Short profile optical connector
First Claim
1. An optical cable connector construction, comprising:
- a connector housing having an axis, a front end and a rear end;
a yoke including a collar joined to the rear end of the connector housing and in axial alignment with the housing; and
a tubular cable bend limiter one end of which is fixed to the collar, wherein the bend limiter is dimensioned and formed to direct a cable containing at least one bend insensitive fiber through a determined bend between the collar and the opposite end of the bend limiter such that the fiber acquires a bend radius of less than one inch (25.4 mm).
1 Assignment
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Accused Products
Abstract
A connector that enables fiber optic cables to terminate at equipment in cabinets having little space available for cable routing, without over bending. The construction includes a connector housing, and a yoke including a collar joined to a rear end of the housing. A tubular cable bend limiter is fixed at one end to the collar and the limiter directs a cable containing one or more bend insensitive fibers through a bend of, e.g., 90 degrees, between the collar and the opposite end of the limiter with a fiber bend radius of less than one inch (25.4 mm). If the limiter creates a fiber bend radius of 0.300 inch (7.62 mm), the distance between the front of the connector and the cable after bending may be as little as 1.26 inches (32 mm), allowing the cable and connector to be routed and terminated in limited space without impairing performance.
70 Citations
20 Claims
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1. An optical cable connector construction, comprising:
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a connector housing having an axis, a front end and a rear end; a yoke including a collar joined to the rear end of the connector housing and in axial alignment with the housing; and a tubular cable bend limiter one end of which is fixed to the collar, wherein the bend limiter is dimensioned and formed to direct a cable containing at least one bend insensitive fiber through a determined bend between the collar and the opposite end of the bend limiter such that the fiber acquires a bend radius of less than one inch (25.4 mm). - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5)
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6. An optical cable connector assembly, comprising:
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a connector housing having an axis, a front end and a rear end; a yoke including a collar joined to the rear end of the connector housing and in axial alignment with the housing; a length of an optical cable containing at least one bend insensitive fiber; a ferrule barrel supported to extend inside the connector housing in the axial direction, wherein the barrel has an axial through passage formed to retain the bend insensitive fiber in the passage and to present an end face of the fiber where the passage opens at a front tip of the barrel to allow the fiber to couple with another fiber in a mating connector; a yoke including a collar joined to the rear end of the connector housing and in axial alignment with the housing; and a tubular cable bend limiter one end of which is fixed to the collar, wherein the bend limiter is dimensioned and formed to direct the cable through a determined bend between the collar and the opposite end of the bend limiter so that the bend insensitive fiber contained in the cable acquires a bend radius of less than one inch (25.4 mm). - View Dependent Claims (7, 8, 9, 10)
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11. An optical cable connector construction, comprising:
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a connector housing having an axis, a front end and a rear end; a yoke including a collar joined to the rear end of the connector housing and in axial alignment with the housing; and a tubular retention member constructed and arranged for retaining strength members of a cable to be terminated by the connector, wherein corresponding portions of the retention member extend inside the collar of the yoke and inside a rear portion of the housing for joining the yoke and the housing in axial alignment with one another; a ferrule-barrel at least a portion of which is supported inside the retention member in the axial direction of the connector housing, wherein the barrel has an axial through passage formed to retain a cable fiber in the passage and to present an end face of the fiber where the passage opens at a front tip of the ferrule-barrel to allow the fiber to couple with another fiber in a mating connector; and a tubular cable bend limiter one end of which is fixed to the collar, wherein the bend limiter is dimensioned and formed to direct a cable containing at least one bend insensitive fiber through a determined bend between the collar and the opposite end of the bend limiter such that the fiber acquires a bend radius of less than one inch (25.4 mm). - View Dependent Claims (12, 13, 14, 15)
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16. An optical cable connector assembly, comprising:
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a connector housing having an axis, a front end and a rear end; a yoke including a collar joined to the rear end of the connector housing and in axial alignment with the housing; a length of an optical cable containing at least one bend insensitive fiber, wherein the cable has associated strength members; a tubular retention member constructed and arranged for retaining the strength members of the cable, wherein corresponding portions of the retention member extend inside the collar of the yoke and inside a rear portion of the housing for joining the yoke and the housing in axial alignment with one another; a ferrule-barrel at least a portion of which is supported inside the retention member in the axial direction of the connector housing, wherein the barrel has an axial through passage formed to retain the bend insensitive fiber in the passage and to present an end face of the fiber where the passage opens at a front tip of the ferrule barrel to allow the fiber to couple with another fiber in a mating connector; and a tubular cable bend limiter one end of which is fixed to the collar, wherein the bend limiter is dimensioned and formed to direct the cable through a determined bend between the collar and the opposite end of the bend limiter so that the bend insensitive fiber contained in the cable acquires a bend radius of less than one inch (25.4 mm). - View Dependent Claims (17, 18, 19, 20)
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Specification