TRACEABLE CABLE ASSEMBLY AND CONNECTOR

• US 20170123167A1
• Filed: 10/05/2016
• Published: 05/04/2017
• Est. Priority Date: 10/30/2015
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Corning Optical Communications LLC (Corning Incorporated)
• Original Assignee: Corning Optical Communications LLC (Corning Incorporated)
• Inventors: Isenhour, Micah Colen, Overcash, Jerald Lee
• Granted Patent: US 10,101,545 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• CPC Class Codes: G02B 6/0008 the light being emitted at the end of the fibre
• CPC Class Codes: G02B 6/262 Optical details of coupling light into, or out of, or between fibre ends, e.g. special fibre end shapes or associated optical elements
• CPC Class Codes: G02B 6/3827 Wrap-back connectors, i.e. containing a fibre having an U shape
• CPC Class Codes: G02B 6/3846 with fibre stubs
• 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 6/3895 identification of connection, e.g. right plug to the right socket or full engagement of the mating parts keying element on the plug or adapter G02B6/3831; keying element on the ferrule G02B6/3851; keying element for electrical connection H01R13/64
• CPC Class Codes: G02B 6/562 locatable, e.g. using magnetic means

Abstract

A connector for a traceable cable having a tracing optical fiber, and a cable assembly having the same. The connector includes a connector housing and a light pipe positioned at least partially within the connector housing. The light pipe has at least one tracing optical fiber interface configured to be optically coupled to the tracing optical fiber. The light pipe also has at least one tracer light interface optically accessible from outside of the connector housing. The light pipe defines an optical path configured to direct tracer light from the at least one tracing optical fiber interface to the at least one tracer light interface. The at least one tracer light interface is configured to receive and emit the tracer light directed by the optical path.

Claims

1. A cable assembly, comprising:

a traceable cable, comprising;

at least one data transmission element,

a jacket at least partially surrounding the at least one data transmission element, and

a tracing optical fiber incorporated with and extending along at least a portion of a length of the traceable cable, wherein the tracing optical fiber includes a core having a first index of refraction and a cladding with a second index of refraction; and

at least one connector coupled to an end of the traceable cable, the at least one connector comprising;

a connector housing, and

a light pipe positioned at least partially within the connector housing, the light pipe comprising;

at least one tracing optical fiber interface optically coupled to the tracing optical fiber, and

at least one tracer light interface optically accessible from outside of the connector housing,

wherein the light pipe defines an optical path configured to direct tracer light from the at least one tracing optical fiber interface to the at least one tracer light interface, and wherein the at least one tracer light interface is configured to receive and emit the tracer light directed by the optical path.

2. The cable assembly of claim 1, wherein the optical path is configured to turn the tracer light through substantially 180 degrees when directing the tracer light from the at least one tracing optical fiber interface to the at least one tracer light interface.

3. The cable assembly of claim 1, wherein:

the at least one tracer light interface comprises a diffusive boundary surface comprising a plurality of prisms and a planar central portion, the diffusive boundary surface configured to diffuse at least a portion of the tracer light emitted from the at least one tracer light interface.

4. The cable assembly of claim 1, wherein the light pipe is tapered such that a profile of the at least one tracing optical fiber interface perpendicular to the optical path is smaller than a profile of the at least one tracer light interface perpendicular to the optical path.

5. The cable assembly of claim 1, wherein the light pipe includes a reflection surface in the optical path so that the optical path is configured to reflect the tracer light at least once when directing the tracer light from the at least one tracing optical fiber interface to the at least one tracer light interface.

6. The cable assembly of claim 5, wherein the reflection surface is configured to reflect the tracer light by total internal reflection.

7. The cable assembly of claim 5, wherein the reflection surface comprises a mirror coating connected to the light pipe and configured to reflect the tracer light.

8. The cable assembly of claim 1, wherein:

the at least one tracing optical fiber interface comprises a single tracing optical fiber interface;

the at least one tracer light interface comprises at least two tracer light interfaces;

the light pipe further comprises an optical splitter; and

the optical path is configured to direct tracer light from the single tracing optical fiber interface to the at least two tracer light interfaces via the optical splitter.

9. The cable assembly of claim 1, wherein the optical path includes at least one turn.

10. The cable assembly of claim 1, wherein the light pipe is a solid body of transparent material.

11. The cable assembly of claim 1, wherein the light pipe comprises a diffusive waveguide so that the light pipe is configured to emit the tracer light directed by the optical path at one or more areas along the optical path.

12. The cable assembly of claim 11, wherein:

the connector housing comprises indicia in optical communication with the light pipe and configured to be illuminated by the tracer light when the tracer light is directed by the optical path.

13. The cable assembly of claim 11, wherein at least a portion of the connector housing is formed from a material that is either or both translucent and transparent such that the light pipe can be seen through the connector housing when the optical path directs the tracer light.

14. The cable assembly of claim 1, wherein:

the at least one data transmission element comprises a pair of data transmission elements;

the connector housing comprises a duplex connector housing having an upper housing and a lower housing; and

the light pipe is at least partially positioned between the lower housing and upper housing.

15. A connector for a traceable cable having a tracing optical fiber, comprising:

a connector housing; and

a light pipe positioned at least partially within the connector housing, the light pipe comprising;

at least one tracing optical fiber interface configured to be optically coupled to the tracing optical fiber, and

at least one tracer light interface optically accessible from outside of the connector housing,

wherein the light pipe defines an optical path configured to direct tracer light from the at least one tracing optical fiber interface to the at least one tracer light interface, and wherein the at least one tracer light interface is configured to receive and emit the tracer light directed by the optical path.

16. The connector of claim 15, wherein the optical path includes at least one turn.

17. The connector of claim 15, wherein the optical path is configured to turn the tracer light through substantially 180 degrees when directing the tracer light from the at least one tracing optical fiber interface to the at least one tracer light interface.

18. The connector of claim 15, wherein:

the at least one tracer light interface comprises a diffusive boundary surface comprising a plurality of prisms and a planar central portion, the diffusive boundary surface configured to diffuse at least a portion of the tracer light emitted from the at least one tracer light interface.

19. The connector of claim 15, wherein the light pipe is tapered such that a profile of the at least one tracing optical fiber interface perpendicular to the optical path is smaller than a profile of the at least one tracer light interface perpendicular to the optical path.

20. The connector of claim 15, wherein:

the light pipe is a solid body of transparent material.

21. The connector of claim 15, wherein:

the light pipe comprises a diffusive waveguide so that the light pipe is configured to emit the tracer light directed by the optical path at one or more areas along the optical path.

22. The connector of claim 21, wherein:

the connector housing comprises indicia configured to be illuminated by the tracer light when the tracer light is directed by the optical path.

23. The connector of claim 21, wherein at least a portion of the connector housing is formed from a material that is at least one of translucent and transparent such that the light pipe can be seen through the connector housing when the optical path directs the tracer light.

24. The connector of claim 15, wherein:

the at least one tracing optical fiber interface comprises a single tracing optical fiber interface;

the at least one tracer light interface comprises at least two tracer light interfaces;

the light pipe further comprises an optical splitter; and

the optical path is configured to direct tracer light from the single tracing optical fiber interface to the at least two tracer light interfaces via the optical splitter.

25. A traceable cable, comprising:

at least one data transmission element;

a jacket at least partially surrounding the at least one data transmission element;

a tracing optical fiber incorporated with and extending along at least a portion of a length of the cable, wherein the tracing optical fiber includes a core having a first index of refraction and a cladding with a second index of refraction; and

at least one launch point for optically accessing the tracing optical fiber, the launch point comprising a light pipe, the light pipe comprising;

a tracing optical fiber interface optically coupling the light pipe to the tracing optical fiber; and

at least one tracer light interface optically accessible from outside of the traceable cable,

wherein;

the light pipe defines an optical path configured to direct tracer light from the at least one tracing optical fiber interface to the at least one tracer light interface;

the at least one tracer light interface is configured to receive and emit the tracer light directed by the optical path; and

the optical path has at least one turn.