Optical fibre connector
First Claim
1. An optical fibre connector sub-assembly for an optical fibre connector, comprising an optical fibre, a cylindrical ferrule, a ferrule holder, a spring biasing means, and a ferrule holder carrier, wherein:
- the optical fibre is held within the ferrule along an axis of the ferrule, the optical fibre being terminated at an end face of the ferrule;
the ferrule is held by the ferrule holder;
the ferrule holder is engaged within a receiving portion of the ferrule holder carrier, said holder and carrier being relatively moveable with respect to each other along the ferrule axis between limits defined by an interaction between the ferrule holder carrier and the ferrule holder, a portion of the ferrule leading to said end face of the ferrule projecting along the ferrule axis away from the ferrule holder carrier;
the spring biasing means is provided between the ferrule holder and the ferrule holder carrier so that the projecting portion of the ferrule is spring biased along the ferrule axis away from the ferrule holder carrier;
the ferrule holder includes a base in which the ferrule is seated;
the ferrule holder base has a plurality of crenellations that extend circumferentially around the ferrule, the ferrule holder carrier having at least two separate arms that extend in an axial direction through the crenellations towards the ferrule, said arms including a movement limitation feature that interacts with the ferrule holder base to limit the relative movement of the ferrule holder and the ferrule holder carrier along one direction of movement along the ferrule axis.
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Accused Products
Abstract
The present invention relates to an optical fiber connector, and in particular to a Subscriber Connector (SC)-type push/pull optical fiber connector and to a method of forming and using such a connector. The SC-type optical fiber connector (101) is made up of an optical fiber (8), a cylindrical ferrule (14), a ferrule holder (16), a spring biasing means (17), a ferrule holder carrier (50), an inner housing (120), and an outer housing (40). The optical fiber (8) is held within the ferrule (14) and the ferrule (14) is held by the ferrule holder (16). The ferrule holder (16) is engaged within a receiving portion (54) of the ferrule holder carrier (50), said holder and carrier being relatively moveable with respect to each other along the ferrule axis (5) between limits defined by an interaction between the ferrule carrier (50) and the ferrule holder (16).
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Citations
21 Claims
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1. An optical fibre connector sub-assembly for an optical fibre connector, comprising an optical fibre, a cylindrical ferrule, a ferrule holder, a spring biasing means, and a ferrule holder carrier, wherein:
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the optical fibre is held within the ferrule along an axis of the ferrule, the optical fibre being terminated at an end face of the ferrule; the ferrule is held by the ferrule holder; the ferrule holder is engaged within a receiving portion of the ferrule holder carrier, said holder and carrier being relatively moveable with respect to each other along the ferrule axis between limits defined by an interaction between the ferrule holder carrier and the ferrule holder, a portion of the ferrule leading to said end face of the ferrule projecting along the ferrule axis away from the ferrule holder carrier; the spring biasing means is provided between the ferrule holder and the ferrule holder carrier so that the projecting portion of the ferrule is spring biased along the ferrule axis away from the ferrule holder carrier; the ferrule holder includes a base in which the ferrule is seated; the ferrule holder base has a plurality of crenellations that extend circumferentially around the ferrule, the ferrule holder carrier having at least two separate arms that extend in an axial direction through the crenellations towards the ferrule, said arms including a movement limitation feature that interacts with the ferrule holder base to limit the relative movement of the ferrule holder and the ferrule holder carrier along one direction of movement along the ferrule axis. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16)
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17. A Subscriber Connection (SC)-type optical fibre connector comprising an optical fibre, an optical fibre connector sub-assembly and assembled about the sub-assembly an inner and an outer housing, the inner and outer housings when assembled about the sub-assembly serving to provide SC-style push/pull engagement/disengagement with a mating optical fibre socket, the sub-assembly comprising:
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a ferrule having an end face at which said optical fibre is terminated; a ferrule holder, the ferrule being held within the ferrule holder and extending away from the ferrule holder towards said end face; a ferrule holder carrier, the ferrule holder being held within the ferrule holder carrier and said holder and carrier being relatively moveable with respect to each other in opposite directions along a ferrule axis between opposite limits of motion, each of said limits being defined by an interaction between the ferrule holder carrier and the ferrule holder such that the ferrule holder is retained within the ferrule holder carrier; a spring biasing means acting between the ferrule holder carrier and the ferrule holder and biasing the ferrule holder along the ferrule axis towards one of said limits; wherein; the sub-assembly is mechanically integral prior to assembly of the inner and outer housing about the sub-assembly; and radially outermost surfaces of the sub-assembly define a cylindrical envelope of the sub-assembly, the ferrule holder carrier having a groove in said envelope and the inner housing having a radially inwardly projecting feature for locating with said groove when the inner housing is assembled to the sub-assembly. - View Dependent Claims (18, 19)
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20. A SC-type optical fibre connector comprising an optical fibre, an optical fibre connector sub-assembly and assembled about the sub-assembly an inner and an outer housing, the inner and outer housings when assembled about the sub-assembly serving to provide SC-style push/pull engagement/disengagement with a mating optical fibre socket, the sub-assembly comprising:
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a ferrule having an end face at which said optical fibre is terminated; a ferrule holder, the ferrule being held within the ferrule holder and extending away from the ferrule holder towards said end face; a ferrule holder carrier, the ferrule holder being held within the ferrule holder carrier and said holder and carrier being relatively moveable with respect to each other along the ferrule axis between limits defined by an interaction between the ferrule holder carrier and the ferrule holder; a spring biasing means acting between the ferrule holder carrier and the ferrule holder and biasing the ferrule holder along the ferrule axis towards one of said limits; wherein; the sub-assembly is mechanically integral prior to assembly of the inner and outer housing about the sub-assembly; and radially outermost surfaces of the sub-assembly define a cylindrical envelope of the sub-assembly, the ferrule holder carrier having a groove in said envelope and the inner housing having a radially inwardly projecting feature for locating with said groove when the inner housing is assembled to the sub-assembly, in which; the ferrule is a cylindrical ferrule; the optical fibre is held within the ferrule along an axis of the ferrule; the ferrule holder is engaged within a receiving portion of the ferrule holder carrier, a portion of the ferrule leading to said end face of the ferrule projecting along the ferrule axis away from the ferrule holder carrier; the spring biasing means biases the projecting portion of the ferrule along the ferrule axis away from the ferrule holder carrier; the ferrule holder includes a base in which the ferrule is seated; the ferrule holder base has a plurality of crenellations that extend circumferentially around the ferrule, the ferrule holder carrier having at least two separate arms that extend in an axial direction through the crenellations towards the ferrule, said arms including a movement limitation feature that interacts with the ferrule holder base to limit the relative movement of the ferrule holder and the ferrule holder carrier along one direction of movement along the ferrule axis.
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21. A method of making an optical fibre connection using a Subscriber Connection (SC)-type optical fibre connector, the connector comprising an optical fibre, an optical fibre connector sub-assembly and assembled about the sub-assembly an inner and an outer housing, the inner housing having a radially inwardly projecting feature, the method comprising the steps of:
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terminating the optical fibre at an end face of a ferrule; using a ferrule holder to hold the ferrule so that the ferrule extends away from the ferrule holder towards said end face; engaging the ferrule holder within a receiving portion of a ferrule holder carrier and placing a spring biasing means between the ferrule holder and ferrule holder carrier to form said sub-assembly such that said holder and carrier are spring biased apart and relatively moveable with respect to each other in opposite directions along a ferrule axis between opposite limits of motion, each of said limits being defined by an interaction between the ferrule holder carrier and the ferrule such that the ferrule holder is retained within the ferrule holder carrier and such that radially outermost surfaces of said sub-assembly define a cylindrical envelope of said sub-assembly, the ferrule holder carrier having an axially extending groove in said envelope; inserting the optical fibre sub-assembly down a length of protective conduit; after said inserting, assembling the inner housing to said sub-assembly by engaging the inner housing to said sub-assembly while locating said radially inwardly projecting feature within said groove and then forming an SC-type optical fibre connector by engaging the outer housing around the inner housing, said inner and outer housings being movable relative to each other to provide SC-style push/pull engagement/disengagement functionality; and mating said SC-type optical fibre connector with a matching optical fibre socket.
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Specification