FIBER OPTIC CABLE ASSEMBLY INCLUDING A COMPOSITE FOR RETAINING STRENGTH MEMBERS AND ASSOCIATED METHOD

• US 20200132945A1
• Filed: 10/22/2019
• Published: 04/30/2020
• Est. Priority Date: 10/30/2018
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Corning Research & Development Corporation (Corning Incorporated)
• Original Assignee: Corning Research & Development Corporation (Corning Incorporated)
• Inventors: Baca, Adra Smith, Isenhour, Micah Colen, Sanetick, Robert Max
• Granted Patent: US 10,955,625 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• CPC Class Codes: G02B 6/3889 using encapsulation for protection, e.g. adhesive, molding or casting resin
• CPC Class Codes: G02B 6/4432 with fibre reinforcements

Abstract

A fiber optic cable assembly includes a fiber optic cable including at least one strength member and a fiber optic connector including a connector body. The assembly also includes a weld collar positioned such that the at least one strength member is at least partially captured between the connector body and the weld collar. The assembly further includes a composite including a portion of the at least one strength member and a portion of at least one of the weld collar or the connector body. A method of coupling a fiber optic cable to a fiber optic connector is also provided.

Claims

1. A fiber optic cable assembly comprising:

a fiber optic cable including at least one strength member;

a fiber optic connector including a connector body;

a weld collar positioned such that the at least one strength member is at least partially captured between the connector body and the weld collar; and

a composite including a portion of the at least one strength member and a portion of at least one of the weld collar or the connector body.

2. The fiber optic cable assembly of claim 1, wherein the composite includes a portion of the weld collar and a portion of the connector body.

3. The fiber optic cable assembly of claim 1, wherein the composite is formed by ultrasonically welding the weld collar to the connector body.

4. The fiber optic cable assembly of claim 1, wherein the weld collar comprises a plastic material.

5. The fiber optic cable assembly of claim 1, wherein the connector body or the weld collar includes a plurality of longitudinally-extending teeth defining a plurality of recesses for receiving the at least one strength member.

6. The fiber optic cable assembly of claim 1, wherein the connector body or the weld collar includes at least one radially-extending protrusion.

7. The fiber optic cable assembly of claim 1, wherein the connector body includes an outer surface and the weld collar includes an inner surface configured to provide an interference fit with the outer surface of the connector body.

8. The fiber optic cable assembly of claim 1, wherein the connector body includes a tapered outer surface, and wherein the weld collar includes a tapered inner surface configured to provide an interference fit with the tapered outer surface of the connector body.

9. The fiber optic cable assembly of claim 1, wherein the at least one strength member includes aramid yarn.

10. The fiber optic cable assembly of claim 1, wherein the weld collar is defined by a plurality of independent segments, and wherein the composite includes a portion of each of the independent segments.

11. A method of coupling a fiber optic cable to a fiber optic connector, the fiber optic cable including at least one strength member, the fiber optic connector including a connector body, the method comprising:

positioning the at least one strength member over the connector body;

positioning a weld collar over the at least one strength member such that the at least one strength member is at least partially captured between the connector body and the weld collar; and

forming a composite including a portion of the at least one strength member and a portion of at least one of the weld collar or the connector body.

12. The method of claim 11, wherein forming the composite includes at least partially melting the weld collar or the connector body.

13. The method of claim 11, wherein forming the composite includes ultrasonically welding the weld collar to the connector body.

14. The method of claim 13, wherein ultrasonically welding the weld collar to the connector body includes engaging an ultrasonic welding horn with the weld collar.

15. The method of claim 14, wherein engaging the ultrasonic welding horn with the weld collar is performed in an axial direction.

16. The method of claim 14, wherein engaging the ultrasonic welding horn with the weld collar is performed in a radial direction.

17. The method of claim 13, wherein ultrasonically welding the weld collar to the connector body includes applying a vibration of between 30 kHz and 60 kHz to the weld collar for less than one second.

18. The method of claim 11, wherein positioning the weld collar over the at least one strength member includes providing an interference fit between the weld collar and the connector body.

19. The method of claim 11, wherein the connector body includes a tapered outer surface and the weld collar includes a tapered inner surface, and wherein positioning the weld collar over the at least one strength member includes mating the tapered outer surface with the tapered inner surface.

20. The method of claim 11, wherein the connector body or the weld collar includes a plurality of longitudinally-extending teeth defining a plurality of recesses, and wherein positioning the weld collar over the at least one strength member includes distributing the at least one strength member among the plurality of recesses.

21. The method of claim 11, wherein the connector body or the weld collar includes a plurality of longitudinally-extending teeth, and wherein forming the composite includes at least partially melting the teeth such that the at least partially melted teeth envelope a portion of the at least one strength member.

22. The method of claim 11, wherein the connector body or the weld collar includes at least one radially-extending protrusion, and wherein forming the composite includes at least partially melting the at least one protrusion to direct pressurized flow of the at least partially melted protrusion through the at least one strength member.