The patent badge is an abbreviated version of the USPTO patent document. The patent badge does contain a link to the full patent document.
The patent badge is an abbreviated version of the USPTO patent document. The patent badge covers the following: Patent number, Date patent was issued, Date patent was filed, Title of the patent, Applicant, Inventor, Assignee, Attorney firm, Primary examiner, Assistant examiner, CPCs, and Abstract. The patent badge does contain a link to the full patent document (in Adobe Acrobat format, aka pdf). To download or print any patent click here.
Patent No.:
Date of Patent:
Aug. 28, 2001
Filed:
May. 07, 1998
Ian Peter Alcock, Hemel Hempstead, GB;
David James Pointer, Chandlers Ford, GB;
Point Source Limited, , GB;
Abstract
An optical fibre connector comprising a hollow cylindrical body,having a throughbore,with an inner surface,A hollow sleeve or carrier,in the form of a cylindrical tube having a throughbore,fits snugly within the hollow body throughbore,The sleeve,can receive and releasably retain a pair of optical fibre assemblies,which are to be optically coupled to one another by means of the connector. The sleeve,accommodates a plurality of discrete individual engagement means in the form of balls,in holes around it circumference. The balls,protrude through the holes in the sleeve into the throughbore,and are free to rotate as an optical fibre assembly moves past them. The optical fibre assemblies,are biassed against the balls,and thereby against the inner surface of the connector body by resilient biassing means in the form of spring arrangements,Each spring arrangement,comprises an elongate resilient strip,pivoted about its midpoint on a pivot,In this arrangement, as an optical fibre assembly,is inserted into the carrier,the pivoting action of the spring prevents the biassing force being applied by the spring on the assembly until a first,and second,end of the assembly are in contact with a distal,and proximal,end respectively of the spring arrangement.