Fiber optic connector and method
First Claim
1. A fiber optic connector comprising:
- an optical fiber;
a ferrule surrounding the optical fiber;
a hub retainably engaging the ferrule, the hub including an anti-rotation portion;
a housing defining an anti-rotation seat configured to engage the anti-rotation of the hub;
a spring disposed within a chamber defined by the housing and coupled to the anti-rotation seat, the spring biasing the ferrule through the bore of the housing;
an alignment arrangement formed by the connector, the alignment arrangement including first, second, and third contact portions formed on one of the hub and the housing, and also including first, second, and third angled contact surfaces formed on the other of the hub and the housing;
wherein the first contact portion engages the first angled contact surface, the second contact portion engages the second angled contact surface, and the third contact portion engages the third angled contact surface so that an end of the optical fiber is maintained at a known orientation with respect to the longitudinal axis of the connector;
wherein the first, second, and third angled surfaces are disposed around the longitudinal axis of the connector.
11 Assignments
0 Petitions
Accused Products
Abstract
A fiber optic connector including a ferrule surrounding an optical fiber and a hub engaging the ferrule. The hub includes a front portion having first and second surfaces and first and second tapered contact regions extending from the first and second surfaces to a front face. A housing includes an anti-rotation seat configured to engage the first and second surfaces, the anti-rotation seat including first and second angled contact surfaces positioned at a front of the anti-rotation seat. A spring within a chamber of the housing biases the ferrule through a bore in the front of the housing. The first tapered contact region of the hub engages the first contact surface, and the second tapered contact region engages the second contact surface when the hub and ferrule are in a first rotational position so that the optical fiber is maintained at a known orientation with respect to the connector. The tapered contact regions are planar surfaces sized smaller than the angled contact surfaces.
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Citations
14 Claims
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1. A fiber optic connector comprising:
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an optical fiber;
a ferrule surrounding the optical fiber;
a hub retainably engaging the ferrule, the hub including an anti-rotation portion;
a housing defining an anti-rotation seat configured to engage the anti-rotation of the hub;
a spring disposed within a chamber defined by the housing and coupled to the anti-rotation seat, the spring biasing the ferrule through the bore of the housing;
an alignment arrangement formed by the connector, the alignment arrangement including first, second, and third contact portions formed on one of the hub and the housing, and also including first, second, and third angled contact surfaces formed on the other of the hub and the housing;
wherein the first contact portion engages the first angled contact surface, the second contact portion engages the second angled contact surface, and the third contact portion engages the third angled contact surface so that an end of the optical fiber is maintained at a known orientation with respect to the longitudinal axis of the connector;
wherein the first, second, and third angled surfaces are disposed around the longitudinal axis of the connector. - View Dependent Claims (2)
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3. A hub and ferrule assembly for a fiber optic connector, the assembly comprising:
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a ferrule configured to surround an optical fiber; and
a hub retainably engaging the ferrule, wherein the hub includes a front portion having first and second surfaces and first, second and third tapered contact regions extending from the first and second surfaces to a front face of the hub at an angle with respect to a longitudinal axis extending through a center of the hub and ferrule assembly, wherein the first tapered contact region is positioned to engage a first angled contact surface on the fiber optic connector, the second tapered contact region is positioned to engage a second angled contact surface on the fiber optic connector, and the third tapered contact region is positioned to engage a third angled contact surface on the fiber optic connector, wherein the first, second and third contact regions have surface portions which are equally spaced about the longitudinal axis.
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4. A fiber optic connector housing comprising:
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an exterior body configured to be received in a fiber optic adapter;
a cavity defined by a rear portion of the connector housing;
an anti-rotation seat coupled to the cavity, the anti-rotation seat including a plurality of longitudinally extending surfaces; and
first, second and third angled contact surfaces positioned at a front of the anti-rotation seat adjacent a bore, wherein the first, second and third angled contact surfaces include surface portions equally spaced around a longitudinal axis of the connector housing.
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5. A fiber optic connector comprising:
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an optical fiber;
a ferrule surrounding the optical fiber;
a hub retainably engaging the ferrule, wherein the hub includes a front portion having first and second surfaces and first and second tapered contact regions extending from the first and second surfaces to a front face of the hub at an angle with respect to a longitudinal axis of the connector;
a housing defining an anti-rotation seat configured to engage the first and second surfaces of the front portion of the hub, the housing including first and second angled contact surfaces positioned at a front of the anti-rotation seat adjacent a bore defined by the housing through which the ferrule extends; and
a spring disposed within a chamber defined by the housing and coupled to the anti-rotation seat, the spring biasing the ferrule through the bore of the housing;
wherein the first tapered contact region of the hub engages the first angled contact surface and the second tapered contact region engages the second angled contact surface when the hub and ferrule are in a first rotational position relative to the housing so that an end of the optical fiber is maintained at a known orientation with respect to the longitudinal axis of the connector;
wherein the first and second tapered contact regions define angled surfaces less than or equal to 0.0100 inches long and greater than or equal to 0.0085 inches long. - View Dependent Claims (6, 7, 8)
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9. An SC fiber optic connector comprising:
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an optical fiber;
a ferrule surrounding the optical fiber;
a metallic hub retainably engaging the ferrule, the hub including an anti-rotation portion;
a plastic housing defining an anti-rotation seat configured to engage the anti-rotation portion of the hub;
a spring disposed within a chamber defined by the housing and coupled to the anti-rotation seat, the spring biasing the ferrule through the bore of the housing; and
an alignment arrangement formed by the connector, the alignment arrangement including first and second tapered contact regions formed on one of the hub and the housing, and also including first and second angled contact surfaces formed on the other of the hub and the housing;
wherein the first tapered contact region engages the first angled contact surface and the second tapered contact region engages the second angled contact surface when the hub and ferrule are in a first rotational position relative to the housing so that an end of the optical fiber is maintained at a known orientation with respect to the longitudinal axis of the connector;
wherein the first and second tapered contact regions define angled surfaces less than or equal to 0.0100 inches long and greater than or equal to 0.0085 inches long. - View Dependent Claims (10)
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11. A method for using a fiber optic connector comprising steps of:
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providing a ferrule surrounding an optical fiber with a hub retainably engaging the ferrule, the hub including opposing first and second tapered contact portions;
providing a housing including a first angled contact surface positioned to engage the first tapered portion and a second angled contact surface positioned to engage the second tapered contact portion, wherein the first and second tapered contact portions are angled surfaces less than half as long as the first and second angled contact surfaces;
pushing the ferrule back to disengage the first and second tapered contact portions of the hub from the first and second angled contact surfaces of the housing; and
releasing the ferrule so that the first tapered contact portion engages the first angled contact surface and the second tapered contact portion engages the second angled contact surface, thereby retaining the optical fiber at a known orientation with respect to the longitudinal axis of the connector. - View Dependent Claims (12)
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13. An SC fiber optic connector comprising:
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an optical fiber;
a ferrule surrounding the optical fiber;
a hub retainably engaging the ferrule, the hub including an anti-rotation portion;
a housing defining an anti-rotation seat configured to engage the anti-rotation portion of the hub;
a spring disposed within a chamber defined by the housing and coupled to the anti-rotation seat, the spring biasing the ferrule through the bore of the housing; and
an alignment arrangement formed by the connector, the alignment arrangement including a plurality of tapered contact regions formed on one of the hub and the housing, and also including a plurality of angled contact surfaces formed on the other of the hub and the housing, the angled contact surfaces and the tapered contact regions being spaced from a longitudinal axis of the connector;
wherein the tapered contact regions engage the angled contact surfaces when the hub and ferrule are in a first rotational position relative to the housing so that an end of the optical fiber is maintained at a known orientation with respect to the longitudinal axis of the connector;
wherein the tapered contact regions and the angled contact surfaces are positioned at 45 degree angles, wherein the ferrule extends from the connector over a range of 0.00130 inches as the angles are varied plus or minus 1 degree. - View Dependent Claims (14)
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Specification