Optical fiber connector tuning index tool

• US 6,464,402 B1
• Filed: 07/28/1999
• Issued: 10/15/2002
• Est. Priority Date: 07/28/1999
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Furukawa Electric North America Incorporated (Furukawa Electric Company Limited)
• Original Assignee: Fitel USA Corporation
• Inventors: Sandels, Gregory A., Andrews, Scott R., Mock, Robert Wayne, Lampert, Norman Roger, Subh, Naif Taleb
• Primary Examiner(s): Sanghavi, Hemang
• Assistant Examiner(s): PAK, SUNG H
• Application Number:
  US09/363,908
• Time in Patent Office: 1,175 Days
• Field of Search: 385/53, 385/55, 385/56, 385/70, 385/75, 385/139, 385/147, 385/140, 385/134
• US Class Current: 385/53
• CPC Class Codes: G02B 6/266 the optical element being an attenuator
• CPC Class Codes: G02B 6/381 of the ferrule type, e.g. fibre ends embedded in ferrules, connecting a pair of fibres
• CPC Class Codes: G02B 6/3821 with axial spring biasing or loading means G02B6/3847 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: G02B 6/3831 comprising a keying element on the plug or adapter, e.g. to forbid wrong connection keying element on the ferrule G02B6/3851; keying element for electrical coupling H01R13/64
• CPC Class Codes: G02B 6/3843 with auxiliary facilities for movably aligning or adjusting the fibre within its ferrule, e.g. measuring position or eccentricity testing the alignment of axes, including eccentricity, G01B11/27
• CPC Class Codes: G02B 6/3849 using mechanical protective elements, e.g. caps, hoods, sealing membranes G02B6/3816 takes precedence; provisionally see H01R13/44
• CPC Class Codes: G02B 6/3851 Ferrules having keying or coding means
• CPC Class Codes: G02B 6/3893 Push-pull type, e.g. snap-in, push-on
• CPC Class Codes: G02B 6/3898 Tools, e.g. handheld; Tuning wrenches; Jigs used with connectors, e.g. for extracting, removing or inserting in a panel, for engaging or coupling connectors, for assembling or disassembling components within the connector, for applying clips to hold two connectors together or for crimping tools for cleaning, G02B6/3866; tools in general B25B

Abstract

A tuning index tool for use in determining the degree of tuning necessary for a tunable optical fiber connector has a first stationary member having a connector adapter affixed thereto and a second movable member within the first member and spring loaded with respect thereto. The second member has a connector adapter affixed thereto axially aligned with the adapter in the first member. The movable member is incrementally rotatable with respect to the stationary member by being pulled against the spring force to disengage the ferrules of connectors in the adapters, which are aligned in a split sleeve. Rotation changes the orientation of the eccentricity vectors of the two connectors, and hence the insertion loss. Measurements of insertion loss are made, and the orientation of the connectors for minimum loss is noted. The number of incremental rotations of the tool indicates the incremental rotation of the ferrule of the connector under test, the eccentricity vector orientation of the other connector being known, that is necessary to achieve minimum insertion loss for the connector with connectors have a known eccentricity vector orientation.

Claims

1. A tuning index tool for use in tuning an assembled optical fiber connector, said test tool comprising:

a hollow member having a central axis and an open end and a retaining wall at the end thereof opposite said open end, said retaining wall having an opening therein;

said hollow member having an interior wall spaced from said retaining wall and having a first connector adapter thereon protruding toward said open end, said adapter having a first connector ferrule receiving member axially disposed therein;

a movable member within said hollow member having an end wall having a second connector adapter protruding therefrom toward said retaining wall, said adapter having a second connector ferrule receiving member axially aligned with said first connector ferrule member; and

a spring member located between said retaining wall and said end wall for forcing said end wall into contact with said interior wall of said hollow member, said movable member being axially rotatable relative to said hollow member when said end wall and said interior wall are out of contact.

2. A tuning index tool as claimed in claim 1 wherein a split sleeve member adapted to receive the ferrules of connectors located in said first and second adapters is inserted in said first and second adapter connector ferrule receiving members.

3. The tuning index tool as claimed in claim 1, further comprising a means for indicating the angular orientation of said movable member to said hollow member.

4. A tuning index tool as claimed in claim 1 wherein said hollow member has a circular wall having a plurality of windows spaced around said circular wall.

5. A tuning index tool as claimed in claim 4 wherein said windows are spaced sixty degrees (60°

) apart.

6. A tuning index tool as claimed in claim 5 wherein said end wall of said movable member has a circumferential edge having a locating mark thereon, said locating mark being visible through one of said windows.

7. A tuning index tool as claimed in claim 1 wherein said interior wall comprises a disc member having a circular locating ring extending therefrom concentric with said central axis.

8. A tuning index tool as claimed in claim 7 wherein said end wall of said movable member has a circular axially concentric groove adapted to receive said locating ring.

9. A tuning index tool as claimed in claim 7 wherein said disc member is insertable within said hollow member and has a plurality of latching members adapted to latch to matching slots in said hollow member.

10. A tuning index tool as claimed in claim 7 wherein said hollow member has a circular wall having a plurality of keyways therein, sand said disc member has a plurality of keys adapted to fit within said keyways for locating said disc member within said hollow member.

11. A tuning index tool as claimed in claim 1 wherein said end wall of said movable member has at least one locating member projecting therefrom.

12. A tuning index tool as claimed in claim 11 wherein there is a plurality of locating members projecting from said end wall in a circular array.

13. a tuning index tool as claimed in claim 12 wherein there are six locating members in said circular array, spaced sixty degrees (60°

) apart.

14. A tuning index tool as claimed in claim 11 wherein said interior wall of said hollow member has a plurality of locating holes therein arranged in a circular array and adapted to receive said locating member.

15. A tuning index tool as claimed in claim 14 wherein there are six locating holes in said circular array, spaced sixty degrees (60°

) apart.

16. The tuning index tool as claimed in claim 14, wherein the circular array of locating holes is adapted to receive said locating member in any of a number of angular orientations.

17. A method of testing for eccentricity orientation a first optical fiber connector having a ferrule extending therefrom comprising:

inserting the connector in a tool having a first adapter for receiving the connector;

inserting a test connector in the tool in a second adapter, said test connector having an eccentricity vector of known direction so that the ferrule ends of the two connectors abut in engagement;

measuring the insertion loss;

disengaging the ferrules and rotating one of the connectors through a first incremental angle;

re-engaging the ferrule ends;

measuring the insertion loss;

continue the steps of disengaging, rotating re-engaging, and measuring until the connector being rotated has rotated through three hundred and sixty (360°

) degrees;

noting the angular orientation of the connectors relative to each other at the stage of minimum measured insertion loss.

18. The method as claimed in claim 17 wherein each rotation of the connector is sixty degrees (60°

).

19. The method as claimed in claim 17 wherein the connector being rotated is the test connector.

20. A tool for providing selectable insertion loss in optical fiber connections, said tool including:

first apparatus comprising a centrally located optical jack and at least a first indexing member;

second apparatus comprising a centrally located optical jack and a plurality of second indexing members, said first and second apparatuses being shaped to engage each other in a mating relationship; and

a spring member adapted to urge the first and second indexing members into engagement with each other in one of a plurality of stable rotational positions in a manner that allows eccentricity of the optical fiber connection to be measured.

21. A tuning index tool comprising:

a hollow member having a retaining wall and an interior wall spaced from said retaining wall, said interior wall having a first connector adapter member;

a movable member having an end wall, said end wall having a second connector adapter; and

a spring member located between said retaining wall and said end wall for forcing said end wall into contact with the interior wall, in which said movable member is axially rotatable relative to said hollow member when said end wall and said interior wall are out of contact.

22. A tuning index tool as claimed in claim 21, wherein said movable member has at least one projecting locating member and said hollow member has a circular array of openings for receiving said locating member in any of a number of angular orientations.

23. A tuning tool as claimed in claim 22, wherein there are six openings in said hollow member spaced sixty degrees (60°

) apart.

24. A tuning tool as claimed in claim 23, wherein there is a plurality of projecting locating members arranged in a circular array and spaced equidistant from each other.

25. A tuning tool as claimed in claim 24 wherein there are six locating members spaced sixty degrees (60°

) apart.

26. A tuning tool as claimed in claim 22, and further including means for indicating the angular orientation of said second member to said housing.