Integrated fiber optic cable fan-out connector

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-9535230-B2
Application number	US-201414170265-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Jan 31, 2014
Priority date	Jan 31, 2014
Publication date	Jan 3, 2017
Grant date	Jan 3, 2017

Abstract

An integral fan-out connector assembly for fiber optic cables includes a connector housing that provides an integrated fan-out housing and connection adapter. The fan-out connector housing may be configured with a variety of cable adapters, and may be installed as a ‘plug and play’ type solution where it will be ready to accept a feed cable for use when needed.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. A fan-out housing for fanning out optical fibers of a multi-fiber source, the housing comprising:
a main body defining an interior cavity therein and having a first body portion and a second body portion spaced from the first body portion;
a fan-out member releasably attachable with the first body portion for fanning out optical fibers, the fan-out member comprising:
a disc-shaped member having a first side for being disposed towards the interior cavity, a second side opposite the first side, and at least one of a key slot and a key configured to prevent rotation; and

a plurality of spaced apart openings extending through the fan-out member from the first side to the second side, with each opening being configured for receiving at least one optical fiber therethrough in a spaced apart relationship with optical fibers in others of the openings; and
a cable receptacle releasably attachable with the second body portion, the cable receptacle comprising one of:
an optical fiber adapter configured for attachably receiving a connector of a multi-fiber optical cable; or
an optical fiber cable gland configured for passage of a multi-fiber optical cable therethrough.

2. The fan-out housing of claim 1 , wherein the main body comprises a tubular member having a first end and a second end, the first end comprising the first body portion and the second end comprising the second body portion.

3. The fan-out housing of claim 2 , wherein:
the first end of the tubular member defines a first opening into the internal cavity;
at least a portion of the fan-out member fits internally within the first opening; and
at least one of the first end of the tubular member and the at least a portion of the fan-out member comprises a releasable attachment for engaging with the other of the first end of the tubular member and the at least a portion of the fan out member to releasably attach the fan-out member with the main body.

4. The fan-out housing of claim 2 , wherein:
the second end of the tubular member defines a second opening into the internal cavity;
at least a portion of the cable receptacle fits internally within the second opening; and
at least one of the second end of the tubular member and the at least a portion of the cable receptacle comprises a releasable attachment for engaging with the other of the second end of the tubular member and the at least a portion of the receptacle to releasably attach the cable receptacle with the main body.

5. The fan-out housing of claim 4 , wherein the cable receptacle comprises the cable gland.

6. The fan-out housing of claim 4 , wherein the cable receptacle comprises the optical fiber adapter.

7. The fan-out housing of claim 6 , wherein the optical fiber adapter comprises:
an interior passage through the optical fiber adapter;
a fiber optic cable mating adapter for being disposed within the interior passage, the cable mating adapter being configured for receiving and mating fiber optic cables of the multi-fiber optical cable with additional individual fiber optic cables.

8. The fan-out housing of claim 7 , wherein the cable mating adapter has a first end for being disposed towards the interior cavity of the main body, and a second end in axial alignment with the first end, with the second end configured for receiving the connector of a multi-fiber optical cable, and the first end configured for receiving a fan-out connector collectively terminating ends of the additional individual optic fibers.

9. The fan-out housing of claim 2 , wherein:
the main body comprises a cylindrical tubular member having a first axial end and a second axial end, the first axial end comprising the first body portion and the second axial end comprising the second body portion;
the fan-out member comprises a cylindrical drum for being disposed within the first axial end of the main body, the cylindrical drum having a first side for being disposed towards the interior cavity and a second side opposite the first side, and the cylindrical drum comprising a plurality of spaced apart openings extending through the cylindrical drum from the first side to the second side, with each opening configured for receiving at least one optical fiber therethrough in a spaced apart relationship with optical fibers in others of the openings;
the cable receptacle comprises the optical fiber adapter, and the optical fiber adapter comprises:
a cylindrical body defining an interior passage therethrough, the cylindrical body having a first end for being inserted into the second axial end of the main body, and a second end for protruding axially away from second axial end;
a fiber optic cable mating adapter for being disposed within the interior passage, the cable mating adapter being configured for receiving and mating fiber optic cables of the multi-fiber optical cable with additional individual optical fibers, and the cable mating adapter has a first end for being disposed towards the interior cavity of the main body, and a second end in axial alignment with the first end, with the second end configured for receiving the connector of a multi-fiber optical cable, and the first end configured for receiving a fan-out connector collectively terminating ends of the additional individual optic fibers.

10. A fan-out assembly for connecting fiber optic cables of a multi-fiber optical cable to a plurality of fiber optic terminals, the assembly comprising:
a housing defining an interior cavity therein;
a plurality of pigtail cable segments having a first end disposed within the housing and a free end disposed away from the housing;
at least one optical fiber extending through each pigtail cable segment, each optical fiber comprising a first end disposed within the interior cavity and a second end disposed at the free end of the pigtail cable segment;
a first optical fiber connector collectively terminating the first ends of a plurality of the optical fibers;
at least one second optical fiber connector mounted to the free end of each pigtail cable segment and terminating the second end of the at least one optical fiber of the pigtail cable segment, the second optical fiber connectors being configured to mate with the fiber optic terminals; and
the housing comprising an optical fiber adapter having a first end open to the interior cavity for receiving the first optical fiber connector therein, and a second end exposed externally of the interior cavity for receiving a connector of a multi-fiber optical cable to mate the optical fibers of the multi-fiber optical cable with the first ends of the optical fibers of the pigtail cable segments and a fan-out member comprising a disc-shaped member having a plurality of openings and at least one of a key slot and a key configured to prevent rotation.

11. The assembly of claim 10 , wherein the housing further comprises:
a main body defining the interior cavity therein, the main body having a first body portion and a second body portion spaced from the first body portion; and
the fan-out member releasably attachable to the first body portion and comprising the plurality of spaced apart openings extending through the fan-out member, with at least one pigtail cable segment disposed in each of the plurality of spaced apart openings; and
the optical fiber adapter is releasably attachable to the second body portion.

12. The assembly of claim 11 , wherein:
the main body comprises a tubular member having a first axial end and a second axial end, the first axial end comprising the first body portion and the second axial end comprising the second body portion;
at least a portion of the fan-out member fits internally within the

Assignees

• Senko Advanced Components Inc

Inventors

• Newbury Paul
• Chang Jimmy

Classifications

• G02B6/3825

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

• G02B6/4472

  Manifolds · CPC title

• Y10T29/49826

  Assembling or joining · CPC title

• Y10T29/49908

  Joining by deforming · CPC title

• G02B6/3885

  Multicore or multichannel optical connectors, i.e. one single ferrule containing more than one fibre, e.g. ribbon type (optical ribbon cable G02B6/4403, G02B6/448) · CPC title