Fiber optic connector having keyed ferrule holder

• US 7,150,567 B1
• Filed: 05/27/2005
• Issued: 12/19/2006
• Est. Priority Date: 05/27/2005
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Corning Optical Communications LLC (Corning Incorporated)
• Original Assignee: Corning Cable Systems LLC (Corning Incorporated)
• Inventors: Luther, James P., Theuerkorn, Thomas, Tran, Hleu V.
• Primary Examiner(s): Lee, John D.
• Application Number:
  US11/139,734
• Publication Number:
  US 20060269194A1
• Time in Patent Office: 571 Days
• Field of Search: 385/55, 385/60, 385/72, 385/78, 385/83, 385/84, 385/140, 285/260, 333/209, 439/607
• US Class Current: 385/78
• CPC Class Codes: G02B 6/3822 with beveled fibre ends
• 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 6/3863 fabricated by using polishing techniques grinding of the fibre ends B24B19/226
• CPC Class Codes: G02B 6/3871 Ferrule rotatable with respect to plug body, e.g. for setting rotational position adjusting fibre within the ferrule, G02B6/3843; Fixation of ferrules after rotation
• CPC Class Codes: G02B 6/3878 comprising a plurality of ferrules, branching and break-out means

Abstract

A fiber optic connector including one or more ferrule assemblies having a ferrule and a keyed ferrule holder defining a first key slot and a second key slot, and a connector housing defining a key that is received within the first or the second key slot. The first key slot configures the connector in a first keyed position for simultaneous, coplanar end face polishing of the ferrules, and the second keyed position configures the connector for mating with a receptacle, optical device or another connector. A fiber optic connector including a connector outer housing defining a first key slot for positioning the connector housing in a first keyed position and a second key slot for positioning the connector housing in a second keyed position, a connector inner housing defining a key and a ferrule assembly including a ferrule and a ferrule holder, wherein the ferrule assembly is biased outwardly within the connector outer housing. The connector outer housing is independently positionable between the first keyed position for end face polishing and the second keyed position for connector mating.

Claims

1. A fiber optic connector, comprising:

at least one ferrule assembly comprising at least one optical fiber ferrule defining an end face, the ferrule positionable between a first polishing position for polishing the end face and a second mating position for mating the fiber optic connector; and

a connector housing defining a key, wherein the at least one ferrule assembly defines a first key slot and a second key slot for engaging the key on the connector housing, and wherein the at least one ferrule assembly is movable between the first polishing position with the first key slot engaging the key and the second mating position with the second key slot engaging the key.

2. The fiber optic connector according to claim 1, further comprising a biasing member that engages a rear portion of the at least one ferrule and biases the ferrule outwardly from the fiber optic connector.

3. The fiber optic connector according to claim 1, comprising two ferrule assemblies each comprising at least one optical fiber ferrule defining an end face, each ferrule assembly being independently positionable relative to the other ferrule assembly between a first polishing position wherein the end faces of the ferrules are coplanar and a second mating position wherein the end faces of the ferrules are not coplanar.

4. The fiber optic connector according to claim 3, wherein the end faces of the ferrules are coplanar in the first polishing position for simultaneously polishing the end faces of the ferrules in a pre-assembled fiber optic connector.

5. The fiber optic connector according to claim 3, further comprising at least one connector inner housing defining at least one key, and where each ferrule assembly further comprises a connector outer housing defining a first key slot and a second key slot, and wherein each ferrule assembly is movable between the first polishing position with the first key slot of the respective connector outer housing engaging a key of the connector inner housing and the second mating position with the second key slot of the respective connector outer housing engaging a key of the connector inner housing.

6. The fiber optic connector according to claim 5, further comprising a biasing member that engages a rear portion of the at least one ferrule and biases the ferrule outwardly from the fiber optic connector.

7. The fiber optic connector according to claim 6, wherein each of the ferrule assemblies is moved between the first polishing position and the second mating position by pushing the ferrule assembly inwardly against the biasing member until the first key slot clears the key, moving the ferrule assembly between the first polishing position and the second mating position, and releasing the ferrule assembly such that the second key slot engages the key.

8. The fiber optic connector according to claim 1, further comprising a plug housing defining an internal cavity opening through opposed first and second ends for receiving the ferrule assembly, a flexible sealing boot, a coupling nut, a crimp body and a crimp band.

9. The fiber optic connector according to claim 1, wherein the ferrule assembly is rotatable about a longitudinal axis defied by the ferrule.

10. A fiber optic connector, comprising:

a connector housing; and

a pair of ferrule assemblies each being independently movable relative to the connector housing, each ferrule assembly comprising at last one ferrule defining an end face and a positionable ferrule holder define a first key slot for positioning the end face of the ferrule in a first polishing position and a second key slot for positioning the end face of the ferrule in a second mating position;

wherein the connector housing defines at least one key that is received within the first key slot in the first polishing position and the second key slot in the second mating position and operable for maintaining the ferrule assembly in the first polishing position and the second mating position.

11. The fiber optic connector according to claim 10, wherein the ferrules of the ferrule assemblies are selected from the group consisting of an SC angled-physical-contact (APC) ferrule and an LC angled-physical-contact (APC) ferrule.

12. The fiber optic connector according to claim 10, further comprising a biasing member that engages a rear portion of each ferrule assembly and biases each ferrule assembly outwardly from the connector housing, each biasing member being operable to permit the ferrule assembly to be pushed inwardly far enough to clear the key of the connector housing and thereby permit the ferrule holder to be moved relative to the connector housing.

13. The fiber optic connector according to claim 10, further comprising a plug housing defining an internal cavity opening through opposed first and second ends for receiving the ferrule assemblies and the connector housing, a flexible sealing boot, a coupling nut, a crimp body and a crimp band.

14. The fiber optic connector according to claim 10, wherein the first key slot and the second key slot of each ferrule holder are positioned about 90-degrees part.

15. A fiber optic connector, comprising:

a connector inner housing defining a key,

a connector outer housing defining a first key slot for positioning the connector outer housing in a first keyed position relative to the connector inner housing with the key engaging the first key slot and a second key slot for positioning the connector outer housing in a second keyed position relative to the connector inner housing with the key engaging the second key slot; and

a ferrule assembly disposed within the connector outer housing and comprising an optical fiber ferrule defining an end face and a ferrule holder.

16. The fiber optic connector according to claim 15, wherein the connector is a duplex connector comprising a pair of angled-physical-contact (APC) ferrules and wherein the end faces of the ferrules are aligned substantially coplanar in the first keyed position for simultaneous polishing, and wherein the end faces of the ferrules are aligned substantially parallel but not coplanar for mating in the second keyed position.

17. The fiber optic connector according to claim 15, further comprising a biasing element that engages a rear portion of the ferrule assembly to urge the ferrule outwardly from the fiber optic connector relative to the connector outer housing.

18. The fiber optic connector according to claim 15, further comprising a plug housing defining an internal cavity opening through opposed first and second ends for receiving the connector inner housing, the connector outer housing and the ferrule assembly, a flexible sealing boot, a coupling nut, a crimp body and a crimp band.

19. The fiber optic connector according to claim 15, wherein the connector outer housing is positionable between the first keyed position and the second keyed position by pulling the connector outer housing away from the connector inner housing, rotating the connector outer housing relative to the connector inner housing between the first keyed position and the second keyed position, pushing the connector outer housing back towards the connector inner housing and engaging the key in one of the first key slot and the second key slot.