Retrofittable Bend Strain Relief With A Latching Ring

• US 20100247041A1
• Filed: 01/15/2007
• Published: 09/30/2010
• Est. Priority Date: 01/15/2007
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Molex LLC (KOCH Industries Incorporated)
• Original Assignee: Molex Incorporated
• Inventors: Szilagyi, B. Daniel
• Granted Patent: US 8,632,260 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 385/86
• CPC Class Codes: G02B 6/3829 Bent or angled connectors G02B6/3827 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: G02B 6/38875 Protection from bending or twisting
• CPC Class Codes: G02B 6/4478 Bending relief means

Abstract

A bend limiting system (strain relief (200)) that may be retrofit onto a cable connector (142). The bend limiting system includes a latching ring (102) configured to fit over the cable connector'"'"'s mating face so that the bend limiting system may be placed into position after the connector is connected to another device. The bend limiter (200) includes three sections. These sections include a latching ring (202) in the front, an elongated cable guide (204) in the middle and a cable retainer (206) at the end. The latching ring portion (202) is of a generally circular shape to engage the mating face of a round complementary connector.

Claims

1. A strain relief system comprising:

a latching ring having front and rear ends for retrofittably engaging a cable connector, wherein the latching ring is configured to engage the cable connector from the connector'"'"'s mating face end so that the mating face of the connector extends outwardly from the front end of the latching ring; and

a guide portion having front and rear ends, the front end of the guide portion connected to the rear end of the connecting portion, the guide portion configured to guide the fiber optic cable extending out of the rear end of the fiber optic connector in a desired direction, the guide portion being at least partially curved through an angle along a length thereof that does not violate the minimum bend radius of the fiber optic cable.

2. The strain relief system of claim 1, wherein the latching ring has at least one flange extending from an inner surface of the latching ring for engaging a complementary groove on a connector.

3. The strain relief system of claim 1, wherein the guide portion defines a channel along its length that is sized to allow the insertion of a cable.

4. The strain relief system of claim 3, further comprising a retainer for releasably locking the cable within the channel of the guide portion.

5. The strain relief system of claim 1, wherein the latching ring comprises separable first and second arms for creating an opening therebetween when the arms are in a separated position.

6. The strain relief system of claim 5, wherein the separable first and second arms include a latching mechanism for locking the arms together.

7. The strain relief system of claim 1, wherein the latching ring is a single inseparable continuous ring.