At&t Bell Laboratories

American Telephone & Telegraph Co., At&t Bell Laboratories

Rodney W Hammond

Ruben Travieso

Clyde J Myers

George M Alameel

A connector (20) for terminating a duplex cable jumper cable (23) which is used for making interconnections in administrative locations of an FDDI system includes a plastic housing (21) having a jumper input end (26) and a connection end (28). Each fiber (25) of the jumper cable is terminated by a ferrule (64) which is supported in the housing and which has a portion that extends from the connection end of the housing. The protruding ends of the ferrules are protected by a shroud (130) which is removably attached to the connection end of the housing. Inasmuch as the shroud is removable, the end portions of the ferrules may be accessed for cleaning. Advantageously, the shroud may be provided with a keyway (157) to facilitate the mating of a connector with a key arrangement (159) in a receptacle (125) into which the connector is to be inserted. Different shrouds may be attached to the housing to facilitate the insertion of the connector into a desired receptacle.

Duplex optical fiber connector and cables terminated therewith

A coupling (20) for backplane connections of an optical fiber arrangement facilitates superbly alignment of optical fibers notwithstanding blind insertion of a portion of the arrangement. The coupling arrangement includes a housing (70) which has a first end portion (52) and a second end portion (49) and which is mounted in an opening of a panel (32) such that it floats and is capable of three dimensional adjustive movement to facilitate alignment of plugs which terminate optical fibers and which are inserted into opposite ends of a sleeve (84) disposed in the housing. A longitudinal movement of the coupling is facilitated by a compression spring (102) which is disposed about the housing between the backplane and a retaining member (104). Advantageously, the second end portion of the housing is tapered inwardly to cause the plug (80) of a card (40) which is inserted blindly into the second end portion of the housing to cam against the entrance of the housing to cause the coupling to be repositioned in the panel opening. A dimensional ratio of a portion of the housing between the tapered second end portion and the sleeve cooperates with substantially frictionless washers (103-103) which engage ends of the spring to cause any movement of the coupling as the plug is inserted into its second end portion to be substantially translatory thereby insuring end face contact of the plugs to obtain a low loss, low reflection connection.

Growing community of inventors

Norcross, GA, United States of America

Rodney W Hammond