MANUFACTURING AND USING FERRULE-LESS MULTI-FIBER CONNECTORS

• US 20140072265A1
• Filed: 09/06/2013
• Published: 03/13/2014
• Est. Priority Date: 09/07/2012
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: CommScope Technologies, LLC (CommScope Holding Company, Inc.)
• Original Assignee: ADC Telecommunications Incorporated (TE Connectivity Limited)
• Inventors: Ott, Michael James
• Granted Patent: US 9,575,272 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 385/87
• CPC Class Codes: B29D 11/0075 Connectors for light guides
• CPC Class Codes: G02B 6/3809 without a ferrule embedding the fibre end, i.e. with bare fibre end
• CPC Class Codes: G02B 6/3825 with an intermediate part, e.g. adapter, receptacle, linking two plugs
• CPC Class Codes: G02B 6/3839 for a plurality of light guides
• 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 6/3866 Devices, tools or methods for cleaning connectors cleaning in general B08B
• 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
• CPC Class Codes: G02B 6/38875 Protection from bending or twisting
• CPC Class Codes: G02B 6/3888 Protection from over-extension or over-compression
• CPC Class Codes: G02B 6/3893 Push-pull type, e.g. snap-in, push-on
• CPC Class Codes: G02B 6/3894 Screw-lock type
• CPC Class Codes: G02B 6/4403 with ribbon structure G02B6/4429, G02B6/4439, G02B6/4479 take precedence
• CPC Class Codes: G02B 6/4404 Multi-podded
• CPC Class Codes: G02B 6/4429 Means specially adapted for strengthening or protecting the cables
• CPC Class Codes: G02B 6/4471 Terminating devices demountable connectors G02B6/3807; Cable clamps

Abstract

A connection system includes an optical connector assembly; and an optical plug. The connector assembly includes a stack of gel-groove assemblies and a spring assembly mounted within a housing. Each of the gel-groove assemblies includes a first gel block at a first axial end, a second gel block at a second axial end, and a fiber mating region between the first and second gel blocks. The optical plug including sub-modules over-molded over arrays (e.g., ribbons) of the optical fibers. Each sub-module defines notches for receiving latches of the spring assembly when the optical plug is coupled to the first axial end of the optical adapter. Bare optical fibers extend from the plug, pass through the first axial gel block, and enter the fiber mating region when the plug is coupled to the adapter.

Claims

1. A connectorized optical cable comprising:

(a) a cable including a plurality of optical fibers;

(b) a sub-module formed around an array of at least some of the optical fibers, the sub-module defining notches at longitudinal sides of the sub-module, wherein front sections of the optical fibers of the ribbon extend forwardly of the sub-module, the front sections not being held by optical ferrules;

(c) an inner housing that receives and positions the sub-module; and

(d) an outer housing that surrounds the inner housing and sub-module, the outer housing having a rear end that secures to the cable and an open front end through which tips of the optical fibers are accessible.

2. The connectorized optical cable of claim 1, further comprising a plurality of additional sub-modules, each sub-module being formed around another array of at least some of the optical fibers, wherein bare sections of the optical fibers extend forwardly of the respective sub-module.

3. The connectorized optical cable of claim 1, wherein the array of optical fibers includes a ribbonized section of the optical fibers of the array.

4. The connectorized optical cable of claim 1, wherein the inner housing includes a plurality of guides along interior sides of the inner housing, wherein each sub-module fits with one of the guides.

5. The connectorized optical cable of claim 1, wherein the outer housing includes a display that indicates an orientation of the optical fibers within the outer housing.

6. The connectorized optical cable of claim 1, wherein each sub-module is overmolded around the respective array of optical fibers.

7. An optical adapter comprising:

(a) at least one gel-groove assembly extending from a first axial end to a second axial end, the gel-groove assembly including a fiber mating region disposed at an intermediate point between the first and second axial ends, the gel-groove assembly also including a first gel block extending between the first axial end and the fiber mating region, and a second gel block extending between the second axial end and the fiber mating region;

(b) a spring assembly including at least one spring element positioned at a longitudinal side of the gel-groove assembly, the spring element being axially fixed to the gel-groove assembly, the spring element being configured to laterally position the gel-groove assembly, and the spring element including latches; and

(c) an outer housing defining a through-passage extending between first and second ends of the outer housing, the through-passage being sized to accommodate the gel-groove assembly and the spring assembly, the spring assembly being axially fixed relative to the outer housing, wherein the first axial end of the gel-groove assembly is accessible through the first end of the outer housing and wherein the second axial end of the gel-groove assembly is accessible through the second end of the outer housing.

8. The optical adapter of claim 7, further comprising a plurality of additional gel-groove assemblies arranged in a stack, each additional gel-groove assembly extending from a first axial end to a second axial end, each additional gel-groove assembly including a fiber mating region disposed at an intermediate point between the respective first and second axial ends, each additional gel-groove assembly also including a first gel block extending between the first axial end and the fiber mating region, and a second gel block extending between the second axial end and the fiber mating region.

9. The optical adapter of claim 8, wherein each spring element includes a plurality of arms, each arm being aligned with one of the gel-groove assemblies.

10. The optical adapter of claim 7, wherein the fiber mating region of each gel-groove assembly includes undulating surfaces that align angled tips of optical fibers received at the first axial end with angled tips of optical fibers received at the second axial end.

11. The optical adapter of claim 10, wherein each fiber mating region includes a plurality of channels through which the optical fibers are inserted.

12. The optical adapter of claim 7, wherein the outer housing includes a display at the first end to indicate an orientation at which an optical plug should be inserted.

13. The optical adapter of claim 7, wherein the outer housing includes a first housing part and a second housing part that are fixedly coupled together around the gel-groove assembly and spring assembly.

14. The optical adapter of claim 7, wherein the spring assembly includes two spring elements disposed at opposite longitudinal sides of the gel-groove assembly.

15. The optical adapter of claim 7, wherein each gel-groove assembly is formed from two gel blocks sandwiched between two identical groove plates, the two identical groove plates being flipped relative to each other so that one axial end of one of the groove plates aligns with an opposite axial end of the other groove plate.

16. A method of connectorizing an optical cable including a jacket surrounding a plurality of optical fibers, the method comprising:

stripping a portion of the jacket to expose the optical fibers at a stripped region of the cable;

sliding an inner housing over the stripped region of the cable;

over-molding a sub-module around an array of at least some of the optical fibers so that end portions of the fibers in the array extend forwardly of the sub-module;

processing the end portions of the fibers of the array including stripping the end portions of the optical fibers to produce sections of bare optical fibers and forming angled tips on the bare optical fibers;

sliding the inner housing forwardly over the sub-module so that at least a portion of the sub-module is disposed within the inner housing and securing the inner housing at an axially fixed position relative to the sub-module; and

mounting the inner housing within an outer housing.

17. The method of claim 16, further comprising over-molding a plurality of sub-modules around a plurality of arrays of the optical fibers, each of the sub-modules being over-molded around one of the arrays.

18. The method of claim 16, wherein processing the end portions of the optical fibers includes treating the bare optical fiber sections with a Self-Assembling Monolayer including siloxane.

19. The method of claim 16, further comprising:

sliding a crimp assembly over the cable prior to over-molding the sub-module;

coupling the crimp assembly to the outer housing at an axially fixed position relative to the outer housing;

crimping strength yarns of the cable to the outer housing the crimp assembly.

20. A connection system comprising:

(a) an optical connector assembly including a stack of gel-groove assemblies and a spring assembly mounted within a housing, each of the gel-groove assemblies including a first gel block at a first axial end, a second gel block at a second axial end, and a fiber mating region between the first and second gel blocks, the spring assembly including spring elements that couple to the stack of gel-groove assemblies, each of the spring elements including first latches and second latches; and

(b) an optical plug terminating a fiber optic cable including a plurality of optical fibers, the optical plug including a plurality of sub-modules over-molded over arrays of the optical fibers, each sub-module defining notches at longitudinal sides of the sub-modules, the notches being sized to receive the first latches of the spring elements when the optical plug is coupled to the first axial end of the optical connector assembly, the first latches holding the optical plug to the optical adapter, wherein bare optical fibers extend from the sub-modules, pass through the first axial gel block of the optical connector assembly, and enter the fiber mating region of the optical connector assembly when the optical plug is coupled to the first axial end of the optical connector assembly.

21. The connection system of claim 20, wherein the optical connector assembly includes an optical adapter and wherein the second axial end of the housing is configured to receive a second optical plug so that the second latches of the spring elements hold the second optical plug to the optical adapter.

22. The connection system of claim 20, wherein the optical connector assembly includes a backplane connector and wherein the second axial end of the housing is configured to terminate an optical fiber cable.