Fiber optic tubular star connector

Claim 2

A fiber optic connector for dismountably joining at least first and second fiber optic cables each including a fiber bundle having a plurality of individual light transmissive fibers, said connector including first and second mateable connector shells in which said first and second cables are respectively secured and positioned colinearly, comprising the combination of: an axially elongated spindle having an axially defined central portion and first and second tapered end portions the surfaces of said spindle ends converging substantially to corresponding points on the axis of said colinearly positioned cables; an optical interface element comprising an annular sleeve of a transparent elastomer material positioned about said spindle cEntral portion and having an axial dimension at least a fraction of the axial dimension of said central portion; means for mechanically securing the outside circumferential surface of said interface element with respect to one of said connector shells, thereby to provide distribution of the fibers of said cables over the surface of said spindle tapered end portions to bring said fibers into axial contact each with a corresponding axially facing end of said interface element in a single circumferential fiber layer.

Claim 3

A fiber optic connector for dismountably joining at least first and second fiber optic cables including corresponding first and second fiber bundles of plural individual light transmissive fibers, said connector including first and second mateable connector shells in which said first and second cables are respectively secured and colinearly positioned, comprising the combination of: an axially elongated spindle having an axially defined central portion of substantially cylindrical surface shape and first and second end portions tapered substantially to corresponding points along the axis of said colinearly positioned cables; an optical interface element comprising a transparent elastomer in the shape of a cylindrical shell, said interface element being secured at least frictionally about said spindle central portion, said interface element having an axial length not exceeding the axial length of said spindle central portion; a guide sleeve of generally tubular shape and of substantially annular cross-sectional shape, said sleeve having an inside diameter, at least within a central portion thereof, as compared to the outside diameter of said interface element such that said interface element and said spindle are secured at least frictionally within said guide sleeve central portion; means including a bore within said second connector shell whereby said guide sleeve is axially and colinearly secured with respect to said axis of said cables, said spindle second end portion defined as being on the side toward said second cable, said second cable fibers being diverged outward over the surface of said spindle second end portion within said guide sleeve to a position of secured contact with the corresponding axial end of said interface element, and said first cable fibers diverging outward over the surface of said spindle first end portion within said guide sleeve to a position of contact with the corresponding axial end of said interface element when said first and second connector shells are mated.

Claim 4

A fiber optic connector for dismountably joining at least first and second fiber optic cables including corresponding first and second fiber bundles of plural individual light transmissive fibers, said connector including first and second mateable connector shells in which said first and second cables are respectively secured and colinearly positioned, comprising the combination of: an axially elongated spindle having an axially defined central portion of substantially cylindrical surface shape and first and second end portions tapered substantially to corresponding points along the axis of said colinearly positioned cables; an optical interface element comprising a transparent elastomer in the shape of a cylindrical shell, said interface element being secured at least frictionally about said spindle central portion, said interface element having an axial length not exceeding the axial length of said spindle central portion; a guide sleeve of generally tubular shape and of substantially annular cross-sectional shape, said sleeve having an inside diameter, at least within a central portion thereof, as compared to the outside diameter of said interface element such that said interface element and said spindle are secured at least frictionally within said guide sleeve central portion; means including a bore within said second connector shell whereby said guide sleeve is axially and colinearly secured with respect to said axis of said cables, said spindle second end portion defined as being on the side toward said second cable, said second cable fibers being diverged outward over the surface of said spindle second end portion within said guide sleeve to a position of secured contact with the corresponding axial end of said interface element, and said first cable fibers diverging outward over the surface of said spindle first end portion within said guide sleeve to a position of contact with the corresponding axial end of said interface element when said first and second connector shells are mated.

Claim 5

Apparatus according to claim 2 in which said interface element axial length is substantially equal to said axial length of said spindle central portion.

Claim 6

Apparatus according to claim 2 in which said guide sleeve is defined as having an axial length greater than the axial length of said spindle portion.

Claim 7

Apparatus according to claim 2 in which said guide sleeve is defined as having an axial length not exceeding the overall axial length of said spindle.

Claim 8

Apparatus according to claim 4 in which said spindle tapered ends are linearly tapered.

Claim 9

Apparatus according to claim 4 in which said interface element has a wall thickness substantially equal to the diameter of an individual fiber of either of said cables plus an allowance for radial tolerances, thereby to produce a single circumferential layer of said fibers at said point of contact with said interface element.

Claim 10

Apparatus according to claim 2 in which said spindle tapered end portions have axial grooves along an axial distance extending outward from said spindle central portion over at least a portion of the lengths of said end portions.

Claim 11

Apparatus according to claim 4 in which said spindle tapered end portions have surface grooves extending generally axially over a fraction of said spindle end portions outward from said spindle central portion, thereby to provide guide means whereby said fibers are uniformly circumferentially distributed at said point of contact witH said interface element.

Claim 12

Apparatus according to claim 9 in which each of said surface grooves on one end portion of said spindle is circumferentially matched with a corresponding groove on the other end portion of said spindle, thereby to provide fiber-to-fiber alignment between said fibers of said first and second cables, the number of said grooves equalling the number of fibers in the corresponding cable.