US 4,705,352 AGranted

Fiber optic connector

AssigneeAmphenol Corporation

InventorsMark Margolin, Igor Grois

Life of this patent

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Abstract

A fiber optic connector is provided for coupling a fiber optic cable. The connector includes a two part clamp body having a V groove therethrough defining a passage. The passage is of two different sizes to securely hold the fiber of a cable and the fiber covered with buffer layer of a cable therein. A metal tube extends out the back of the connector and serves as a base with a strength layer of the cable whereby an outer sleeve can be crimped onto the Kevlar to hold the Kevlar between the outer sleeve and the inner tube. The two part body is held together by a split sleeve at the front portion thereof and a coupling member serves to couple the connector to an adapter for connecting the connector to a light connector or other fiber optic device. A keying mechanism is provided to ensure that upon repeated couplings the fiber connector is always connected in the same relative rotation position to prevent scarring of the end of the fiber.

A fiber optic connector for coupling a fiber optic cable, said caable having an outer coating about a strength layer which in turn surrounds a buffer layer surrounding a fiber waveguide, and said connector comprising:

(a) a clamp member terminal defined by a pair of matching halves having complementary V-shaped groove means defining a through-hole extending axially therethrough, said through-hole having a first portion extending between forward mating end portions of said matching halves and sized to snugly receive a length of said fiber waveguide stripped of said buffer and strength layer and said coating, and positioning said fiber waveguide with respect to the mating end of the terminal member at a position to transmit light to a like fiber terminated in a mating connector when connected thereto, said through-hole having a second portion extending between the mating end and the rear end of the matching halves and sized to snugly receive a length of said waveguide surrounded only by said buffer layer and said through-hole having a third portion located at the rear end of the matching halves and sized to receive a tube member therein;
(b) a tube member having a diameter sufficient to permit said buffer covered waveguide length to pass therethrough, having engaging means for engaging both said pair of matching halves immobile with respect to each other both in the longitudinal as well as the transverse direction, and said tube member being of sufficient length to extend for a length out the rear of said matching halves;
(c) outer sleeve crimp means of a size sufficient for being received over the rear of said matching halves and for being crimped onto the outside of said cable for holding the outer coating and strength layer of said cable between said crimp means and said length of tube member extending out the rear of said matching halves;
(d) resilient clamp means slidable over the forward mating end portion of said matching halves for clamping said matching halves together to hold a fiber therein;
and
(e) coupling means for connecting said fiber optic connector to effect said coupling of said fiber optic cable.

3 more elements

Facts

Application

06/818,576Filed 30 Dec 1985

Granted

10 Nov 1987

Term ends

Not estimatedThe source records don’t support an estimate.

Classification9 codes

G02B 6/3858
Characterised by the method of anchoring or fixing the fibre within the ferrule: clamping, i.e. with only elastic deformation
G02B 6/3838
Means for centering or aligning the light guide within the ferrule: using grooves for light guides
G02B 6/3855
Details of mounting fibres in ferrules; Assembly methods; Manufacture: characterised by the method of anchoring or fixing the fibre within the ferrule
G02B 6/3862
Characterised by the method of anchoring or fixing the fibre within the ferrule: radially-compressed, longitudinally-split ferrules consisting of…

Abstract

Claims15