Ruggedized fiber optic/electrical connection system

• US 9,104,001 B2
• Filed: 11/24/2014
• Issued: 08/11/2015
• Est. Priority Date: 12/11/2007
• 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:
  US14/552,210
• Publication Number:
  US 20150153527A1
• Time in Patent Office: 260 Days
• Field of Search: 385/53, 385/76, 385/86, 385/87, 385/88, 385/89, 385/90, 385/92
• US Class Current: 1/1
• 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 adapted to sealingly engage a fiber optic and electrical adapter, the fiber optic and electrical connector comprising:

a sealing member adapted to seal against the fiber optic and electrical adapter;

a connector housing member 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, the plug portion including a sealing surface that seals against the sealing member, the connector housing member including a pair of pathways that extends within the connector housing member;

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

a pair of electrical conductors that includes a respective pair of electrical contacts, the pair of electrical contacts mounted to the plug portion, the pair of electrical conductors adapted to terminate a respective pair of conducting members of the telecommunications cable, and the pair of electrical conductors routed through the pair of pathways, respectively.

2. The fiber optic and electrical connector of claim 1, wherein the sealing surface is included in an annular sealing grove of the plug portion, wherein the sealing member is an O-ring seal, and wherein the O-ring seal is mounted in the annular sealing grove.

3. The fiber optic and electrical connector of claim 1, wherein the pair of pathways distally emerge at a pair of detents of the plug portion.

4. The fiber optic and electrical connector of claim 1, wherein the pair of pathways proximally emerge adjacent an attachment feature of the connector housing member, the attachment feature adapted to secure, at least in part, the at least one strength member to the connector housing member.

5. The fiber optic and electrical connector of claim 1, wherein the pair of electrical contacts face outwardly away from a central longitudinal axis of the connector housing member.

6. The fiber optic and electrical connector of claim 1, wherein the pair of electrical contacts face outwardly away from each other and are positioned opposite each other about the plug portion of the connector housing member.

7. The fiber optic and electrical connector of claim 1, wherein the connector housing member is monolithic.

8. The fiber optic and electrical connector of claim 1, further comprising a coupling member adapted to mechanically couple the fiber optic and electrical connector to the fiber optic and electrical adapter.

9. The fiber optic and electrical connector of claim 8, wherein the coupling member is a rotatable coupling member.

10. The fiber optic and electrical connector of claim 1, further comprising:

a crimp band positioned around the connector housing member, the crimp band securing, at least in part, the at least one strength member to the connector housing member; and

a second sealing member positioned around the connector housing member, the second sealing member sealing the crimp band to a second sealing surface of the connector housing member;

wherein the sealing member is a first sealing member and the sealing surface is a first sealing surface.

11. The fiber optic and electrical connector of claim 10, wherein the pair of pathways distally emerge at the plug portion, wherein the pair of pathways proximally emerge adjacent an attachment feature of the connector housing member, and wherein the pair of pathways is positioned within the first sealing surface and the second sealing surface.

12. A fiber optic and electrical connector adapted to sealingly engage a fiber optic and electrical adapter, the fiber optic and electrical connector comprising:

a sealing member adapted to seal against the fiber optic and electrical adapter;

a connector housing including a pair of receivers at a first end of the connector housing, the pair of receivers adapted to receive a corresponding pair of conducting members of a telecommunications cable, the connector housing including a plug portion at a second end of the connector housing, the plug portion including a sealing surface that seals against the sealing member, the connector housing including a pair of pathways aligned with the pair of receivers;

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

a pair of electrical conductors that includes a respective pair of electrical contacts, the pair of electrical contacts mounted to the plug portion, the pair of electrical conductors adapted to terminate the pair of conducting members of the telecommunications cable, and the pair of electrical conductors routed through the pair of pathways, respectively.

13. The fiber optic and electrical connector of claim 12, wherein a pair of strength members of the telecommunications cable includes the pair of conducting members, respectively.

14. The fiber optic and electrical connector of claim 12, wherein the pair of pathways extends substantially parallel to a central longitudinal axis of the connector housing.

15. The fiber optic and electrical connector of claim 12, wherein the pair of pathways distally emerge at a pair of detents of the plug portion.

16. The fiber optic and electrical connector of claim 13, wherein the pair of pathways proximally emerge adjacent the pair of receivers of the connector housing and the pair of receivers are adapted to secure, at least in part, the pair of strength members of the telecommunications cable to the connector housing.

17. The fiber optic and electrical connector of claim 13, further comprising:

a crimp band positioned around the connector housing, the crimp band securing, at least in part, the pair of strength members of the telecommunications cable to the connector housing; and

a second sealing member positioned around the connector housing, the second sealing member sealing the crimp band to a second sealing surface of the connector housing;

wherein the sealing member is a first sealing member and the sealing surface is a first sealing surface.

18. The fiber optic and electrical connector of claim 17, wherein the pair of pathways distally emerge at the plug portion, wherein the pair of pathways proximally emerge adjacent the pair of receivers of the connector housing, and wherein the pair of pathways is positioned within the first sealing surface and the second sealing surface.

19. A fiber optic and electrical connector adapted to sealingly engage a fiber optic and electrical adapter, the fiber optic and electrical connector comprising:

a connector housing with a first end adapted to receive at least one conducting member of a telecommunications cable and a second opposite end with a plug portion, the connector housing including a first sealing surface at the plug portion and a second sealing surface positioned between the first sealing surface and the first end of the connector housing;

a band positioned around the connector housing, the band adapted to seal, at least in part, the first end of the connector housing to the telecommunications cable;

a first sealing member adapted to seal the first sealing surface at the plug portion to the fiber optic and electrical adapter;

a second sealing member sealing the second sealing surface of the connector housing to the band;

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

at least one electrical conductor that includes an electrical contact, the electrical contact mounted to the plug portion, the at least one electrical conductor adapted to terminate the at least one conducting member of the telecommunications cable.

20. The fiber optic and electrical connector of claim 19, wherein:

the band is a crimp band;

the connector housing includes at least one pathway that extends within the connector housing, is positioned within the first sealing surface and the second sealing surface, and is at least partially positioned within the band; and

the at least one electrical conductor is routed through the pathway.