OPTICAL FIBER CONNECTOR ASSEMBLY

• US 20160291262A1
• Filed: 03/14/2016
• Published: 10/06/2016
• Est. Priority Date: 04/18/2014
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: SENKO Advanced Components, Inc. (SENKO Group Holdings Co., Ltd.)
• Original Assignee: SENKO Advanced Components, Inc. (SENKO Group Holdings Co., Ltd.)
• Inventors: Newbury, Paul, Chang, Jimmy Jun-Fu
• Granted Patent: US 9,664,865 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: G02B 6/3857 Crimping, i.e. involving plastic deformation
• CPC Class Codes: G02B 6/3879 Linking of individual connector plugs to an overconnector, e.g. using clamps, clips, common housings comprising several individual connector plugs
• CPC Class Codes: G02B 6/3887 Anchoring optical cables to connector housings, e.g. strain relief features

Abstract

A crimp connector is disclosed for enhancing pull-retention of a fiber optic cable in a fiber optic connector assembly housing. The connector has a flange for engaging with the housing and crimp member for engaging with the cable.

Claims

1. An optical fiber cable connector comprising:

a connector housing having a first end and a second end spaced longitudinally from the first end, and the connector housing defining an internal chamber extending between the first end and the second end, the internal chamber having at least one first cross-sectional dimension, and the second end comprising a cable passage for receiving an optical fiber cable therethrough for entry of the optical fiber cable into the internal chamber, the cable passage defining at least one second cross-sectional dimension, the second cross-sectional dimension being less than the first cross-sectional dimension to define an internal shoulder disposed radially about at least a portion of the cable passage;

at least one optical fiber connector disposed within the first end of the connector housing and connected to at least one optical fiber of the optical fiber cable; and

a cable retention element disposed within the internal chamber about the optical fiber cable, the cable retention element comprising;

a retention member comprising;

a cylindrical portion disposed about at least a portion of the optical fiber cable, the cylindrical portion having a first end and a second end spaced from the first end, with the at least one optical fiber extending through the cylindrical portion from the first end through the second end, the cylindrical portion defining a first diameter, and the first end comprising at least one radially outwardly extending tooth defining a second diameter greater than the first diameter; and

a radial flange extending radially from the cylindrical portion adjacent the second end of the cylindrical portion, the radial flange defining a third cross-sectional dimension less than or equal to the first cross-sectional dimension and greater than the second cross-sectional dimension for engaging the shoulder of the cable passage and preventing entry of the radial flange into the cable passage; and

a crimp tube having a first end disposed about and crimped to the optical fiber cable, and a second end spaced from the first end and disposed about and crimped to the cylindrical portion of the first retention member to retain the first retention member with the optical fiber cable, a diameter of the second end of the crimp tube being less than the second diameter defined by the outwardly extending tooth.

2. The optical fiber cable connector of claim 1, wherein the optical fiber cable has an exterior surface, and the first end of the crimp tube comprises at least one radially inwardly extending tooth engaging into the outer surface of the optical fiber cable upon crimping of the first end of the crimp tube to the optical fiber cable.

3. The optical fiber cable connector of claim 2, wherein the crimp tube has an internal surface and the at least one radially inwardly extending tooth comprises an annular ring of a plurality of radially inwardly extending teeth disposed spaced apart from one another adjacent the first end of the crimp tube and engaging into the outer surface of the optical fiber cable upon crimping of the first end of the crimp tube to the optical fiber cable.

4. The optical fiber cable connector of claim 1, wherein:

the cylindrical portion defines a longitudinal direction;

the at least one radially outwardly extending tooth comprises at least one radially outwardly extending annular ring disposed about the cylindrical portion adjacent the first end of the cylindrical portion;

the at least one annular ring having a triangular cross-section in the longitudinal direction; and

the at least one annular ring defining the first diameter at the first end of the cylindrical portion and the second diameter spaced axially from the first end towards the second end of the cylindrical portion.

5. The optical fiber cable connector of claim 4, wherein the first end of the crimp tube comprises an annular ring of a plurality of radially inwardly extending teeth extending into the outer surface of the optical fiber cable upon crimping of the first end of the crimp tube to the optical fiber cable.

6. The optical fiber cable connector of claim 5, wherein the optical fiber cable has at least one cable reinforcement element disposed within the cable, and the at least one cable reinforcement element is crimped between the second end of the crimp tube and the cylindrical portion of the retention member.

7. The optical fiber cable connector of claim 4, wherein:

the radial flange has a cross-sectional shape in a plane transverse to the longitudinal direction;

the first end of the connector housing defines an opening extending into the internal chamber, the opening having a cross-sectional shape configured for receiving the at least one optical fiber connector therein; and

the cross-sectional shape of the radial flange corresponds with the cross-sectional shape of the opening for passage of the cable retention element through the opening.

8. The optical fiber cable connector of claim 7, wherein:

the opening has a rectangular cross-sectional shape defining a fourth cross-sectional dimension and a fifth cross-sectional dimension transverse to the fourth cross-sectional dimension with the fourth cross-sectional dimension being greater than the fifth cross-sectional dimension, and at least one of the fourth cross-sectional dimension and the fifth cross-sectional dimension is greater than the second cross-sectional dimension;

the radial flange defines a sixth cross-sectional dimension transverse to the third cross-sectional dimension, the sixth cross-section dimension being less than the third cross-sectional dimension; and

the sixth cross-sectional dimension is less than the fifth cross-sectional dimension, and the third cross-sectional dimension is less than the fourth cross-sectional dimension for passage of the cable retention element through the opening.

9. The optical fiber cable connector of claim 7, wherein:

the connector housing comprises a cylindrical body defining the internal chamber therein, and a tailpiece comprising the cable passage; and

the tailpiece comprises a first end for being disposed within the cylindrical body, the first end of the tailpiece comprising the internal shoulder, and the tailpiece being engageable with and disengageable from the cylindrical body.

10. A cable retention element for retaining an optical fiber cable with a fiber optic cable connector, the cable retention element comprising:

a first retention member comprising;

a cylindrical portion for being disposed about at least a portion of an optical fiber cable, the cylindrical portion having a first end, a second end spaced from the first end, and a central passage extending from the first end to the second end, the cylindrical portion defining a first diameter and the first end comprising at least one radially outwardly extending tooth defining a second diameter greater than the first diameter;

a radial flange extending radially outwardly from the cylindrical portion adjacent the second end of the cylindrical portion, the radial flange being configured for engaging with a portion of a fiber optic cable connector; and

a crimp tube having a first end for being disposed about and crimped to the optical fiber cable, and a second end spaced from the first end for being disposed about and crimped to at least the first end of the cylindrical portion of the first retention member to retain the first retention member with the optical fiber cable, an internal diameter of the second end of the crimp tube being less than the second diameter defined by the outwardly extending tooth.

11. The cable retention element of claim 10, wherein the first end of the crimp tube comprises at least one radially inwardly extending tooth configured for engaging into an outer surface of an optical fiber cable upon placement of the first end of the crimp tube about the optical fiber cable.

12. The cable retention element of claim 11, wherein the at least one radially inwardly extending tooth is configured for being pressed into the outer surface of an optical fiber cable upon crimping of the first end of the crimp tube to the optical fiber cable.

13. The cable retention element of claim 12, wherein the crimp tube has an internal surface and the at least one radially inwardly extending tooth comprises a plurality of radially inwardly extending teeth disposed spaced apart from one another about the internal surface.

14. The cable retention element of claim 13, wherein the plurality of radially inwardly extending teeth comprise an annular ring of teeth disposed adjacent the first end of the crimp tube.

15. The cable retention element of claim 10, wherein:

the second end of the crimp tube is configured to fit axially over the first end of the cylindrical portion, and the second end of the crimp tube is crimpable about the first end of the cylindrical portion so as to reduce the diameter of the second end of the crimp tube to less than the second diameter.

16. The cable retention element of claim 15, wherein the at least one radially outwardly extending tooth comprises at least one radially outwardly extending annular ring defining the second diameter greater than the first diameter.

17. The cable retention element of claim 16, wherein the cylindrical portion defines a longitudinal direction, the at least one annular ring has a triangular cross-section in the longitudinal direction, and the annular ring defines the first diameter at the first end of the cylindrical portion and the second diameter spaced axially from the first end towards the second end of the cylindrical portion.

18. The cable retention element of claim 16, wherein the first end of the crimp tube comprises an annular ring of a plurality of radially inwardly extending teeth configured for being pressed into the outer surface of an optical fiber cable upon crimping of the first end of the crimp tube to the optical fiber cable.