Optical fiber connecting ferrule including flexible intermediate section

• US 5,218,657 A
• Filed: 04/16/1992
• Issued: 06/08/1993
• Est. Priority Date: 04/17/1991
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Honda Tsushin Kogyo Co Ltd (Minebea Mitsumi, Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Honda Tsushin Kogyo Co Ltd (Minebea Mitsumi, Inc.)
• Inventors: Mochida, Fumiaki, Tokudome, Kazuhiro, Eguchi, Toshiaki
• Primary Examiner(s): Healy, Brian
• Application Number:
  US07/868,905
• Time in Patent Office: 418 Days
• Field of Search: 385/60, 385/66, 385/70, 385/72, 385/78, 385/84, 385/139, 385/99, 385/147
• US Class Current: 385/70
• CPC Class Codes: G02B 6/3829 Bent or angled connectors G02B6/3827 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: G02B 6/3835 using discs, bushings or the like
• CPC Class Codes: G02B 6/3845 ferrules comprising functional elements, e.g. filters
• CPC Class Codes: G02B 6/3846 with fibre stubs
• CPC Class Codes: G02B 6/3854 Ferrules characterised by materials
• CPC Class Codes: G02B 6/3877 Split sleeves
• CPC Class Codes: G02B 6/38875 Protection from bending or twisting

Abstract

An optical fiber connecting ferrule according to the present invention comprises head and tail cylindrical sections of relatively large diameter, and an intermediate cylindrical section of relatively small diameter integrally connected to said head and tail cylindrical sections. With this arrangement the ferrule can be flexibly bent at its intermediate cylindrical section under undesired force applied to the ferrule, thus causing no adverse effect on an associated slotted sleeve, and hence causing no insertion loss in transmission even when undesired force is applied to the ferrule.

Claims

1. An optical fiber connecting ferrule comprising head and tail cylindrical sections of relatively large diameter, and an intermediate cylindrical section of relatively small diameter integrally connected to said head and tail sections, thereby permitting said intermediate cylindrical section to be flexibly bent when said optical fiber connecting ferrule is subjected to exterior force.

2. An optical fiber connecting ferrule claimed in claim 1, wherein said intermediate cylindrical section is made of stainless steel.

3. An optical fiber connecting ferrule claimed in claim 2, wherein said head and tail sections being made of ceramics, and the intermediate cylindrical section has collars at its opposite ends to receive and connect the head and tail cylindrical section integrally to the intermediate section.

4. An optical fiber connecting ferrule claimed in claim 1, wherein whole body of said ferrule is integrally made of stainless steel.