Fiber optic drop cables and preconnectorized assemblies

• US 7,467,896 B2
• Filed: 10/31/2007
• Issued: 12/23/2008
• Est. Priority Date: 05/26/2000
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Corning Optical Communications LLC (Corning Incorporated)
• Original Assignee: Corning Cable Systems LLC (Corning Incorporated)
• Inventors: Gimblet, Michael J., Tran, Hieu V., Melton, Stuart R., Liu, Xin, Thompson, David A., Wagman, Richard S.
• Primary Examiner(s): Font; Frank G
• Assistant Examiner(s): WONG, ERIC K
• Application Number:
  US11/980,938
• Publication Number:
  US 20080080817A1
• Time in Patent Office: 419 Days
• Field of Search: 385/78, 385 80- 87
• US Class Current: 385/87
• CPC Class Codes: G02B 6/3816 for use under water, high pressure connectors provisionally see G02B6/4428
• 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 6/3873 Connectors using guide surfaces for aligning ferrule ends, e.g. tubes, sleeves, V-grooves, rods, pins, balls
• CPC Class Codes: G02B 6/3879 Linking of individual connector plugs to an overconnector, e.g. using clamps, clips, common housings comprising several individual connector plugs
• CPC Class Codes: G02B 6/3889 using encapsulation for protection, e.g. adhesive, molding or casting resin
• CPC Class Codes: G02B 6/3893 Push-pull type, e.g. snap-in, push-on
• CPC Class Codes: G02B 6/4429 Means specially adapted for strengthening or protecting the cables
• CPC Class Codes: G02B 6/4433 Double reinforcement laying in straight line with optical transmission element
• CPC Class Codes: G02B 6/4471 Terminating devices demountable connectors G02B6/3807; Cable clamps
• CPC Class Codes: G02B 6/44765 with means for strain-relieving to exterior cable layers

Abstract

A preconnectorized outdoor cable streamlines the deployment of optical waveguides into the last mile of an optical network. The preconnectorized outdoor cable includes a cable and at least one plug connector. The plug connector is attached to a first end of the cable, thereby connectorizing at least one optical waveguide. The cable has at least one optical waveguide, at least one tensile element, and a cable jacket. Various cable designs such as figure-eight or flat cables may be used with the plug connector. In preferred embodiments, the plug connector includes a crimp assembly having a crimp housing and a crimp band. The crimp housing has two half-shells being held together by the crimp band for securing the at least one tensile element. When fully assembled, the crimp housing fits into a shroud of the preconnectorized cable. The shroud aides in mating the preconnectorized cable with a complimentary receptacle.

Claims

1. A preconnectorized cable comprising:

a cable having at least two strength components, an optical waveguide, and a cable jacket, wherein the cable jacket generally surrounds the at least two strength components and the optical waveguide; and

at least one plug connector, the at least one plug connector being attached to an end of the cable, thereby connectorizing the optical waveguide, the at least one plug connector having a shroud with a first end and a second end, the shroud includes a first finger and a second finger for mating with a complementary receptacle, the first finger and the second finger are disposed about 180 degrees apart and have different cross-sectional shapes for keying the plug connector with the complementary receptacle, wherein the at least one plug connector includes a crimp housing and a connector assembly, wherein the crimp housing has at least two shells with a longitudinal passageway therethrough and at least one cable clamping portion between the at least two shells for securing the at least two strength components therebetween.

2. The preconnectorized cable of claim 1, further including a crimp band and the connector assembly further includes a connector housing, a spring, and a ferrule.

3. The preconnectorized cable of claim 1, wherein the connector assembly includes a connector housing and a ferrule and the crimp housing has a connector assembly clamping portion for securing a portion of the connector assembly.

4. The preconnectorized cable of claim 1, further comprising a heat shrink tube for weatherproofing the preconnectorized cable, the heat shrink tube being disposed about the second end of the shroud and a portion of the cable jacket.

5. The preconnectorized cable of claim 1, further comprising an O-ring disposed on the shroud for weatherproofing the at least one plug connector.

6. The preconnectorized cable of claim 1, the at least one plug connector has a protective cap.

7. The preconnectorized cable of claim 1, a plurality of the components of the at least one plug connector being formed from a UV stabilized material.

8. The preconnectorized cable of claim 1, a portion of the crimp housing is disposed within the shroud and the shroud has a keyed passageway for inhibiting rotation between the shroud and the crimp housing.

9. The preconnectorized cable of claim 1, further including a coupling nut for removably attaching the at least one plug connector.

10. The preconnectorized cable of claim 1, the cable further comprising at least one tensile strength member.

11. The preconnectorized cable of claim 1, the two strength components being a dielectric material.

12. The preconnectorized cable of claim 1, the cable further including a toning portion having a toning lobe connected by a web, wherein the web can be torn to separate the toning lobe.

13. The preconnectorized cable of claim 1, the at least two strength components being disposed on opposite side of the optical waveguide.

14. A preconnectorized cable, comprising:

a cable comprising;

an optical waveguide;

at least two strength components, the at least two strength components disposed on opposite sides of the optical waveguide; and

a cable jacket, the cable jacket generally surrounds the at least two strength components an the optical waveguide; and

at least one plug connector, the at least one plug connector being attached to an end of the cable, thereby connectorizing the optical waveguide, the at least one plug connector comprising;

a crimp, assembly, wherein the crimp assembly includes a crimp housing, wherein the crimp housing comprises at least two shells, the at least two shells having a longitudinal passageway for passing the at least one optical waveguide therethrough, at least one cable clamping portion, and a connector assembly clamping portion, wherein the at least one cable clamping portion secures the at least one strength component; and

a connector assembly, the connector assembly includes a connector body and a ferrule, wherein a portion of the connector body is secured in the connector assembly clamping portion of the at least two shells of the crimp housing.

15. The preconnectorized cable of claim 14, further comprising a shroud, wherein a portion of the crimp assembly is disposed within the shroud and the shroud has a keyed passageway for inhibiting rotation between the shroud and the crimp assembly.

16. The preconnectorized cable of claim 14, the crimp assembly further includes a crimp band for holding the at least two shells together.

17. The preconnectorized cable of claim 14, the at least one plug connector further comprising a shroud having a first end and a second end, and a coupling nut.

18. The preconnectorizing cable of claim 17, the shroud defining a pair of openings on opposite sides of the first end, the opening extending lengthwise from a medial portion of the shroud to the first end of the shroud, wherein the ferrule is accessible within the first and of the shroud.

19. The preconnectorized cable off claim 17, further comprising a heat shrink tube for weatherproofing the preconnectorized cable, the heat shrink tube being disposed about the second end of the shroud and a portion of the cable jacket.

20. The preconnectorized cable of claim 14, further comprising a shroud and an O-ring disposed on the shroud for weatherproofing the, at least one plug connector.

21. The preconnectorized cable of claim 14, the at least one plug connector further comprising a shroud, the shroud has a plurality of fingers for mating with a complementary receptacle, wherein at least two of the fingers have different cross-sectional shapes for keying the plug connector with the complementary receptacle.

22. The preconnectorized cable of claim 14, further comprising a heat shrink tube for weatherproofing the preconnectorized cable, the heat shrink tube being disposed over a portion of the at least one plug connector and a portion of the cable jacket.

23. The preconnectorized cable of claim 14, the at least one plug connector having a protective cap.

24. The preconnectorized cable of claim 14, further including a coupling nut for removably attaching the at least one plug connector.

25. The preconnectorized cable of claim 14, a plurality of the components of the at least one plug connector being formed from a UV stabilized material.

26. The preconnectorized cable of claim 14, the two strength components being a dielectric material.

27. The preconnectorized cable of claim 14, the cable further including a toning portion having a toning lobe connected by a web, wherein the web can be torn to separate the toning lobe.

28. A preconnectorized cable, comprising:

a cable including;

an optical waveguide;

at least one tensile element; and

a cable jacket; and

at least one plug connector, the at least one plug connector being attached to an end of the cable, thereby connectorizing an optical waveguide the at least one plug connector having a shroud with a first end and a second end, the shroud including a first finger and a second finger for mating with a complementary receptacle, wherein the first finger and the second finger are disposed about 180 degrees apart and have different profiles for keying the plug connector with the complementary receptacle, wherein the at least one plug connector includes a crimp assembly having a crimp housing comprising at least two shells, the at least two shells having a longitudinal passageway therethrough, at least one cable clamping portion, and a connector assembly clamping portion, and a connector assembly having a connector housing, a spring and a ferrule, the spring biasing the ferrule forward within the connector assembly, wherein the at least one cable clamping portion secures at least one tensile element of the cable and the connector assembly clamping portion secures a portion of the connector assembly.

29. The preconnectorized cable of claim 28, wherein the crimp assembly includes a crimp band for holding the two shells of the crimp housing together and secures the at least one tensile element.

30. The preconnectorized cable of claim 28, wherein the crimp assembly includes a crimp band for holding the two shells of the crimp housing together.

31. The preconnectorized cable of claim 28, further including a coupling nut.

32. The preconnectorized cable of claim 28, the shroud defining a pair of openings on opposite sides of the first end, the opening extending lengthwise from a medial portion of the shroud to the first end of the shroud, wherein the ferrule is accessible within the first end of the shroud.

33. The preconnectorized cable of claim 28, further comprising a heat shrink tube for weatherproofing the preconnectorized cable, the heat shrink tube being disposed about the second end of the shroud and a portion of the cable jacket.

34. The preconnectorized cable of claim 28, further comprising an O-ring disposed on the shroud for weatherproofing the at least one plug connector.

35. The preconnectorized cable of claim 28, further comprising a heat shrink tube for weatherproofing the preconnectorized cable, the heat shrink tube being disposed over a portion of the at least one plug connector and a portion of the cable jacket and an O-ring disposed on the shroud.

36. The preconnectorized cable of claim 28, the at least one plug connector having a protective cap.

37. The preconnectorized cable of claim 28, a plurality of the components of the at least one plug connector being formed from a UV stabilized material.