End face cleaning gel for hardened multi-fiber optical connectors; and methods

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-10877223-B2
Application number	US-201716329481-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Aug 25, 2017
Priority date	Sep 1, 2016
Publication date	Dec 29, 2020
Grant date	Dec 29, 2020

Abstract

Aspects and techniques of the present disclosure relates generally to incorporating an index matching gel within a HMFOC such that as the HMFOC is mated, fiber tips protruding from multi-fiber ferrules of the HMFOC pass through the indexing matching gel to remove contaminates therefrom. The present disclosure also relates to a method of removing contaminates from optical fibers upon mating a hardened multi-fiber optical connector (HMFOC) with another HMFOC.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. A multi-fiber optical connector assembly comprising:
a fiber optic cable terminated by a fiber optic connector arrangement, the fiber optic connector arrangement including:
first and second hardened multi-fiber optic connectors each having a connector housing, the connector housing of the first and second hardened multi-fiber optic connectors each having an end defining a plug portion;
a multi-fiber ferrule assembly respectively mounted at least partially within the connector housing of the first and second hardened multi-fiber optic connectors, the multi-fiber ferrule assembly including a multi-fiber ferrule located at respective plug portions of the connector housing of the first and second hardened multi-fiber optic connectors, each multi-fiber ferrule having an end face defining a plurality of fiber openings arranged in a central region of the end face, wherein first and second alignment structures are disposed at opposite sides of the central region, the multi-fiber ferrule of the first and second hardened multi-fiber optic connectors each holding a plurality of optical fibers, the plurality of optical fibers having fiber tips that protrude from respective fiber openings defined by the end face;
a main sleeve body mounted over a rear portion of the multi-fiber ferrule assembly of at least one of the first and second hardened multi-fiber optic connectors;
a fastener mounted over the main sleeve body for securing the first hardened multi-fiber optic connector to the second hardened fiber optic connector; and
a gel positioned at the end face of the multi-fiber ferrule of at least one of the first and second hardened multi-fiber optic connectors, the gel covering the fiber tips such that the fiber tips are embedded in the gel between the first and second alignment structures;

wherein the fiber tips of the plurality of optical fibers pass through the gel as the first and second hardened fiber optic connectors are mated together, the gel removing contaminates from the fiber tips of the plurality of optical fibers as the fiber tips move through the gel prior to mating the first and second hardened fiber optic connectors together; and
wherein a dust cap is mounted on the multi-fiber ferrule of at least one of the first and second hardened multi-fiber optic connectors, wherein the gel is recessed relative to the dust cap such that the dust cap does not contact the gel, and as the dust cap is removed, the gel remains on the end face.

2. The hardened multi-fiber optical connector assembly of claim 1 , wherein each of the alignment structures can be either an alignment pin or an alignment hole.

3. The hardened multi-fiber optical connector assembly of claim 1 , wherein the fiber tips pass through the gel prior to the first and second hardened fiber optic connectors being mated together.

4. The hardened multi-fiber optical connector assembly of claim 1 , wherein the gel is attached to the first hardened multi-fiber optical connector or the second hardened multi-fiber optical connector.

5. The hardened multi-fiber optical connector assembly of claim 1 , wherein the gel is dispersed within the connector housing of at least one of the first and second hardened multi-fiber optical connectors when mated together.

6. The hardened multi-fiber optical connector assembly of claim 1 , wherein the multi-fiber ferrule is configured to hold at least about twelve optical fibers.

7. The hardened multi-fiber optical connector assembly of claim 1 , wherein the fiber tips of the plurality of optical fibers protrude from the end face between about 3 microns to about 15 microns.

8. The hardened multi-fiber optical connector assembly of claim 1 , wherein the dust cap has an open end and an opposite closed end, the closed end of the dust cap opposing the gel to secure the gel in place on the end face.

9. A multi-fiber optical connector assembly comprising:
a fiber optic cable terminated by a fiber optic connector arrangement, the fiber optic connector arrangement including:
a hardened multi-fiber optic connector having a connector housing, the connector housing having an end defining a plug portion;
a multi-fiber ferrule assembly mounted at least partially within the connector housing, the multi-fiber ferrule assembly including a multi-fiber ferrule located at the plug portion of the connector housing, the multi-fiber ferrule having an end face defining a plurality of fiber openings arranged in a central region of the end face, wherein first and second alignment structures are disposed at opposite sides of the central region, the multi-fiber ferrule holding a plurality of optical fibers having fiber tips that protrude from respective fiber openings defined by the end face;
a gel positioned at the end face of the multi-fiber ferrule that covers the fiber tips such that the fiber tips are embedded in the gel between the first and second alignment structures; and
a dust cap that mounts over the multi-fiber optic connector by a twist-to-lock connection, wherein as the dust cap is removed, the gel remains on the end face of the multi-fiber ferrule; and

wherein the gel is recessed relative to the dust cap such that the dust cap does not contact the gel.

10. The multi-fiber optical connector assembly of claim 9 , wherein the twist-to-lock connection is a threaded connection or a bayonet-style connection.

Assignees

• Commscope Technologies Llc

Inventors

• Anderson David John
• Brown David Thomas

Classifications

• G02B6/3831

  comprising a keying element on the plug or adapter, e.g. to forbid wrong connection (keying element on the ferrule G02B6/3851; keying element for electrical coupling H01R13/64) · CPC title

• G02B6/382

  with index-matching medium between light guides (provisionally see G02B6/4212) · CPC title

• G02B6/3866 Primary

  Devices, tools or methods for cleaning connectors (cleaning in general B08B) · 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

• G02B6/3849

  using mechanical protective elements, e.g. caps, hoods, sealing membranes (G02B6/3816 takes precedence; provisionally see H01R13/44) · CPC title