Optical fiber termination with crimping body

• US 4,961,624 A
• Filed: 08/29/1989
• Issued: 10/09/1990
• Est. Priority Date: 08/29/1989
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: AMP Limited
• Original Assignee: AMP Limited
• Inventors: Warner, Gary N., Schaffer, Ronald R., Savitsky, Wallace R.
• Primary Examiner(s): Healy, Brian
• Application Number:
  US07/400,303
• Time in Patent Office: 406 Days
• Field of Search: 350/96.20, 350/96.10, 350/96.21, 350/96.22, 350/96.23
• US Class Current: 385/81
• 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

Abstract

A termination for a fiber optic cable has a connector and an optical fiber member having flexible buffer and optical fiber with the connector comprising an alignment ferrule having tubular passageway for encircling the flexible buffer and optical fiber and a tip with centrally-disposed aperture therethrough for receiving an end of the fiber from the tubular passageway. The termination further includes a crimping body of deformable, elastic material intimately surrounding the flexible buffer and optical fiber and attached by crimping thereto and engaged by compression fitting within the tubular passageway and against the walls of the tubular passageway. The compression fit provides a fit resistant to disengagement.

Claims

1. A termination for optical members comprising, a connector and an optical fiber member having a flexible buffer and an optical fiber, wherein the connector comprises, an alignment ferrule having a tubular passageway for encircling the buffer and the optical fiber, and a tip with a centrally disposed aperture therethrough for closely receiving an end of the optical fiber extending from the passageway, wherein the improvement comprises;

a crimping body of deformable material intimately surrounding the buffer and the optical fiber and attached by crimping thereto and engaged by compression fitting, together with the buffer and the optical fiber, within the passageway and against walls of the passageway to provide a fit resistant to disengagement,

the crimping body being in the shape of a series of stacked, truncated, cone shaped sections with annular lips at outer circumferences of the sections and having a central passageway for receiving the optical fiber and engaged by compression fitting of the lips against the walls of the tubular passageway.

3. The termination of claim 1, wherein the alignment ferrule comprises two disengageable sections being an alignment ferrule section and a tip section, the sections being connected by threading one to the other.

5. A termination according to claim 1, comprising;

a projecting key on the exterior of the alignment ferrule.

2. A termination for optical members comprising, a connector and an optical fiber member having a flexible buffer and an optical fiber, wherein the connector comprises, an alignment ferrule having a tubular passageway for encircling the buffer and the optical fiber, and a tip with a centrally disposed aperture therethrough for closely receiving an end of the optical fiber extending from the passageway, wherein the improvement comprises;

a crimping body of deformable material intimately surrounding the buffer and the optical fiber and attached by crimping thereto and engaged by compression fitting, together with the buffer and the optical fiber, within the passageway and against walls of the passageway to provide a fit resistant to disengagement, and

the tubular passageway is characterised by one or more annular flanges having lips to compress against the crimping body.

4. A termination for optical members comprising, a connector and an optical fiber member having a flexible buffer and an optical fiber, wherein the connector comprises, an alignment ferrule having a tubular passageway for encircling the buffer and the optical fiber, and a tip with a centrally disposed aperture therethrough for closely receiving an end of the optical fiber extending from the passageway, wherein the improvement comprises;

a crimping body of deformable material intimately surrounding the buffer and the optical fiber and attached by crimping thereto, and engaged by compression fitting, together with the buffer and the optical fiber, within the passageway and against walls of the passageway to provide a fit resistant to disengagement,

the alignment ferrule comprises two disengageable sections being an alignment ferrule section and a tip section, the sections being connected by threading one to the other, and a tubular passageway of the alignment ferrule section is characterized by one or more annular flanges having lips to compress against the crimping body.

6. A termination for an optical fiber cable, comprising;

an alignment ferrule having a passageway, a crimping body in the alignment ferrule having crimping section secured by crimping to a buffer surrounding an optical fiber of an optical fiber cable, the optical fiber extending outwardly from the crimping section and at a mating face on a tip of the alignment ferrule, and deformable means along a rear of the crimping body being deformably fit in the passageway for resisting disengagement of the crimping body and the alignment ferrule.

7. A termination as recited in claim 6, comprising;

strength members of the cable secured to the alignment ferrule.

8. A termination as recited in claim 6, comprising;

the buffer extending outwardly from the crimping section and remaining within the alignment ferrule, and the optical fiber extending outwardly from the buffer and at the mating face.

9. A termination as recited in claim 6, comprising;

the deformable means includes multiple lips barb-fit in the passageway.

10. A termination as recited in claim 6, comprising;

the deformable means includes multiple truncated conical sections compressibly fit in the passageway.

11. A termination as recited in claim 6, wherein, the crimping section is forward of the deformable means in the passageway.