Clip for dressing of fiber optic cable within confined space

• US 5,037,175 A
• Filed: 06/11/1990
• Issued: 08/06/1991
• Est. Priority Date: 06/11/1990
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: AMP Incorporated (Johnson Controls International plc)
• Original Assignee: AMP Incorporated (Johnson Controls International plc)
• Inventors: Weber, Robert N.
• Primary Examiner(s): Sikes, William L.
• Assistant Examiner(s): PALMER, PHAN T H
• Application Number:
  US07/535,937
• Time in Patent Office: 421 Days
• Field of Search: 350/96.20, 350/96.21, 350/96.22
• US Class Current: 385/76
• CPC Class Codes: G02B 6/3829 Bent or angled connectors G02B6/3827 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: G02B 6/3878 comprising a plurality of ferrules, branching and break-out means
• CPC Class Codes: G02B 6/38875 Protection from bending or twisting
• CPC Class Codes: G02B 6/3888 Protection from over-extension or over-compression
• CPC Class Codes: G02B 6/3893 Push-pull type, e.g. snap-in, push-on
• CPC Class Codes: G02B 6/3897 Connectors fixed to housings, casing, frames or circuit boards G02B6/44528 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: G02B 6/4246 Bidirectionally operating package structures
• CPC Class Codes: G02B 6/4292 the light guide being disconnectable from the opto-electronic element, e.g. mutually self aligning arrangements
• CPC Class Codes: H01R 13/562 Bending-relieving

Abstract

A connector 6 for joining light transmitting fiber cables to a transmitter 2 and/or receiver 3 devices and/or cables, comprises a connector assembly 5, an optical fiber cable 7 and a clip 8. The connector assembly 5 has at least one profiled passageway 11A extending therethrough from a mating face 15, 16 to a cable receiving end 43. The optical fiber cable is in part encompassed thereby. The optical fibers 12, 13 of cable 7 extend from the mating face 15, 16 to a first intermediate section 42 at the cable 7 receiving end 43 of the connector assembly 5 and then therethrough to project away from the connector assembly 5 to at least a second intermediate section 44. A clip 8 has a curved bracket body 45 with first 46 and second 47 yoke ends. The first yoke end 46 encircles the cable 7 at the first intermediate section 42, and the second yoke end 47 encircles the cable 7 at a second intermediate section 44 and maintains the cable 7 along the arc of the curvature of the bracket body 45.

Claims

1. A connector for joining light transmitting fiber cables to transmitter and/or receiver devices and/or cables, comprising a connector assembly having at least one profiled passageway extending therethrough from a mating face to a cable receiving end;

optical fiber cable with at least a portion thereof extending therethrough said profiled passageway of the connector assembly from said mating face to a first intermediate section of the cable at the cable receiving end of said connector assembly and thence therethrough to project away from said connector assembly to at least a second intermediate section of the cable, and further comprising;

a clip having curved bracket body with first and second yoke ends, said first yoke end encircling said cable at said first intermediate section and the said second yoke end encircling said cable at said second intermediate section and maintaining the cable along the arc of the curvature of said bracket body.

2. The connector of claim 1, additionally comprising a strain relief boot encircling at least a portion of said fiber cable and with a first end section encircling at least a portion of the assembly at the cable receiving end and, further, said cable at said first section and said strain relief boot projecting away from said assembly and encompassing the cable to terminate in a second end section encompassing the second intermediate section of said cable, and, wherein yoke ends of said bracket body have first yoke end encircling said strain relief boot at said first section and second yoke end encircling said strain relief boot at said second end to maintain said strain relief boot along the arc of curvature of the bracket body.

3. The connector of claim 1 wherein the clip further includes molded arc providing reinforcing portion along the concave arc side of said curved bracket body.

4. The connector of claim 1 where yoke end is an annular disc with notch to receive said strain relief boot section.

5. The connector of claim 3 where yoke end extends ninety degrees from the plane of the curved bracket body at point of joinder of yoke to said body.

6. The connector of claim 1 or claim 2 wherein the connector assembly comprises;

a housing member having a passageway extending therethrough;

a receptacle connector member latchably mounted in the passageway and having therein fiber optic connectors terminated to ends of fiber optic transmission members and said portion of optical fiber cable, said fiber optic connectors mounted in the receptacle connector member as spring biased connectors with profiled resilient front ends of the connectors disposed in profiled bores of alignment ferrules that are floatably mounted in said receptacle connector member;

plug connector member having mounted therein spring biased fiber optic connectors terminated to ends of fiber optic transmission members;

latch members on said plug connector member for latchably securing the plug connector member in the housing member with profiled resilient front ends of the fiber optic connectors being disposed in the profiled bores of the alignment ferrules thereby connecting the respective fiber optic transmission members together under spring force.

7. The connector of claim 1 or claim 2 wherein the connector assembly comprises a shell encircling a spring biased holder for said portion of optical fiber cable, a sheath, and wherein said fiber cable has strength members which are anchored to the shell and said holder and said portion of fiber cable are displaceable with respect to the strength members of said cable.

8. The connector of claim 1 or claim 2 wherein the connector assembly comprises an alignment ferrule having a central passage for aligning the said portion of optical fiber cable and a rear end for connection to said optical fiber cable;

a radially enlarged collar surrounding the ferrule and having a circumferential groove;

a coupling nut moveable axially over the ferrule;

a spring for compression directly in engagement against the rear face of the collar, said coupling nut and said collar forming a clearance in which the collar may be retracted to compress said spring, said ferrule being unitary with the transverse front face and the rear face of said collar.

9. The connector of claim l or claim 2 wherein the connector assembly includes a housing with at least one cable receiving bore therein and annular crimping ring, a profiled ferrule member and a helical spring member secured to an end of said fiber cable;

and a cap member securing the ferrule members in the housing member in a spring loaded condition.