# US 5,703,981 A · Pre-terminated optical fibers

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- Number: US 5,703,981 A
- Document ID: US5703981A
- Status: Granted
- Kind: A
- Application number: 08/355,161
- Filed: 1994-12-08
- Granted: 1997-12-30
- Earliest claimed: 1994-12-08
- Assignees: Fiber-Conn Assemblies, Inc.
- Inventors: Michael Dahan; John M. Ehrenreich
- Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US5703981A

## CPC

- G02B 6/3865: {fabricated by using moulding techniques (shaping techniques of plastic materials in general B29C; producing plastic optical fiber connectors B29D11/0075)}
- G02B 6/3889: {using encapsulation for protection, e.g. adhesive, molding or casting resin}
- G02B: OPTICAL ELEMENTS, SYSTEMS OR APPARATUS

## Abstract

A termination ferrule body with a ferrule for an optical fiber is molded directly about the optical fiber employing a mold insert defining a hole in the insert that precisely locates the optical fiber in the center of the end of the ferrule.

## Claims

### Claim 1

An optical fiber termination structure comprising
an optical fiber,
a ferrule body having a ferrule,
said ferrule body molded to said optical fiber.

### Claim 2 (depends on 1)

An optical fiber termination structure according to claim 1 wherein
said optical fiber extends axially through said ferrule body and to the end of said ferrule,
said optical fiber passing axially through the ferrule and being located precisely at the center of the end of said ferrule.

### Claim 3 (depends on 2)

An optical fiber termination structure according to claim 2 wherein
said ferrule body and said optical fiber are highly polished at the end of said ferrule.

### Claim 4 (depends on 2)

An optical fiber termination structure according to claim 2 further comprising
a hollow mold having a precisely located central hole in a wall in one end and an open end at another end
said optical fiber extending from the open end through the precisely located hole.

### Claim 5

An optical fiber termination structure produced by the following process:
inserting an optical fiber into a hollow axially elongated mold having a precisely centrally located hole at one end and an open end at the other end,
inserting an optical fiber into the open end, through the mold and through the precisely located hole,
said fiber having an outside diameter substantially equal to the inside diameter of said centrally located hole,
injecting a desired ferrule material into said mold about said optical fiber to bond to said fiber, and
polishing the end of the fiber.