Fiber optic cable end connector

• US 5,444,810 A
• Filed: 10/12/1993
• Issued: 08/22/1995
• Est. Priority Date: 06/12/1991
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: John Mezzalingua Associates Incorporated
• Original Assignee: John Mezzalingua Associates Incorporated
• Inventors: Szegda, Andrew
• Primary Examiner(s): FONT, FRANK G
• Application Number:
  US08/135,166
• Time in Patent Office: 679 Days
• Field of Search: 385/53, 385/55, 385/56, 385/58, 385/60, 385/76, 385/77, 385/78, 385/62, 385/81, 385/136-139
• US Class Current: 385/139
• CPC Class Codes: G02B 6/3897 Connectors fixed to housings, casing, frames or circuit boards G02B6/44528 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: G02B 6/4248 Feed-through connections for the hermetical passage of fibres through a package wall see provisionally also G02B6/4428
• CPC Class Codes: G02B 6/4277 Protection against electromagnetic interference [EMI], e.g. shielding means shielding of electric apparatus H05K9/00, of instruments G12B17/00
• 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: G02B 6/4416 Heterogeneous cables
• CPC Class Codes: G02B 6/4448 Electro-optic
• CPC Class Codes: G02B 6/4471 Terminating devices demountable connectors G02B6/3807; Cable clamps

Abstract

An end connector for fiber optic transport cables. A cable clamp received within a passageway of a housing which receives the cable is provided to hold the cable in a secured position so as to resist rotational and longitudinal forces applied to the cable. Support coupling units are provided both internal and external the equipment which the cable is to be connected to. The coupling units allow the end connector to be coupled to and decoupled from the equipment without unnecessary rotation of the end connector and cable and without having to remove the cable from the end connector. Grounding components are provided for grounding conductive members associated with the cable so as to prevent damage due to voltage surges and to prevent RF signal leakage.

Claims

1. An end connector for connecting a fiber optic cable to a port associated with a piece of equipment, said cable having at least one optic fiber and at least one other support member surrounded by a jacket, said end connector comprising:

a housing member having a front end and a rear end, said housing member defining a passageway extending from said rear end to said front end for passing said cable therethrough;

coupling means for coupling said housing member to said port, said coupling means including a front end coupler disposed at said front end of said housing member, and cable supporting means for supporting said cable disposed external said equipment, said cable supporting means being releasably coupled at one end to said front end coupler and being releasably coupled at the opposite end to said port such that said end connector may be coupled and decoupled as a unit from said port without rotating said housing member and said cable, and without removing said cable from said end connector;

clamp means received in said passageway and adapted to at least partially surround said cable, said clamp means being adjustable between an expanded state which accommodates movement of said cable with respect to said housing and a constricted state which fixedly secures said cable with respect to said housing; and

clamp adjustment means for adjusting said clamp means between said expanded and said constricted states.

2. The end connector as claimed in claim 1, wherein said front end coupler comprises:

an outer coupler; and

a coaxially disposed inner coupler.

3. The end connector as claimed in claim 2, wherein said cable supporting means comprises:

a port coupler being releasably coupled at a front end thereof to said port and being releasably coupled at a rear end thereof to said outer coupler of said front end coupler, said port coupler defining a recess at said rear end thereof; and

a support anchor member having a front end and a rear end, said rear end adapted to being releasably coupled to said inner coupler of said front end coupler, said front end adapted to being received within said recess defined at said rear end of said port coupler.

4. The end connector as claimed in claim 3, wherein said support anchor is adapted to anchor at least one support member associated with said cable to said front end of said housing member.

5. The end connector as claimed in claim 3, wherein said support anchor member is adapted to ground conductive support members associated with said cable.

6. An end connector for connecting a fiber optic cable to a port associated with a piece of equipment, said cable having at least one optic fiber surrounded by a jacket, said end connector comprising:

a housing member having a front end and a rear end, said housing member defining a passageway extending from said rear end to said front end for passing said cable therethrough;

coupling means for coupling said housing member to said port, said coupling means comprises a front end coupler disposed at said front end of said housing member, and cable supporting means for supporting said cable disposed external said equipment, said cable supporting means being releasably coupled at one end to said front end coupler and being releasably coupled at the opposite end to said port such that said end connector may be coupled and decoupled as a unit from said port without rotating said housing member and said cable, and without removing said cable from said end connector;

a cable clamp received in said passageway and adapted to at least partially surround said cable, said cable clamp being displaceable along said passageway between a first position which allows movement of said cable with respect to said housing and a second position which applies a clamping pressure to said cable so as to fixedly secure said cable within said housing; and

a clamp engagement member releasably coupled within said passageway at said rear end of said housing member, said clamp engagement member being arranged to contact said cable clamp and to urge said cable clamp to displace to said second position.

7. The end connector as claimed in claim 6, wherein said front end coupler comprises:

an outer coupler; and

a coaxially disposed inner coupler.

8. The end connector as claimed in claim 7, wherein said cable supporting means comprises:

a port coupler being releasably coupled at a front end thereof to said port and being releasably coupled at a rear end thereof to said outer coupler of said front end coupler, said port coupler defining a recess at said rear end thereof; and

a support anchor member having a front end and a rear end, said rear end adapted to being releasably coupled to said inner coupler of said front end coupler, said front end adapted to being received within said recess defined at said rear end of said port coupler.

9. The end connector as claimed in claim 8, wherein said support anchor is adapted to anchor at least one support member associated with said cable to said front end of said housing member.

10. The end connector as claimed in claim 8, wherein said support anchor member is adapted to ground conductive support members associated with said cable.

11. An end connector for connecting a fiber optic transport cable to a port associated with an equipment, said cable having at least one optic fiber and at least one other support member surrounded by a jacket, said end connector comprising:

a clamp housing member adapted to clamp said cable in a secure position so as to provide resistance to longitudinal and rotational forces applied to said cable;

a front end coupler disposed at a front end of said clamp housing member, said front end coupler comprising an outer coupler and a coaxially disposed inner coupler; and

cable supporting means disposed external said equipment for supporting said cable and being releasably coupled at one end to said front end coupler and being releasably coupled at the opposite end to said port such that said end connector may be coupled and decoupled as a unit from said port without rotating said housing member and said cable, and without removing said cable from said end connector, said cable supporting means comprising a port coupler being releasably coupled to said port at a front end thereof and being releasably coupled to said outer coupler of said front end coupler at a rear end thereof, said port coupler defining a recess at said rear end thereof, and a support anchor member having a front end and a rear end, said rear end being releasably coupled to said inner coupler of said front end coupler, said front end being received within said recess defined at said rear end of said port coupler.

12. The end connector as claimed in claim 11, wherein said support anchor is adapted to anchor said at least one support member associated with said cable to said front end of said clamp housing member.