Cable jacket restraint in optical fiber connectors

• US 5,073,043 A
• Filed: 09/06/1990
• Issued: 12/17/1991
• Est. Priority Date: 09/06/1990
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: AFL Telecommunications LLC (Fujikura Limited), Nippon Telegraph and Telephone Corporation, Sanwa Denki Kogyo Co Ltd
• Original Assignee: Alcoa Fujikura Ltd. (Howmet Aerospace, Inc.), Nippon Telegraph and Telephone Corporation, Sanwa Denki Kogyo Co Ltd
• Inventors: Nagase, Ryo, Kawahara, Akira, DiMarco, Brain A.
• Primary Examiner(s): Sikes, William L.
• Assistant Examiner(s): Wise, Robert E.
• Application Number:
  US07/578,911
• Time in Patent Office: 467 Days
• Field of Search: 350/96.2, 350/96.21, 350/96.22
• US Class Current: 385/81
• CPC Class Codes: G02B 6/3802 Assembly tools, e.g. crimping tool or pressing bench splicing machines G02B6/2553
• 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 6/3889 using encapsulation for protection, e.g. adhesive, molding or casting resin

Abstract

Means and method for assembling an optical fiber cable with a tubular member that secures an outside protective jacket of the cable. The inside wall of the tubular member is provided with serrations such that when the wall is physically reduced on the protective jacket, the serrations engage and retain the jacket without compressing the inner optical fiber so that it is free to move longitudinally within the jacket. This is accomplished by using a crimping device having a crimping aperture that is sized to precisely control the amount of reduction of the tube wall onto the protective jacket.

Claims

1. A method of assembling together a tubular member and an optical fiber having an outer protective jacket, the method comprising:

providing a tubular member having a wall portion provided with inwardly facing serrations,

inserting the fiber and the jacket into said tubular member,

reducing the cross section of said tubular member on said outer jacket such that the serrations engage and secure said jacket in said tubular member and in a manner that allows the optical fiber to move longitudinally within the jacket and tubular member.

2. A method of retaining an end of an outer protective jacket of an optical fiber within a tubular member, said optical fiber being disposed to move longitudinally within said jacket, the method comprising:

providing a tubular member having a wall defining bore and provided with serrations on an inner surface of said wall,

inserting the fiber jacket into said bore,

reducing the cross section of said bore on said jacket such that the serrations of the wall engage and secure the jacket in the tubular member and in a manner that allows the optical fiber to move longitudinally within the jacket and tubular member.

3. A tubular member for securing the outer protective jacket provided on an optical fiber in said tubular member, said member including:

a wall that defines a bore for receiving the protective jacket containing an optical fiber,

inwardly directed serrations provided on an inner surface of said wall,

with the wall of said tubular member being adapted to be physically reduced on said jacket to secure the jacket in the bore of said tubular member while allowing the optical fiber to move longitudinally within the jacket and tubular member.

4. The tubular member of claim 3 in which the wall thereof provides a second bore for receiving a knurled surface of a second tubular member.

5. The means of claim 4 in which the second tubular member has yarn material of said fiber optic cable disposed over the knurled surface of the second tubular member,

said knurled surface and yarn material being disposed and secure din an end portion of the tubular member adapted to secure the protective jacket.