Ferrules for fiber optic connectors

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-9606302-B2
Application number	US-201414776911-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Mar 13, 2014
Priority date	Mar 15, 2013
Publication date	Mar 28, 2017
Grant date	Mar 28, 2017

Abstract

A ferrule for a fiber optic connector includes: a main body extending from a first end to a second end, the main body defining a bore extending from the first end to the second end; an end surface at the second end of the main body; and a raised portion on the end surface, the raised portion extending from the second end and surrounding the bore; wherein an optical fiber is configured to be positioned within the bore of the main body; and wherein the end surface is configured to be polished to remove the raised portion.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. A ferrule for a fiber optic connector, the ferrule comprising:
a main body extending from a first end to a second end, the main body defining a bore having a bore diameter and extending from the first end to the second end;
an end surface at the second end of the main body; and
a raised portion on the end surface, the raised portion extending from the second end and surrounding the bore, and the raised portion forming a rounded surface;
wherein the raised portion defines an opening along the rounded surface having a raised portion diameter that is greater than the bore diameter;
wherein an optical fiber is configured to be positioned within the bore of the main body; and
wherein the end surface is configured to be polished to remove the raised portion.

2. The ferrule of claim 1 , further comprising a chamfer extending from the raised portion to the bore at the end surface.

3. The ferrule of claim 2 , wherein the main body includes first and second portions, the first portion being of a first diameter, and the second portion being of a second diameter, the second diameter being smaller than the first diameter, and the second portion including the second end of the main body.

4. The ferrule of claim 3 , wherein the ferrule is configured for use in an SC or LC connector.

5. The ferrule of claim 1 , wherein the main body includes first and second portions, the first portion being of a first diameter, and the second portion being of a second diameter, the second diameter being smaller than the first diameter, and the second portion including the second end of the main body.

6. The ferrule of claim 1 , wherein the ferrule is configured for use in an SC or LC connector.

7. A fiber optic connector, the connector comprising:
a connector body; and
a ferrule positioned with in the connector body, the ferrule including:
a main body extending from a first end to a second end, the main body defining a bore having a bore diameter and extending from the first end to the second end;
an end surface at the second end of the main body; and
a raised portion on the end surface, the raised portion extending from the second end and surrounding the bore, and the raised portion forming a rounded surface;
wherein the raised portion defines an opening along the rounded surface having a raised portion diameter that is greater than the bore diameter;
wherein an optical fiber is configured to be positioned within the bore of the main body; and
wherein the end surface is configured to be polished to remove the raised portion.

8. The connector of claim 7 , further comprising a chamfer extending from the raised portion to the bore at the end surface.

9. The connector of claim 8 , wherein the main body includes first and second portions, the first portion being of a first diameter, and the second portion being of a second diameter, the second diameter being smaller than the first diameter, and the second portion including the second end of the main body.

10. The connector of claim 9 , wherein the connector is an SC or LC connector.

11. The connector of claim 7 , wherein the main body includes first and second portions, the first portion being of a first diameter, and the second portion being of a second diameter, the second diameter being smaller than the first diameter, and the second portion including the second end of the main body.

12. The connector of claim 7 , wherein the connector is an SC or LC connector.

13. A method for creating a fiber optic connector, the method comprising:
providing a ferrule having a main body extending from a first end to a second end, the main body defining a bore extending from the first end to the second end;
creating a raised portion having a rounded surface on an end surface of the second end of the main body, the raised portion extending from the second end and surrounding the bore and defining an opening having a diameter greater than a diameter of the bore;
positioning an optical fiber within the bore of the main body; and
polishing the end surface to remove the raised portion.

14. The method of claim 13 , further comprising creating a chamfer extending from the raised portion to the bore at the end surface.

15. The method of claim 14 , further comprising forming the main body of the ferrule into first and second portions, the first portion being of a first diameter, and the second portion being of a second diameter, the second diameter being smaller than the first diameter, and the second portion including the second end of the main body.

16. The method of claim 15 , further comprising positioning the ferrule into a connector.

17. The method of claim 16 , wherein the connector is an SC or LC connector.

18. The method of claim 13 , further comprising forming the main body of the ferrule into first and second portions, the first portion being of a first diameter, and the second portion being of a second diameter, the second diameter being smaller than the first diameter, and the second portion including the second end of the main body.

19. The method of claim 13 , further comprising positioning the ferrule into a connector.

20. The method of claim 19 , wherein the connector is an SC or LC connector.

Assignees

• Ott Michael James
• Lu Yu
• Commscope Technologies Llc

Inventors

• Ott Michael James
• Lu Yu

Classifications

• G06N3/065

  Analogue means · CPC title

• G02B6/3863 Primary

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

• G02B6/381

  of the ferrule type, e.g. fibre ends embedded in ferrules, connecting a pair of fibres · CPC title

• G06N3/082

  modifying the architecture, e.g. adding, deleting or silencing nodes or connections · CPC title

• G06N3/09

  Supervised learning · CPC title