Fiber optic connector having a compressible body and complimentary receptacle along with methods of making

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-11579371-B2
Application number	US-202017029700-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Sep 23, 2020
Priority date	May 31, 2018
Publication date	Feb 14, 2023
Grant date	Feb 14, 2023

Abstract

A fiber optic connector comprising a connector body that can receive the optical cable and a complimentary receptacle. Fiber optic connector comprises a ferrule body having a passageway to guide an optical fiber of the optical cable, and a compress body being arranged between the connector body and the ferrule body. The compress body has a hollow area to receive the optical fiber. The compress body is configured to exert a force to the ferrule body so that the end face of the ferrule body is moved in a forward direction away from the connector body, when an external force is applied to an outer surface of the compress body. Methods of making assemblies are also disclosed.

First claim

The invention claimed is:

1. A fiber optic connector, comprising:
a connector body comprising a first end to receive the optical cable and a second end;
a ferrule body comprising a passageway, the passageway extending from a first end of the ferrule body to a second end of the ferrule body, the second end of the ferrule body having an end face;
a compress body being arranged between the second end of the connector body and the first end of the ferrule body, wherein the compress body has a hollow area, and the compress body is configured to exert a force to the ferrule body so that the end face of the ferrule body is moved in a forward direction away from the connector body, when an external force is applied to an outer surface of the compress body.

2. The fiber optic connector of claim 1 , wherein the hollow area of the compress body extends in a longitudinal direction of the fiber optic connector from a first end of the compress body proximal to the connector body and distal to the ferrule body to a second end of the compress body distal to the connector body and proximal to the ferrule body, and
the material of the compress body is configured such that the compress body exerts the force to the ferrule body, when the external force is applied to the compress body in a direction perpendicular to a longitudinal direction of the fiber optic connector.

3. The fiber optic connector of claim 1 , wherein the material of the compress body is configured to deflect the external force from the direction perpendicular to the longitudinal direction of the fiber optic connector towards the ferrule body.

4. The fiber optic connector of claim 1 , wherein an outer surface of the compress body comprises a notch, and the material of the compress body is configured such that the compress body exerts the force to the ferrule body, when the external force is applied to the notch of the compress body.

5. The fiber optic connector of claim 1 , wherein the fiber optic connector is attached to fiber optic cable comprising an optical fiber.

6. The fiber optic connector of claim 5 , wherein the hollow area of the compress body comprises a diameter so that the optical fiber is arranged in a buckled shape in the hollow area of the compress body at least when the external force is not applied to the outer surface of the compress body.

7. The fiber optic connector of claim 5 , wherein the connector body comprises an end section being proximal to the second end of the connector body and distal to the first end of the connector body, and the end section of the connector body comprises a hollow space, and the optical fiber is arranged in the buckled shape in the hollow space of the connector body at least when the external force is not applied to the outer surface of the compress body.

8. The fiber optic connector of claim 5 , wherein the passageway of the ferrule body comprises a first portion being proximal to the second end of the ferrule body and distal to the first end of the ferrule body and a second portion being proximal to the first end of the ferrule body and distal to the second end of the ferrule body, and the first portion of the passageway of the ferrule body has a larger diameter than the second portion of the passageway of the ferrule body; and
wherein, the optical fiber is arranged in the buckled shape in the second portion of the passageway of the ferrule body at least when the external force is not applied to the outer surface of the compress body.

9. The fiber optic connector of claim 6 , further comprising a support tube being arranged at least in the hollow area of the compress body, and
wherein, in the connectorized state of the fiber optic connector, the optical fiber is arranged in the buckled shape in the support tube at least when the external force is not applied to the outer surface of the compress body.

10. The fiber optic connector of claim 9 , wherein a first section of the support tube is arranged in the second portion of the passageway of the ferrule body, and a second section of the support tube is arranged in the hollow area of the compress body.

11. The fiber optic connector of claim 10 , wherein a third section of the support tube is arranged in the end section of the connector body.

12. The fiber optic connector of claim 9 , wherein the optical fiber is arranged in the support tube in a less buckled shape, when the external force is applied to the outer surface of the compress body and the ferrule body is moved in the forward direction, in comparison to a state of the fiber optic connector in which the external force is not applied to the outer surface of the compress body.

13. A receptacle to receive the fiber optic connector of claim 1 , comprising:
a securing body to secure the fiber optic connector to the receptacle,
wherein the securing body comprises at least an engagement element to engage to the compress body of the fiber optic connector to secure the fiber optic connector to the receptacle,
wherein the at least one engagement element is configured to provide the external force to the outer surface of the compress body of the fiber optic connector so that the end face of the ferrule body of the fiber optic connector is moved in the forward direction away from the connector body of the fiber optic connector.

14. The receptacle of claim 13 , further comprising:
a stopper element for stopping the insertion of the fiber optic connector in the receptacle, wherein the stopper element comprises a hole to insert the compress body and the ferrule body of the fiber optic connector, and the hole of the stopper element has a diameter being smaller than the diameter of the connector body of the fiber optic connector.

15. The receptacle of claim 13 , further comprising a clamping element comprising flexible clamping arms, the clamping arms being arranged to provide an opening between ends of the clamping arms to receive the connector body of the fiber optic connector, and the clamping arms are configured to grip in a material of the connector body, when the fiber optic connector is inserted in the receptacle and the connector body is received in the opening between the clamping arms.

16. The receptacle of claim 15 , comprising:
a release button to disengage the fiber optic connector;
a housing to house the clamping element and the release button,
wherein a first portion of the release button protrudes out of the housing, and a second portion of the release button contacts the clamping arms, when the first portion of the release button is moved towards the housing; and
wherein the second portion of the release button releases the clamping arms from the connector body of the fiber optic connector to disengage the receptacle and the fiber optic connector.

17. The fiber optic connector of claim 1 , wherein the compress body is made of a silicon gel.

18. The fiber optic connector of claim 1 , wherein compress body is made of a material having a honeycombed cellular structure.

19. The fiber optic connector of claim 4 , wherein the outer surface of the compress body further comprises a front portion such that a diameter of the front portion increases from a bottom of the notch.

20. The fiber optic connector of claim 19 , wherein the outer surface of the compress body further comprises a cylindrically-shaped portion and a transition portion between the notch and the cylindrically-shaped portion.

Assignees

• Corning Optical Communications LLC

Inventors

• Wimmer Michael

Classifications

• G02B6/3825

  with an intermediate part, e.g. adapter, receptacle, linking two plugs · CPC title

• G02B6/3893

  Push-pull type, e.g. snap-in, push-on · CPC title

• G02B6/3823

  containing surplus lengths, internal fibre loops (provisionally see also G02B6/444) · CPC title

• G02B6/38875

  Protection from bending or twisting · CPC title

• G02B6/3807 Primary

  Dismountable connectors, i.e. comprising plugs · CPC title