Bunker Ramo Corporation

Kevin J Monaghan

John A Makuch

Russell C Schwickert

John J Esposito

A fiber optic connector is disclosed, along with a means and method of centering or properly positioning optical fibers with respect to the connectors, for optically coupling a pair of fiber optic cables or a single fiber optic cable and a light source or detector, wherein the cable includes an outer coating and an inner fiber core which may or may not be concentric with the outer coating. A terminal member is provided which includes a body having a through hole extending axially therethrough, the through hole having a first portion extending through a forward mating end of the terminal member and through a boss portion protruding outwardly from the body portion of the terminal member. The first portion is sized to snugly receive a length of the fiber core stripped of the outer coating to properly position the core with respect to the mating end of the terminal member. The through hole has a second portion rearwardly of the first portion which is sized sufficiently larger than the outer coating of the fiber optic cable to accommodate any eccentricity between the fiber core and the coating. The outer coating is fixedly secured within the second portion of the through hole by epoxy, or the like, to maintain the core properly positioned or centered with respect to the forward mating end of the terminal member. The boss portion is removed after the epoxy hardens, leaving the fiber core properly positioned or centered in the terminal member.

Optical fiber connector and means and method for centering optical fibers

A hermaphroditic fiber optic connector for use in an assembly for aligning mating ends of at least one pair of optical fibers is disclosed. The connector includes a terminating member having a passage therein dimensioned for receiving one of the optical fibers. An adapter associated with a mating end of the terminating member and communicating with the passage is provided wherein the adapter has a hermaphroditic face exposed at the mating end of the terminating member. The connector also includes means associated with the adapter for securing the one optical fiber in a preselected position relative to the mating end of the terminating member. In a more specific sense, the connector is adapted for use in an assembly including a second identical connector for aligning mating ends of optical fibers in a pair of fiber optic cables in which the various elements may be formed in a manner making them interchangeable with other like elements in order to form a modular hermaphroditic connector.

Fiber optic cable retainer member

A connector assembly is disclosed for crimping onto a fiber optic cable or the like which has one or more single optical fibers and a strength member surrounding the optical fibers. A connector body is provided for receiving the optical fibers of the cable and has a rear end portion over which the strength member of the cable is positionable. The rear end portion of the connector body is provided with one or more annular crimp receiving, generally V-shaped peripheral grooves. A ferrule member is positionable over the grooved rear end portion of the connector body for crimping the strength member between the ferrule member and the connector body. The ferrule member is crimped to have one or more generally V-shaped crimping ribs which are nested in the grooves of the connector body clamping the strength member therebetween. The included angle of each of the V-shaped grooves of the connector body is smaller than that of the V-shaped ribs of the ferrule member so as to increase the number of crimping diameters between the connector body and the ferrule member. In one form of the invention, the rear end portion of the connector body has a transverse abutment surface for engaging the end of a jacket of the fiber optic cable providing an interface between the cable and the connector body.

Crimped connector assembly for fiber optic cables

A separable in-line fiber optic connector adapted for coupling a pair of optical fibers or a single optical fiber and a light source or detector. The fiber connector includes a terminal plug member having a through hole extending axially therethrough for receiving an optical fiber. The plug member is axially split so as to comprise first and second separate longitudinal portions defining the through hole which are transversely matable for clamping the optical fiber therebetween. The plug portions are interengageable in a manner preventing any relative axial displacement therebetween. A housing member receives the terminal plug member and confines the split portions to a mating position in which they firmly clamp the optical fiber. The separate longitudinal plug portions are transversely ribbed along at least an axial section of the through hole for engaging the optical fiber to prevent axial displacement thereof. The housing and the plug member can be angularly related to provide for polarized interengagement thereof. A detent notch and protrusion structure can also be provided between the housing and the plug member for snap fitting of the plug member into the housing. Additionally, one of the plug portions of the plug members extends from one end of the through hole to the other and is provided with a forward mating face extending entirely across the plug member to define a terminal end therefor.

Optical fiber connector having transversely mateable plug portions

Hermaphroditic fiber optic connector

A fiber optic connector assembly of the type which optically couples one or more pairs of fiber optic cables together by aligning and closely spacing the terminal ends of each cable pair includes a connector having a cable terminating tubular pin which receives one of the cables and which also has an outer circumferential flange. The pin is received within a channel of the connector body which channel has a forwardly facing annular shoulder portion. A cylindrical retainer coaxially disposed about the pin has a rear surface engaging the channel shoulder and forwardly depending fingers engaging the pin flange. The rearward end of the retainer also includes an integral spring mechanism which urges the pin in the forward direction so that its forward end continuously engages a spacer within a mating connector which causes the terminal ends of the coupled cables to be closely and controllably spaced for efficient light transfer between the fiber optic cables. The terminating pin also includes improved structure for receiving and gripping cable strength members and the mating connector includes an alignment sleeve which captivates the mating connector terminal pin and aligns the terminating pin pairs. The alignment sleeve also has an inner annular flange which forms a spacer for closely spacing the terminal ends of the cables.

Growing community of inventors

Middlebury, CT, United States of America

Kevin J Monaghan