An optical connector assembly includes a spring, a ferrule, a first housing, and a second housing connected to the first housing. The ferrule includes a ferrule body and a lens. The ferrule body defines a fiber receiver configured to receive optical fibers of an optical cable and a first spring receiver configured to receive the spring. The lens is arranged to optically communicate light propagated by the received optical fibers for free-space optical communication. The first housing defines a first opening configured to slidably receive and guide the ferrule for movement along a first longitudinal axis. The second housing defines a second opening configured to receive the optical cable therethrough along a second longitudinal axis, and a second spring receiver configured to receive the spring. The spring biases movement of the ferrule in the first housing away from the second housing.

An optical receptacle connector includes a receptacle housing defining a contact cavity, an optical cavity, and a card slot at a front of the receptacle housing configured to receive an edge of an optical module circuit board. A contact assembly having receptacle contacts is received in the contact cavity and extend into the card slot to supply power to the pluggable optical generator module to operate a light source. The optical receptacle connector includes a receive optical connector coupled to the receptacle housing having a ferrule holding at least one optical fiber configured to be mated with a supply optical connector of the pluggable optical generator module to receive optical signals from the supply optical connector.

An optical fiber connector has a lens component and a fiber component. The lens component has at least one lens and an opening with at least one V-groove therein. The at least one lens is associated with the at least one V-groove. The fiber component is configured to be partially inserted into the lens component and has at least one bare fiber flexible retention feature configured to retain a fiber of a fiber optic cable within the at least one V-groove and also to align the fiber with the lens.

An optical fiber alignment assembly may comprise an alignment fixture including a groove configured to engage first and second optical fiber ferrules, a first clamping mechanism configured to selectively apply a force on the first optical fiber ferrule to constrain motion of the first optical fiber ferrule within the groove, and a second clamping mechanism configured to selectively apply a force on the second optical fiber ferrule to constrain motion of the second optical fiber ferrule within the groove.

A fiber optic ferrule includes a body extending from a first end to a second opposite end, with the body including an axial passage extending between the first and the second ends. The axial passage includes a first diameter portion having a diameter of at least 125 microns, a second diameter portion having a diameter of at least 250 microns and less than a diameter of a buffer, and a smooth and continuous transition between the first and the second diameter portions. The second diameter portion is positioned between the first diameter portion and the second end. The axial passage further defines a tapered shape at the second end extending inward from the second end toward the second diameter portion. In certain embodiments, another smooth and continuous transition can be provided between the taper shape and the second diameter portion. In certain embodiments, the axial passage is smooth and continuous between the first and the second ends of the body. A hub holds the ferrule. A method of assembling a terminated fiber optic cable is also provided.

An object is to provide an optical fiber connector ferrule, a sleeve, and a method for manufacturing a ferrule member that can avoid an increase in manufacturing time and an increase in cost of optical connectors for connecting multicore optical fibers. The present invention provides an optical fiber connector ferrule, a sleeve, and a method for manufacturing ferrule member which realizes alignment of multicore optical fibers corresponding to the connection by mounting a ferrule on a multicore fiber and then cutting a ferrule member instead of aligning core positions by rotating an axis of an optical fiber and adjusting positions of cores to the ferrule, leading to simplification of a rotational alignment step.

A fiber optic ferrule includes a body extending from a first end to a second opposite end, with the body including an axial passage extending between the first and the second ends. The axial passage includes a first diameter portion having a diameter of at least 125 microns, a second diameter portion having a diameter of at least 250 microns and less than a diameter of a buffer, and a smooth and continuous transition between the first and the second diameter portions. The second diameter portion is positioned between the first diameter portion and the second end. The axial passage further defines a tapered shape at the second end extending inward from the second end toward the second diameter portion. In certain embodiments, another smooth and continuous transition can be provided between the taper shape and the second diameter portion. In certain embodiments, the axial passage is smooth and continuous between the first and the second ends of the body. A hub holds the ferrule. A method of assembling a terminated fiber optic cable is also provided.

An expanded beam connector has a MOST ferrule; a fiber to be retained within the MOST ferrule; and, a collimating lens abutting the fiber for expanding the optical beam of the fiber wherein the lens and fiber are in alignment to a common optic axis. In one embodiment, the collimating lens can have a conical cutout configured to aid in aligning the fiber to the common optic axis. In another embodiment, the collimating lens can have a semi-cylindrical tab protruding from the rear with a V-groove configured to interact with a flexible feature on the interior of the ferrule to align the fiber to the common optic axis.

An optical fiber connector has a lens component and a fiber component. The lens component has at least one lens and an opening with at least one V-groove therein. The at least one lens is associated with the at least one V-groove. The fiber component is configured to be partially inserted into the lens component and has at least one bare fiber flexible retention feature configured to retain a fiber of a fiber optic cable within the at least one V-groove and also to align the fiber with the lens.

A fiber optic ferrule includes a body extending from a first end to a second opposite end, with the body including an axial passage extending between the first and the second ends. The axial passage includes a first diameter portion having a diameter of at least 125 microns, a second diameter portion having a diameter of at least 250 microns and less than a diameter of a buffer, and a smooth and continuous transition between the first and the second diameter portions. The second diameter portion is positioned between the first diameter portion and the second end. The axial passage further defines a tapered shape at the second end extending inward from the second end toward the second diameter portion. In certain embodiments, another smooth and continuous transition can be provided between the taper shape and the second diameter portion. In certain embodiments, the axial passage is smooth and continuous between the first and the second ends of the body. A hub holds the ferrule. A method of assembling a terminated fiber optic cable is also provided.