Patent US3930142A successfully refreshed from Google Patents.
US4367011A
Expired / Lapsed
US
⏱️ 0.0 years remaining
Optical fiber connector and means and method for centering optical fibers
Assignee: Amphenol Corp
•
Filing: 1981-03-27
•
Granted: 1983-01-04
•
Expires: 2001-03-27
Abstract
Abstract A fiber optic connector is disclosed, along with a means and method of centering or properly positioning optical fibers with respect to the connectors, for optically coupling a pair of fiber optic cables or a single fiber optic cable and a light source or detector, wherein the cable includes an outer coating and an inner fiber core which may or may not be concentric with the outer coating. A terminal member is provided which includes a body having a through hole extending axially therethrough, the through hole having a first portion extending through a forward mating end of the terminal member and through a boss portion protruding outwardly from the body portion of the terminal member. The first portion is sized to snugly receive a length of the fiber core stripped of the outer coating to properly position the core with respect to the mating end of the terminal member. The through hole has a second portion rearwardly of the first portion which is sized sufficiently larger than the outer coating of the fiber optic cable to accommodate any eccentricity between the fiber core and the coating. The outer coating is fixedly secured within the second portion of the through hole by epoxy, or the like, to maintain the core properly positioned or centered with respect to the forward mating end of the terminal member. The boss portion is removed after the epoxy hardens, leaving the fiber core properly positioned or centered in the terminal member.
Inventors
- 👤 Kevin J. Monaghan
Bibliographic Details
Application Number
—
Jurisdiction
US
Data Source
google_patents
Last Synchronized
2026-10-23 14:19
CPC Classifications
G; G02; G02B; G02B6/00; G02B6/24; G02B6/36; G02B6/38; G02B6/3807; G02B6/3833; G02B6/3855; G02B6/3873; G02B6/3885
Claims Analysis
Total Claims: 25
Claim 1
Independent Claim
223 words
A fiber optic connector for optically coupling a pair of fiber optic cables or a single fiber optic cable and a light source or detector, wherein said cable includes an outer coating and an inner fiber core which may or may not be concentric with said outer coating, comprising: a terminal member having a through hole extending axially therethrough, said through hole having a first portion extending through a forward extension of said terminal member, said first portion being sized to snugly receive a length of said fiber core stripped of said outer coating to locate said core in a selected position in said terminal member, said through hole having a second portion rearwardly of said first portion for receiving said outer coating of said fiber optic cable, said second portion being sized sufficiently larger than said outer coating to accommodate any eccentricity between said fiber core and said outer coating; and means for fixedly securing said outer coating of said fiber optic cable within said second portion of said through hole to thereby maintain said fiber core in said selected position in said terminal member; said forward extension being constructed so as to be readily removable from the remainder of said terminal member to form a forward mating end with said fiber core located in said selected position in said terminal member.
Claim 2
Dependent Claim
223 words
A fiber optic connector for optically coupling a pair of fiber optic cables or a single fiber optic cable and a light source or detector, wherein said cable includes an outer coating and an inner fiber core which may or may not be concentric with said outer coating, comprising: a terminal member having a through hole extending axially therethrough, said through hole having a first portion extending through a forward extension of said terminal member, said first portion being sized to snugly receive a length of said fiber core stripped of said outer coating to locate said core in a selected position in said terminal member, said through hole having a second portion rearwardly of said first portion for receiving said outer coating of said fiber optic cable, said second portion being sized sufficiently larger than said outer coating to accommodate any eccentricity between said fiber core and said outer coating; and means for fixedly securing said outer coating of said fiber optic cable within said second portion of said through hole to thereby maintain said fiber core in said selected position in said terminal member; said forward extension being constructed so as to be readily removable from the remainder of said terminal member to form a forward mating end with said fiber core located in said selected position in said terminal member.
Claim 3
Dependent Claim
70 words
The connector of claim 1 wherein said first portion of said through hole is formed in a boss portion of said terminal member protruding outwardly from a body portion of said terminal member, said boss portion of said terminal member comprising said forward extension thereof, whereby said boss portion can readily be removed from said body portion leaving said fiber core located in said selected position in said terminal member.
Claim 4
Dependent Claim
20 words
The connector of claim 2 wherein said boss portion of said terminal member is formed integrally with said body portion.
Claim 5
Dependent Claim
24 words
The connector of claim 2 wherein at least a length of said second portion of said through hole is disposed within said boss portion.
Claim 6
Dependent Claim
20 words
The connector of claim 4 wherein said boss portion of said terminal member is formed integrally with said body portion.
Claim 7
Dependent Claim
68 words
The connector of claim 1 wherein said cable includes a plurality of outer coatings and inner fiber cores, said terminal member including a plurality of through holes, each of said through holes having a first and a second portion sized to receive respective ones of said fiber cores and said outer coatings, whereby each said fiber core is individually located in a selected position in said terminal member.
Claim 8
Dependent Claim
73 words
The connector of claim 6 wherein said first portions of said through holes are formed in a reduced boss portion of said terminal member protruding outwardly from a body portion of said terminal member, said reduced boss portion of said terminal member comprising said forward extension thereof, whereby said reduced boss portion can be readily removed from said body portion leaving said fiber cores located in said selected positions in said terminal member.
Claim 9
Dependent Claim
21 words
The connector of claim 7 wherein said reduced boss portion of said terminal member is formed integrally with said body portion.
Claim 10
Dependent Claim
27 words
The connector of claim 7 wherein at least a length of each of said second portions of said through holes is disposed within said reduced boss portion.
Claim 11
Dependent Claim
21 words
The connector of claim 9 wherein said reduced boss portion of said terminal member is formed integrally with said body portion.
Claim 12
Dependent Claim
39 words
The connector of claim 1 wherein said securing means comprises an epoxy material or the like for bonding said fiber cable to said terminal member while said fiber core is located in said selected position in said terminal member.
Claim 13
Dependent Claim
182 words
A fiber optic connector for optically coupling a pair of fiber optic cables or a single fiber optic cable and a light source or detector, wherein said cable includes an outer coating and an inner fiber core which may or may not be concentric with the outer coating, comprising: a terminal member having first, forward means for receiving a length of said fiber core stripped of said outer coating and locating said core in a selected position in said terminal member, and having second means rearwardly of said first, forward means for receiving said outer coating of said fiber optic cable; and means for fixedly securing said outer coating of said fiber optic cable with respect to said second means to thereby maintain said fiber core in said selected position in said terminal member irrespective of any eccentricity between said fiber core and said outer coating; said first means of said terminal member being readily removable from the remainder of said terminal member to form a forward mating end with said fiber core located in said selected position in said terminal member.
Claim 14
Dependent Claim
182 words
A fiber optic connector for optically coupling a pair of fiber optic cables or a single fiber optic cable and a light source or detector, wherein said cable includes an outer coating and an inner fiber core which may or may not be concentric with the outer coating, comprising: a terminal member having first, forward means for receiving a length of said fiber core stripped of said outer coating and locating said core in a selected position in said terminal member, and having second means rearwardly of said first, forward means for receiving said outer coating of said fiber optic cable; and means for fixedly securing said outer coating of said fiber optic cable with respect to said second means to thereby maintain said fiber core in said selected position in said terminal member irrespective of any eccentricity between said fiber core and said outer coating; said first means of said terminal member being readily removable from the remainder of said terminal member to form a forward mating end with said fiber core located in said selected position in said terminal member.
Claim 15
Dependent Claim
31 words
The connector of claim 12 wherein said first means of said terminal member for receiving said fiber core comprises a through hole extending through a forward extension of said terminal member.
Claim 16
Dependent Claim
66 words
The connector of claim 13 wherein said through hole is formed in a boss portion of said terminal member protruding outwardly from a body portion of said terminal member, said boss portion of said terminal member comprising said forward extension thereof, whereby said boss portion can readily be removed from said body portion leaving said fiber core located in said selected position in said terminal member.
Claim 17
Dependent Claim
20 words
The connector of claim 14 wherein said boss portion of said terminal member is formed integrally with said body portion.
Claim 18
Dependent Claim
39 words
The connector of claim 12 wherein said securing means comprises an epoxy material or the like for bonding said outer coating to said terminal member while said fiber core is located in said selected position in said terminal member.
Claim 19
Dependent Claim
41 words
The connector of claim 12 wherein said second means of said terminal member for receiving said outer coating comprises a through hole sufficiently oversized with respect to said coating to accommodate any said eccentricity between said fiber core and said coating.
Claim 20
Dependent Claim
49 words
The connector of claim 17 wherein said through hole is formed in a boss portion of said terminal member protruding outwardly from a body portion of said terminal member, whereby said boss portion can readily be removed from said body portion leaving said outer coating in said terminal member.
Claim 21
Dependent Claim
39 words
The connector of claim 17 wherein said securing means comprises an epoxy material or the like for bonding said outer coating to said terminal member while said fiber core is located in said selected position in said terminal member.
Claim 22
Independent Claim
147 words
A method of locating an inner fiber core of a fiber optic cable in a selected position in a fiber optic connector, wherein said inner fiber core may or may not be concentric with an outer coating of said fiber optic cable, comprising the steps of: providing said fiber optic connector with means for locating said inner fiber core in said selected position; locating a length of said inner fiber core, stripped of said outer coating, in said selected position in said fiber optic connector utilizing said locating means; securing a portion of said outer coating to said fiber optic connector while said inner fiber core is so located to thereby maintain said inner fiber core in said selected position in said fiber optic connector; and removing said locating means of said fiber optic connector after said outer coating portion is secured to said fiber optic connector.
Claim 23
Independent Claim
147 words
A method of locating an inner fiber core of a fiber optic cable in a selected position in a fiber optic connector, wherein said inner fiber core may or may not be concentric with an outer coating of said fiber optic cable, comprising the steps of: providing said fiber optic connector with means for locating said inner fiber core in said selected position; locating a length of said inner fiber core, stripped of said outer coating, in said selected position in said fiber optic connector utilizing said locating means; securing a portion of said outer coating to said fiber optic connector while said inner fiber core is so located to thereby maintain said inner fiber core in said selected position in said fiber optic connector; and removing said locating means of said fiber optic connector after said outer coating portion is secured to said fiber optic connector.
Claim 24
Dependent Claim
26 words
The method of claim 20 including the step of stripping said outer coating from said length of said inner fiber core prior to said locating step.
Claim 25
Dependent Claim
28 words
The method of claim 20 wherein said securing step includes bonding said outer coating portion to said fiber optic connector by using an epoxy material or the like.
References Cited (Backward Citations)
US3517981A
Cited
FR2175547B1
Cited
US3861781A
Cited
US3846010A
Cited
US4046453A
Cited
US3954338A
Cited
US3902785A
Cited
US3958114A
Cited
US3941485A
Cited
US3966299A
Cited
US4009931A
Cited
US3923371A
Cited
US3936143A
Cited
US4023886A
Cited
US4050783A
Cited
GB1452474A
Cited
US3885859A
Cited
US4030809A
Cited
US3999841A
Cited
US3914015A
Cited
US4061416A
Cited
US3910678A
Cited
US4062624A
Cited
US4029390A
Cited
US4139260A
Cited
FR2308115B1
Cited
GB1486681A
Cited
DE2522804A1
Cited
US4026633A
Cited
US4047796A
Cited
US4113346A
Cited
US4133601A
Cited
GB1499940A
Cited
GB1515497A
Cited
US4090778A
Cited
US4033668A
Cited
US4056305A
Cited
GB1479575A
Cited
GB1544738A
Cited
US4101198A
Cited
US4158477A
Cited
US4142776A
Cited
US4084308A
Cited
US4074415A
Cited
US4087155A
Cited
GB2005434B
Cited
GB2007867A
Cited
GB2028534B
Cited
USPTO Annuity & Maintenance Windows
| Annuity Stage | Window Opens | Payment Deadline | Surcharge Period Until | Estimated Fee | Status |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 3.5 Years (Year 4) | 1986-01-03 | 1986-07-05 | 1987-01-04 | $2000.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 7.5 Years (Year 8) | 1990-01-03 | 1990-07-05 | 1991-01-04 | $3760.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 11.5 Years (Year 12) | 1994-01-03 | 1994-07-05 | 1995-01-04 | $7700.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |