Crimp assembly for connecting an optical fiber ribbon cord to a connector

• US 5,806,175 A
• Filed: 12/20/1996
• Issued: 09/15/1998
• Est. Priority Date: 12/20/1996
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Siecor Technology, Inc. (Corning Incorporated)
• Original Assignee: Siecor Corporation (Corning Incorporated)
• Inventors: Underwood, David T.
• Primary Examiner(s): Vo, Peter
• Assistant Examiner(s): Chang, Rick Kiltae
• Application Number:
  US08/770,532
• Time in Patent Office: 634 Days
• Field of Search: 439/460, 439/585, 29/749, 29/863, 29/862, 29/750, 29/748, 29/758, 29/828, 29/861, 385/87
• US Class Current: 29/748
• CPC Class Codes: G02B 6/38875 Protection from bending or twisting
• CPC Class Codes: G02B 6/3889 using encapsulation for protection, e.g. adhesive, molding or casting resin
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 29/49123 Co-axial cable
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 29/49181 by deforming
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 29/49183 of ferrule about conductor and terminal
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 29/53213 Assembled to wire-type conductor

Abstract

A structure is provided for securing cable, which has internal working fibers and an external outer coat, to a terminal connector. Included in the structure is a crimp body which has an interior axial hole extending therethrough and an exterior surface with at least one groove and at least one ridge. The outer coat of the cable is placed around the exterior surface of the crimp body and a crimp ring is placed around the outer coat and the crimp body. The crimp ring is deformable and has an interior large enough to accommodate the crimp body and the outer coat. The crimp ring is deformable so that it can secure the outer coat between the crimp ring and the crimp body, with the groove and ridge arrangement of the crimp body further holding the outer coat in place.

Claims

1. Structure for securing an optical fiber ribbon cable having internal fibers in a planar array and an external outer coat, to a terminal connector, the structure comprising:

an oval crimp body having a cross-sectional area and an internal axial hole extending therethrough and an exterior surface with at least one ridge and at least one groove formed therein;

an oval deformable crimp ring having an opening extending therethrough, said opening being larger than said cross-sectional area of said crimp body;

wherein the internal fibers of the cable extend through said axial hole, the outer coat is split into a top half that extends over one side of said oval crimp body and a bottom half that extends over the other side of the oval crimp body, and said crimp ring surrounds the two halves of the outer coat;

wherein said crimp ring can be deformed to secure the halves of the outer coat between said crimp ring and said crimp body, the halves of the outer coat being held by said at least one ridge and said at least one groove of said crimp body.

2. The structure of claim 1, wherein said crimp ring is composed of a continuous and uninterrupted outer wall.

3. The structure of claim 2, wherein said cable has a plurality of strength fibers between the outer coat and the internal fibers, and wherein said strength fibers are secured between said crimp ring and said crimp body along with the outer coat.

4. The structure of claim 3, wherein said crimp body is formed integrally with a connector body.

5. The structure of claim 4, wherein said exterior surface of said crimp body is made up of a series of alternating ridges and grooves.

6. Structure for securing an optical fiber ribbon cable, having internal fibers in a planar array and an external outer coat, to a connector, the structure comprising:

an oval body having a cross-sectional area and an internal axial hold extending therethrough and a holding region with an exterior surface, said exterior surface having at least one ridge and at least one groove formed therein; and

an oval deformable crimp ring for applying pressure to the outer coat in a direction perpendicular to said exterior surface;

wherein the internal fibers of the cable extend through said axial hole, the outer coat is split into a top half that extends over one side of said oval body and a bottom half that extends over the other side of the oval body, and said oval deformable crimp ring is placed over the halves of the outer coat;

wherein said holding means secures the halves of the outer coat between said oval deformable crimp ring and said body, the halves of the outer coat being held by said at least one ridge and said at least one groove of said body.

7. The structure of claim 6, wherein said cable has a plurality of strength fibers between the outer coat ad the internal fibers, and wherein said strength fibers are secured between said holding means and said body along with the outer coat.

8. The structure of claim 7 wherein said deformable crimp ring has an opening extending therethrough, said opening being larger than said cross-sectional area of said body.

9. The structure of claim 7, wherein said deformable crimp ring has a continuous, uninterrupted outer wall having an opening extending therethrough that is larger than said cross-sectional area of said body.