Corning Cable Systems

Corning Optical Communications LLC

John Wayne Beatty

Dennis Michael Knecht

Hieu Vinh Tran

Robert Elvin Barnette, Jr

James R Merriken

James Phillip Luther

Christopher Paul Lewallen

Wesley Allan Yates

Robert Elvin Barnette

A fiber optic connector includes a ferrule having a mating end and an insertion end and a ferrule holder having a first end portion in which the ferrule is received and a second end portion opposite the first end portion. The first end portion defines a first bore having a first bore width for receiving the ferrule. Additionally, the first end portion defines a bore surface and at least one groove formed in the bore surface. The at least one groove extends from where the insertion end of the ferrule is located within the first bore to a front face of the ferrule holder. Ridges are formed around the first bore because the at least one groove also extends in a circumferential direction. The ridges contact the ferrule and are deflected by the ferrule in a direction toward the insertion end of the ferrule.

Fiber optic connector with vented ferrule holder

A guide pin for mating multi-fiber optical ferrules includes a first end, a second end and a flexile feature adjacent to the second end. The first end has a first end width and the second end has a first engagement width and may change to a second engagement width while engaging a guide pin bore in a ferrule. The change in width permits the guide pin to engage and axially align with guide pin bores of varying diameters to achieve reliable optical mating of optical wave guides.

Guide pin for aligning ferrules with enhanced alignment feature

A dust cap is provided that includes a translucent end member that permits optical communication while the dust cap remains mounted upon a ferrule. The dust cap includes a sleeve having an open first end and an opposed second end that is closed by the translucent end member. The end member can also include a lens to facilitate optical communication. A medial portion of the sleeve can also define an internal chamfer that extends radially inward for engaging the ferrule such that the front face of the ferrule is spaced from the second end of the sleeve, thereby preventing contaminants from being transferred from the second end of the sleeve to the polished front face of the ferrule. The dust cap can also define a groove extending lengthwise through only a portion of the sleeve, i.e., from the first end of the sleeve to a medial portion of the sleeve. The groove therefore permits air to vent from the bore while the dust cap is being mounted upon the ferrule, while isolating the front face of the ferrule from the external environment once the dust cap has been fully mounted, thereby protecting the polished front face of the ferrule from contaminants that may enter the groove. A method is also provided for testing the continuity of an optical fiber jumper that utilizes optical communications conducted through the translucent dust caps.

Translucent dust cap and associated method for testing the continuity of an optical fiber jumper

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Newton, NC, United States of America

John Wayne Beatty