Fiber optic connector with anti-wicking epoxy tube

A fiber optic connector comprising:

• (a) a connector body assembly that extends along a central longitudinal axis, the connector body assembly including:
• (i) a front piece that defines a plug end;
• and
• (ii) a rear piece defining a fiber opening in alignment with the central longitudinal axis;
• (iii) the rear piece being secured within the front piece;
• (b) a ferrule positioned at least partially within the connector body assembly;
• (i) the ferrule having a front end and an opposite rear end;
• (ii) the ferrule defining an axial bore that extends through the ferrule from the front end to the rear end of the ferrule;
• (c) a hub having a first end and a second end, the first end of the hub being mounted over the rear end of the ferrule, the second end of the hub having a stem with a cylindrical body that extends in a direction toward the rear piece of the connector body assembly and stops at a termination end, the stem including a barb adjacent the termination end, wherein the stem has an internal surface that includes a taper and an opposite external surface that includes the barb;
• and
• (d) an epoxy tube having a first cylindrical section that defines a first inner diameter, a second cylindrical section that defines a second inner diameter, and a third cylindrical section that defines a third inner diameter, the first inner diameter being larger than the second inner diameter and the second inner diameter being larger than the third inner diameter;
• (e) wherein the barb is positioned adjacent the second cylindrical section, wherein the third inner diameter of the third cylindrical section is smaller than a largest inner diameter of the hub;
• and
• (f) wherein the first cylindrical section includes a first outer diameter, the second cylindrical section includes a second outer diameter, and the third cylindrical section includes a third outer diameter, the third outer diameter of the third cylindrical section being smaller than the second outer diameter of the second cylindrical section to form a tapered transition area between the second cylindrical section and the third cylindrical section;
• and
• (g) a fiber optic cable having an outside diameter, the fiber optic cable extending through the first, second, and third cylindrical sections of the epoxy tube and into a portion of the stem of the hub, wherein a gap area is defined between an interior surface of the second inner diameter of the second cylindrical section and the outside diameter of the fiber optic cable, the gap area tapering down to a narrower gap in the third inner diameter of the third cylindrical section;
• and
• (h) a pocket being defined from the termination end of the stem to the start of the third cylindrical section of the epoxy tube.

A fiber optic connector comprising:

• (a) a connector body assembly that extends along a central longitudinal axis, the connector body assembly;
• (b) a ferrule positioned at least partially within the connector body assembly;
• (i) the ferrule having a front end and an opposite rear end;
• (ii) the ferrule defining an axial bore that extends through the ferrule from the front end to the rear end of the ferrule;
• (c) a hub having a first end and a second end, the first end of the hub being mounted over the rear end of the ferrule;
• and
• (d) an epoxy tube mounted over the second end of the hub, the epoxy tube defining a passage with a longitudinal axis extending therethrough, the epoxy tube including a proximal inner diameter, a distal inner diameter, and an inner sloped central portion extending between the proximal inner diameter and the distal inner diameter;
• (e) wherein the epoxy tube also defines a pocket having a length between the second end of the hub and the start of the distal inner diameter to reduce capillary action between the hub and the epoxy tube;
• (f) wherein the distal inner diameter is less than the proximal inner diameter;
• (g) a fiber optic cable positioned in the ferrule, the hub and the epoxy tube, wherein there is a spacing around the cable, wherein the epoxy tube faces the cable and is spaced greater distance from the cable at a first location adjacent to a distal end of the hub, relative to a distance at a second location spaced further from the distal end of the hub in a direction toward a distal end of the epoxy tube, wherein the pocket is formed by the epoxy tube and the cable at the first location.