Minnesota Mining and Manufacturing Company

John M Magnusson

Bryon J Cronk

Thomas M Cherney

Paul H Binek

A connector for use with a cable containing a plurality of optical fibers supported in a flexible matrix and disposed parallel to each other, such as in a flat ribbon configuration. The connector includes a substantially flat housing member having a rear opening corresponding in size and shape to a cable to be received. The opening has associated therewith means for anchoring the cable. Passageways through the housing are provided for the individual fibers to be received and anchored within fiber retaining members such that the fiber ends are accessible at the front of the housing to be coupled to fibers within a mated connector. The fiber retaining members are in turn adapted to be received into an abutting relationship within an alignment means which maintains the mated fibers in axial alignment when the connectors are mated. The housing also has associated therewith a latching means on both sides of the flat housing adapted to corresponding members of the mated connector to align the respective members and to maintain the abutting relationship when the respective connectors are mated.

Connector for optical fiber cables

A connector structure for separably connecting optical fibers includes a pair of precision sleeves, each of which is adapted to surround one of the fibers such that the ends thereof are in axial alignment. A housing fitted around the sleeves maintains that alignment. After each fiber is fitted into a matching sleeve such that end portions thereof protrude through the sleeve, the fiber is permanently anchored therein to prevent relative motion and the end of the sleeve and fiber combination is ground substantially flat and perpendicular to the fiber axis. The end of the combination is then polished under a predetermined set of conditions selected to be consistent with predetermined wear characteristics of the sleeve and fiber in which the fiber is less wear resistant than the sleeve. During the polishing operation the fiber end becomes convex and recessed within the sleeve. A pair of fibers may thus be optically coupled by butting together the ends of two sleeves within an outer housing. The recess in the fiber end precludes scratching or chipping of the fiber due to contact with other members.

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Richfield, MN, United States of America

John M Magnusson