US 6,280,098 B1 · Optical fibre connector

Abstract

An optical fibre connector comprising a hollow cylindrical body 2 having a throughbore 3 with an inner surface 4. A hollow sleeve or carrier 6 in the form of a cylindrical tube having a throughbore 8 fits snugly within the hollow body throughbore 3. The sleeve 6 can receive and releasably retain a pair of optical fibre assemblies 11 which are to be optically coupled to one another by means of the connector. The sleeve 6 accommodates a plurality of discrete individual engagement means in the form of balls 10 in holes around it circumference. The balls 10 protrude through the holes in the sleeve into the throughbore 3, and are free to rotate as an optical fibre assembly moves past them. The optical fibre assemblies 11 are biassed against the balls 10 and thereby against the inner surface of the connector body by resilient biassing means in the form of spring arrangements 14. Each spring arrangement 14 comprises an elongate resilient strip 15 pivoted about its midpoint on a pivot 20.In this arrangement, as an optical fibre assembly 10 is inserted into the carrier 6, the pivoting action of the spring prevents the biassing force being applied by the spring on the assembly until a first 21 and second 22 end of the assembly are in contact with a distal 23 and proximal 24 end respectively of the spring arrangement.

Claims17

Dependent claims

A connector coupling two optical fibre assemblies, comprising:

a hollow body having a throughbore having an inner surface and adapted to removably receive an optical fibre assembly at each end in use;
a plurality of discrete engagement elements located at circumferentially spaced apart positions with the hollow body throughbore and located at least three spaced intervals along the length of the throughbore;
and
one or more resilient biassing devices engageable against the inserted optical fiber assemblies in use to bias resiliently the assemblies against the engagement elements and thereby against the hollow body;
wherein the engagement elements are such that they substantially do not deform when an optical fibre assembly is biassed against them;
and
wherein the engagement elements are arranged such that when two optical fibre assemblies are inserted in the connector, each inserted optical fibre assembly can be arranged to engage longitudinally and circumferentially spaced engagement elements;
the biassing device and engagement elements are arranged such that a biassing device can be engaged against each inserted optical fibre assembly in use in such a manner that each optical fibre assenbky engages only a biassing device and engagement elements and in such an arrangement is spaced apart from the inner surface of the hollow body throughbore and is held by the biassing device and engagement elements such that its longitudinal axis is substantially parallel to the longitudinal axis of the hollow body throughbore.

5 more elements

Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.

Optical fibre connector

Life of this patent

Optical fibre connector

Life of this patent

Abstract

Claims17