Lucent Technologies Inc.

At&t Bell Laboratories

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

Ruben Travieso

Daniel L Stephenson

Daniel Lee Stephenson

Naif Taleb Subh

Clyde J Myers

William Robert Holland

Montri Viriyayuthakorn

Wilton Wayt King

George F Deveau

Rodney W Hammond

An optical connector ( ) includes a ferrule assembly ( ), which is adapted to be received in a plug frame ( ). The ferrule assembly is held in the plug frame by a cable retention assembly ( ) which is adapted to be secured to said plug frame. A leading end of the plug frame is symmetrical in an end cross-section which is normal to a longitudinal axis of the connector. After the ferrule assembly has been assembled to the plug frame, the direction of any eccentricity of the plug passageway or of an optical fiber terminated by the ferrule assembly is determined. Then the plug frame is assembled to a housing of a grip ( ) such that the direction of eccentricity is aligned with a key ( ) of the grip. The plug frame is capable of being assembled to the grip notwithstanding the rotational orientation of the plug frame with respect to the grip. An optical connection between optical fibers terminated by two connectors is made by inserting the grip of each of the two connectors into a coupling housing ( ) so that the keys are aligned. Advantageously, portions of the connector may be factory assembled which facilitates field use of the connector to terminate optical fiber.

Optical fiber ferrule connector having enhanced provisions for tuning

An optical connector ( ) includes a ferrule assembly ( ) which is adapted to be received in a plug frame ( ). The ferrule assembly is held in the plug frame by a cable retention assembly ( ) which is adapted to be secured to said plug frame. A leading end of the plug frame is symmetrical in an end cross-section which is normal to a longitudinal axis of the connector. After the ferrule assembly has been assembled to the plug frame, the direction of any eccentricity of the plug passageway or of an optical fiber terminated by the ferrule assembly is determined. Then the plug frame is assembled to a housing of a grip ( ) such that the direction of eccentricity is aligned with a key ( ) of the grip. The plug frame is capable of being assembled to the grip notwithstanding the rotational orientation of the plug frame with respect to the grip. An optical connection between optical fibers terminated by two connectors is made by inserting the grip of each of the two connectors into a coupling housing ( ) so that the keys are aligned. Advantageously, portions of the connector may be factory assembled which facilitates field use of the connector to terminate optical fiber.

The present invention provides a method and apparatus for interfacing optical fiber cables with an optical integrated circuit. The apparatus comprises a flexible substrate having optical fibers fixedly arranged therein in a predetermined manner such that the distal ends of the optical fibers are disposed in groups on the outer periphery of the substrate to facilitate joining of the fibers with optical fibers of the optical fiber cables or ribbons using mass joining techniques. Once the optical fibers have been arranged in the substrate, the optical integrated circuit is mounted in the substrate. The substrate has an opening formed therein for receiving the optical integrated circuit. Once the optical integrated circuit has been mounted in the substrate, the proximal ends of the fibers fixed in the substrate are optically coupled to the ports of the optical integrated circuit.

Method and apparatus for interfacing optical fibers from optical fiber

The breakout cable is made up of an arrangement of optical fiber ribbon structures. Arranged above and/or below the optical fibers in each of the ribbon structures are strength members which are preferably made of an aramid fiber, such as KEVLAR. The combined optical fibers and strength members are surrounded by a sheath, which is preferably made of a suitable plastic, such as a material selected from the group consisting of polyolefin, PVC, low smoke PVC, EVA, FEP, PVDF, and thermoplastic fluoropolymers, thereby forming the high strength, sheathed optical fiber ribbon structure arrangement. A plurality of these individually sheathed ribbon structures can be stacked to form higher density ribbon bundles, or subunits, which can be further surrounded by sheaths. Similarly, a large numbers of such high density ribbon bundle subunits can be combined within a protective sheath to form cables which can be pulled through risers and plenums in the construction of premises, such as apartment buildings or commercial buildings, or used in appropriate indoor/outdoor applications. Accordingly, even as subunits are broken out of the cables, and as ribbon structures are broken out of the subunits, the optical fibers will still be surrounded by high strength members which will help protect them from breakage.

High density riser and plenum breakout cables for indoor and outdoor

In order to mount optical fiber connectors in a panel (22), the panel is provided with a plurality of openings in each of which is disposed a buildout system. Each buildout system includes a buildout block each having a portion disposed on a rear side of the panel and adapted to have an optical fiber connector assembled thereto. Any one of three buildout blocks may be used in order to receive a desired connector which may be an ST, SC, or FC connector. Secured through a latching arrangement to the portion of the buildout block on a front side of the panel is a buildout which may have any one of three configurations to accept any one of the three connectors. The latching arrangement between buildout block and buildout is the same for any combination of buildout block and buildout. As a result of the structure of the buildout system, a buildout and a buildout block may be selected to connect any combination of the connectors.

Universal optical fiber buildout system

An optical connector (20) includes a ferrule assembly (22) which is adapted to be received in a plug frame (70). The ferrule assembly is held in the plug frame by a cable retention assembly (40) which is adapted to be secured to said plug frame. A leading end of the plug frame is symmetrical in an end cross-section which is normal to a longitudinal axis of the connector. After the ferrule assembly has been assembled to the plug frame, the direction of any eccentricity of the plug passageway or of an optical fiber terminated by the ferrule assembly is determined. Then the plug frame is assembled to a housing of a grip (90) such that the direction of eccentricity is aligned with a key (92) of the grip. The plug frame is capable of being assembled to the grip notwithstanding the rotational orientation of the plug frame with respect to the grip. An optical connection between optical fibers terminated by two connectors is made by inserting the grip of each of the two connectors into a coupling housing (100) so that the keys are aligned. Advantageously, portions of the connector may be factory assembled which facilitates field use of the connector to terminate optical fiber.

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 connector body (26) which terminates at least one transmission medium includes on each side thereof a cantilevered arm (66) having a latching nub (70) projecting from a free end of the arm. A release cover (80) having a gripping portion (88) oriented toward a cable input end (32) of the connector body is mounted slidably on the connector body with the latching nubs of the arms each projecting through a window (90) in the cover. Conductors in the connector body are connected to conductors of another connector or of a device by inserting the connector body and release cover into a coupling (100) or into a receptacle. The latching nubs of the arms protrude into openings (106--106) provided in a housing (102) of the coupling to secure the connector body thereto. In order to withdraw the connector body from the coupling, a user moves the cover slidably along the connector body toward the cable input end. Walls which define the windows of the cover cam against the latching nubs causing them to be depressed as the free ends of the arms are moved inwardly. Once the nubs have cleared the openings in the coupling or in the receptacle, the connector body and release cover may be withdrawn from the housing. The release cover also is effective when forces of a predetermined magnitude are applied to the connector body to cause the latching nubs to become disengaged from the coupling and allow withdrawal of the connector body therefrom.

Growing community of inventors

Alpharetta, GA, United States of America

Ruben Travieso