Fiber optic edge card connector

Claim 1

An optoelectronic connector comprising: a housing having an edge; an optoelectronic component attached to said housing, having an optically active end located proximate said edge; plug means having a ferrule member, for terminating an end of an optical fiber inside said ferrule member, said plug means including a body having two generally parallel side walls, each of said side walls having a spline; and frame means for slidably receiving said plug means and for aligning said ferrule member with said optically active end of said optoelectronic component, said fame means having side walls with grooves therein for receiving said splines, and said frame means, plug means and housing each having a thickness of about 5 mm or less.

Claim 7

A device for interconnecting an optical fiber and an electronic component, comprising: a generally planar substrate supporting the electronic component; optoelectronic means, mounted to said substrate and connected to the electronic component, for converting an optical signal to an electrical signal; plug means having an alignment member, for terminating an end of the optical fiber in said alignment member; means for optically coupling said alignment member to said optoelectronic means; frame means for receiving said plug means and aligning said alignment member with said coupling means; and latch means for releasably retaining said plug means in said frame means in a first, operative position and in a second, retracted position.

Claim 8

A device for interconnecting an optical fiber and an electronic component, comprising: a generally planar substrate supporting the electronic component; optoelectronic means, mounted to said substrate and connected to the electronic component, for converting an optical signal to an electrical signal; plug means having an alignment member, for terminating an end of the optical fiber in said alignment member; means for optically coupling said alignment member to said optoelectronic means; frame means for receiving said plug means and aligning said alignment member with said coupling means; and latch means for releasably retaining said plug means in said frame means in a first, operative position and in a second, retracted position.

Claim 25

A system for connecting wires and optical fibers to a plurality of electronic components located on a circuit card in a data processing system, comprising: at least one electrical connector pair including a first electrical connector attached to an edge of the circuit card, and a second electrical connector releasably attached to said first electrical connector, said second electrical connector having a notch adjacent said first electrical connector, a plurality of contacts slidably mounted in said second connector, and each said contact being electrically connected to one of the wires and having a tab extending into said notch; an elongated actuator tool having a pointed tip and sized to fit in said notch of said second electrical connector; at least one fiber optic connector including a housing, a plug, a frame and a shuttle, said housing being mounted to the edge of the circuit card adjacent said first electrical connector, having an alignment block located at an edge of said housing generally parallel with and adjacent to the edge of the circuit card, and having a plurality of holes extending through said alignment block in a direction generally perpendicular to said edge of said housing, each said hole having a removable bushing therein, said plug comprising a body, a plurality of ferrules, and means for attaching said ferrules to said body, said body having two sidewalls each having a spline, each of said ferrules containing a terminal end of one of the optical fibers and being aligned with said bushings in said housing, and said attaching means including means for transferring pulling forces from the optical fiber to said plug body, said frame having a base, two side walls, and means for mounting said frame to a support member, said side walls having grooves therein for receiving said splines of said plug body, and said base having a plurality of slots therein for receiving said tab of said torsion member, said shuttle being interposed between said housing and said frame, having a length which is generally equal to the length of said edge of said housing, and having an H-shaped cross-section forming two notches, each notch having a width which is approximately equal to the thickness of said actuator tool; and a plurality of optoelectronics means, located in said housing proximate said holes therein, for converting optical signals into electrical signals.

Claim 26

A system for connecting wires and optical fibers to a plurality of electronic components located on a circuit card in a data processing system, comprising: at least one electrical connector pair including a first electrical connector attached to an edge of the circuit card, and a second electrical connector releasably attached to said first electrical connector, said second electrical connector having a notch adjacent said first electrical connector, a plurality of contacts slidably mounted in said second connector, and each said contact being electrically connected to one of the wires and having a tab extending into said notch; an elongated actuator tool having a pointed tip and sized to fit in said notch of said second electrical connector; at least one fiber optic connector including a housing, a plug, a frame and a shuttle, said housing being mounted to the edge of the circuit card adjacent said first electrical connector, having an alignment block located at an edge of said housing generally parallel with and adjacent to the edge of the circuit card, and having a plurality of holes extending through said alignment block in a direction generally perpendicular to said edge of said housing, each said hole having a removable bushing therein, said plug comprising a body, a plurality of ferrules, and means for attaching said ferrules to said body, said body having two sidewalls each having a spline, each of said ferrules containing a terminal end of one of the optical fibers and being aligned with said bushings in said housing, and said attaching means including means for transferring pulling forces from the optical fiber to said plug body, said frame having a base, two side walls, and means for mounting said frame to a support member, said side walls having grooves therein for receiving said splines of said plug body, and said base having a plurality of slots therein for receiving said tab of said torsion member, said shuttle being interposed between said housing and said frame, having a length which is generally equal to the length of said edge of said housing, and having an H-shaped cross-section forming two notches, each notch having a width which is approximately equal to the thickness of said actuator tool; and a plurality of optoelectronics means, located in said housing proximate said holes therein, for converting optical signals into electrical signals.