiber cable comprising a plurality of optical fibers, comprises an outer connector housing, a ferrule essentially free of adhesive, a backbone, and a collar body disposed between the ferrule and backbone. The collar body includes a remote gripping region to remotely grip the plurality of optical fibers outside of the ferrule. In some aspects, the collar body includes a fiber comb portion that separates potentially tangled fibers, arranges the plurality of fibers in a uniform pitch, and provides for straightforward feeding of the fiber array into ferrule bores during a fiber cable insertion process. In some aspects, the connector includes a resilient element disposed between the backbone and a rear portion of the collar body, and an intermediate spring element disposed between a front portion of the collar body and a rear portion of the ferrule.

The disclosure describes a method for assembling an optical coupler, the method may include (a) inserting optical fibers of an array of optical fibers through an array of openings of a mount of the optical coupler so that tips of the optical fibers pass through the array of openings of the mount and reach an adaptor; wherein the array of openings of the mount exhibit a first positioning accuracy; (b) using the adaptor to position the tips of the optical fibers at predefined locations, at a second positioning accuracy that is higher than the first positioning accuracy; (c) fixing the tips of the optical fibers to the mount while maintaining the tips of the optical fibers at the predefined locations; and (d) detaching the mount from the adaptor.

A composite structure includes a base and an auxiliary portion of dissimilar materials. The auxiliary portion is shaped by stamping. As the auxiliary portion is stamped, it interlocks with the base, and at the same time forming a desired structured feature on the auxiliary portion, such as a structured reflective surface, an alignment feature, etc. With this approach, relatively less critical structured features can be shaped on the bulk of the base with less effort to maintain a relatively larger tolerance, while the relatively more critical structured features on the auxiliary portion are more precisely shaped with further considerations to define dimensions, geometries and/or finishes at relatively smaller tolerances. The auxiliary portion may include a composite structure of two dissimilar materials associated with different properties for stamping different structured features.

Waveguide connectors include a ferrule having first alignment features. A polymer waveguide has one or more a topclad portions, each with a waveguide core, second alignment features fastened to the first alignment features, and underclad portion that is thicker than the one or more topclad portions. The polymer waveguide has a higher coefficient of thermal expansion than the ferrule and is fastened to the ferrule under tension.

A system for automatically inserting fibers is disclosed. The system comprises a cable having a plurality of fibers, a ferrule having a plurality of bores, a moving mechanism movable in a first direction, a second direction, and a third direction that are perpendicular to each other, a cable holder mounted on the moving mechanism and holding the cable, and a vision device. The moving mechanism moves the cable holder under the guidance of the vision device to align the plurality of fibers with the ferrule and insert the plurality of fibers into the plurality of bores.

An optical connector includes a first attachment area for receiving and permanently attaching to an optical waveguide. A light coupling unit is disposed and configured to move translationally and not rotationally within the housing of the connector. The light coupling unit includes a second attachment area for receiving and permanently attaching to an optical waveguide received and permanently attached at the first attachment area. The light coupling unit also includes light redirecting surface. The light redirecting surface is configured such that when an optical waveguide is received and permanently attached at the first and second attachment areas, the light redirecting surface receives and redirects light from the optical waveguide. The optical waveguide limits, but does not prevent, a movement of the light coupling unit within the housing.

Ferrule for an optical connector, an optical connector containing such a ferrule, and a method for assembling such a ferrule. The ferrule includes a base, at least one cover, at least one fiber section running through a channel between the base and the cover from a cable connection side to an opposite contact face exposing distal ends of the fiber sections. The fibers are adhered to the base and/or to the cover at a bonding section at a distance from the contact face.

Ferrule assemblies having a lens array are disclosed. In one embodiment, a ferrule assembly includes a ferrule body and a fiber array ferrule. The ferrule body includes a first end face and a second end face, at least one cavity for receiving one or more optical fibers disposed between the first end face and the second end face, and at least one body alignment feature at an outer surface of the body. The fiber array ferrule includes a first end face and a second end face, an array of alignment holes extending between the first end face and the second end face, and at least one ferrule alignment feature at an outer perimeter of the fiber array ferrule. The second end face of the fiber array ferrule is coupled to the first end face of the body.

An optical cable subassembly includes one or more optical waveguides, at least light coupling unit comprising a first attachment area permanently attached to the optical waveguides, and at least one cable retainer comprising a second attachment area permanently attached to the optical waveguides and adapted to be installed in a housing. A length of the optical waveguides between the first attachment area and the second attachment area allows a bend in the optical waveguides that provides a predetermined mating spring force at a predetermined angle of the light coupling unit when installed in the housing.