Ruggedized fiber optic/electrical connection system

• US 8,894,300 B2
• Filed: 07/08/2013
• Issued: 11/25/2014
• Est. Priority Date: 02/04/2010
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: CommScope Technologies, LLC (CommScope Holding Company, Inc.)
• Original Assignee: ADC Telecommunications Incorporated (TE Connectivity Limited)
• Inventors: Smith, Trevor D., Lu, Yu
• Primary Examiner(s): Doan, Jennifer
• Application Number:
  US13/936,499
• Publication Number:
  US 20140023327A1
• Time in Patent Office: 505 Days
• Field of Search: 385/53, 385/76, 385/86, 385/87, 385/88, 385/89, 385/90, 385/92
• US Class Current: 385/86
• 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 6/3825 with an intermediate part, e.g. adapter, receptacle, linking two plugs
• CPC Class Codes: G02B 6/3874 using tubes, sleeves to align ferrules
• CPC Class Codes: G02B 6/3887 Anchoring optical cables to connector housings, e.g. strain relief features
• CPC Class Codes: G02B 6/3888 Protection from over-extension or over-compression
• CPC Class Codes: G02B 6/3894 Screw-lock type
• CPC Class Codes: G02B 6/3897 Connectors fixed to housings, casing, frames or circuit boards G02B6/44528 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: G02B 6/4293 hybrid electrical and optical connections for transmitting electrical and optical signals
• CPC Class Codes: G02B 6/4434 Central member to take up tensile loads

Abstract

A fiber optic and electrical connection system includes a fiber optic cable, a ruggedized fiber optic connector, a ruggedized fiber optic adapter, and a fiber optic enclosure. The cable includes one or more electrically conducting strength members. The connector, the adapter, and the enclosure each have one or more electrical conductors. The cable is terminated by the connector with the conductors of the connector in electrical communication with the strength members. The conductors of the connector electrically contact the conductors of the adapter when the connector and the adapter are mechanically connected. And, the conductors of the adapter electrically contact the conductors of the enclosure when the adapter is mounted on the enclosure.

Claims

1. A fiber optic and electrical connector comprising:

a connector housing with a first end adapted to receive at least one strength member of a telecommunications cable and a second opposite end with a plug portion;

a ferrule mounted to the plug portion and adapted to terminate at least one optical fiber of the telecommunications cable;

a pair of electrical contacts mounted to the plug portion and adapted to terminate a pair of electrical conductors of the telecommunications cable;

a coupling nut rotatably mounted around the connector housing; and

a sealing member mounted around the connector housing.

2. The fiber optic and electrical connector of claim 1, wherein the connector housing includes a monolithic structure that defines a ferrule mount that mounts the ferrule and a sealing surface that seals against the sealing member.

3. The fiber optic and electrical connector of claim 1, wherein the first end of the connector housing is adapted to receive a pair of the strength members.

4. The fiber optic and electrical connector of claim 3, wherein the pair of the strength members includes the pair of the electrical conductors.

5. The fiber optic and electrical connector of claim 4, wherein the pair of the strength members includes a glass reinforced plastic clad by a conductive material.

6. The fiber optic and electrical connector of claim 1, wherein the plug portion of the connector housing includes a first detent and a second detent, the first detent including a first one of the pair of the electrical contacts and the second detent including a second one of the pair of the electrical contacts.

7. The fiber optic and electrical connector of claim 6, wherein the first and the second detents of the plug portion face oppositely from each other.

8. The fiber optic and electrical connector of claim 1, wherein the ferrule defines a central longitudinal axis and the pair of the electrical contacts mounted to the plug portion of the connector housing face away from the central longitudinal axis.

9. The fiber optic and electrical connector of claim 1, wherein the connector housing includes at least one channel for receiving the at least one strength member of the telecommunications cable.

10. The fiber optic and electrical connector of claim 9, further comprising at least one electrical conductor member including a lug at least partially between the at least one strength member and a wall of the at least one channel, the lug electrically connecting the at least one electrical conductor member to the at least one strength member, wherein the at least one strength member includes one of the electrical conductors of the telecommunications cable.

11. The fiber optic and electrical connector of claim 10, wherein the lug is bonded to the strength member by an electrically conducting material.

12. A fiber optic and electrical connection system comprising:

a telecommunications cable including first and second electrical conductors, an optical fiber, and a cable jacket positioned around the first and the second electrical conductors and the optical fiber;

a fiber optic and electrical connector terminating an end of the telecommunications cable, the fiber optic and electrical connector including a connector housing with a first end for receiving the first and the second electrical conductors and a second opposite end with a plug portion, a ferrule mounted to the plug portion and terminating the optical fiber, a first electrical contact mounted to the plug portion and electrically connected with the first electrical conductor, and a second electrical contact mounted to the plug portion and electrically connected with the second electrical conductor; and

a fiber optic and electrical adapter including an adapter housing with a first end defining a first port and an opposite second end defining a second port, a ferrule sleeve within the adapter housing adapted to receive the ferrule, a third electrical contact included in the first port adapted to electrically connect to the first electrical contact, and a fourth electrical contact included in the first port adapted to electrically connect to the second electrical contact;

wherein the first port of the fiber optic and electrical adapter is configured to receive the plug portion of the fiber optic and electrical connector.

13. The fiber optic and electrical connection system of claim 12, further comprising an enclosure including an opening, a third electrical conductor, and a fourth electrical conductor, wherein when the fiber optic and electrical adapter is mounted to the enclosure through the opening, the first electrical conductor and the third electrical conductor are electrically connected and the second electrical conductor and the fourth electrical conductor are electrically connected.

14. The fiber optic and electrical connection system of claim 13, further comprising a second telecommunications cable, a second fiber optic and electrical connector, and a second fiber optic and electrical adapter, wherein the second telecommunications cable is terminated by the second fiber optic and electrical connector, wherein the enclosure includes a second opening that mounts the second fiber optic and electrical adapter, wherein an electrical connection is established between the telecommunications cable and the second telecommunications cable when the fiber optic and electrical connector is connected to the fiber optic and electrical adapter, the fiber optic and electrical adapter is mounted to the enclosure at the opening, the second fiber optic and electrical connector is connected to the second fiber optic and electrical adapter, and the second fiber optic and electrical adapter is mounted to the enclosure at the second opening.

15. The fiber optic and electrical connection system of claim 14, wherein the third and the fourth electrical conductors of the enclosure are both included on a circuit board of the enclosure, wherein the third and the fourth electrical conductors of the enclosure are part of the electrical connection between the telecommunications cable and the second telecommunications cable.

16. The fiber optic and electrical connection system of claim 12, wherein the fiber optic and electrical connector is a ruggedized fiber optic and electrical connector and includes a coupling nut rotatably mounted around the connector housing and a sealing member mounted around the connector housing and wherein the fiber optic and electrical adapter is a ruggedized fiber optic and electrical adapter and the first port includes a sealing surface that engages the sealing member of the ruggedized fiber optic and electrical connector when the ruggedized fiber optic and electrical connector is fully connected to the ruggedized fiber optic and electrical adapter and the first port also includes internal threads that threadingly receive external threads of the coupling nut.

17. The fiber optic and electrical connection system of claim 12, wherein the plug portion of the connector housing of the fiber optic and electrical connector includes a first detent positioned opposite from a second detent, wherein the first electrical contact is positioned within the first detent, and wherein the second electrical contact is positioned within the second detent.

18. A fiber optic and electrical adapter comprising:

an adapter housing with a first end defining a first port and an opposite second end defining a second port, the first port including internal threads;

a ferrule sleeve within the adapter housing adapted to receive a ferrule of a fiber optic connector,

a first electrical conductor including a first contact within the first port;

a second electrical conductor including a second contact within the first port;

wherein the first port of the fiber optic and electrical adapter is adapted to receive a plug portion of the fiber optic connector and wherein the internal threads of the first port are adapted to threadingly receive external threads of a coupling nut of the fiber optic connector.

19. The fiber optic and electrical adapter of claim 18, wherein the first electrical conductor further includes a third contact positioned outside the adapter housing and wherein the second electrical conductor further includes a fourth contact positioned outside the adapter housing.

20. The fiber optic and electrical adapter of claim 18, wherein the fiber optic connector is a fiber optic and electrical connector including a third contact and a fourth contact, wherein the first contact of the first electrical conductor electrically contacts the third contact of the fiber optic and electrical connector when the fiber optic and electrical connector is fully connected to the fiber optic and electrical adapter, and wherein the second contact of the second electrical conductor electrically contacts the fourth contact of the fiber optic and electrical connector when the fiber optic and electrical connector is fully connected to the fiber optic and electrical adapter.

21. The fiber optic and electrical adapter of claim 20, wherein the ferrule sleeve of the fiber optic and electrical adapter defines a central longitudinal axis, the first contact of the first electrical conductor is spring-loaded toward the central longitudinal axis, the second contact of the second electrical conductor is spring-loaded toward the central longitudinal axis, the first and the second contacts initially spread apart from each other upon insertion of the plug portion of the fiber optic and electrical connector into the first port, and the first contact presses into a first detent of the plug portion and the second contact presses into a second detent of the plug portion when the fiber optic and electrical connector is fully connected to the fiber optic and electrical adapter.

22. The fiber optic and electrical adapter of claim 18, wherein the adapter housing includes first and second slots between the first and the second ends of the adapter housing, the first and the second slots extending through a wall of the adapter housing between the first port and an exterior of the adapter housing, wherein the first electrical conductor is at least partially positioned within the first slot, and wherein the second electrical conductor is at least partially positioned within the second slot.

23. The fiber optic and electrical adapter of claim 18, wherein the first port includes a sealing surface adapted to seal with a sealing member of the fiber optic connector when the fiber optic connector is fully connected to the fiber optic and electrical adapter.

24. A fiber optic and electrical connector comprising:

a connector housing with a first end adapted to receive at least one strength member of a telecommunications cable and a second opposite end with a plug portion;

a ferrule mounted to the plug portion and adapted to terminate at least one optical fiber of the telecommunications cable;

a pair of electrical contacts mounted to the plug portion and adapted to terminate a pair of electrical conductors of the telecommunications cable; and

a rotatable coupler rotatably mounted around the connector housing.

25. The fiber optic and electrical connector of claim 24, wherein the first end of the connector housing is adapted to receive a pair of the strength members and wherein the pair of the strength members includes the pair of the electrical conductors.

26. The fiber optic and electrical connector of claim 25, wherein the pair of the strength members includes a glass reinforced plastic clad by a conductive material.

27. The fiber optic and electrical connector of claim 24, further comprising a sealing member mounted around the connector housing.

28. The fiber optic and electrical connector of claim 27, wherein the connector housing includes a monolithic structure that defines a ferrule mount that mounts the ferrule and a sealing surface that seals against the sealing member.

29. The fiber optic and electrical connector of claim 24, wherein the rotatable coupler is a coupling nut.

30. The fiber optic and electrical connector of claim 24, wherein the plug portion of the connector housing includes a first detent and a second detent, the first detent including a first one of the pair of the electrical contacts and the second detent including a second one of the pair of the electrical contacts.

31. The fiber optic and electrical connector of claim 24, wherein the connector housing includes at least one channel for receiving the at least one strength member of the telecommunications cable, wherein the fiber optic and electrical connector further comprises at least one electrical conductor member including a lug at least partially between the at least one strength member and a wall of the at least one channel, wherein the lug electrically connects the at least one electrical conductor member to the at least one strength member, and wherein the at least one strength member includes one of the electrical conductors of the telecommunications cable.

32. A fiber optic and electrical adapter comprising:

an adapter housing with a first end defining a first port and an opposite second end defining a second port, the first port including a coupling structure;

a ferrule sleeve within the adapter housing adapted to receive a ferrule of a fiber optic connector,

a first electrical conductor including a first contact within the first port;

a second electrical conductor including a second contact within the first port;

wherein the first port of the fiber optic and electrical adapter is adapted to receive a plug portion of the fiber optic connector and wherein the coupling structure of the first port is adapted to receive a rotatable coupler of the fiber optic connector.

33. The fiber optic and electrical adapter of claim 32, wherein the first electrical conductor further includes a third contact positioned outside the adapter housing and wherein the second electrical conductor further includes a fourth contact positioned outside the adapter housing.