Bare fiber connector
US5732174A · kind A · utility
Assignee
Inventors
Key dates
| Filing date | Mar 31, 1997 |
| Grant date | Mar 24, 1998 |
| Priority date | — |
| Expiry date | Mar 31, 2017 |
Classification
- Technology area (CPC G)Physics
- CPC primaryG02B6/3869
- WIPO fieldOptics
- WIPO sectorInstruments
Abstract
A device for interconnecting the bare ends of two or more optical fibers uses a common receptacle having a fiber clamping element therein and camming surfaces for actuating the element, and at least one plug having a camming finger for engaging one of the camming surfaces. The camming surfaces are located such that, when only one of the camming surfaces is actuated, the clamping element rocks to a side of the pocket opposite the one camming surface and remains in the open state, but when both of the camming surfaces are actuated, the clamping element is forced to the closed state. The plug includes a fiber protector free to slide within the plug housing, substantially enclosing the bare end of the fiber when the plug housing is removed from the receptacle, but retracting when the plug housing is inserted into the receptacle to direct the bare end of the fiber toward said guide tube. A fiber collet biases the terminal end of the fiber toward the forward end of the plug place a preload condition on the bare end of the fiber. The connector is particularly suited for cleave-and-bevel installations. The receptacle preferably uses a novel clamping element having two plate members with fi…
Source: USPTO / EPO open patent data. Objective bibliographic and citation counts.