Connector for optical fiber
AssigneeADC Telecommunications, Inc.
InventorsRobert J. Ziebol, Harold A. Roberts
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
An optical fiber connector is shown with connector elements dimensioned and having material selected to accommodate thermal expansion to certain alignment of elements. Also, the elements are selected to accommodate compressive force to ensure a desired distribution of compressive forces between a ferrule and a fiber. The balancing ensures that the fiber and the ferrule retain a desired alignment with desired opposing forces. Also, a non-circular split sleeve of uniform wall thickness dimensions is provided to ensure uniform pressure distribution on a fiber ferrule. The split sleeve is also offset to accommodate offsetting tendencies of fibers being aligned within the split sleeve.
Claims11
An optical fiber connector comprising:
- an optical fiber;
- a crimp for securely grasping said fiber and having opposing surfaces movable to a crimp position to grasp said fiber when said fiber is disposed between said opposing surfaces;
- a ferrule having a bore therethrough, said fiber extending into said bore;
- a ferrule holder connecting said crimp and said ferrule;
- said ferrule holder, ferrule crimp and fiber formed of material selected and dimensioned for a terminal end of said ferrule to be retained in a generally fixed alignment with a terminal end of said fiber in response to temperature variations.
An optical fiber connector comprising:
- an assembly including a ferrule holder, a crimp having opposing surfaces movable to a crimp position to grasp a fiber when said fiber is disposed between said opposing surfaces, a ferrule and a fiber having a portion thereof disposed between said opposing surfaces and grasped by said crimp and with said fiber extending from said crimp into said ferrule, said ferrule holder connecting said crimp and said ferrule;
- primary urging means for urging said assembly against an opposing assembly at a predetermined total force;
- said assembly selected for said total force to be distributed between said ferrule and said fiber for a predetermined minimum force to be borne by said fiber.
An optical fiber connector comprising:
- an assembly including a ferrule holder, a crimp, a ferrule and a fiber with said crimp rigidly secured to a portion of said fiber and said fiber extending from said crimp into said ferrule, said ferrule holder connecting said crimp and said ferrule;
- primary urging means for urging said assembly against an opposing assembly at a predetermined total force;
- said assembly selected for said total force to be distributed between said ferrule and said fiber for a predetermined minimum force to be borne by said fiber;
- said ferrule holder, fiber and ferrule are dimensioned and formed from materials selected for a linear compressive displacement of said ferrule to approximate a linear compressive displacement of said fiber in response to said ferrule and fiber being urged against an opposing ferrule and fiber by said predetermined total force.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.