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:
Apr. 15, 2003
Filed:
May. 15, 2001
Patrick S. Johnson, Tacoma, WA (US);
Dennis G. Koshinz, Bellevue, WA (US);
The Boeing Company, Seattle, WA (US);
Abstract
An embeddable fiber optic connector includes a small diameter protective sheath embedded within a plurality of composite layers of a composite structure. The sheath has a first end that is flush with a surface of the composite structure. An alignment sleeve is disposed within the sheath and an internal ferrule, mounted on an internal optical fiber, is snugly disposed within the alignment sleeve proximate a second end of the sheath. An external ferrule is mounted on an external optical fiber and is inserted into the first end of the sheath so as to be snugly disposed within the alignment sleeve proximate the internal ferrule, thereby establishing optical communications between the internal and external optical fibers. The external optical fiber is easily disconnected by gripping and removing the external ferrule from the connector. Reconnection is accomplished by reinserting the external ferrule into the connector.