Optical fiber connector for multi-fiber cable

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-9519114-B2
Application number	US-201514790607-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Jul 2, 2015
Priority date	Jul 3, 2014
Publication date	Dec 13, 2016
Grant date	Dec 13, 2016

Abstract

Optical connector arrangements terminate at least seventy-two optical fibers. The optical connector arrangements include multiple optical ferrules that each terminates multiple optical fibers. Some example optical connectors can terminate about 144 optical fibers. Each optical connector includes a fiber take-up arrangement and a flange extending outwardly from a connector housing arrangement. The fiber take-up arrangement manages excess length of the optical fibers. A threadable coupling nut can be disposed on the connector housing arrangement to engage the outwardly extending flange. Certain types of optical connector arrangements include furcation cables spacing the connector housing arrangement form the fiber take-up arrangement.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. A multi-fiber cable assembly comprising:
a multi-fiber cable including a plurality of optical fibers, a strength member, and an outer jacket;
a plurality of multi-fiber optical ferrules that each receive optical signals carried by some of the plurality of optical fibers;
a fiber take-up arrangement at which excess length of the optical fibers is stored, the fiber take-up arrangement being structured to enable the optical fibers to be wrapped around the fiber take-up arrangement to manage the excess length;
an anchor section configured to secure the strength member of the multi-fiber cable, the anchor section also defining a fiber passage through which the optical fibers extend towards the optical ferrules;
a connector housing arrangement including an outwardly extending flange;
a furcation cable extending between the fiber take-up arrangement and the connector housing arrangement, the furcation cable being more flexible than the multi-fiber cable; and
a twist-to-lock fastener that mounts around the connector housing arrangement, the twist-to-lock fastener having engagement structure that enables the twist-to-lock fastener to couple to a component, the twist-to-lock fastener also having an interior abutment surface that aligns with the outwardly extending flange of the connector housing arrangement to secure the connector housing to the component.

2. The multi-fiber cable assembly of claim 1 , wherein the fiber take-up arrangement is disposed at the connector housing arrangement.

3. The multi-fiber cable assembly of claim 1 , wherein the anchor section is disposed at the connector housing arrangement.

4. The multi-fiber cable assembly of claim 1 , wherein the fiber take-up arrangement includes the anchor section.

5. The multi-fiber cable assembly of claim 4 , wherein the anchor section includes a cavity at which an anchor boot attached to the strength member of the multi-fiber cable is inserted.

6. The multi-fiber cable assembly of claim 4 , wherein the anchor section is a first anchor section, wherein the fiber take-up arrangement also includes a second anchor section configured to receive a strength member of the furcation cable.

7. The multi-fiber cable assembly of claim 6 , wherein the connector housing arrangement includes a third anchor section configured to receive the strength member of the furcation cable.

8. The multi-fiber cable assembly of claim 1 wherein the fiber take-up arrangement includes a mandrel arrangement configured to hold the excess length of the optical fibers and a sealing arrangement providing an environmental seal between the multi-fiber cable and the furcation cable.

9. The multi-fiber cable assembly of claim 8 , wherein the mandrel arrangement includes a first anchor body separated from a second anchor body by a drum, the anchor bodies defining cavities to receive strength members of the multi-fiber cable and the furcation cable.

10. The multi-fiber cable assembly of claim 8 , wherein the sealing arrangement includes a closure member configured to surround the mandrel arrangement, first and second end members that attach to opposite ends of the closure member, and heat recoverable sleeves that attach to the first and second end members.

11. The multi-fiber cable assembly of claim 1 , wherein the connector housing arrangement holds the multi-fiber optical ferrules.

12. The multi-fiber cable assembly of claim 11 , wherein the connector housing arrangement includes a front housing and a coupling sleeve, the front housing defining a connection end face at which the multi-fiber optical ferrules are accessible, the coupling sleeve being configured to extend around the front housing over a majority of a length of the front housing.

13. The multi-fiber cable assembly of claim 12 , wherein the front housing defines an anchor end at which a strength member of the furcation cable can be retained.

14. The multi-fiber cable assembly of claim 13 , wherein the front housing includes a transition region disposed between the connection end face and the anchor end.

15. The multi-fiber cable assembly of claim 12 , wherein the front housing includes a first housing section and a second housing section that cooperate to hold the multi-fiber optical ferrules therebetween, wherein the coupling sleeve retains the first and second housing sections together.

16. The multi-fiber cable assembly of claim 12 , wherein the coupling sleeve defines the outwardly extending flange.

17. The multi-fiber cable assembly of claim 12 , wherein the coupling sleeve carries an external gasket.

18. The multi-fiber cable assembly of claim 12 , wherein the front housing includes a first housing section, a second housing section, and a third housing section, wherein the connection end face is defined by the first housing section.

19. The multi-fiber cable assembly of claim 18 , wherein the first housing section defines a retention arrangement that temporarily holds the optical ferrules at the first housing section until the second and third housing sections are coupled to the first housing section.

20. The multi-fiber cable assembly of claim 1 , wherein flanges extend forwardly of the multi-fiber optical ferrules to form an interrupted wall.

21. The multi-fiber cable assembly of any of claims 1 , further comprising an optical adapter connected to the connector housing arrangement.

22. A multi-fiber cable assembly comprising:
a multi-fiber cable including a plurality of optical fibers, a strength member, and an outer jacket
a plurality of multi-fiber optical ferrules that each receive optical signals carried by some of the plurality of optical fibers;
a fiber take-up arrangement at which excess length of the optical fibers is stored, the fiber take-up arrangement being structured to enable the optical fibers to be wrapped around the fiber take-up arrangement to manage the excess length;
an anchor section configured to secure the strength member of the multi-fiber cable, the anchor section also defining a fiber passage through which the optical fibers extend towards the optical ferrules;
a connector housing arrangement including an outwardly extending flange;
a twist-to-lock fastener that mounts around the connector housing arrangement, the twist-to-lock fastener having engagement structure that enables the twist-to-lock fastener to couple to a component, the twist-to-lock fastener also having an interior abutment surface that aligns with the outwardly extending flange of the connector housing arrangement to secure the connector housing to the component; and
an optical adapter connected to the connector housing arrangement, wherein the optical adapter carries a plurality of second multi-fiber ferrules terminating second optical fibers, wherein the second multi-fiber ferrules carried by the optical adapter align with the plurality of multi-fiber optical ferrules so that the optical fibers of the multi-fiber cable are optically coupled to the second optical fibers.

23. The multi-fiber cable assembly of claim 22 , wherein the optical adapter includes a first housing and a second housing that sandwich a ferrule plug arrangement therebetween.

Assignees

• Adc Telecommunications Inc
• Commscope Technologies Llc

Inventors

• Zimmel Steven C
• Lu Yu
• Schaible Gregory J

Classifications

• G02B6/44465

  Seals · CPC title

• G02B6/3878

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

• G02B6/4441

  Boxes · CPC title

• G02B6/3887

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

• G02B6/3891

  Bayonet type · CPC title