Optoelectronic cable assembly

Claim 2

A termination element for a single bundle of a light conducting cable comprising: an element body having a central bore, said bore including an enlarged forward counterbore adapted to have said cable secured therein; an active optoelectronic device; a solid metallic element in which said device is mounted, said element being mounted in said body bore and being adapted for dissipating heat from said device; contact means attached at one end through said mounting means to make electrical contact with said device and projecting at the other end from said element for connection to external elements; and means mounted in front of said device for transmitting light between said device and said cable bundle.

Claim 3

An element of the type described in claim 1 wherein said device is a light emitting diode (LED).

Claim 4

An element of the type described in claim 1 wherein said metallic element has a lead formed as part thereof, said lead having a cross-section area greater than that of said LED and being of a material having high heat conductivity.

Claim 5

An element of the type described in claim 1 wherein there are a plurality of said termination elements, the light conducting cable having a bundle for each of said elements; and including a conductive connector shell having an internal bore; and means for supporting said elements in said bore, said supporting means including means for dissipating heat from said elements.

Claim 6

An element of the type described in claim 4 wherein the heat dissipating means of said supporting means includes an insert of heat dissipating material substantially filling said shell bore, said insert having openings in which said elements are supported, and a corrugated metal sleeve supporting each element in its opening, each of said sleeves being in physical contact with both the body of the element and the walls of the opening to transfer heat from the element to the insert.

Claim 7

An element of the type described in claim 5 wherein said insert is of an electrically insulating material and including a layer of heat sink compound filling the space between said insert and said shell.

Claim 8

An element of the type described in claim 5 wherein said insert is of an electrically conductive material having a dielectric anodized surface for the walls of each of said insert openings and high thermal conductivity.

Claim 9

An element of the type described in claim 1 wherein said device is a photo-detector device.

Claim 10

An element of the type described in claim 8 wherein said photo-detector device is a photo diode.

Claim 11

An element of the type described in claim 1 wherein there are a plurality of said termination elemenTs, said cable having a bundle for each of said elements; and including a conductive connector shell having an internal bore; and means for supporting said elements in said bore.

Claim 12

An element of the type described in claim 1 wherein said light transmitting means includes a lens and a seal.

Claim 13

An element of the type described in claim 1 including a ferrule secured to said cable bundle and sized to fit in said counterbore with said bundle, the walls of said counterbore being adapted for crimping to said ferrule to secure the cable in the element.

Claim 14

An element of the type described in claim 1 wherein said counterbore is internally threaded; and including an externally threaded element mounted on said cable bundle and adapted to coact with said threaded counterbore to secure the bundle in the element.

Claim 15

An element of the type described in claim 1 wherein said counterbore has a rear-release clip mounted therein; and wherein said ferrule includes means coacting with said clip to secure said cable bundle in the element.

Claim 16

An optoelectronic cable assembly comprising: a light conducting cable having one or more light conducting bundles; a first connector element having a first connector body, a light emitting device for each of said bundles, means for mounting said light emitting devices in said first connector body, said means including means for dissipating heat from said devices, and contact means connected at one end to said light emitting devices and adapted at the other end for connection to the contacts of a mating connector element; a second connector element having a second connector body, a light detecting device for each of said bundles, means for mounting said light detecting devices in said second connector body, and contact means connected at one end to said light detecting devices and adapted at the other end for connection to a mating connector element; and means for attaching the ends of each of said cables to said first and to said second connector connector elements respectively, said means including a separate focusing means for directing light from each light emitting device into the corresponding cable bundle and a separate means for directing light from each cable to the corresponding light detecting device.

Claim 17

An optoelectronic cable assembly comprising: a light conducting cable having one or more light conducting bundles; a first connector element having a first connector body, a light emitting device for each of said bundles, means for mounting said light emitting devices in said first connector body, said means including means for dissipating heat from said devices, and contact means connected at one end to said light emitting devices and adapted at the other end for connection to the contacts of a mating connector element; a second connector element having a second connector body, a light detecting device for each of said bundles, means for mounting said light detecting devices in said second connector body, and contact means connected at one end to said light detecting devices and adapted at the other end for connection to a mating connector element; and means for attaching the ends of each of said cables to said first and to said second connector connector elements respectively, said means including a separate focusing means for directing light from each light emitting device into the corresponding cable bundle and a separate means for directing light from each cable to the corresponding light detecting device.