Optical fiber connector assembly

• US 20060171638A1
• Filed: 12/20/2005
• Published: 08/03/2006
• Est. Priority Date: 12/20/2004
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Molex LLC (KOCH Industries Incorporated)
• Original Assignee: Molex Incorporated
• Inventors: Dye, David E.
• Granted Patent: US 7,318,677 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 385/78
• CPC Class Codes: G02B 6/3821 with axial spring biasing or loading means G02B6/3847 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: G02B 6/3831 comprising a keying element on the plug or adapter, e.g. to forbid wrong connection keying element on the ferrule G02B6/3851; keying element for electrical coupling H01R13/64
• CPC Class Codes: G02B 6/3843 with auxiliary facilities for movably aligning or adjusting the fibre within its ferrule, e.g. measuring position or eccentricity testing the alignment of axes, including eccentricity, G01B11/27
• CPC Class Codes: G02B 6/3851 Ferrules having keying or coding means
• CPC Class Codes: G02B 6/3871 Ferrule rotatable with respect to plug body, e.g. for setting rotational position adjusting fibre within the ferrule, G02B6/3843; Fixation of ferrules after rotation
• CPC Class Codes: G02B 6/3878 comprising a plurality of ferrules, branching and break-out means

Abstract

An optical fiber connector includes a connector housing having first and second generally parallel, spaced apart first and second faces and at least one generally cylindrical receptacle for removably receiving an optical fiber terminus therein. An optical fiber terminus is located within the receptacle and includes an elongated body with a passage along a central axis for receiving a portion of an optical fiber cable therethrough. The body further includes an indexing section, and a ferrule secured to the body and having an end portion of said optical fiber cable therein. A collar is positioned on the elongated body and has an engagement section for engaging the indexing section. The collar is movable along the axis between first and second operative positions. In the first operative position relative rotational movement between the collar and the body is prevented and in the second operative position the collar may rotate relative to the body. A biasing member is provided to bias the collar towards the first operative position.

Claims

1. An optical fiber connector comprising:

a connector housing having first and second generally parallel, spaced apart first and second faces and at least one generally cylindrical receptacle for removably receiving an optical fiber terminus therein; and

an optical fiber terminus within said receptacle, said terminus including an elongated body having a passage along a central axis with a portion of said optical fiber cable extending therethrough, said body further including an indexing section, and a ferrule secured to said first section of said body and having an end portion of said optical fiber cable therein, a collar positioned on said elongated body and having an engagement section for engaging said indexing section, the collar being movable along said axis between first and second operative positions, said first operative position being wherein relative rotational movement between said collar and said body is prevented and a second operative position in which said collar may rotate relative to said body, and a biasing member to bias said collar towards said first position.

2. The optical fiber connector of claim 1 further including a terminus locking member and an arcuate recess through which said terminus locking member may rotate from a first insertion position to a second locked position to lock said terminus within said receptacle.

3. The optical fiber connector of claim 2 wherein said terminus locking member is a boss extending from said terminus and said receptacle includes said arcuate recess therein.

4. The optical fiber connector of claim 3 including a first opening in said first face and a second opening in said second face, said ferrule extending through said first opening, said second opening being round with a slot extending therefrom, and said locking tab, said arcuate recess and said slot are dimensioned to permit said tab to pass through said slot and travel into said arcuate recess.

5. The optical fiber connector of claim 4 wherein said slot extends in a direction parallel to said central axis and along an edge of said round second opening.

6. The optical fiber connector of claim 4 wherein said arcuate recess includes a step for receiving said locking tab therein when said terminus is locked in said cavity.

7. The optical fiber connector of claim 1 wherein said receptacle has a forward wall adjacent said first face and wherein said elongated body has a forward shoulder engaging said forward wall within said receptacle, said biasing member exerting a spring force to bias said forward shoulder against said forward wall.

8. The optical fiber connector of claim 6 wherein said receptacle has a forward wall adjacent said first face and wherein said elongated body has a forward shoulder engaging said forward wall within said receptacle, said biasing member exerting a spring force to bias said forward shoulder against said forward wall and bias said locking tab within said step in said arcuate recess.

9. An optical fiber connector kit comprising:

a connector housing having front and rear generally parallel, spaced apart faces and at least one generally cylindrical receptacle extending therebetween for removably receiving an optical fiber terminus therein, said receptacle having a terminus locking surface adjacent said rear face, each of the faces having an opening therein; and

an optical fiber terminus configured to be positioned within said receptacle, said terminus including

an elongated body having a passage along a central axis for receiving a portion of said optical fiber cable therethrough, said body including an indexing section,

a collar having an engagement section for engaging the indexing section and a said terminus locking member for securing said terminus within said receptacle, the collar being positioned on the elongated body and being movable along said axis between first and second operative positions, said first operative position being wherein said engagement section engages said indexing section to prevent relative rotation between said collar and said body and a second position in which said collar may rotate relative to said body,

a ferrule for receiving an end portion of said optical fiber cable and dimensioned to extend from said opening in said front face; and

a biasing member to bias said collar towards said first position.

10. The optical fiber connector kit of claim 9 wherein said terminus locking member is dimensioned to engage said terminus locking surface within said receptacle.

11. The optical fiber connector kit of claim 9 further including an arcuate recess through which said terminus locking member may rotate from a first insertion position to a second locked position to lock said terminus within said receptacle.

12. The optical fiber connector kit of claim 11 wherein said terminus locking member is a boss extending from said terminus and said receptacle includes said arcuate recess therein.

13. The optical fiber connector kit of claim 12 wherein said arcuate recess includes a step for receiving said locking tab therein when said terminus is locked in said cavity.

14. The optical fiber connector kit of claim 12 including a first opening in said first face and a second opening in said second face, said ferrule extending through said first opening, said second opening being round with a slot extending therefrom, and said locking tab, said arcuate recess and said slot are dimensioned to permit said tab to pass through said slot and travel to said arcuate recess.

15. The optical fiber connector kit of claim 14 wherein said slot extends in a direction parallel to said central axis and along an edge of said round second opening.

16. The optical fiber connector kit of claim 9 wherein said receptacle has a forward wall adjacent said first face and wherein said elongated body has a forward shoulder engaging said forward wall within said receptacle, said biasing member exerting a spring force to bias said forward shoulder against said forward wall.

17. The optical fiber connector kit of claim 13 wherein said receptacle has a forward wall adjacent said first face and wherein said elongated body has a forward shoulder engaging said forward wall within said receptacle, said biasing member exerting a spring force to bias said forward shoulder against said forward wall and bias said locking tab within said step in said arcuate recess.

18. An optical fiber connector comprising:

a connector housing having at least one generally cylindrical receptacle for removably receiving an optical fiber terminus therein, said receptacle having a central axis and circular cross section; and

an optical fiber terminus within said receptacle, said terminus including an elongated body having a passage along the central axis of said receptacle with a portion of said optical fiber cable extending therethrough, said body further including an indexing portion, a ferrule secured to said first section of said body and having an end portion of said optical fiber cable therein, a collar positioned on said elongated body and having an engagement portion for engaging the indexing portion, the collar being movable along said central axis between first and second operative positions, said first operative position being wherein relative rotational movement between said collar and said body is prevented and a second operative position in which said collar may rotate relative to said body, and a biasing member to bias said collar towards said first position; and

wherein said housing includes a first engagement structure and wherein said optical fiber terminus includes a second engagement structure, said first and second engagement structures interacting to retain said terminus within the housing.

19. The optical fiber connector of claim 18 wherein said first engagement structure is disposed within said receptacle.

20. The optical fiber connector of claim 18 wherein said first engagement structure is spaced from an opening in a rear face of the housing.

21. A method of assembling an optical fiber connector, comprising the steps of:

providing an optical fiber connector having a housing with at least one generally cylindrical receptacle for removably receiving an optical fiber terminus therein, said receptacle having a receptacle axis;

providing an optical fiber terminus, said terminus including an elongated body, a collar and a biasing member, said elongated body having an indexing section and a passage with a portion of optical fiber cable extending therethrough, said collar being movably positioned on said elongated body and having an engagement section to engage said index section to prevent relative rotation between said collar and said body, and said biasing member biasing said collar relative to said elongated body towards maintaining engagement of said index section and said engagement section;

testing the terminus for insertion loss to determine a position of optimum operational angular orientation,

orienting the elongated body relative to the collar at the position of optimal operational angular orientation;

utilizing the biasing member to secure said elongated body relative to said collar in order to maintain said body relative to the collar at the position of optimal operational angular orientation,

inserting said terminus into said receptacle along said receptacle axis; and

rotating said terminus within said receptacle to lock said terminus within said receptacle.