Fiber optic cable connector

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-9423576-B2
Application number	US-73465208-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Nov 7, 2008
Priority date	Nov 16, 2007
Publication date	Aug 23, 2016
Grant date	Aug 23, 2016

Abstract

The invention relates to a fiber optic cable connector ( 1 ), the fiber optic cable contact ( 1 ) having a hot forming zone ( 100 ) at a free longitudinal end portion ( 10 ) and, at a portion ( 11 ) of the fiber optic cable contact ( 1 ) remote from the hot forming zone ( 100 ), a thermal barrier zone ( 110 ), the thermal barrier zone ( 110 ) being configured in such a way that it prevents heat from passing from the hot forming zone ( 100 ) into a portion of the fiber optic cable contact ( 1 ) on the other side of the thermal barrier zone ( 110 ).

First claim

The invention claimed is:

1. Fiber optic cable connector to be secured to a plurality of optical fibers, wherein a fiber optic cable contact has a body with an open interior, the body including a hot forming zone at a free longitudinal end portion of the body, the hot forming zone being in direct contact with the plurality of optical fibers, and, at a middle region of the fiber optic cable contact away from the hot forming zone, a thermal barrier zone of the body, the thermal barrier zone being configured in such a way that it prevents heat from passing from the hot forming zone into a portion of the body of the fiber optic cable contact on the other side of the thermal barrier zone of the body, wherein the open interior of the body is adapted to receive the plurality of optical fibers.

2. Fiber optic cable contact according to claim 1 , wherein the thermal barrier zone is provided on/in the fiber optic cable contact adjacent to the hot forming zone.

3. Fiber optic cable according to claim 1 , wherein the thermal barrier zone is configured as an at least partially peripheral thermal stopping groove which reduces the diameter of the fiber optic cable contact.

4. Fiber optic cable contact according to claim 1 , wherein the wall thickness (d) of the fiber optic cable contact in a portion of the thermal barrier zone is approximately 20 to 30% thinner than the wall thickness (D) of the fiber optic cable contact in a portion directly adjacent to the thermal barrier zone.

5. Fiber optic cable contact according to claim 1 , wherein a peripheral shoulder is formed on/in the fiber optic cable contact between the hot forming zone and the thermal barrier zone.

6. Fiber optic cable contact according to claim 1 , wherein the thermal barrier zone is provided on/in the fiber optic cable contact between the hot forming zone and a casing-crimping zone of the fiber optic cable contact.

7. Fiber optic cable contact according to claim 1 , wherein the fiber optic cable contact comprises a plurality of thermal barrier zones.

8. Fiber optic cable contact according to claim 1 , wherein the fiber optic cable contact is configured integrally in particular as a turned, cast or bent part.

9. Fiber optic cable contact according to claim 1 , wherein the fiber optic cable contact has a profile, which is compatible with the MOST standard.

10. Fiber optic cable contact, according to claim 1 , wherein the fiber optic cable contact comprises a sleeve at its free longitudinal end portion.

11. The fiber optic cable contact of claim 1 , wherein the wall thickness (d) of the fiber optic cable contact in a portion of the thermal barrier zone is approximately 35 to 40% thinner than the wall thickness (D) of the fiber optic cable contact in a portion directly adjacent to the thermal barrier zone.

12. The fiber optic cable contact of claim 1 , wherein the wall thickness (d) of the fiber optic cable contact in a portion of the thermal barrier zone is approximately 45 to 50%, thinner than the wall thickness (D) of the fiber optic cable contact in a portion directly adjacent to the thermal barrier zone.

13. The fiber optic cable contact of claim 1 , wherein the wall thickness (d) of the fiber optic cable contact in a portion of the thermal barrier zone is approximately 55 to 50% thinner than the wall thickness (D) of the fiber optic cable contact in a portion directly adjacent to the thermal barrier zone.

14. The fiber optic cable contact of claim 1 , wherein the wall thickness (d) of the fiber optic cable contact in a portion of the thermal barrier zone is approximately 70 to 80% thinner than the wall thickness (D) of the fiber optic cable contact in a portion directly adjacent to the thermal barrier zone.

15. The fiber optic cable contact of claim 1 , further comprising a primary locking shoulder and a casing-crimping zone, the thermal barrier zone is configured as a peripheral thermal stopping groove which is positioned between the hot forming zone and the primary locking shoulder, the thermal stopping groove is also positioned between the hot forming zone and the casing-crimping zone.

16. The fiber optic cable contact according to claim 1 , wherein the open interior of the body includes a middle portion having a narrowed inner contour.

17. The fiber optic cable contact according to claim 1 , wherein the open interior of the body includes a first longitudinal portion having a first constant inner contour, a second longitudinal portion having a second constant inner contour, and a middle portion positioned between the first longitudinal portion and the second longitudinal portion, the middle portion having a narrowed inner contour including a transverse extent less than a traverse extent of the second constant inner contour.

18. The fiber optic cable contact according to claim 17 , wherein the first longitudinal portion is between a longitudinal end of the body and the middle portion and the thermal barrier zone is positioned between the longitudinal end of the body and the middle portion, the first longitudinal portion including the hot forming zone.

19. Fiber optic cable connector to be secured to a plurality of optical fibers for automotive applications, comprising:
a housing; and
a fiber optic cable contact having a body with an open interior, the body including a hot forming zone at a free longitudinal end portion of the body, the hot forming zone being in direct contact with the plurality of optical fibers, and, at a middle region of the fiber optic cable contact away from the hot forming zone, a thermal barrier zone of the body, the thermal barrier zone being configured in such a way that it prevents heat from passing from the hot forming zone into a portion of the body of the fiber optic cable contact on the other side of the thermal barrier zone of the body, wherein the open interior of the body is adapted to receive the plurality of optical fibers.

20. The fiber optic connector of claim 19 , wherein the housing is a plastic housing.

21. The fiber optic connector of claim 19 , further comprising a primary locking shoulder and a casing-crimping zone, the thermal barrier zone is configured as a peripheral thermal stopping groove which is positioned between the hot forming zone and the primary locking shoulder, the thermal stopping groove is also positioned between the hot forming zone and the casing-crimping zone.

22. A ready-made fiber optic cable to be secured to a plurality of optical fibers for automotive applications, comprising:
a housing;
a fiber optic cable including a plurality of optical fibers; and
a fiber optic cable contact having a body with an open interior to receive the plurality of optical fibers, the body including a hot forming zone at a free longitudinal end portion of the body, the hot forming zone being in direct contact with the plurality of optical fibers, and, at a middle region of the fiber optic cable contact away from the hot forming zone, a thermal barrier zone of the body, the thermal barrier zone being configured in such a way that it prevents heat from passing from the hot forming zone into a portion of the body of the fiber optic cable contact on the other side of the thermal barrier zone of the body, the fiber optic cable contact being received by the housing.

23. The ready made fiber optic cable of claim 22 , wherein the housing is a plastic housing.

24. The ready made fiber optic cable of claim 22 , further comprising a primary locking shoulder and a c

Assignees

• Bieber Jorg
• Hahn Joachim
• Mueller Wolfgang
• Te Connectivity Germany Gmbh

Inventors

• Bieber Jorg
• Hahn Joachim
• Mueller Wolfgang

Classifications

• G02B6/3855

  characterised by the method of anchoring or fixing the fibre within the ferrule (G02B6/3854 takes precedence) · CPC title

• G02B6/3863

  fabricated by using polishing techniques (grinding of the fibre ends B24B19/226) · CPC title

• G02B6/403 Primary

  of the ferrule type, connecting a pair of ferrules · CPC title

• G02B6/3857

  Crimping, i.e. involving plastic deformation · CPC title