Hermaphroditic connector for single fiber optical cable

A single optical fiber hermaphroditic connector, said connector

• a shell through which an optical fiber end portion is adapted to extend;
• force transfer means disposed at an opposite end of said shell for receiving an optical fiber cable at one end thereof and for transferring forces which may be applied to said cable to portions of said connector displaced from a connection with another said single optical fiber hermaphroditic connector;
• a ferrule which is adapted to terminate the end portion of a single optical fiber and which is disposed adjacent to one end of said shell;
• supporting means disposed adjacent said one end of said shell for holding said ferrule, said supporting means including circumferentially spaced portions which extend longitudinally along and beyond a portion of said ferrule;
• a sleeve in which are received said shell, said ferrule, said force transfer means and said supporting means, said sleeve including circumferentially spaced longitudinally extending fingers each of which is disposed outside and alinged with an associated one of said longitudinally extending portions of said supporting means;
• and
• securing means engaging said sleeve adjacent to said ferrule for causing another identical single optical fiber hermaphroditic connector to be held in aligned juxtaposition with said connector such that each longitudinally extending portion and associated finger of the other connector are received between adjacent of longitudinally extending portions and associated fingers of said connector and such that an end face of the ferrule of the other connector is disposed in optical connective engagement with the ferrule of said connector.

A single optical fiber hermaphroditic connector, said connector comprising:

• a shell through which an optical fiber end portion is adapted to extend;
• force transfer means disposed at an opposite end of said shell for receiving an optical fiber cable at one end thereof and for transferring forces which may be applied to said cable to portions of said connector displaced from a connection with another said single optical fiber hermaphroditic connector;
• a ferrule which is adapted to terminate the end portion of the optical fiber and which is disposed adjacent to one end of said shell;
• supporting means disposed adjacent said one end of said shell for holding said ferrule, said supporting means including diametrically opposed portions which extend longitudinally along and beyond a portion of said ferrule;
• a sleeve in which are received said shell, said ferrule, said force transfer means and said supporting means, said sleeve including diametrically opposed longitudinally extending fingers each of which is disposed outside and aligned with an associated one of said longitudinally extending portions of said supporting means;
• and
• securing means engaging said sleeve adjacent to said ferrule for causing another identical single optical fiber hermaphroditic connector to be held in aligned juxtaposition with said connector such that each longitudinally extending portion and associated finger of the other connector are received between the adjacent longitudinally extending portions and associated fingers of said connector and such that an end face of the ferrule of the other connector is disposed in optical connective engagement with the ferrule of said connector.

A single optical fiber cable which is terminated with a single optical fiber connector, the terminated cable comprising:

• an optical fiber cable which includes a single optical fiber and non-metallic filamentary strength members;
• and
• a single optical fiber connector, said connector comprising:
• a shell through which an optical fiber end portion is adapted to extend;
• force transfer means disposed at an opposite end of said shell for receiving an optical fiber cable at one end thereof and for transferring forces which may be applied to said cable to portions of said connector displaced from a connection with another said single optical fiber hermaphroditic connector;
• a ferrule which is adapted to terminate the end portion of the optical fiber and which is disposed adjacent to one end of said shell;
• supporting means disposed adjacent said one end of said shell for holding said ferrule, said supporting means including diametrically opposed portions which extend longitudinally along and beyond a portion of said ferrule;
• a sleeve in which are received said shell, said ferrule, said force transfer means and said supporting means, said sleeve including diametrically opposed longitudinally extending fingers each of which is disposed outside and aligned with an associated one of said longitudinally extending portions of said supporting means;
• and
• securing means engaging said sleeve adjacent to said ferrule for causing another identical single optical fiber hermaphroditic connector to be held in aligned juxtaposition with said connector such that each longitudinally extending portion and associated finger of the other connector are received between the adjacent longitudinally extending portions and associated fingers of said connector and such that an end face of the ferrule of the other connector is disposed in optical connective engagement with the ferrule of said connector.

A single optical fiber hermaphroditic connector, said connector comprising:

• a shell through which an optical fiber end portion is adapted to extend;
• a ferrule which is adapted to terminate the end portion of a single optical fiber and which is disposed adjacent to one end of said shell;
• supporting means disposed adjacent said one end of said shell for holding said ferrule, said supporting means including circumferentially spaced portions which extend longitudinally along and beyond a portion of said ferrule;
• a sleeve in which are received said shell, said ferrule and said supporting means, said sleeve including circumferentially spaced longitudinally extending fingers each of which is disposed outside and aligned with an associated one of said longitudinally extending portions of said supporting means;
• and
• said supporting means for holding said ferrule including means which cooperate with another single optical fiber hermaphroditic connector in juxtaposition with said single optical fiber hermaphroditic connector such that when the fingers extending from the sleeve and the associated longitudinally extending portions of the supporting means of the other connector become interposed circumferentially between fingers and longitudinally extending portions of said single optical fiber hermaphroditic connector, the hermaphroditic connectors may be secured together such that the end faces of the ferrules thereof are disposed to cause the optical fibers terminated by the ferrules to be in optical connective relationship.