Optical ferrules

Abstract

An optical ferrule adapted to receive and transmit light is described. The optical ferrule includes first and second alignment features for mating with corresponding alignment features of a mating optical ferrule. One of the first and second alignment features may be compressible or expandable.

1 . An optical ferrule comprising:
 a first feature defining an opening, the opening having a size and a shape; and   a compressible second feature having an uncompressed state and a compressed state, such that inserting the compressible second feature into an opening of an object, the opening of the object having the size and shape of the opening of the first feature, compresses the second feature from the uncompressed state to the compressed state, the optical ferrule adapted to receive and transmit light, wherein the optical ferrule is hermaphroditic.   
     
     
         2 . The optical ferrule of  claim 1  wherein the first feature is located at a first location along a ferrule mating direction of the optical ferrule, and the second feature is located at a substantially different second location along the ferrule mating direction, such that when the optical ferrule is mated with a mating optical ferrule along the ferrule mating direction, the first and second features substantially simultaneously engage corresponding features of the mating optical ferrule. 
     
     
         3 . The optical ferrule of  claim 2 , wherein the first location is at a front of the optical ferrule and the second location is at a rear of the optical ferrule. 
     
     
         4 . An optical ferrule comprising:
 a first alignment feature having a size and a shape; and   a second alignment feature defining an opening, the second alignment feature comprising a first compliant feature, the first compliant feature having a first state and a second state different from the first state, such that inserting an object having the size and the shape of the first alignment feature into the opening, changes the first compliant feature from the first state to the second state, the optical ferrule adapted to receive and transmit light, wherein the optical ferrule is hermaphroditic.   
     
     
         5 . The optical ferrule of  claim 4 , wherein the first state is an unflexed or uncompressed state and the second state is a flexed or compressed state. 
     
     
         6 . The optical ferrule of  claim 4 , wherein the opening is in an unexpanded state when the first compliant feature is in the first state and the opening is in an expanded state when the first compliant feature is in the second state. 
     
     
         7 . The optical ferrule of  claim 4 , wherein the first compliant feature is an elastomeric layer. 
     
     
         8 . The optical ferrule of  claim 4 , wherein the first compliant feature is a first flexible arm having a first fixed end attached to a first side of the opening and an opposite first free end.