Multiple fiber splice element and connector
AssigneeThe Whitaker Corporation
InventorsBryan Edwards, Kenneth Hall, Robert Briggs, Shelly Buchter, Craig Kegerise
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
A duplex fiber optic splice has a fiber-receiving element, two clamping elements covering opposite faces of the fiber-receiving element, and a spring element. A bearing key may be inserted into a bearing channel in the fiber-receiving element and rotated resulting in resilient disengagement of each of said clamping faces from said fiber-receiving element face. The resilient disengagement of the clamping elements are independent of each other. The splice assembly may be used alone or in conjunction with an array ferrule, pre-terminated with a fiber stub, and a housing to provide an adhesiveless field terminable connector.
Claims40
A fiber optic splice assembly comprising:
- a fiber-receiving element having opposite faces, first and second ends, and first and second sides, each said face having at least one elongate fiber channel and an elongate bearing channel,
- a clamping element having a clamping face and a spring face opposite each other, first and second sides, said clamping element covering at least a portion of each elongate fiber and bearing channel, and
- a splice spring for imparting opposing normal forces on said spring faces of said clamping elements and along the first side of said fiber-receiving element, said spring permitting independent resilient disengagement of each of said clamping faces from said fiber-receiving element face.
A fiber optic connector comprising:
- a housing,
- a fiber optic splice comprising a fiber-receiving element having opposite faces, first and second ends, and first and second sides, each said face having at least one elongate fiber channel extending from said first end to said second end and creating first and second fiber entrances on said first and second end respectively, said face also having an elongate bearing channel extending from said first side, said splice further comprising a clamping element having a clamping face and a spring face opposite each other and first and second sides, said clamping element covering at least a portion of each elongate fiber and bearing channel,
- a splice spring for imparting opposing normal forces on said spring faces of said clamping elements and along the first side of said fiber-receiving element, said spring permitting independent resilient disengagement of each of said clamping faces from said fiber-receiving element face, and
- a fiber array ferrule having at least two fiber-receiving bores, said housing retaining the splice and the ferrule.
A fiber optic apparatus comprising:
- a housing,
- a splicer disposed in the housing and receiving at least two fiber stubs, the splicer independently actuating at least two fibers for light transmissive interconnection with respective ones of the fiber stubs, and
- a fiber array ferrule disposed in the housing for terminating said two fiber stubs.
A fiber optic apparatus comprising a housing (70,70′) including provision for making a separable connection to a mating fiber optic connector, a splicer (1,1′) received by the housing (70,70′), a fiber stub having a mating end and a splicing end, a ferrule (50,50′) holding the mating end, the splicer (1,1′) comprising a fiber-receiving element (3,3′) and a holding element (21,21′) and holding the splicing end of the fiber stub between said fiber-receiving element (3,3′) and said holding element (21,21′), the splicer accepting a splicing fiber by resilient disengagement of the holding element (21,21′) from the fiber-receiving element (3,3′) characterized in that there is a holding element (21,21′) on two sides of said fiber-receiving element (3,3′) for independent resilient disengagement of each holding element (21,21′) and, therefore, independent acceptance of at least two splicing fibers.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.