US 11,112,568 B2Granted

Connectorized fiber optic cabling assembly

AssigneeCommScope, Inc. of North Carolina

InventorsTimothy W. Anderson, Richard L. Case

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Abstract

A connectorized fiber optic cabling assembly includes a loose tube fiber optic cable and a connector assembly. The cable has a termination end and includes an optical fiber bundle including a plurality of optical fibers, at least one strength member, and a jacket surrounding the optical fiber bundle and the strength member. The connector assembly includes a rigid portion and defines a fiber passage. The connector assembly is mounted on the termination end of the cable such that the optical fiber bundle extends through at least a portion of the fiber passage. The plurality of optical fibers undergo a transition from a ribbonized configuration to a loose, non-ribbonized configuration in the rigid portion of the connector assembly.

Claims32

Dependent claims

A connectorized fiber optic cabling assembly, comprising:

a fiber optic cable that includes:
a plurality of optical fibers;
a plurality of strength yarns;
and
a cable jacket that surrounds the plurality of strength yarns and the plurality of optical fibers, the cable jacket having a round outer cross-sectional shape, the optical fibers including coatings defining overall diameters of the optical fibers in the range of 235 to 265 microns, the cable being configured such that the strength yarns contact the coatings of at least some of the optical fibers within the cable jacket;
and
a connector assembly mounted on a first end of the fiber optic cable, the connector assembly including:
a connector housing that defines a fiber passage and includes a front housing and a rear housing, the strength yarns being crimped in place relative to the connector housing at a rear end of the rear housing by a crimp sleeve;
a multi-fiber ferrule positioned at a front end of the connector housing, the multi-fiber ferrule defining a plurality of fiber holes configured in side-by-side alignment across a width of the ferrule;
a spring positioned within the connector housing rearward of the multi-fiber ferrule;
and
a strain relief boot that extends rearwardly from the connector housing, the strain relief boot including a first section that mounts over a rear end of the rear housing and a second section that extends rearwardly from the first section and defines a cylindrical boot passage into which a jacketed section of the fiber optic cable extends, the second section being segmented and having an exterior tapered shape that reduces in size as the second section extends in a rearward direction;
wherein the plurality of optical fibers extend through the strain relief boot, the fiber passage and the spring into the multi-fiber ferrule;
wherein the optical fibers are aligned in a row in the multi-fiber ferrule of the connector assembly with each of the optical fibers being positioned within a corresponding one of the fiber holes;
wherein within the fiber optic cable the optical fibers have a moveable configuration in which the optical fibers are moveable relative to one another;
and
wherein the optical fibers have the moveable configuration within the jacketed section of the fiber optic cable that extends into the second section of the strain relief boot.

14 more elements

A connectorized fiber optic cabling assembly, comprising:

a fiber optic cable that includes:
a plurality of optical fibers;
a plurality of strength yarns;
and
a cable jacket that surrounds the plurality of strength yarns and the plurality of optical fibers, the cable jacket having a round outer cross-sectional shape, the optical fibers including outer coatings with thicknesses no greater than 70.5 microns, the cable being configured such that the strength yarns contact the outer coatings of at least some of the optical fibers within the cable jacket;
and
a connector assembly mounted on a first end of the fiber optic cable, the connector assembly including:
a connector housing that defines a fiber passage and includes a front housing and a rear housing;
a multi-fiber ferrule positioned at a front end of the connector housing;
a spring positioned within the connector housing rearward of the multi-fiber ferrule;
and
a strain relief boot that mounts at a rear end of the rear housing, the strain relief boot including a segmented, exteriorly tapered section, the strain relief boot defining a boot passage that extends through the segmented, exteriorly tapered section in a rear-to-front orientation, and the boot passage having a round cross-sectional shape;
wherein the strength yarns are crimped in place with respect to the rear end of the rear housing by a crimp sleeve;
wherein the cable jacket extends into the boot passage;
wherein the optical fibers extend through the strain relief boot, the fiber passage and the spring into the multi-fiber ferrule;
wherein the optical fibers are arranged in a first configuration in the multi-fiber ferrule of the connector assembly in which the optical fibers are fixed in place with respect to one another along a common plane;
and
wherein within at least the segmented, exteriorly tapered section of the strain relief boot the optical fibers are arranged in a second configuration in which the optical fibers are disposed in various non-mutual planes, and the outer coatings of at least some of the optical fibers contact the strength yarns.

15 more elements

A connectorized fiber optic cabling assembly, comprising:

a fiber optic cable that includes:
a plurality of coated, unbuffered optical fibers;
a plurality of strength yarns;
and
a cable jacket that surrounds the plurality of strength yarns and the plurality of optical fibers, the cable jacket having a round outer cross-sectional shape, the optical fibers being unbuffered and loose within the cable jacket, the fiber optic cable being configured such that the strength yarns contact at least some of the optical fibers within the cable jacket;
and
a connector assembly mounted on a first end of the fiber optic cable, the connector assembly including:
a connector housing that defines a fiber passage and includes a front housing and a rear housing;
a multi-fiber ferrule positioned at a front end of the connector housing;
a spring positioned within the connector housing rearward of the multi-fiber ferrule;
and
a strain relief boot that mounts at a rear end of the rear housing, the strain relief boot including a segmented, exteriorly tapered section, the strain relief boot defining a boot passage that extends through the segmented, exteriorly tapered section in a rear-to-front orientation, and the boot passage having a cylindrical shape;
wherein the cable jacket extends at least partially through the boot passage,
wherein the strength yarns are crimped in place with respect to the rear end of the rear housing by a crimp sleeve;
wherein the plurality of optical fibers extend through the strain relief boot, the fiber passage and the spring into the multi-fiber ferrule;
wherein the optical fibers are arranged in a first configuration in the multi-fiber ferrule of the connector assembly in which the optical fibers are secured in a fixed array;
and
wherein within at least the segmented, exteriorly tapered section of the strain relief boot the optical fibers are arranged in a second configuration in which the optical fibers are unbuffered and loose and at least some of the optical fibers contact the strength yarns.

15 more elements

A connectorized fiber optic cabling assembly, comprising:

a fiber optic cable that includes:
a plurality of optical fibers each having outer coatings with thicknesses no greater than 70.5 microns;
a plurality of strength yarns;
and
a cable jacket that surrounds the plurality of strength yarns and the plurality of optical fibers, the cable jacket having a round outer cross-sectional shape, the optical fibers being disposed in various non-mutual planes within the cable jacket, the fiber optic cable being configured such that the strength yarns contact the outer coatings of at least some of the optical fibers within the cable jacket;
and
a connector assembly mounted on a first end of the fiber optic cable, the connector assembly including:
a connector housing that defines a fiber passage and includes a front housing and a rear housing;
a multi-fiber ferrule positioned at a front end of the connector housing;
a spring positioned within the connector housing rearward of the multi-fiber ferrule;
and
a strain relief boot that mounts at a rear end of the rear housing, the strain relief boot including a segmented, exteriorly tapered section, the strain relief boot defining a boot passage that extends through the segmented, exteriorly tapered section in a rear-to-front orientation, and the boot passage having a round cross-sectional shape;
wherein the cable jacket extends at least partially through the boot passage,
wherein the strength yarns are crimped in place with respect to the rear end of the rear housing by a crimp sleeve;
wherein the plurality of optical fibers extend through the strain relief boot, the fiber passage and the spring into the multi-fiber ferrule;
wherein the optical fibers are secured in a fixed array in the multi-fiber ferrule of the connector assembly;
and
wherein within at least the segmented, exteriorly tapered section of the strain relief boot the optical fibers are arranged in a loose fiber configuration in which the optical fibers are:
arranged in a central group and disposed in various non-mutual planes within the central group;
and arranged such that the outer coatings of at least some of the optical fibers contact the strength yarns.

17 more elements

Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.

Facts

Application: 17/090,638Filed 5 Nov 2020 · continuation
Priority: 8 Jun 2005
Published: US 2021/0132301 A16 May 2021
Granted: 7 Sep 2021
Term ends: Not estimatedThe source records don’t support an estimate.

Classification11 codes

G02B 6/3885
Connectors using guide surfaces for aligning ferrule ends, e.g. tubes, sleeves, V-grooves, rods, pins, balls: multicore or multichannel optical…
G02B 6/3821
Of a low-reflection-loss type: with axial spring biasing or loading means
G02B 6/3834
Details of mounting fibres in ferrules; Assembly methods; Manufacture: means for centering or aligning the light guide within the ferrule
G02B 6/3861
Characterised by the method of anchoring or fixing the fibre within the ferrule: adhesive bonding

Family

Application60/688,492Us provisional application · filed 8 Jun 2005
Application60/688,493Us provisional application · filed 8 Jun 2005
Application11/438,647Parent of this continuation · filed 22 May 2006
Application12/423,435Parent of this continuation-in-part · filed 14 Apr 2009
US 7,537,393 B2Parent of this continuation · filed 26 May 2009
Application12/818,586Parent of this continuation · filed 18 Jun 2010
US 7,758,257 B2Parent of this continuation-in-part · filed 20 Jul 2010
Application14/625,647Parent of this continuation · filed 19 Feb 2015
US 8,992,098 B2Parent of this continuation · filed 31 Mar 2015
Application14/959,289Parent of this continuation · filed 4 Dec 2015
US 9,229,174 B2Parent of this continuation · filed 5 Jan 2016
Application15/613,731Parent of this continuation · filed 5 Jun 2017
US 9,690,057 B2Parent of this continuation · filed 27 Jun 2017
Application16/025,112Parent of this continuation · filed 2 Jul 2018
US 10,012,805 B2Parent of this continuation · filed 3 Jul 2018
Application16/380,419Parent of this continuation · filed 10 Apr 2019
US 10,302,878 B2Parent of this continuation · filed 28 May 2019
Application16/788,042Parent of this continuation · filed 11 Feb 2020
US 10,578,812 B2Parent of this continuation · filed 3 Mar 2020
US 2021/0132301 A1Pre-grant publication · published 6 May 2021
US 10,859,773 B2Parent of this continuation
Application12/818,586Parent of this continuation-in-part
Application12/423,435Parent of this continuation
US 2006/0280408 A1Published application
US 2009/0196553 A1Published application
US 2010/0254659 A1Published application
US 2015/0177465 A1Published application
US 2016/0085037 A1Published application
US 2017/0343746 A1Published application
US 2019/0004257 A1Published application
US 2019/0331863 A1Published application
US 2020/0257062 A1Published application
US 11,112,568 B2This patent

From the US filing history. Foreign family members aren’t listed.

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