Ruggedized fiber optic/electrical connector

• US 9,459,411 B2
• Filed: 08/10/2015
• Issued: 10/04/2016
• Est. Priority Date: 12/11/2007
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: CommScope Technologies, LLC (CommScope Holding Company, Inc.)
• Original Assignee: CommScope Technologies, LLC (CommScope Holding Company, Inc.)
• Inventors: Smith, Trevor D., Lu, Yu
• Primary Examiner(s): Doan, Jennifer
• Application Number:
  US14/822,170
• Publication Number:
  US 20160041342A1
• Time in Patent Office: 421 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 ruggedized fiber optic/electrical connector configured to terminate a fiber optic/electrical cable, the ruggedized fiber optic/electrical connector comprising:

a connector housing that extends between a proximal end and a distal end along a central longitudinal axis, the connector housing including;

a plug portion at the distal end of the connector housing, the plug portion configured for insertion into a port of a fiber optic/electrical adapter, the plug portion including a first sealing surface configured to form a first seal between the ruggedized fiber optic/electrical connector and the fiber optic/electrical adapter;

a coupler engaging portion;

a cable connecting portion at the proximal end of the connector housing, the cable connecting portion configured to mechanically connect to the fiber optic/electrical cable;

a central passage defined through at least an interior of the plug portion; and

a pair of pathways that extend at least partially within the connector housing, the pair of pathways configured to at least partially position a pair of electrical conductors within the connector housing, respectively;

a ferrule mounted to the plug portion of the connector housing and at least partially within the central passage of the connector housing, the ferrule configured to terminate at least one optical fiber of the fiber optic/electrical cable; and

a rotatable coupler rotatably mounted around the connector housing, the rotatable coupler configured to engage the coupler engaging portion of the connector housing and thereby mechanically connect the ruggedized fiber optic/electrical connector to the fiber optic/electrical adapter.

2. The ruggedized fiber optic/electrical connector of claim 1, further comprising a first seal mounted on the first sealing surface of the plug portion.

3. The ruggedized fiber optic/electrical connector of claim 1, wherein the coupler engaging portion includes a circumferential shoulder and wherein the rotatable coupler is a coupling nut that abuts the circumferential shoulder.

4. The ruggedized fiber optic/electrical connector of claim 3, wherein the coupling nut includes external threads configured to be threadingly received by internal threads of the port of the fiber optic/electrical adapter.

5. The ruggedized fiber optic/electrical connector of claim 1, wherein the pair of pathways extend separately from the central passage.

6. The ruggedized fiber optic/electrical connector of claim 1, wherein the pair of pathways extend within an interior of the rotatable coupler.

7. The ruggedized fiber optic/electrical connector of claim 1, wherein the pair of pathways extend within a circumference of the first seal.

8. The ruggedized fiber optic/electrical connector of claim 1, further comprising the pair of electrical conductors, wherein the pair of electrical conductors are configured to electrically connect to a pair of cable conductors of the fiber optic/electrical cable, respectively, and thereby electrically connect the fiber optic/electrical cable to the plug portion.

9. The ruggedized fiber optic/electrical connector of claim 8, wherein the plug portion further includes a pair of detents, wherein the pair of pathways emerge at the pair of detents, respectively, and wherein the pair of electrical conductors includes a pair of contacts exposed at the pair of detents, respectively.

10. The ruggedized fiber optic/electrical connector of claim 9, wherein the pair of contacts are positioned opposite each other about the ferrule.

11. The ruggedized fiber optic/electrical connector of claim 1, further comprising the pair of electrical conductors, wherein the cable connecting portion of the connector housing is further adapted to mechanically connect to strength members of the fiber optic/electrical cable.

12. The ruggedized fiber optic/electrical connector of claim 11, wherein the strength members of the fiber optic/electrical cable include a pair of electrically conductive members and wherein the pair of electrical conductors are configured to electrically connect to the pair of electrically conductive members, respectively, and thereby electrically connect the fiber optic/electrical cable to the plug portion.

13. The ruggedized fiber optic/electrical connector of claim 1, wherein the plug portion, the coupler engaging portion, and at least part of the cable connecting portion of the connector housing are included on a single monolithic piece of the connector housing.

14. The ruggedized fiber optic/electrical connector of claim 13, further comprising a band spaced proximally from the first sealing surface of the plug portion and positioned at least partially over the cable connecting portion of the connector housing, wherein the single monolithic piece of the connector housing further includes a second sealing surface configured to form a second seal between the band and the connector housing.

15. The ruggedized fiber optic/electrical connector of claim 14, further comprising a boot mounted over the proximal end of the connector housing, wherein the boot is adapted to form a third seal between the band and a jacket of the fiber optic/electrical cable.

16. A ruggedized fiber optic/electrical connector and cable assembly comprising:

a fiber optic/electrical cable including at least one optical fiber and a pair of electrically conductive strength members;

a connector housing that extends between a proximal end and a distal end along a central longitudinal axis, the connector housing including;

a plug portion at the distal end of the connector housing, the plug portion configured for insertion into a port of a fiber optic/electrical adapter, the plug portion including a sealing surface configured to form a seal between the plug portion and the fiber optic/electrical adapter;

a cable connecting portion at the proximal end of the connector housing, the cable connecting portion mechanically connected to the pair of electrically conductive strength members of the fiber optic/electrical cable; and

a pair of pathways that extends parallel to the central longitudinal axis between the plug portion and the cable connecting portion of the connector housing, the pair of pathways axially aligned with an adjacent portion of the pair of electrically conductive strength members, respectively; and

a ferrule mounted to the plug portion of the connector housing, the ferrule terminating the at least one optical fiber of the fiber optic/electrical cable.

17. The ruggedized fiber optic/electrical connector and cable assembly of claim 16, further comprising a rotatable coupler rotatably mounted around the connector housing, the rotatable coupler configured to engage a coupler engaging portion of the connector housing and thereby mechanically connect the ruggedized fiber optic/electrical connector and cable assembly to the fiber optic/electrical adapter.

18. The ruggedized fiber optic/electrical connector and cable assembly of claim 16, further comprising a pair of electrical conductors positioned within the pair of pathways, respectively, wherein the pair of electrical conductors are electrically connected to the pair of electrically conductive strength members of the fiber optic/electrical cable, respectively, and thereby electrically connect the fiber optic/electrical cable to the plug portion.

19. The ruggedized fiber optic/electrical connector and cable assembly of claim 18, wherein the plug portion further includes a pair of detents, wherein the pair of pathways emerge at the pair of detents, respectively, and wherein the pair of electrical conductors includes a pair of contacts exposed at the pair of detents, respectively.

20. A fiber optic/electrical connector and cable assembly comprising:

a fiber optic/electrical cable including at least one optical fiber and a first pair of electrical conductors;

a connector housing that extends between a proximal end and a distal end along a central longitudinal axis, the connector housing including;

a plug portion at the distal end of the connector housing, the plug portion configured for insertion into a port of a fiber optic/electrical adapter;

a cable connecting portion at the proximal end of the connector housing, the cable connecting portion mechanically connected to the fiber optic/electrical cable;

a central passage defined through at least an interior of the plug portion; and

a pair of pathways extending at least partially within the connector housing, the pair of pathways positioning a second pair of electrical conductors within the connector housing, respectively, the first pair of electrical conductors electrically connected to the second pair of electrical conductors at a pair of lugs respectively; and

a ferrule mounted to the plug portion of the connector housing and at least partially within the central passage of the connector housing, the ferrule terminating the at least one optical fiber of the fiber optic/electrical cable.

21. A fiber optic/electrical connector configured to terminate a fiber optic/electrical cable, the fiber optic/electrical connector comprising:

a connector housing that extends between a proximal end and a distal end along a central longitudinal axis, the connector housing including;

a plug portion configured for insertion into a port of a fiber optic/electrical adapter;

a mechanical cable connecting portion configured to mechanically connect to the fiber optic/electrical cable at the proximal end of the connector housing; and

a central passage defined through at least an interior of the plug portion;

a ferrule mounted to the plug portion of the connector housing and at least partially within the central passage of the connector housing, the ferrule configured to terminate at least one optical fiber of the fiber optic/electrical cable; and

at least one electrical contact mounted to the connector housing, the at least one electrical contact configured to terminate at least one electrical conductor of the fiber optic/electrical cable.

22. The fiber optic/electrical connector of claim 21, wherein the plug portion includes a sealing surface at the distal end of the connector housing, wherein the at least one electrical contact includes a pair of electrical contacts, wherein the plug portion further includes a pair of detents that expose the pair of electrical contacts, and wherein the mechanical cable connecting portion of the connector housing is further configured to mechanically connect to strength members of the fiber optic/electrical cable.