Internal harnessing members and method for bend control of optical fibers in connector assemblies

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-10162129-B2
Application number	US-201715639499-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Jun 30, 2017
Priority date	Aug 19, 2016
Publication date	Dec 25, 2018
Grant date	Dec 25, 2018

Abstract

Advantageous optical fiber harnessing members for connector assemblies and related methods of use are provided. The present disclosure provides improved harnessing members configured to provide bend control of optical fibers in connector assemblies, and related methods of use. More particularly, the present disclosure provides advantageous systems/methods for the design and use of internal harnessing members configured to provide bend control of optical fibers in duplex or quad uniboot connector assemblies. Disclosed herein are advantageous harnessing members providing bend control of optical fibers in connector assemblies (e.g., duplex or quad uniboot connector assemblies), thereby allowing optical fiber cable (e.g., light-construction cable, such as coated fiber with a 250 μm diameter) to be successfully and reliably deployed in such connector assemblies.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. A connector assembly comprising:
a housing having an internal region that extends from a first end to a second end and includes a first sidewall and a second sidewall, the first end of the internal region connected to a cable channel and the second end of the internal region connected to a first ferrule channel and to a second ferrule channel;
a cable positioned within the cable channel;
a first ferrule positioned within the first ferrule channel and a second ferrule positioned within the second ferrule channel;
a first optical fiber extending from the cable to the first ferrule, and a second optical fiber extending from the cable to the second ferrule;
a first harnessing member disposed in the internal region and positioned proximal to the first sidewall, the first end and the cable channel, the first harnessing member including a first curved surface;
a second harnessing member disposed in the internal region and positioned proximal to the second sidewall, the first end and the cable channel, the second harnessing member including a second curved surface;
a third harnessing member disposed in the internal region and positioned proximal to the second end, the third harnessing member including a third curved surface, the third curved surface of the third harnessing member positioned and only extending proximal to the second end of the internal region;
wherein the first curved surface of the first harnessing member extends from a position proximal to the first sidewall to a position proximal to the cable channel, the first curved surface of the first harnessing member positioned and only extending proximal to the first end of the internal region;
wherein the second curved surface of the second harnessing member extends from a position proximal to the second sidewall to a position proximal to the cable channel, the second curved surface of the second harnessing member positioned and only extending proximal to the first end of the internal region;
wherein when the first optical fiber extends from the cable to the first ferrule (i) the first optical fiber engages and abuts against the first curved surface of the first harnessing member only at the first end of the internal region, (ii) and the first optical fiber engages and abuts against the third curved surface of the third harnessing member only at the second end of the internal region, and (iii) the first optical fiber can extend and engage the first sidewall after extending from the first curved surface of the first harnessing member to the first ferrule, thereby allowing the first optical fiber a range of motion out to the first sidewall from the first harnessing member to the first ferrule;
wherein when the second optical fiber extends from the cable to the second ferrule (i) the second optical fiber engages and abuts against the second curved surface of the second harnessing member only at the first end of the internal region, (ii) and the second optical fiber engages and abuts against the third curved surface of the third harnessing member only at the second end of the internal region, and (iii) the second optical fiber can extend and engage the second sidewall after extending from the second curved surface of the second harnessing member to the second ferrule, thereby allowing the second optical fiber a range of motion out to the second sidewall from the second harnessing member to the second ferrule.

2. The assembly of claim 1 , wherein the housing includes a first housing member and a second housing member defining and enclosing the internal region, the housing defining an LC type uniboot housing; and
wherein the cable is a two-fiber cable.

3. The assembly of claim 1 , wherein the first and second sidewalls extend perpendicular from a base wall of the internal region;
wherein the first, second and third harnessing members extend and protrude from the base wall of the internal region; and
wherein the first, second and third curved surfaces extend and protrude from the base wall of the internal region.

4. The assembly of claim 1 , wherein the first and second curved surfaces are quadrant shaped surfaces; and
wherein the third curved surface is a semi-circle shaped surface.

5. The assembly of claim 1 , wherein the third curved surface extends from a position proximal to the first ferrule to a position proximal to the second ferrule.

6. The assembly of claim 1 , wherein the first, second and third harnessing members extend and protrude from an insert wall of an insert member, the insert member configured and dimensioned to be disposed and secured within the internal region of the housing.

7. A method for fabricating a connector assembly comprising:
providing a housing having an internal region that extends from a first end to a second end and includes a first sidewall and a second sidewall, the first end of the internal region connected to a cable channel and the second end of the internal region connected to a first ferrule channel and to a second ferrule channel;
positioning a cable within the cable channel;
positioning a first ferrule within the first ferrule channel;
positioning a second ferrule within the second ferrule channel;
extending a first optical fiber from the cable to the first ferrule;
extending a second optical fiber from the cable to the second ferrule;
disposing and positioning a first harnessing member in the internal region proximal to the first sidewall, the first end and the cable channel, the first harnessing member including a first curved surface;
disposing and positioning a second harnessing member in the internal region proximal to the second sidewall, the first end and the cable channel, the second harnessing member including a second curved surface;
disposing and positioning a third harnessing member in the internal region proximal to the second end, the third harnessing member including a third curved surface, the third curved surface of the third harnessing member positioned and only extending proximal to the second end of the internal region;
wherein the first curved surface of the first harnessing member extends from a position proximal to the first sidewall to a position proximal to the cable channel, the first curved surface of the first harnessing member positioned and only extending proximal to the first end of the internal region;
wherein the second curved surface of the second harnessing member extends from a position proximal to the second sidewall to a position proximal to the cable channel, the second curved surface of the second harnessing member positioned and only extending proximal to the first end of the internal region;
wherein when the first optical fiber extends from the cable to the first ferrule (i) the first optical fiber engages and abuts against the first curved surface of the first harnessing member only at the first end of the internal region, (ii) and the first optical fiber engages and abuts against the third curved surface of the third harnessing member only at the second end of the internal region, and (iii) the first optical fiber can extend and engage the first sidewall after extending from the first curved surface of the first harnessing member to the first ferrule, thereby allowing the first optical fiber a range of motion out to the first sidewall from the first harnessing member to the first ferrule;
wherein when the second optical fiber extends from the cable to the second ferrule (i) the second optical fiber engages and abuts against the second curved surface of the second harnessing member only at the first end of the internal region, (ii) and the second optical fiber engages and abuts against the third curved surface of the third harnessing member only at the second end of the internal region, and (iii) the

Assignees

• Ortronics Inc

Inventors

• Smith Daniel M
• Grandidge Ryan J
• Lucy James
• Richard Alex
• Harris Randy L

Classifications

• G02B6/3878

  comprising a plurality of ferrules, branching and break-out means · CPC title

• G02B6/3885 Primary

  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) · CPC title

• G02B6/3887

  Anchoring optical cables to connector housings, e.g. strain relief features · CPC title

• G02B6/38875 Primary

  Protection from bending or twisting · CPC title

• G02B6/3879

  Linking of individual connector plugs to an overconnector, e.g. using clamps, clips, common housings comprising several individual connector plugs · CPC title