Northern Telecom Limited

Robert W Fisher

Jaroslav M Hvezda

Richard J Glover

Edward J Olszewski

Hugh F Morrin

An assembly for axially aligning two ferrules comprises a first housing, an alignment sleeve carrier, an alignment sleeve retained within a passage of the alignment sleeve carrier and a nut for securing the alignment sleeve carrier to the first housing such that a leading end of a first ferrule received in a passage of the first housing can extend into the alignment sleeve. The assembly further comprises a second housing, a socket member and a spring clip for securing the socket member to the second housing. The socket member has a through passage for receiving a second ferrule at one end and a leading end of the alignment sleeve carrier at another end such that the second ferrule can extend into the alignment sleeve for axial alignment with the first ferrule when the alignment sleeve carrier is received in the passage of the socket member. The spring clip permits limited movement of the socket member on the second housing to facilitate entry of the alignment sleeve carrier into the passage of the socket member and alignment of the first and second ferrules within the alignment sleeve. The assembly is used in a blind mating optical fiber connector.

Growing community of inventors

Ottawa, Canada

Robert W Fisher