Optical connector and ferrule adhesion system including adhesive composition, and related methods

• US 9,568,686 B2
• Filed: 01/13/2014
• Issued: 02/14/2017
• Est. Priority Date: 10/15/2012
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Corning Optical Communications LLC (Corning Incorporated)
• Original Assignee: Corning Optical Communications LLC (Corning Incorporated)
• Inventors: Fewkes, Edward John, Krug, John Paul, Liu, Ziwei
• Primary Examiner(s): Bedtelyon, John M
• Application Number:
  US14/153,503
• Publication Number:
  US 20150098679A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,128 Days
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: B29D 11/00673 Supports for light guides
• CPC Class Codes: F16B 11/006 by gluing gluing of plastics material B29C65/48
• CPC Class Codes: G02B 6/3861 Adhesive bonding adhesives in general C09J
• CPC Class Codes: G02B 6/3865 fabricated by using moulding techniques shaping techniques of plastic materials in general B29C; producing plastic optical fiber connectors B29D11/0075
• CPC Class Codes: G02B 6/3885 Multicore or multichannel optical connectors, i.e. one single ferrule containing more than one fibre, e.g. ribbon type optical ribbon cable G02B6/4403, G02B6/448

Abstract

An optical connector for terminating an optical fiber includes a ferrule, an optical fiber, and an adhesive composition disposed within a fiber-receiving passage of the ferrule. The adhesive composition, which is in contact with the inner surface of the ferrule and the optical fiber, includes a partially cross-linked resin that is a polymer and a coupling agent that chemically bonds the partially cross-linked resin to an inorganic surface of at least one of the optical fiber and the ferrule.

Claims

1. A ferrule adhesion system for use in an optical connector for terminating an optical fiber, the ferrule adhesion system comprising:

a ferrule comprising a fiber-receiving passage defining an inner surface; and

an adhesive composition, wherein;

the adhesive composition is disposed in the fiber-receiving passage of the ferrule and in contact with the inner surface of the ferrule;

the adhesive composition comprises a partially cross-linkable resin and a coupling agent;

the adhesive composition is a solid material without securing an optical fiber in the fiber-receiving passage of the ferrule; and

the coupling agent of the adhesive composition is configured to chemically bond the partially cross-linked resin to an inorganic surface of at least one of the optical fiber and the ferrule when the adhesive composition is heated.

2. The ferrule adhesion system of claim 1, wherein the partially cross-linkable resin has no functional groups which can react with inorganic surfaces.

3. The ferrule adhesion system of claim 1, wherein the partially cross-linkable resin has a melting point of at least about 250°

C.

4. The ferrule adhesion system of claim 1, wherein the partially cross-linkable resin is configured to cross-link in the presence of air at temperatures of at least 300°

C.

5. The ferrule adhesion system of claim 1, wherein the coupling agent is a silane coupling agent.

6. The ferrule adhesion system of claim 1, wherein the adhesive composition is a solid powder material packed into the fiber-receiving passage of the ferrule.

7. The ferrule adhesion system of claim 6, wherein the adhesive composition is a solid powder material as a result of a pre-reaction of the coupling agent with the partially cross-linkable resin in a mixture of the coupling agent and an organic solvent.

8. The ferrule adhesion system of claim 1, wherein the coupling agent of the adhesive composition comprises at least one of an alkoxysilane, an oxime silane, an acetoxy silane, a zirconate, a titanate, a silane with an epoxy ring on one end and trimethoxy functional group at the other end, or combinations thereof.

9. The ferrule adhesion system of claim 8, wherein the partially cross-linked resin is one chemical species selected from the group consisting of a poly(phenylene oxide), a polyamide-imide, a liquid crystal polymer, a polyether ether ketone, a cyclic olefin copolymer, or combinations thereof.

10. The ferrule adhesion system of claim 8, wherein the partially cross-linked resin is poly(phenylene sulfide).

11. The ferrule adhesion system of claim 10, wherein the coupling agent is a silane coupling agent.

12. The ferrule adhesion system of claim 1, wherein the adhesive composition is a solid powder material as a result of a pre-reaction of the coupling agent with the partially cross-linkable resin in a mixture of the coupling agent and an organic solvent.