Fibre optic cable connector

• US 5,892,870 A
• Filed: 11/16/1995
• Issued: 04/06/1999
• Est. Priority Date: 11/16/1995
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Fiber Connections, Inc.
• Original Assignee: Fiber Connections, Inc.
• Inventors: Fingler, L. Scott, Laycock, Geoffrey P., Fingler, Laurence H.
• Primary Examiner(s): Sanghavi, Hemang
• Application Number:
  US08/558,652
• Time in Patent Office: 1,237 Days
• Field of Search: 385/59, 385/60, 385/71, 385/72, 385/78, 385/80, 385/134-138, 385/75, 385/139, 174/52.1, 174/52.2, 174/59, 174/60, 439/931, 439/936
• US Class Current: 385/59
• CPC Class Codes: G02B 6/3825 with an intermediate part, e.g. adapter, receptacle, linking two plugs
• CPC Class Codes: G02B 6/3874 using tubes, sleeves to align ferrules
• CPC Class Codes: G02B 6/3878 comprising a plurality of ferrules, branching and break-out means
• CPC Class Codes: G02B 6/3897 Connectors fixed to housings, casing, frames or circuit boards G02B6/44528 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: G02B 6/44528 Patch-cords; Connector arrangements in the system or in the box routing arrangements H04Q1/00

Abstract

A connector for fibre optic cable includes a housing having a plurality of female connectors therein. A multi-fibre optic cable has an end extending into the housing. Each of the fibres of the multi-fibre optic cable terminate at a respective one of the female connectors. Adhesive encases the fibres of the multi-fibre optic cable within the housing to inhibit movement thereof. A method of forming a multi-connection connector for a multi-fibre optic cable and an adapter for optically coupling a pair of optic fibres are also disclosed.

Claims

1. A connector for a multi-fibre optic cable comprising:

a housing;

a plurality of female connectors accommodated by said housing, each of said female connectors having a first end extending into said housing to receive an optic fibre and a second end exterior of said housing to receive a patch cable;

a multi-fibre optic cable having an end extending into said housing, each of the optic fibres of the multi-fibre optic cable terminating at said first end of a respective one of said female connectors; and

an adhesive filling said housing and encasing said optic fibres of said multi-fibre optic cable to inhibit movement of said optic fibres within said housing.

2. A connector according to claim 1 wherein said housing has an upper surface, said female connectors being accommodated by openings in said upper surface.

3. A connector according to claim 2 wherein said upper surface includes at least one sloped portion, said openings being provided in said at least one sloped portion.

4. A connector according to claim 3 wherein said upper surface includes a plurality of longitudinally spaced, parallel sloped portions, each of said sloped portions having at least one opening therein to receive a female connector.

5. A connector according to claim 1 wherein each of said female connectors is in the form of an adapter for optically coupling an optic fibre of said multi-fibre optic cable with an optic fibre in said patch cable, said patch cable having a male coupler at one end thereof which accommodates a first ferrule surrounding the optic fibre therein, said adapter including:

a body having a female coupler thereon adapted to mate with said male coupler and accommodate said male coupler, said body having a passage formed therein to receive an optic fibre of said multi-fibre optic cable;

a second ferrule within said body at which the optic fibre of said multi-fibre optic cable terminates, said second ferrule being positioned within said body so that said first and second ferrules optically couple said optic fibres when the male and female couplers are in mating engagement; and

means to secure the second ferrule within said body.

12. A connector as defined in claim 1 wherein said boding agent is in the form of an adhesive.

13. A connector as defined in claim 12 wherein said housing is substantially completely filled with said adhesive.

6. A method of forming a multi-connection connector for a multi-fibre optic cable, said connector having a housing carrying a plurality of female connectors, said method comprising the steps of:

extending a multi-fibre optic cable into said housing and terminating each of the optic fibres of said multi-fibre optic cable at a respective one of said female connectors; and

filling said housing with a bonding agent to inhibit movement of said optic fibres within said housing.

7. The method of claim 6 wherein said bonding agent is in the form of an adhesive.

8. A connector for a multi-fibre optic cable comprising:

a housing having a base, generally upright sides about the periphery of said base and an upper surface bridging said sides above said base, said upper surface being generally saw-toothed in configuration and presenting a plurality of inclined, longitudinally spaced faces;

a plurality of connectors accommodated by openings in the inclined faces of said upper surface, each of said connectors having a first end extending into said housing to receive an optic fibre and a second end exterior of said housing to receive a patch cable;

a multi-fibre optic cable extending into said housing, each of the optical fibres of said multi-fibre optic cable terminating at said first end of a respective one of said connectors; and

a bonding agent within said housing to secure permanently said multi-fibre optic cable and said optical fibres within said housing and inhibit movement thereof.

9. A connector as defined in claim 8 wherein said housing is constituted by a pair of separable parts.

10. A connector as defined in claim 8 wherein said multi-fibre optic cable extends into said housing through a side thereof.

11. A connector as defined in claim 10 wherein each inclined face has one opening therein accommodating a connector.

14. A method of forming a multi-connection connector for a fibre optic cable comprising the steps of:

adhering ferrules to the optic fibres of a multi-fibre optic cable;

securing each of the ferrules to one end of a respective female connector;

enclosing the optic fibres and the one ends of the female connectors in a housing constituted by separable parts, the other end of said female connectors extending exterior of said housing; and

permanently securing the optic fibres within said housing to inhibit movement thereof.

15. The method of claim 14 wherein said optic fibres are permanently secured within said housing by a bonding agent injected into said housing.

16. The method of claim 15 wherein said bonding agent is in the form of an adhesive substantially completely filling said housing.