Termination clamp assembly for a hybrid electrical/fiber optic cable

• US 6,963,690 B1
• Filed: 04/26/2004
• Issued: 11/08/2005
• Est. Priority Date: 04/26/2004
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: the united states of america as represented by the secretary of the navy
• Original Assignee: the united states of america as represented by the secretary of the navy
• Inventors: Kassal, James J., Ranlet, Richard W.
• Primary Examiner(s): Lee, John D.
• Assistant Examiner(s): Wong, Tina M.
• Application Number:
  US10/834,159
• Time in Patent Office: 561 Days
• Field of Search: 385/134, 385/137, 385/139
• US Class Current: 385/139
• CPC Class Codes: G02B 6/3817 containing optical and electrical conductors cables including electrical and optical conductors H01B11/22; G02B6/3816 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: G02B 6/4471 Terminating devices demountable connectors G02B6/3807; Cable clamps

Abstract

A device for terminating a hybrid electrical/fiber optic cable at a connector comprising a clamp assembly affecting a swage lock on a k-tube to prevent movement of the k-tube within the connector and resultant damage to the optical fibers. The clamp assembly comprises two clamp halves, at least one of which includes a k-tube groove, one or more optical fiber grooves, a fan out cavity, and means for joining the clamp halves. When the clamp halves are joined, the k-tube grooves form an enclosed k-tube channel that is slightly smaller than the outside diameter of the k-tube, thereby creating a swage lock to prevent movement of the k-tube. Similarly, the optical fiber grooves create a swage lock on protective plastic tubes that are placed over the optical fibers as they exit and fan out from the k-tube in the fan out cavity.

Claims

1. A termination clamp assembly for cables containing at least one optical fiber within a metallic k-tube, said termination clamp assembly comprising:

a first clamp body half, said first clamp body half including a first mating surface on one side of said first clamp body half with a first fan out cavity defined in said first mating surface, a first k-tube groove defined in said first mating surface that is hemi-cylindrical and extending from a first end of said first clamp body half and terminating at said first fan out cavity with said first clamp body half further including at least one fiber groove defined in said first mating surface and extending from said first fan out cavity to a second end of said first clamp body half;

a second clamp body half having a second mating surface on one side of said second clamp body half, said second mating surface cooperating with said first mating surface when said first and second mating surfaces are joined to define an interior fan out chamber and capable of creating a swage lock on a k-tube placed within said first k-tube groove and creating swage locks on plastic tubes placed within said at least one fiber groove; and

a means for joining said first and second mating surfaces.

2. The termination clamp assembly of claim 1, wherein said second clamp body half further includes:

a second fan out cavity defined in said second mating surface, said second fan out cavity cooperating with said first fan out cavity when said first and second mating surfaces are joined to define an interior fan out chamber; and

a second hemi-cylindrical k-tube groove defined in said second mating surface and extending from a first end of said second clamp body half and terminating at said second fan out cavity, said second k-tube groove suitable for cooperating with said first k-tube groove when said first and second mating surfaces are joined to create a swage lock on a k-tube placed within said first and second k-tube grooves.

3. The termination clamp assembly of claim 2, wherein said second clamp body half further includes at least one fiber groove formed therein extending from said second fan out cavity to a second end of said second clamp body half, said at least one fiber groove in said second clamp body half suitable for cooperating with said at least one fiber groove in said first clamp body half when said first and second mating surfaces are joined to create swage locks on plastic tubes placed within said fiber grooves.

4. The termination clamp assembly of claim 1, wherein at least one of said first and second clamp body halves has at least one wire passage extending longitudinally through said clamp body half suitable for receiving an electrical wire that passes through and supports said clamp body half during assembly.

5. The termination clamp assembly of claim 4, wherein at least one bumper is disposed on the interior wall of said first fan out cavity proximate to said at least one fiber groove in said first clamp body half.

6. The termination clamp assembly of claim 5, wherein said first clamp body half includes a guide mark region defined on said first mating surface proximate to the juncture of said first k-tube groove and said first fan out cavity.

7. The termination clamp assembly of claim 6, wherein said means for joining comprises at least one screw inserted into screw holes formed in said first and second clamp body halves.

8. A termination clamp assembly for cables containing at least one optical fiber within a k-tube, said clamp assembly comprising:

a first clamp body half, said first clamp body half including a first mating surface on one side of said first clamp body half and a first fan out cavity defined in said first mating surface with a first k-tube groove defined in said first mating surface and extending from a first end of said first clamp body half and terminating at said first fan out cavity, at least one fiber groove defined in said first mating surface and extending from said first fan out cavity to a second end of said first clamp body half, at least one bumper disposed on the interior wall of said first fan out cavity proximate to said fiber groove in said first mating surface, a guide mark region defined on said first mating surface proximate to the juncture of said first k-tube groove and said first fan out cavity and at least two threaded holes formed in the perimeter of and substantially perpendicular to said first mating surface proximate to said first k-tube groove;

a second clamp body half, said second clamp body half including a second mating surface on one side of said second clamp body half, a second fan out cavity defined in said second mating surface and cooperating with said first fan out cavity to define an enclosed fan out chamber when said first and second mating surfaces are joined, a second k-tube groove defined in said second mating surface and extending from a first end of said second clamp body half and terminating at said second fan out cavity, said second k-tube groove suitable for cooperating with said first k-tube groove to create a swage lock on a k-tube placed in said first and second k-tube grooves, at least one fiber groove defined in said second mating surface and extending from said second fan out cavity to a second end of said second clamp body half, each fiber groove in said second mating surface suitable for cooperating with a fiber groove in said first mating surface to create a swage lock on a plastic tube placed in said fiber grooves, at least one bumper disposed on the interior wall of said second fan out cavity proximate to said fiber groove in said second mating surface; and

at least two clearance holes formed in the perimeter of and substantially perpendicular to said second mating surface near said second k-tube groove;

at least one wire passage extending longitudinally through at least one of said clamp body halves, said wire passages suitable for receiving electrical wires that pass through and support said clamp body half; and

at least one screw threaded to fit into each of said threaded holes and each of said clearance holes in order to fixedly join said first and second mating surfaces.

9. The termination clamp assembly of claim 8, further comprising:

means for visually indicating the proper position of the k-tube on one of said first or second mating surfaces before said first and second mating surfaces are joined.

10. The termination clamp assembly of claim 8, further comprising:

means for tactilely indicating the proper position of the plastic tubes between said first and second mating surfaces before said first and second mating surfaces are joined.