Fiber optic cable assemblies and connector assemblies having a crimp ring and crimp body and methods of fabricating the same

A fiber optic cable assembly comprising:

• a dual drop fiber optic cable comprising an optical fiber, a sub-unit, strength members surrounding the sub-unit, and a cable jacket surrounding the strength members;
• a connector assembly comprising:
• a connector body comprising a first end, a second end, a body passageway extending from the first end to the second end, and at least one body aperture at the second end;
• a crimp ring comprising a first end, a second end, a crimp ring passageway extending from the first end to the second end, and at least one crimp ring aperture at the second end, wherein the first end has a smaller diameter than the second end;
• a crimp body comprising a first end, a second end, a crimp body passageway extending between the first end and the second end, and one or more crimp features;
• at least one locking element;
• a first heat shrink element;
• and
• a second heat shrink element;
• wherein:
• the dual drop fiber optic cable is disposed within the crimp body passageway, the crimp ring passageway, and the body passageway;
• the crimp body is crimped to the cable jacket such that the strength members wrap around an outer surface of the cable jacket and are disposed between the crimp body and the cable jacket;
• the second end of the crimp ring is crimped to the crimp body such that at least a portion of the second end of the crimp ring is disposed within the one or more crimp features;
• the first end of the crimp ring is disposed within the body passageway and the sub-unit is disposed within the crimp ring passageway;
• the at least one locking element is disposed within the at least one body aperture and the at least one crimp ring aperture to secure the crimp ring to the connector body;
• the first heat shrink element disposed about the connector body, the second end of the crimp ring, and the cable jacket;
• and
• the second heat shrink element surrounds a tight buffer surrounding the optical fiber that is within the sub-unit and a sub-unit jacket of the sub-unit.

A connector assembly comprising:

• a connector body comprising a first end, a second end, a body passageway extending from the first end to the second end, and at least one body aperture at the second end;
• a crimp ring comprising a first end, a second end, a crimp ring passageway extending from the first end to the second end, and at least one crimp ring aperture at the second end, wherein the first end has a smaller diameter than the second end;
• a crimp body comprising a first end, a second end, a crimp body passageway extending between the first end and the second end, and one or more crimp features;
• and
• at least one locking element;
• wherein:
• the second end of the crimp ring is configured to be crimped to the crimp body such that at least a portion of the second end of the crimp ring is disposed within the one or more crimp features;
• the first end of the crimp ring is disposed within the body passageway;
• and
• the at least one locking element is disposed within the at least one body aperture and the at least one crimp ring aperture to secure the crimp ring to the connector body.

A method of fabricating a fiber optic cable assembly, the method comprising:

• preparing a dual drop fiber optic cable comprising an optical fiber, a sub-unit, strength members surrounding the sub-unit, and a cable jacket surrounding the strength members, wherein the sub-unit comprises a tight buffer surrounding the optical fiber, inner strength members surrounding the tight buffer, and a sub-unit jacket surrounding the inner strength members;
• disposing a first heat shrink element on the cable jacket;
• disposing a second heat shrink element on a portion of the sub-unit jacket and a portion of the tight buffer, and a providing heat to the second heat shrink element;
• disposing a crimp body on the cable jacket, wherein the crimp body comprises a first end, a second end, a crimp body passageway extending between the first end and the second end, and one or more crimp features;
• pulling back at least a portion of the strength members so that they are adjacent the crimp body;
• disposing a crimp ring on the crimp body, wherein:
• the crimp body comprises a first end, a second end, a crimp ring passageway extending from the first end to the second end, and at least one crimp ring aperture at the second end, wherein the first end has a smaller diameter than the second end;
• and
• the sub-unit is disposed within the crimp ring passageway at the first end and the crimp body is disposed within the crimp ring passageway at the second end;
• applying a crimping force to crimp the crimp ring to the crimp body at the one or more crimp features;
• inserting the dual drop fiber optic cable and the crimp ring into a body passageway of a connector body, wherein the connector body comprises a first end, a second end, the body passageway extending from the first end to the second end, and at least one body aperture at the second end;
• aligning the at least one body aperture of the connector body with the at least one crimp ring aperture of the crimp ring;
• inserting at least one locking element into the at least one body aperture of the connector body and the at least one crimp ring aperture of the crimp ring to secure the connector body to the crimp ring;
• and
• applying heat to the first heat shrink element to secure the connector body and the crimp ring to the dual drop fiber optic cable.