Connector for optical fiber

• US 4,804,244 A
• Filed: 03/20/1986
• Issued: 02/14/1989
• Est. Priority Date: 02/28/1985
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: ALPS Electric Company Limited (Alps Alpine Co., Ltd.)
• Original Assignee: ALPS Electric Company Limited (Alps Alpine Co., Ltd.)
• Inventors: Miyahara, Yoshinori, Hasegawa, Kazuo
• Primary Examiner(s): Kyle, Deborah L.
• Assistant Examiner(s): Carone, Michael J.
• Application Number:
  US06/841,877
• Time in Patent Office: 1,062 Days
• Field of Search: 350/96.20, 350/96.21, 350/96.22, 350/96.23
• US Class Current: 385/69
• CPC Class Codes: G02B 6/3855 characterised by the method of anchoring or fixing the fibre within the ferrule G02B6/3854 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: G02B 6/3857 Crimping, i.e. involving plastic deformation
• CPC Class Codes: G02B 6/3888 Protection from over-extension or over-compression
• CPC Class Codes: G02B 6/4292 the light guide being disconnectable from the opto-electronic element, e.g. mutually self aligning arrangements

Abstract

An optical fiber connector in which an optical fiber and an optical conversion element are detachably coupled together, and optical fibers are mutually coupled together. The connector comprises a holding member composed of a front tube portion for holding the optical fiber and a rear tube portion for holding an optical fiber cable, the rear tube portion being formed with a slit in an axial direction thereof, the rear tube also having a fixed tube fitted thereover to press the rear tube portion. The rear tube portion is formed with more than on notches which intersect the slit, and engaging surfaces formed in the notches are brought into engagement with ends of the fixed tube.

Claims

1. A connector for an optical fiber cable having an optical fiber in a cable covering, said connector including a holding member comprising:

a front cylindrical part for holding an end of the optical fiber;

a rear cylindrical part for holding the optical fiber cable which is integrally provided with said front cylindrical part and which has a length between its opposite ends provided with an outer surface of a first diameter and an inner surface in contact with the cable covering of the optical fiber;

at least one slit formed along said rear cylindrical part extending in an axial direction of the optical fiber;

a plurality of notches in said rear cylindrical part intersecting said at least one slit in a circumferential direction of the optical fiber, said notches extending radially to the outer surface of said rear cylindrical part at an intermediate portion of the length thereof; and

a fixed member having an inner surface with a diameter less than said first diameter of said outer surface of said rear cylindrical part, which is pressed on to said outer surface at said intermediate portion where said recesses are located for applying pressure by said lesser diameter to press said rear cylindrical part in a radially inward direction thereof to securely hold the optical fiber cable from axial displacement, wherein the outer surface of said rear cylindrical part beyond said fixed member becomes projected radially outward relative to said inner surface of said fixed member to securely hold said fixed member thereon, and said fixed member can be removed by axially pulling said fixed member over the outer surface of said rear cylindrical part.

2. A connector according to claim 1, wherein said fixed member is in the form of a metal tubular sleeve.

3. A connector according to claim 1 for optically coupling the optical fiber to an optical conversion element mounted in a receptacle, further comprising a plug attached on said holding member and having a threaded portion for engagement with a corresponding portion of said receptacle.

4. A connector according to claim 1 for optically coupling two optical fibers together, wherein each of the optical fibers is held in a respective one of said holding members, and said connector further comprising an adapter having opposing ends for receiving therein the front cylindrical parts of said holding members, respectively.