High precision optical fiber connectors

A fiber optic interconnect system providing for accurate intermating of optical fibers by providing floating interconnect, said system comprising:

• an interconnect device defining first and second oppositely directed cavities with at least one passage extending between respective pairs of cavities, each said passage being profiled with an inwardly directed annular flange at a first end and a threaded portion at the opposite end;
• a threaded nut received in said threaded portion;
• and
• a receptor received in each said passage and held therein by said threaded nut and said annular flange, said receptor having an outer profile allowing movement about the geometric center of said receptor and having a profiled through-bore receiving nose portions of ferrules of respective fiber optic connectors therein, whereby movement of said receptor causes said ferrules to become axially aligned for maximum light transfer between said intermated optical fibers.

A fiber optic cable connector for a fiber optic cable containing an optical fiber, comprising:

• two mating housing halves, each of which is provided with interlocking latch and lug means for interlocking with the other half to constitute a connector housing, said interlocked housing halves having external portions at their respective first ends to jointly provide an external thread thereat, and further cooperating to provide an opening of said connector housing at their opposite ends;
• a strain relief firmly attached to a first end and said fiber optic cable, said strain relief having one end shaped and sized to be grasped by said interlocked housing halves within said externally threaded portions thereof;
• an internally threaded nut threaded onto said external threaded portions of said interlocked housing halves to positively retain said strain relief therein;
• a ferrule terminating said optical fiber, shaped and sized to be grasped firmly inside said interlocked housing halves such that the terminal end of said ferrule terminating the fiber within is directed forwardly and positioned within said opening of said connector;
• said housing halves each having a straight longitudinal groove on an exterior surface, said groove having an open end at the rim of said opening of said connector, and said exterior surface of each of said housing halves being reduced in dimensions on one side of said groove so as to be slightly smaller than the interior of the unreduced portion on the other side of said groove.

A fiber optic interconnect member for mating an optical fiber of a first fiber optic cable with a like optical fiber of a second fiber optic cable, with each mating cable ending in a cable connector, comprising:

• a housing having opposed cavities for receiving respective cable connectors with passageways interconnecting respective cavities;
• each of said connectors having a mating end adapted for mating with the other of said connectors, said mating end having on one side an outside shape with a reduced dimension portion, and having on another side an unreduced dimension portion;
• and
• ferrule-aligning receptors mounted in each passageway, with each such receptor having a profiled bore for receiving a fiber-terminating ferrule of said respective connectors into each of its two ends for thereby interconnecting optical fibers of said respective connectors by pairs.

A fiber optic connector for a fiber optic cable, comprising:

• a duplex connector with a cable entry and with a mating end adapted for mating said duplex connector with another said duplex connector of similar construction,
• each optical fiber of at least one fiber optic cable extending in said cable entry being terminated by a corresponding ferrule, each said ferrule being positioned by said duplex connector with an end of said ferrule toward said mating end,
• a strain relief receiving cable, and
• a threaded nut received over said strain relief and received over threads on the cable entry.