End face protection tape for fiber optic connector; and methods

• US 10,557,996 B2
• Filed: 09/22/2016
• Issued: 02/11/2020
• Est. Priority Date: 09/28/2015
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: CommScope Technologies, LLC (CommScope Holding Company, Inc.)
• Original Assignee: CommScope Technologies, LLC (CommScope Holding Company, Inc.)
• Inventors: Lu, Yu, Policante, Giorgio, Seifert, Thomas, Schneider, Paul
• Primary Examiner(s): Blevins, Jerry M
• Application Number:
  US15/764,219
• Publication Number:
  US 20180284358A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,237 Days
• Field of Search: 385 78
• CPC Class Codes: B08B 7/0028 by adhesive surfaces
• CPC Class Codes: G02B 6/3849 using mechanical protective elements, e.g. caps, hoods, sealing membranes G02B6/3816 takes precedence; provisionally see H01R13/44
• CPC Class Codes: G02B 6/385 Accessories for testing or observation of connectors means for centering or aligning the light guide within the ferrule with auxiliary facilities for movably aligning or adjusting the fibre within its ferrule, measuring position, eccentricity G02B6/3843; mechanical features associated with the optical testing of optical fibres G01M11/088
• CPC Class Codes: G02B 6/3863 fabricated by using polishing techniques grinding of the fibre ends B24B19/226
• CPC Class Codes: G02B 6/3866 Devices, tools or methods for cleaning connectors cleaning in general B08B
• CPC Class Codes: G02B 6/3882 using rods, pins or balls to align a pair of ferrule ends
• CPC Class Codes: G02B 6/3885 Multicore or multichannel optical connectors, i.e. one single ferrule containing more than one fibre, e.g. ribbon type optical ribbon cable G02B6/4403, G02B6/448

Abstract

Aspects and techniques of the present disclosure relate to a fiber optic connector assembly including a fiber optic connector with a front end and a back end. A ferrule positioned at the front end. The ferrule has a distal end face with a central region and recessed regions on opposite sides of the central region. The assembly includes a dust cap mounted on the ferrule. The dust cap has an open end and an opposite closed end. The fiber optic connector assembly also includes a tape member that covers the central region of the ferrule. The tape member can be secured to the dust cap such that when the dust cap is removed, the tape member simultaneously comes off with the dust cap.

Claims

1. A fiber optic connector assembly comprising:

a fiber optic connector having a connector body with a front end and a back end;

a ferrule positioned at the front end of the connector body, the ferrule having a distal end face with a central region and recessed regions on opposite sides of the central region, the ferrule holding an optical fiber having a polished end face positioned at the central region of the distal end face of the ferrule;

a dust cap adapted to mount on the ferrule, the dust cap having an open end and an opposite closed end, the closed end of the dust cap being configured to oppose the polished end face of the optical fiber; and

a tape member covering the central region of the ferrule such that end edges of the tape member hang over longitudinal sides of the distal end face of the ferrule, while the dust cap is being inserted over the fiber optic connector, the end edges of the tape member are adapted to flex downwardly to secure to side walls of the dust cap such that, as the dust cap is removed, the tape member simultaneously comes off with the dust cap.

2. The fiber optic connector assembly of claim 1, wherein the tape member contains a coloring agent.

3. The fiber optic connector assembly of claim 2, wherein the tape member is transparent.

4. The fiber optic connector assembly of claim 1, wherein the dust cap has side walls that extend from the open end to the closed end of the dust cap.

5. The fiber optic connector assembly of claim 1, wherein the end edges of the tape member are configured to embed in the side walls of the dust cap.

6. A fiber optic assembly comprising:

a fiber optic connector comprising a ferrule, the ferrule supporting an optical fiber extending therethrough to a distal end face of the ferrule;

a dust cap adapted to mount over the ferrule, the dust cap having an open end and an opposite closed end, the closed end opposing the distal end face of the ferrule; and

a tape cover adhered directly to the distal end face of the ferrule such that end edges of the tape cover hang over longitudinal sides of the distal end face of the ferrule, while the dust cap is being inserted over the fiber optic connector, the end edges of the tape cover are adapted to flex downwardly to attach to side walls of the dust cap such that the tape cover is simultaneously released with the dust cap as the dust cap is removed.

7. The fiber optic assembly of claim 6, wherein the tape cover contains a coloring agent and is transparent.

8. The fiber optic assembly of claim 6, wherein the end edges of the tape cover are configured to embed in the side walls of the dust cap.