The present disclosure relates to using a coating to protect a portion of an optical fiber that is intended to buckle within a fiber optic connector. The fiber optic connector can include a bare fiber optical connector.

The present disclosure relates generally to methods for processing ferrules of fiber optic connectors such that the amount of cleaving and/or polishing that is required is eliminated or at least reduced. An apparatus and method of dispensing adhesive through a front end face of a fiber optic ferrule are provided.

Provided is a secure quick communication system disconnect switch box that enables remote verification of communication path connection or disconnection status. The box utilizes a lid having an affixed jumper circuit/assembly bridging or coupling at least two network connections. When the lid to the switch box is attached, the at least two computers/networks are connected via the jumper circuit/assembly. When the lid is removed from the switch box, the jumper circuit/assembly is disconnected from the at least two computer/networks, thereby disconnecting and isolating the otherwise coupled computers/networks. Removal of the lid additionally exposes network maintenance/access ports to provide access to one or more of the computers/network. When the lid is closed, the network maintenance/access ports are inaccessible to the user.

An optical fiber connector for achieving reduced signal transmission losses includes a ferrule basket portion configured to hold a ferrule portion and be disposed in one of a plurality of predetermined tuning positions, a carrier portion configured to engage the ferrule basket portion, and a polygonal biasing member configured to engage the ferrule basket portion and the carrier portion so as to maintain the ferrule basket portion at one of the plurality of predetermined tuning positions and mitigate against signal transmission losses between the ferrule portion and a mating ferrule when the ferrule basket portion is at the one of the plurality of predetermined tuning positions.

Example optical connector ferrules and example optical connectors are provided. An example optical connector ferrule is a first ferrule of an optical connector, where the first ferrule includes n optical channels, and the first ferrule is configured to be compatible with a second ferrule. The second ferrule includes m optical channels, where both m and n are positive integers, and n is greater than m. The n optical channels of the first ferrule include first-type optical channels and second-type optical channels, where an arrangement manner of the first-type optical channels is the same as that of the m optical channels of the second ferrule, and at least one of the second-type optical channels is located in at least one of rows in which the first-type optical channels are located.

A method of making a fiber optic cable assembly having a fiber optic cable terminated by at least one connector is disclosed. The at least one connector includes a ferrule with a holographic optical element and the fiber optic cable includes at least one optical fiber. The method includes securing the at least one optical fiber to the ferrule and exposing the holographic optical element to light from the at least one optical fiber to write an interference pattern into the holographic optical element corresponding to the at least one optical fiber. A fiber optic cable assembly made according to the method is disclosed and an apparatus for carrying out the method is also disclosed.

A connectorized fiber optic cabling assembly includes a loose tube fiber optic cable and a connector assembly. The cable has a termination end and includes an optical fiber bundle including a plurality of optical fibers, at least one strength member, and a jacket surrounding the optical fiber bundle and the strength member. The connector assembly includes a rigid portion and defines a fiber passage. The connector assembly is mounted on the termination end of the cable such that the optical fiber bundle extends through at least a portion of the fiber passage. The plurality of optical fibers undergo a transition from a ribbonized configuration to a loose, non-ribbonized configuration in the rigid portion of the connector assembly.

Aspects of the disclosure are drawn to methods for producing a fused connector termination. An exemplary method may include setting a specification requirement to be met by the fused connector termination and applying an amount of heat to a proximal region of an unfused connector termination. The proximal region of the unfused connector termination may include an inner optical fiber coaxially positioned within an outer ferrule, and applying the amount of heat may at least partially fuse the optical fiber to the outer ferrule to form an at least partially fused connector termination. The method may also include imaging the proximal region of the at least partially fused connector termination and determining, based on the imaging, whether the proximal region of the at least partially fused connector termination meets the specification.

Certain embodiments disclosed herein provide systems and devices for coupling optical fibers with laser surgical systems. In particular, certain aspects provide a push-pull connector and adapter for releasably coupling an optical fiber with a port of a laser surgical system. The connector and adapter facilitate mechanical lateral and rotational guidance of the optical fiber during insertion into the port to ensure proper alignment (e.g., clocking) of the optical fiber’s cores with a laser beam pattern propagated by the laser surgical system. Accordingly, the connector and adaptor enable improved coupling efficiency between the laser beam pattern and one or more cores of the optical fiber, and therefore improved power uniformity between multiple laser beams transmitted through the cores.

A fiber bulge (“bulge”) formed in an end of an optical fiber for positioning the optical fiber in a ferrule bore is disclosed. An energy source is controlled to direct focused energy to the end of the optical fiber extended from the front end face of the ferrule to expose and melt the end of the optical fiber into a bulge of desired geometry and size. The bulge comprises a cross-sectional region having an outer surface having a minimum outer diameter larger than the inner diameter of the ferrule bore. Thus, the optical fiber may be pulled back in the ferrule bore such that at least a portion of the outer surface of the interface region of the bulge interferes with and engages the front opening of the ferrule bore to position the fiber core within the ferrule bore.