FIBER OPTIC CABLE ANCHORING DEVICE FOR USE WITH FIBER OPTIC CONNECTORS AND METHODS OF USING THE SAME

• US 20160370546A1
• Filed: 06/24/2014
• Published: 12/22/2016
• Est. Priority Date: 06/27/2013
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: CommScope Czech Republic sro (CommScope Holding Company, Inc.)
• Original Assignee: ADC Czech Republic, s.r.o (TE Connectivity Ltd. (United Kingdom)), Tyco Electronics Raychem BVBA (TE Connectivity Ltd. (United Kingdom))
• Inventors: VOZDECKY, Jan, COENEGRACHT, Philippe
• Granted Patent: US 10,444,443 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: G02B 6/3821 with axial spring biasing or loading means G02B6/3847 takes precedence
• 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 6/387 Connector plugs comprising two complementary members, e.g. shells, caps, covers, locked together
• 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 6/3875 Floatingly supported sleeves
• CPC Class Codes: G02B 6/3889 using encapsulation for protection, e.g. adhesive, molding or casting resin

Abstract

A fiber-optic connector housing (50) and cable (20, 20′) are attached together by an anchor (100, 200). The anchor includes a one-piece main body, a passage (110, 210), and an injection port (130, 230). The passage extends between first (102, 202) and second ends (104, 204) of the anchor. Strength members (40, 40′) of the cable are secured within the passage by a bonding material (90) and are thereby anchored to the connector housing. A proximal end (54) of the connector housing includes first (60) and second housing components (70) which capture the anchor. The passage passes through an optical fiber (30) of the cable. The passage includes first (120, 220), second (170, 270), and third portions (180, 280). The first portion radially positions the optical fiber. The second portion receives the bonding material and the strength members. The third portion receives a jacket (26, 26′) of the fiber optic cable. The injection port delivers the bonding material to the passage. The anchor may further include retention tabs (150) that fit within corresponding receivers (62, 72) within the connector.

Claims

1. A fiber optic connector and cable assembly comprising:

a fiber optic cable including an optical fiber, a jacket surrounding the optical fiber, and at least one strength member for providing the fiber optic cable with axial reinforcement;

a connector housing including a first end positioned opposite from a second end, the first end defining a plug portion adapted for insertion in a fiber optic adapter and the second end internally receiving the at least one strength member and the optical fiber of the fiber optic cable;

a ferrule positioned at the first end of the connector housing, the ferrule receiving an end portion of the optical fiber, the ferule defining an axis that extends through the connector housing from the first end to the second end of the connector housing; and

an anchor extending between a first end and a second end, the anchor retained within the connector housing, the second end of the connector housing including first and second housing components between which the anchor is captured, the anchor including a passage extending between the first end and the second end of the anchor, the at least one strength member being secured within the passage of the anchor by a bonding material such that the anchor anchors the at least one strength member to the connector housing.

2. The fiber optic connector and cable assembly of claim 1, wherein the at least one strength member is secured to the anchor prior to retaining the anchor within the connector housing.

3. The fiber optic connector and cable assembly of claim 1, wherein the bonding material is an epoxy.

4. The fiber optic connector and cable assembly of claim 1, wherein the at least one strength member includes a plurality of reinforcing yarns.

5. The fiber optic connector and cable assembly of claim 1, wherein the anchor includes at least one retention tab that fits within a corresponding receiver provided on the connector housing.

6. The fiber optic connector and cable assembly of claim 1, wherein the anchor is positioned between at least the first and second components of the connector housing that are secured together during assembly of the connector housing.

7. The fiber optic connector and cable assembly of claim 1, wherein the anchor is fixed in position relative to the connector housing along the axis that extends through the connector housing.

8. The fiber optic connector and cable assembly of claim 7, wherein the anchor includes at least one anchor tab that engages at least one corresponding retaining receiver of the connector housing and is thereby fixed in position relative to the connector housing along the axis that extends through the connector housing.

9. The fiber optic connector and cable assembly of claim 1, further comprising a spring for biasing the ferrule in a direction that extends outwardly from the first end of the connector housing along the axis of the ferrule.

10. The fiber optic connector and cable assembly of claim 1, wherein the first housing component of the connector housing is a one-piece main body that defines the plug portion of the connector housing, wherein the one-piece main body also includes a proximal extension that projects outwardly from the plug portion, and wherein the second housing component of the connector housing is a cover piece that mounts to the proximal extension.

11. The fiber optic connector and cable assembly of claim 10, wherein an attachment portion of the anchor is positioned between the proximal extension and the cover piece and wherein the attachment portion includes a plurality of retention tabs that fit within corresponding receivers defined by the connector housing.

12. The fiber optic connector and cable assembly of claim 11, wherein the proximal extension includes a first receiver of the corresponding receivers that receives a first retention tab of the plurality of retention tabs and wherein the cover piece includes a second receiver of the corresponding receivers that receives a second retention tab of the plurality of retention tabs.

13. The fiber optic connector and cable assembly of claim 1, wherein the optical fiber is also secured within the passage of the anchor by the bonding material.

14. The fiber optic connector and cable assembly of claim 1, wherein a tube is positioned around at least a portion of the optical fiber within the passage of the anchor.

15. The fiber optic connector and cable assembly of claim 14, wherein the tube is positioned between the portion of the optical fiber and the bonding material.

16. The fiber optic connector and cable assembly of claim 1, further comprising a shrink tube positioned around a portion of the jacket and the second end of the anchor.

17. The fiber optic connector and cable assembly of claim 1, wherein the passage of the anchor includes a necked-down portion adjacent the first end of the anchor.

18. The fiber optic connector and cable assembly of claim 1, wherein the anchor includes an injection port adapted to deliver the bonding material to the passage of the anchor.

19. An anchor for anchoring a fiber optic cable within a fiber optic connector, the anchor comprising:

a main body extending between a first end and an opposite second end;

a passage extending between the first end and the second end of the anchor, the passage adapted to pass through an optical fiber of the fiber optic cable, the passage including;

a first portion adapted to radially position the optical fiber of the fiber optic cable within the passage; and

a second portion adapted to receive a bonding material and at least one strength member (40, 40′

) of the fiber optic cable; and

an injection port adapted to deliver the bonding material to the passage of the anchor.

20. The anchor of claim 19, wherein the passage further includes a third portion adapted to receive a jacket of the fiber optic cable.

21. The anchor of claim 19, further comprising at least one retention tab (150) that fits within a corresponding receiver provided within the fiber optic connector.

22. A method for anchoring a fiber optic cable within a fiber optic connector, the method comprising:

providing an anchor including a passage;

inserting a strength member and an optical fiber of the fiber optic cable within the passage;

injecting bonding material within the passage thereby securing the strength member to the anchor;

attaching the anchor within an interior of the fiber optic connector.

23. A method for tuning an optical fiber within a fiber optic connector, the method comprising:

providing an anchor including a passage;

inserting the optical fiber within the passage;

injecting bonding material within the passage thereby securing the optical fiber to the anchor at a first location of the optical fiber;

attaching the anchor within an interior of the fiber optic connector;

securing the optical fiber to a ferrule at a second location of the optical fiber;

rotating the ferrule to tune the ferrule relative to a connector housing of the fiber optic connector; and

rotationally holding the ferrule relative to the connector housing.

24. The method of claim 23, further comprising inserting a strength member within the passage.