Optical fiber cable connector

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-12083353-B2
Application number	US-202217724343-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Apr 19, 2022
Priority date	Apr 1, 2016
Publication date	Sep 10, 2024
Grant date	Sep 10, 2024

Abstract

A delivery system extends from a laser radiation source for connecting to a medical device that utilizes the laser radiation for medical treatment. The delivery system comprises an optical fiber connecting to a male launch connecter. The male launch connector having a body portion with the optical fiber fixed or constrained therein and the optical fiber terminating at a male ferrule with a forward directed fiber facet, the male ferrule may be cantilevered within the body portion by the optical fiber line providing freedom of movement of the male ferrule. The launch connector engages a receiving connector on the medical device first with mechanical connection portions and then more finely aligning optical connection portions by the male ferrule self aligning in a female ferrule with cooperating tapered surfaces. The male portion may fully seat in the female portion with cooperating cylindrical surfaces.

First claim

We claim:

1. An optical fiber connector coupling for connecting a laser radiation source to a device, the coupling comprising a launch connector with a body portion, the body portion including a mechanical connection portion, the launch connector further comprising an optical connection portion comprising a male ferrule with connected to an optical fiber, the male ferrule resiliently supported within the mechanical connection portion of the launch connector, the male ferrule having a cylindrical outer surface, the coupling further comprising a receiving connector, the receiving connector comprising a mechanical connection portion for cooperating with the mechanical connection portion of the launch connector, and an optical connection portion having an internal cylindrical surface that slidingly engages the cylindrical outer surface of the male ferrule, the male ferrule resiliently and compliantly supported within the body portion of the launch connector by an elastomeric material positioned rearwardly of the male ferrule and engaging the body portion whereby the male ferrule is not contacting the body portion.

2. The optical fiber connector coupling of claim 1 , wherein when the coupling is in fully coupled condition, the male ferrule is engaged with the female ferrule only at a cylindrical interface surface.

3. An optical fiber connector coupling for connecting a laser radiation source to a device, the coupling comprising a launch connector with a mechanical connection portion and an optical connection portion comprising a male ferrule connected to an optical fiber, the male ferrule resiliently supported within a body portion of the launch connector, the male ferrule having a cylindrical outer surface, the coupling further comprising a receiving connector, the receiving connector comprising a mechanical connection portion for cooperating with the mechanical connection portion of the launch connector, and an optical connection portion having an internal cylindrical surface that slidingly engages the cylindrical outer surface of the male ferrule, the male ferrule resiliently supported within the body portion of the launch connector by an elastomeric material positioned rearwardly of the male ferrule, wherein a distance between the male ferrule and an anchor position of the optical fiber is 4 to 15 mm.

4. An optical fiber connector coupling for connecting a laser radiation source to a device, the coupling comprising a launch connector with a mechanical connection portion and an optical connection portion comprising a male ferrule connected to an optical fiber, the male ferrule resiliently supported within a body portion of the launch connector, the male ferrule having a cylindrical outer surface, the coupling further comprising a receiving connector, the receiving connector comprising a mechanical connection portion for cooperating with the mechanical connection portion of the launch connector, and an optical connection portion having an internal cylindrical surface that slidingly engages the cylindrical outer surface of the male ferrule, the male ferrule resiliently supported within the body portion of the launch connector by an elastomeric material extending rearwardly with respect to the male ferrule, wherein the optical fiber is connected to the body portion through resilient material engaging the optical fiber.

5. The optical fiber connector coupling of claim 4 , wherein the resilient material is configured as at least one web or disk shape member.

6. The optical fiber connector of claim 4 , wherein the male ferrule is connected to the body portion of the launch connector also by elastomeric material extending between the optical connection portion and the body portion.

7. An optical fiber connector coupling for connecting a laser radiation source to a device, the coupling comprising a launch connector with a body portion including a mechanical connection, the launch connector further having an optical connection portion comprising a male ferrule connected to an optical fiber, the male ferrule resiliently supported within the body portion of the launch connector by way of elastomeric material, the male ferrule not in direct contact with the body portion, the male ferrule having a cylindrical outer surface, the coupling further comprising a receiving connector, the receiving connector comprising a mechanical connection portion for cooperating with the mechanical connection portion of the launch connector, and further having an optical connection portion having an internal cylindrical surface that slidingly engages the cylindrical outer surface of the male ferrule.

8. The optical fiber connector coupling for connecting a laser radiation source to a device of claim 7 , wherein the male ferrule has an optical fiber line extending from the male ferrule to an anchor position in the body portion that is displaced from the ferrule a distance of about 4 to 15 mm, the optical fiber line comprising at least an optical fiber.

9. The coupling for connecting a laser radiation source to a medical device of claim 7 , wherein the receiving connector comprises a sensor for detecting when the coupling is fully engaged.

10. The coupling for connecting a laser radiation source to a medical device of claim 9 , wherein the sensor comprises an electrical switch that is actuated with the presence of a tubular portion of the launch connector in a cooperating tubular portion of the receiving connector.

11. The optical fiber connector coupling of claim 7 , wherein the elastomeric material extends circumferentially about the optical connection portion and extends to the body portion of the launch connector.

12. An optical fiber connector coupling for connecting a laser radiation source to a device, the coupling comprising a launch connector with an exterior mechanical connection portion and an interior optical connection portion, the interior optical connection portion provided with centration and cushioning with respect to the exterior mechanical connection portion by way of a compliant elastomeric material component within and supported by the exterior mechanical connection portion, the interior optical connection portion not in direct contact with the exterior mechanical connection portion, wherein the optical connection portion of the launch connector comprises a male ferrule seated in a sleeve and having a forward cylindrical portion.

13. The optical fiber connector coupling of claim 12 , wherein the compliant elastomeric material component engages the sleeve allowing movement of the sleeve and male ferrule with respect to the body portion.

14. An optical fiber connector coupling for connecting a laser radiation source to a device, the coupling comprising a launch connector with an exterior mechanical connection portion and an interior optical connection portion, the interior optical connection portion provided with centration and cushioning with respect to the exterior mechanical connection portion by way of a compliant elastomeric material component within and supported by the exterior mechanical connection portion, the interior optical connection portion not in direct contact with the exterior mechanical connection portion, the coupling further comprising a receiving connector for receiving the launch connector, the receiving connector comprising a mechanical connection portion for cooperating with the mechanical connection portion of the launch connector, and an optical connection portion comprising a female ferrule, the female ferrule having an internal cylindrical surface adjoining an internal conical surface, the internal cylindrical surface slidingly engages a cylindrical outer surfac

Assignees

• Ipg Photonics Corp
• Ipg Photonics Inc

Inventors

• Altshuler Gregory
• Gaal Christopher
• Kozlov Valery

Classifications

• G02B6/3897

  Connectors fixed to housings, casing, frames or circuit boards (G02B6/44528 takes precedence) · CPC title

• G02B6/4296

  coupling with sources of high radiant energy, e.g. high power lasers, high temperature light sources · CPC title

• G02B6/4295

  coupling with semiconductor devices activated by light through the light guide, e.g. thyristors, phototransistors · CPC title

• G02B6/3893

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

• G02B6/3882

  using rods, pins or balls to align a pair of ferrule ends · CPC title