Fiber optic cable sub-assemblies with strain-relief to a circuit board and methods of assembling

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-9523829-B2
Application number	US-201213655104-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Oct 18, 2012
Priority date	Oct 18, 2012
Publication date	Dec 20, 2016
Grant date	Dec 20, 2016

Abstract

Fiber optic cable sub-assemblies having a fiber optic cable including at least one optical fiber attached to a circuit board are disclosed. The circuit board includes an active optical component in operable communication with the optical fiber for forming an active optical cable (AOC) assembly. A strain relief device attaches an end portion of the fiber optic cable to the circuit board, thereby forming the cable sub-assembly. Methods of assembling the fiber optic cable sub-assembly are also disclosed and include the step of attaching an end portion of the fiber optic cable to the circuit board.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. A fiber optic cable sub-assembly comprising:
a fiber optic cable including at least one optical fiber;
a circuit board including an opening and an active optical component in operable communication with the optical fiber, wherein an end portion of the fiber optic cable is at least partially positioned within the opening of the circuit board; and
a strain relief device attaching the end portion of the fiber optic cable to the circuit board.

2. The fiber optic cable sub-assembly of claim 1 , wherein the strain relief device comprises a sleeve clamped to the end portion of the fiber optic cable.

3. The fiber optic cable sub-assembly of claim 2 , wherein the sleeve is crimped to the end portion of the fiber optic cable.

4. The fiber optic cable sub-assembly of claim 2 , wherein the circuit board includes a first engagement structure and the sleeve includes a second engagement structure that interacts with the first engagement structure to attach the end portion of the fiber optic cable to the circuit board.

5. The fiber optic cable sub-assembly of claim 4 , wherein one of the first and second engagement structure comprises an aperture and the other of the first and second engagement structure comprises a tab at least partially received by the aperture.

6. The fiber optic cable sub-assembly of claim 2 , wherein the strain relief device further comprises at least one mounting bracket attaching the sleeve to the circuit board.

7. The fiber optic cable sub-assembly of claim 6 , wherein the at least one mounting bracket includes a first mounting bracket attached to a first side of the circuit board and a second mounting bracket attached to a second side of the circuit board to capture the sleeve between the first and second mounting brackets.

8. The fiber optic cable sub-assembly of claim 6 , wherein the circuit board includes a first engagement structure and the mounting bracket includes a second engagement structure locked with the first engagement structure to attach the sleeve to the circuit board.

9. The fiber optic cable sub-assembly of claim 8 , wherein one of the first and second engagement structure comprises an aperture and the other of the first and second engagement structure comprises a tab at least partially received by the aperture.

10. The fiber optic cable sub-assembly of claim 2 , wherein the fiber optic cable further includes a cable jacket that houses the optical fiber, and the sleeve is clamped to an outer surface of the cable jacket.

11. The fiber optic cable sub-assembly of claim 1 , wherein at least one of the strain relief device and the circuit board include a plurality of engagement structures to provide a plurality of alternate attachment locations of the strain relief device to the circuit board.

12. The fiber optic cable sub-assembly of claim 1 , wherein the at least one optical fiber comprises at least a first optical fiber and a second optical fiber, and the fiber optic cable further includes a cable jacket that houses the first and second optical fibers, wherein the fiber optic cable is arranged along a length between an end of the cable jacket and ends of the first and second optical fibers for placing a curved path in the first and second optical fibers.

13. The fiber optic cable sub-assembly of claim 1 , wherein the strain relief device is electrically grounded by a ground track of the circuit board.

14. A fiber optic cable assembly comprising:
a fiber optic cable including at least one optical fiber;
a first fiber optic sub-assembly including:
a first circuit board including an active optical component in operable communication with a first end of the optical fiber; and
a first strain relief device attaching a first end portion of the fiber optic cable to the first circuit board; and

a second fiber optic sub-assembly including:
a second circuit board including an active optical component in operable communication with a second end of the optical fiber; and
a second strain relief device attaching a second end portion of the fiber optic cable to the second circuit board, wherein the second circuit board provides strain relief for the fiber optic cable.

15. The fiber optic cable assembly of claim 14 , further comprising an end cap device including a carrier structure supporting an end of the first circuit board within a housing.

16. A method of assembling a fiber optic cable sub-assembly comprising the steps of:
providing a fiber optic cable and a circuit board;
positioning an end portion of the fiber optic cable within an opening of the circuit board;
clamping a sleeve to an end of the fiber optic cable; and
securing the end portion of the fiber optic cable to the circuit board.

17. The method of claim 16 , further including the step of attaching the clamped sleeve to the circuit board.

18. The method of claim 17 , further comprising the step of crimping the clamped sleeve to the circuit board to attach the clamped sleeve to the circuit board.

19. The method of claim 17 , further comprising the step of attaching a mounting bracket to the circuit board to attach the clamped sleeve to the circuit board.

20. The method of claim 19 , further comprising the step of crimping the mounting bracket to the circuit board to attach the clamped sleeve to the circuit board.

21. The method of claim 16 , further including a step of arranging the fiber optic cable so the optical fibers extend along respective curved paths.

22. A cable sub-assembly comprising:
a cable including at least one communication element;
a circuit board in operable communication with the at least one communication element, the circuit board comprising an opening, wherein an end portion of the fiber optic cable is at least partially positioned within the opening of the circuit board; and
a strain relief device attaching the end portion of the cable to the circuit board.

23. The fiber optic cable assembly of claim 14 , wherein:
the first circuit board includes a first opening, and the first end portion of the fiber optic cable is at least partially disposed in the first opening; and
the second circuit board includes a second opening, and the second end portion of the fiber optic cable is at least partially disposed in the second opening.

24. A fiber optic cable sub-assembly comprising:
a fiber optic cable including at least one optical fiber;
a circuit board including an active optical component in operable communication with the optical fiber; and
a strain relief device comprising a sleeve clamped to an end portion of the fiber optic cable, wherein the sleeve attaches the end portion of the fiber optic cable to the circuit board.

25. The fiber optic cable sub-assembly of claim 24 , wherein the circuit board includes a first engagement structure and the sleeve includes a second engagement structure that interacts with the first engagement structure to attach the end portion of the fiber optic cable to the circuit board.

Assignees

• Keenum John Austin
• Menke Brett Allen
• Reed Edward Joseph
• Tenholder Rodger Alan
• Trott Gary Richard
• Corning Optical Communications LLC

Inventors

• Keenum John Austin
• Menke Brett Allen
• Reed Edward Joseph
• Tenholder Rodger Alan
• Trott Gary Richard

Classifications

• G02B6/428 Primary

  containing printed circuit boards [PCB] · CPC title

• Y10T29/49124

  On flat or curved insulated base, e.g., printed circuit, etc. · CPC title