Corning Cable Systems

Corning Optical Communications LLC

Xin Liu

Hieu Vinh Tran

Michael John Gimblet

Richard Steven Wagman

Stuart Reams Melton

David Allen Thompson

James Phillip Luther

Thomas Theuerkorn

Dennis Michael Knecht

Joel Christopher Rosson

Christopher Paul Lewallen

Darrin Max Miller

Charles A Yow, Jr

Micah Colen Isenhour

Alvin John McDonald

Kenneth Todd James

Alvin John Mcdonald

A preconnectorized outdoor cable streamlines the deployment of optical waveguides into the last mile of an optical network. The preconnectorized outdoor cable includes a cable and at least one plug connector. The plug connector is attached to a first end of the cable, thereby connectorizing at least one optical waveguide. The cable has at least one optical waveguide, at least one tensile element, and a cable jacket. Various cable designs such as figure-eight or flat cables may be used with the plug connector. In preferred embodiments, the plug connector includes a crimp assembly having a crimp housing and a crimp band. The crimp housing has two half-shells being held together by the crimp band for securing the at least one tensile element. When fully assembled, the crimp housing fits into a shroud of the preconnectorized cable. The shroud aides in mating the preconnectorized cable with a complimentary receptacle.

Fiber optic drop cables and preconnectorized assemblies

A cable attach structure for attaching a fiber-optic cable to a rear end and a connector to a front end is disclosed. In one embodiment, the cable attach structure is a portion of a fiber optic cable assembly having a fiber optic cable with at least one optical fiber and a connector attached to the optical fiber. The fiber optic cable is attached to the cable attach structure at a rear end and circuit board is attached to the cable attach structure at the front end. The cable attach structure also routes the at least one optical fiber away from the centerline of the connector for off-axis fiber routing. In other embodiments, the optical fiber can enter the connector from a first direction and attach to the connector in a second direction if desired.

Cable assembly with cable attach structure having off-axis fiber routing

A laser cleaving system includes a laser and a fixture including holders for respectively holding optical fiber ribbons at different angular positions. The fixture is rotatable relative to the laser for facilitating serial cleaving of the optical fiber ribbons. The fixture is configured for holding the ribbons in a predetermined manner so that the cleaved optical surfaces are of high quality and coplanar, such as when installed in a ferrule. For example, the fixture separates the ends of the ribbons from one another so that the ribbons being held by the fixture may be cleaved substantially independently from one another.

Laser cleaving multi-row ribbon fibers

Fiber optic drop cables and preconnectorized assemblies having toning portions

A ruggedized fiber optic connector assembly includes a substantially hollow plug housing; and a glue body disposed within the substantially hollow plug housing; wherein the glue body includes a first portion that is configured to engage and retain an optical cable comprising an optical fiber and one or more strength members; wherein the glue body includes a second portion that is configured to engage and retain a connector sub-assembly comprising an optical ferrule; wherein the second portion of the glue body includes a pair of opposed snap hooks that are configured to engage a corresponding pair of opposed recesses of the connector sub-assembly; and wherein the optical fiber and the optical ferrule are optically coupled.

Ruggedized fiber optic connector assembly

A fiber optic connector assembly and method for venting gas inside in a fiber optic connector sub-assembly. The fiber optic connector assembly includes a connector sub-assembly including a ferrule and a ferrule holder having a passage extending therethrough. A stiffener tube having a tube body disposed about a portion of at least one optical fiber supports insertion of the optical fiber into the ferrule holder passage. The stiffener tube contains at least one opening in its tube body configured to vent gas trapped inside the stiffener tube during assembly. In this manner, the trapped gas does not form a gas pocket in the bonding agent, which could compromise bonding among the optical fiber, stiffener tube, and connector sub-assembly.

Fiber optic connector assembly and method for venting gas inside a fiber optic connector sub-assembly

An adapter assembly for receiving and maintaining mating fiber optic connectors, comprising an adapter housing defining at least one feature for engaging with at least one plug housing engaged with at least one of the first and second fiber optic connectors, and at least one alignment member maintained within the adapter housing for receiving connective ends of each of the first and second fiber optic connectors. An adapter assembly for receiving and maintaining mating first and second fiber optic connectors, wherein the connectors may be similar or dissimilar and while reducing side load forces through the use of a stabilizing member.

Adapter assembly for coupling dissimilar fiber optic connectors

A preconnectorized outdoor cable streamlines the deployment of optical waveguides into the last mile of an optical network. The preconnectorized outdoor cable includes a cable and at least one plug connector. The plug connector is attached to a first end of the cable, thereby connectorizing at least one optical waveguide. The cable has at least one optical waveguide, at least one tensile element, and a cable jacket. Various cable designs such as figure-eight or flat cables may be used with the plug connector. In preferred embodiments, the plug connector includes a crimp assembly having a crimp housing and a crimp band. The crimp housing has two half-shells being held together by the crimp band for securing the at least one tensile element. When fully assembled, the crimp housing fits into a shroud of the preconnectorized cable. The shroud aids in mating the preconnectorized cable with a complimentary receptacle.

The present invention provides a cable assembly comprising a flexible network access point that includes a flexible cover over a mid-span access location, providing environmental protection for the mid-span access location and facilitating installation of a distribution cable. Subsequent to installation, the mid-span access location is exposed and accessed by pulling a ripcord, for example, thereby removing a portion of the flexible cover. This exposes one or more connectors, which may be single or multi-fiber connectors, that are configured to receive the receptacles of one or more drop cables and/or tethers. Thus, a semi-hardened, selectively-usable closure is provided.

Cable assembly having semi-hardened network access point

A one-piece fiber optic receptacle is provided for aligning and optically connecting a plug ferrule with a back-side ferrule of like configuration. The fiber optic receptacle includes a receptacle housing defining an internal cavity opening through an external end and an opposed internal end, an alignment sleeve disposed within the internal cavity and received within the internal end of the receptacle housing, and a sleeve retainer removably secured to the internal end of the receptacle housing and operable for providing access to the alignment sleeve from the internal end of the receptacle housing. The fiber optic receptacle further includes biasing member supports that facilitate loading and ensure alignment of at least one biasing member during assembly and use. Tapered posts may be provided on at least one of the alignment sleeve and the sleeve retainer for retaining and guiding the at least one biasing member during assembly and use.

Growing community of inventors

Hickory, NC, United States of America

Xin Liu