Fiber optic closure methods and apparatus

• US 7,753,596 B2
• Filed: 11/22/2005
• Issued: 07/13/2010
• Est. Priority Date: 11/22/2005
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Corning Optical Communications LLC (Corning Incorporated)
• Original Assignee: Corning Cable Systems LLC (Corning Incorporated)
• Inventors: Cox, Terry D.
• Primary Examiner(s): Le; Uyen-Chau N
• Assistant Examiner(s): Chu; Chris H
• Application Number:
  US11/285,130
• Publication Number:
  US 20070116413A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,694 Days
• Field of Search: 385/57, 385/135
• US Class Current: 385/57
• CPC Class Codes: G02B 6/3897 Connectors fixed to housings, casing, frames or circuit boards G02B6/44528 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: G02B 6/4441 Boxes
• CPC Class Codes: G02B 6/44465 Seals
• CPC Class Codes: G02B 6/44515 Fibre drop terminals with surplus length without surplus length G02B6/4472
• CPC Class Codes: G02B 6/44528 Patch-cords; Connector arrangements in the system or in the box routing arrangements H04Q1/00
• CPC Class Codes: G02B 6/475 Mechanical aspects of installing cables in ducts or the like for buildings

Abstract

A multiport includes a multiport housing top piece, and a multiport housing bottom piece welded to the housing top piece. Alternatively, a method for fabricating a multiport includes providing a multiport housing top piece, providing a multiport housing bottom piece, and welding the housing top piece to the housing bottom piece. Additionally, a method of fabricating a multiport housing piece includes providing a body, and welding a plurality of connector adapters to the body. Alternatively, an optical fiber connector closure includes a connector housing top piece, a connector housing bottom piece, and a strength seal positioned between the top piece and the bottom piece such that said connector closure has a burst test rating of about 5 to about 125 Pounds per Square Inch (PSI).

Claims

1. A fiber optic connector housing comprising:

a connector housing top piece;

a connector housing bottom piece, wherein the connector housing top piece and the connector housing bottom piece define an interior cavity, and wherein at least one optical fiber is contained within the interior cavity;

a plurality of ports attached to at least one of the connector housing top piece and the connector housing bottom piece; and

a strength seal placed between the connector housing top piece and the connector housing bottom piece, wherein at least one of the connector housing bottom piece and the connector housing top piece defines a groove and the other of the at least one of the connector housing bottom piece and the connector housing top piece defines a tongue adapted to extend at least partially within the groove, and wherein a top portion of the tongue has a rounded shoulder;

wherein the strength seal is adapted to attach the connector housing top piece to the connector housing bottom piece.

2. A connector housing in accordance with claim 1 wherein the strength seal comprises a resin including magnetically active material.

3. A connector housing in accordance with claim 2 wherein said housing bottom piece is fabricated from a first material and said housing top piece is fabricated from a second material different from the first material.

4. A connector housing in accordance with claim 2 wherein said housing bottom piece is fabricated from a first material and said housing top piece is also fabricated from the first material.

5. A connector housing in accordance with claim 1 wherein the strength seal is positioned between the tongue and the groove and the strength seal comprises a resin including magnetically active material.

6. A connector housing in accordance with claim 1 wherein the plurality of ports are attached to at least one of the connector housing top piece and the connector housing bottom piece.

7. A connector housing in accordance with claim 6 wherein the plurality of ports are welded with a resin including magnetically active material.

8. A connector housing in accordance with claim 1 wherein the plurality of ports are fabricated from a first material and at least one of the connector housing top piece and the connector housing bottom piece is fabricated from a second material different from the first material.

9. A connector housing in accordance with claim 1 wherein the plurality of ports are fabricated from a first material and at least one of the connector housing top piece and the connector housing bottom piece is also fabricated from the first material.

10. A connector housing in accordance with claim 1, further comprising a stub cable received by at least one of the connector housing top piece and the connector housing bottom piece, and wherein the plurality of ports are angled relative to the stub cable.

11. The fiber optic connector housing of claim 1, wherein the plurality of ports are co-injection molded with the housing top piece.

12. The fiber optic connector housing of claim 1, wherein the interior cavity is substantially free of adhesive, epoxy and/or gel.

13. A method for fabricating a fiber optic connector housing, said method comprising:

providing a connector housing top piece;

providing a connector housing bottom piece, wherein the connector housing top piece and the connector housing bottom piece define an interior cavity;

providing at least one optical fiber within the interior cavity having a slack storage space;

attaching a plurality of ports to at least one of the connector housing top piece and the connector housing bottom piece; and

welding the connector housing top piece to the connector housing bottom piece, wherein the connector housing top piece is welded to the connector housing bottom piece with a strength seal placed between the connector housing top piece and the connector housing bottom piece, and wherein at least one of the connector housing bottom piece and the connector housing top piece defines a groove and the other of the at least one of the connector housing bottom piece and the connector housing top piece defines a tongue adapted to extend at least partially within the groove, and wherein a top portion of the tongue has a rounded shoulder.

14. A method in accordance with claim 13 wherein welding the connector housing top piece to the connector housing bottom piece comprises:

providing a strength seal comprising a resin including a magnetically active material;

positioning the strength seal in contact with both the housing top piece and the housing bottom piece; and

introducing a radio frequency electromagnetic field to the strength seal while substantially simultaneously applying pressure to the housing top and housing bottom pieces toward each other.

15. A method in accordance with claim 13 wherein the housing top piece and the housing bottom piece are the same material.

16. A method in accordance with claim 15 wherein the housing top piece and the housing bottom piece are made from different material.

17. A method in accordance with claim 13 wherein attaching the plurality of ports further comprises welding the plurality of ports to at least one of the connector housing top piece and the connector housing bottom piece.

18. A method in accordance with claim 13 wherein welding the connector housing top piece to the connector housing bottom piece comprises positioning the strength seal between the connector housing top piece and the connector housing bottom piece, and wherein the strength seal defines at least one of a glue and an adhesive.

19. An optical fiber connector closure comprising:

a connector housing top piece;

a connector housing bottom piece, wherein the connector housing top piece and the connector housing bottom piece define an interior cavity, and wherein at least one optical fiber is contained within the interior cavity;

a plurality of ports attached to at least one of the connector housing top piece and the connector housing bottom piece; and

a strength seal positioned between said top piece and said bottom piece such that said connector closure has a burst test rating of about 5 to about 125 Pounds per Square Inch (PSI);

wherein the strength seal attaches the connector housing top piece to the connector housing bottom piece, and wherein at least one of the connector housing bottom piece and the connector housing top piece defines a groove and the other of the at least one of the connector housing bottom piece and the connector housing top piece defines a tongue adapted to extend at least partially within the groove, and wherein a top portion of the tongue has a rounded shoulder.

20. A closure in accordance with claim 19 wherein said strength seal is such that said connector closure has a burst test rating of about 5 to about 25 PSI.

21. A closure in accordance with claim 19 wherein said strength seal is such that said connector closure has a burst test rating of about 5 to about 15 PSI.

22. A closure in accordance with claim 21 wherein the plurality of ports are welded to at least one of the connector housing top piece and the connector housing bottom piece with a resin including magnetically active material.

23. A closure in accordance with claim 21 wherein said strength seal comprises a weld of thermoplastic material with embedded magnetically active particles.

24. The fiber optic connector housing of claim 19, wherein the plurality of ports are co-injection molded with the housing top piece.

25. A fiber optic connector housing comprising:

a connector housing top piece;

a connector housing bottom piece, wherein the connector housing top piece and the connector housing bottom piece interface at an interface area and define an interior cavity, and wherein at least one optical fiber is contained within the interior cavity;

a plurality of ports attached to at least one of the connector housing top piece and the connector housing bottom piece; and

a strength seal placed between the connector housing top piece and the connector housing bottom piece on at least a portion of the interface area, and wherein at least one of the connector housing bottom piece and the connector housing top piece defines a groove and the other of the at least one of the connector housing bottom piece and the connector housing top piece defines a tongue adapted to extend at least partially within the groove, and wherein a top portion of the tongue has a rounded shoulder;

wherein the strength seal attaches the connector housing top piece to the connector housing bottom piece on at least a portion of the interface area.

26. A connector housing in accordance with claim 25 wherein the strength seal is positioned between the tongue and the groove and the strength seal comprises a resin including magnetically active material.

27. A method for fabricating a fiber optic connector housing, said method comprising:

providing a connector housing top piece;

providing a connector housing bottom piece, wherein the connector housing top piece and the connector housing bottom piece interface at an interface area to define an interior cavity;

providing at least one optical fiber within the interior cavity;

attaching a plurality of ports to at least one of the connector housing top piece and the connector housing bottom piece; and

welding the connector housing top piece to the connector housing bottom piece on at least a portion of the interface area, and wherein at least one of the connector housing bottom piece and the connector housing top piece defines a groove and the other of the at least one of the connector housing bottom piece and the connector housing top piece defines a tongue adapted to extend at least partially within the groove, and wherein a top portion of the tongue has a rounded shoulder.

28. The method in accordance with claim 27 wherein welding the connector housing top piece to the connector housing bottom piece uses a strength seal placed between the connector housing top piece and the connector housing bottom piece.

29. A method in accordance with claim 28 wherein the strength seal defines at least one of a glue and an adhesive.

30. The method in accordance with claim 27 wherein welding the connector housing top piece to the connector housing bottom piece comprises:

providing a strength seal comprising a resin including a magnetically active material;

positioning the strength seal in contact with both the housing top piece and the housing bottom piece on at least a portion of the interface area; and

introducing a radio frequency electromagnetic field to the strength seal while substantially simultaneously applying pressure to the housing top and housing bottom pieces toward each other.