`
`45
`3
`
`69B2
`
`US011307
`
`a2) United States Patent
`US 11,307,369 B2
`do) Patent No.:
`Takano et al.
`Apr. 19, 2022
`(45) Date of Patent:
`
`(54) ULTRA-SMALL FORM FACTOR OPTICAL
`CONNECTORS USED AS PART OF A
`RECONFIGURABLE OUTER HOUSING
`
`(56)
`
`References Cited
`U.S. PATENT DOCUMENTS
`
`(71) Applicant: Senko Advanced Components,Inc.,
`Marlborough, MA (US)
`
`(72)
`
`Inventors: Kazuyoshi Takano, Tokyo (JP); Jimmy
`Jun-Fu Chang, Worcester, MA (US)
`
`(73) Assignee: Senko Advanced Components, Inc.,
`Marlborough (MA)
`
`CA
`CA
`
`681,132 A
`3,721,945 A
`
`8/1901 Norton
`3/1973 Hults
`
`(Continued)
`
`FOREIGN PATENT DOCUMENTS
`
`2495693 Al
`2495693 Al
`
`4/2004
`4/2004
`
`(Continued)
`
`
`
`OTHER PUBLICATIONS
`
`(*) Notice:
`
`Subject to any disclaimer, the term of this
`patent is extended or adjusted under 35
`U.S.C. 154(b) by 0 days.
`
`(21) Appl. No.: 17/370,057
`
`(22)
`
`Filed:
`
`Jul. 8, 2021
`
`(65)
`
`Prior Publication Data
`
`US 2021/0373262 Al
`
`Dec. 2, 2021
`
`Related U.S. Application Data
`
`(63) Continuation of application No. 17/327,197, filed on
`May 21, 2021, which is a continuation of application
`(Continued)
`
`(51)
`
`(2006.01)
`(2006.01)
`
`Int. Cl.
`GO2B 6/42
`GO02B 6/38
`(52) U.S. Cl
`CPC oo. G02B 6/4292 (2013.01); G02B 6/387
`(2013.01); G02B 6/3825 (2013.01);
`(Continued)
`(58) Field of Classification Search
`None
`See application file for complete search history.
`
`International Search Report and. Written Opinion; Application No.
`PCT/US2018/042202, dated Dec. 7, 2018, pp. 17.
`(Continued)
`
`Primary Examiner — Tina M Wong,
`
`(57)
`
`ABSTRACT
`
`An optical connector holding one or more optical ferrule
`assembly is provided. The optical connector includes an
`outer body, an inner front body accommodating the one or
`more optical ferrule assembly, ferrule springs for urging the
`optical ferrules towards a mating receptacle, and a back
`body for supporting the ferrule springs. The outer body and
`the inner front body are configured such that four optical
`ferrule assembly are accommodated in a small form-factor
`pluggable (SFP) transceiver footprint or eight optical ferrule
`assembly are accommodated in a quad small form-factor
`pluggable (QSFP) transceiver footprint. A receptacle can
`hold one or more connector inner bodics forming a single
`boot for all the optical fibers of the inner bodies.
`
`40 Claims, 82 Drawing Sheets
`
`7 800
`
`300-
`
`~‘
`
`
`
`
`
`eoV . \
`SESah)
`.
`| ee SAY
`eebe \F
`
`
`US Conec EX1001
`
`IPR2024-001 15
`U.S. Patent No. 11,307,369
`
`US Conec EX1001
`IPR2024-00115
`U.S. Patent No. 11,307,369
`
`

`

`US 11,307,369 B2
`
`Page 2
`
`Related U.S. Application Data
`No. 17/090,855, filed on Nov. 5, 2020, which is a
`continuation of application No. 16/414,546, filed on
`May 16, 2019, now Pat. No. 10,859,778, which is a
`continuation of application No. 16/388,053, filed on
`Apr. 18, 2019, now Pat. No. 11,169,338, which is a
`continuation of application No. 16/035,691, filed on
`Jul. 15, 2018, now Pat. No. 10,281,668.
`
`(60) Provisional application No. 62/588,276,filed on Nov.
`17, 2017, provisional application No. 62/549,655,
`filed on Aug. 24, 2017, provisional application No.
`62/532,710, filed on Jul. 14, 2017.
`
`(52) U.S. Cl.
`CPC. wee G02B 6/3893 (2013.01); G02B 6/3873
`(2013.01); GO2B 6/3878 (2013.01); GO2B
`6/4228 (2013.01)
`
`(56)
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`* cited by examiner
`
`

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`U.S. Patent
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`Apr. 19, 2022
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`U.S. Patent
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`U.S. Patent
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`Apr. 19, 2022
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`Sheet 68 of 82
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`US 11,307,369 B2
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`U.S. Patent
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`Apr. 19, 2022
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`Sheet 69 of 82
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`US 11,307,369 B2
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`FIG.96
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`U.S. Patent
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`Apr. 19, 2022
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`Sheet 70 of 82
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`US 11,307,369 B2
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`FIG. 47
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`U.S. Patent
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`Apr. 19, 2022
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`Sheet 71 of 82
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`US 11,307,369 B2
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`U.S. Patent
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`Apr. 19, 2022
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`Sheet 72 of 82
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`US 11,307,369 B2
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`U.S. Patent
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`Apr. 19, 2022
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`Sheet 73 of 82
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`US 11,307,369 B2
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`U.S. Patent
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`Apr. 19, 2022
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`Sheet 74 of 82
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`US 11,307,369 B2
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`U.S. Patent
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`Apr. 19, 2022
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`Sheet 75 of 82
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`US 11,307,369 B2
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`
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`U.S. Patent
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`Apr. 19, 2022
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`Sheet 76 of 82
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`US 11,307,369 B2
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`U.S. Patent
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`Apr. 19, 2022
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`Sheet 77 of 82
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`US 11,307,369 B2
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`U.S. Patent
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`Apr. 19, 2022
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`Sheet 78 of 82
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`US 11,307,369 B2
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`
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`

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`U.S. Patent
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`Apr. 19, 2022
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`Sheet 79 of 82
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`
`
`FIG. 664 FIG. 668
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`

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`U.S. Patent
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`Apr. 19, 2022
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`Sheet 80 of 82
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`
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`

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`U.S. Patent
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`Apr. 19, 2022
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`Sheet 81 of 82
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`US 11,307,369 B2
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`
`FIG. 68A
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`

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`U.S. Patent
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`Apr. 19, 2022
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`Sheet 82 of 82
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`US 11,307,369 B2
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`

`

`US 11,307,369 B2
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`1
`ULTRA-SMALL FORM FACTOR OPTICAL
`CONNECTORS USED AS PART OF A
`RECONFIGURABLE OUTER HOUSING
`
`
`CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED
`APPLICATIONS
`
`
`
`
`
`This application claims priority as continuation of U.S.
`patent application Ser. No. 17/327,197 filed on May21,
`1921 entitled “ULTRA-SMALL FORM FACTOR OPTI-
`CAL CONNECTORS USED AS PART OF A RECONFIG-
`URABLE OUTER HOUSING”which is a continuation of
`Ser. No. 17/090,855 filed Nov. 5, 1920 entitled “ULTRA-
`SMALL FORM FACTOR OPTICAL CONNECTORS
`
`USED AS A PART OF A RECONFIGURABLE OUTER
`
`
`HOUSING”whichis a continuation of U.S. patent applica-
`tion Ser. No. 16/414,546 filed May 16, 2019 entitled
`“ULTRA-SMALL I'ORM FACTOR OPTICAL CONNEC-
`TORS USED AS PART OF A RECONFIGURABLE
`OUTER HOUSING”which is a continuation of U.S. patent
`application Ser. No. 16/388,053 filed Apr. 18, 2019 entitled
`“Ultra-Small Form Factor Optical Connectors”, which is a
`continuation of U.S. patent application Ser. No. 16/035,691,
`filed Jul. 15, 2018 entitled “Ultra-Small FormFactor Optical
`Connectors” now U.S. Pat. No. 10,281,668 granted May 7,
`2019, which claimspriority to the following: U.S. Provi-
`sional Patent Application Ser. Nos. 62/532,710 filed Jul. 14,
`2017, 62/549,655 filed Aug. 24, 2017, and 62/588,276filed
`Nov. 17, 2017, all the disclosures of which are incorporated
`byreference herein.
`
`FIELD OF THE INVENTION
`
`The present disclosure relates generally to ultra-small
`form factor optical connectors and related connections
`within adapters and optical transceivers.
`
`BACKGROUND
`
`The prevalence of the Internet has led to unprecedented
`growth in communication networks. Consumer demand for
`service and increased competition has caused network pro-
`viders to continuously find ways to improve quality of
`service while reducing cost.
`Certain solutions have included deployment of high-
`density interconnect panels. High-density interconnect pan-
`els maybe designed to consolidate the increasing volume of
`interconnections necessary to support the fast-growing net-
`works into a compacted form factor,
`thereby increasing
`quality of service and decreasing costs such as floor space
`and support overhead. However, room for improvement in
`the area of data centers, specifically asit relates to fiber optic
`connections, still exists. For example, manufacturers of
`connectors and adapters are always looking to reduce the
`size of the devices, while increasing ease of deployment,
`robustness, and modifiability after deployment. In particular,
`more optical connectors may need to be accommodated in
`the same footprint previously used for a smaller number of
`connectors in order to provide backward compatibility with
`existing data center equipment. For example, one current
`footprint is known as the small form-factor pluggable trans-
`ceiver footprint (SFP). This footprint currently accommo-
`dates two LC-type ferrule optical connections. However, it
`maybe desirable to accommodate four optical connections
`(two duplex connections of transmit/receive) within the
`same footprint. Another current footprint is the quad small
`form-factor pluggable (QSI'P) transceiver footprint. This
`
`2
`footprint currently accommodates four LC-type ferrule opti-
`cal connections. However, it may be desirable to accommo-
`date cight optical connections of LC-type ferrules (four
`duplex connections of transmit/receive) within the same
`footprint.
`In communication networks, such as data centers and
`switching networks, numerous interconnections between
`mating connectors may be compacted into high-density
`panels. Panel and connector producers may optimize for
`such high densities by shrinking the connector size and/or
`the spacing between adjacent connectors on the panel. While
`both approaches may be effective to increase the panel
`connector density, shrinking the connector size and/or spac-
`ing mayalso increase ihe support cost and diminish the
`quality of service.
`In a high-density panel configuration, adjacent connectors
`and cable assemblies may obstruct access to the individual
`release mechanisms. Such physical obstructions may
`impede the ability of an operator to minimize the stresses
`applied to the cables and the connectors. For example, these
`stresses may be applied when the user reaches into a dense
`group of connectors and pushes aside surrounding optical
`fibers and connectors to access an individual connector
`release mechanism withhis/her thumb and forefinger. Over-
`stressing the cables and connectors may produce latent
`defects, compromise the integrity and/or reliability of the
`terminations, and potentially cause serious disruptions to
`network performance.
`While an operator may attempt to use a tool, such as a
`screwdriver, to reach into a dense group of connectors and
`activate a release mechanism, adjacent cables and connec-
`tors may obstruct the operator’s line of sight, making it
`difficult to guide the tool to the release mechanism without
`pushing aside the adjacent cables. Moreover, even whenthe
`operator has a clear line of sight, guiding the tool to the
`release mechanism maybe a time-consuming process. Thus,
`using a tool maynot be effective at reducing support time
`and increasing the quality of service.
`
`SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
`
`An optical connector holding two or more LC-type optical
`ferrules is provided. The optical connector includes an outer
`body, an inner front body accommodating the two or more
`LC-type optical
`ferrules,
`ferrule springs for urging the
`optical ferrules towards a mating receptacle, and a back
`body for supporting the ferrule springs. The outer body and
`the inner front body are configured such that four LC-type
`optical ferrules are accommodated in a small form-factor
`pluggable (SFP) transceiver footprint or eight LC-type opti-
`cal ferrules are accommodated in a quad small form-factor
`pluggable (QSFP)transceiver footprint. A mating receptacle
`(transceiver or adapter) includes a receptacle hook and a
`housing with an opening that accommodates the receptacle
`hook in a flexed position as the optical connector makes
`connection with the mating receptacle by introducing the
`receptacle hook into an optical receptacle hook recess.
`
`BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
`
`FIG. 1Ais a perspective view of a prior art standard 6.25
`mmpitch LC connector SFP;
`FIG. 1B is a perspe