Method and apparatus for precision injection molding of fiber optic ferrules
AssigneeStratos Lightwave, Inc.
InventorsLeopold Kiernicki, James W. McGinley, Philip W. Schofield
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Abstract
An apparatus for injection molding of a fiber optic ferrule including the use of adjustable core and receiver members to precisely locate a core pin and also a projecting wire member in a mold where the core pin defines an interior passage in the molded ferrule and the projecting wire forms a small diameter longitudinal hole in the ferrule communicating with an outer end of the interior passage so that the interior passage and small diameter hole are precisely located relative to the body of the molded ferrule.
Claims14
Adjustable mold apparatus for injection molding of a fiber optic ferrule, said mold apparatus comprising, in combination, a mold having a bore therein to define a cylindrical mold cavity for molding a body portion of a ferrule, core pin means having a segment thereof designed to define an interior longitudinal passage in said body portion of said ferrule, said core pin means having wire means projecting from a forward end thereof to define a small diameter longitudinal hole in said ferrule communicating with the outer end of said interior longitudinal passage, first adjustable means for locating said wire means, said first adjustable means being positioned in a first half of said mold and including first rotatable means having a small eccentric hole dimensioned to receive and position said wire means when said mold is closed, second adjustable means for locating said core pin means, said second adjustable means being positioned in a second half of said mold and including second rotatable means having an eccentric hole for receiving and supporting a rear portion of said core pin means while a forward portion of said core pin means including said wire means projects into said bore in said mold when said mold is closed, whereby said first adjustable means may be used to locate said projecting wire means substantially concentric with the true center of said bore in said mold and said second adjustable means may be used to locate said core pin means substantially concentric with said true center of said bore in said mold.
Adjustable mold apparatus for injection molding of a fiber optic ferrule, said mold apparatus comprising, in combination, a mold having a bore therein to define a cylindrical mold cavity for molding a body portion of a ferrule, core pin means having a rear mounting portion and a forward portion designed to define an interior longitudinal passage in said body portion of said ferrule, said forward portion of said core pin means having wire means projecting therefrom including an outer end wire portion and an intermediate wire portion for defining a small diameter longitudinal hole in said ferrule communicating with the outer end of said interior longitudinal passage, first adjustable means for locating said wire means, said first adjustable means being positioned in a first half of said mold and including first rotatable means having a small eccentric hole dimensioned to receive and position said outer end wire portion when said mold is closed, second adjustable means for locating said core pin means, said second adjustable means being positioned in a second half of said mold and including second rotatable means having an eccentric hole for receiving and supporting said rear mounting portion of said core pin means while said forward portion of said core pin means including said wire means project into said bore in said mold and said outer end wire portion projects into said small eccentric hole in said first rotatable means when said mold is closed while said intermediate wire portion is disposed in said bore to partially define said mold cavity, whereby when said mold is open and said first and second halves of said mold are removed from a molding press, said first adjustable means may be used to locate said projecting wire means substantially concentric with the true center of said bore in said mold and said second adjustable means may be used to locate said core pin means substantially concentric with said true center of said bore in said mold.
Adjustable mold apparatus for injection molding, said mold apparatus comprising, in combination, a mold having a bore, core pin means having a segment thereof designed to define an interior longitudinal passage, said core pin means having wire means projecting from a forward end thereof to define a small diameter longitudinal hole communicating with the outer end of said interior longitudinal passage, first adjustable means for locating said wire means, said first adjustable means being positioned in a first half of said mold and including first adjustable aperture means having a small eccentric hole dimensioned to receive and position said wire means when said mold is closed, second adjustable means for locating said core pin means, said second adjustable means being positioned in a second half of said mold and including second adjustable aperture means having an eccentric hole for receiving and supporting a rear portion of said core pin means while a forward portion of said core pin means including said wire means projects into said bore in said mold when said mold is closed, whereby said first adjustable means may be used to locate said projecting wire means substantially concentric with the true center of said bore in said mold and said second adjustable means may be used to locate said core pin means substantially concentric with said true center of said bore in said mold.
A method for injection molding of a fiber optic ferrule, the method comprising the steps of:
- providing a mold capable of molding a body of the ferrule;
- providing a core pin in said mold, said core pin capable of forming an interior longitudinal passageway in the body of the ferrule wherein position of the core pin is adjustable;
- providing a wire projecting from the core pin;
- adjusting the wire to a center of the body in the mold;
- and
- adjusting the core pin to the center of the body in the mold.
An apparatus for injection molding of a fiber optic ferrule, the apparatus comprising:
- a mold capable of molding a body of the ferrule;
- and
- a core pin in said mold, a wire projecting from said core pin said core pin capable of forming an interior longitudinal passageway of the body of the ferrule wherein position of the core pin is adjustable and further wherein the wire and the core pin are adjustable to the center of the body in the mold.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.