Remote grip multi-fiber connector

US9791635B2 · kind B2 · utility

Assignee

• 3M INNOVATIVE PROPERTIES COMPANY · US

Inventors

• Mark R. Richmond · Austin, US
• Johnny P. Bryant · Georgetown, US
• Ding Wang · Austin, US
• James R. Bylander · Austin, US
• Nathan Stipek · Grapevine, US

Key dates

• Filing date: Aug 12, 2013
• Grant date: Oct 17, 2017
• Expiry date: Sep 17, 2033

Classification

• Technology area (CPC G): Physics
• CPC primary: G02B6/3885
• WIPO field: Optics
• WIPO sector: Instruments

Abstract

An optical fiber connector for terminating a fiber cable comprising a plurality of optical fibers, comprises an outer connector housing, a ferrule essentially free of adhesive, a backbone, and a collar body disposed between the ferrule and backbone. The collar body includes a remote gripping region to remotely grip the plurality of optical fibers outside of the ferrule. In some aspects, the collar body includes a fiber comb portion that separates potentially tangled fibers, arranges the plurality of fibers in a uniform pitch, and provides for straightforward feeding of the fiber array into ferrule bores during a fiber cable insertion process. In some aspects, the connector includes a resilient element disposed between the backbone and a rear portion of the collar body, and an intermediate spring element disposed between a front portion of the collar body and a rear portion of the ferrule.