OPTICAL FIBER CONNECTOR AND ASSEMBLY METHOD THEREFOR

Abstract

The present invention discloses a type of optical fibre connector, comprising: an external shell; an internal shell, installed within said external shell; an inserted core component, contained within said internal shell and comprising an inserted core and a length of optical fibre pre-installed within said inserted core; and a spring, contained within said internal shell and located behind said inserted core, and being for exerting a pre-set axial force on said inserted core. Said internal shell includes a front part and a rear part; said rear part is assembled on said front part. Additionally, said spring is compressed between said rear part and said inserted core. In the present invention, the rear part can act as a retainer for the compressed spring and can also be for securing the Kevlar fibre extension tube of the optical cable. As a result, in comparison to the prior art, the present invention reduces the number of components of the optical fibre connector and simplifies the structure of the optical fibre connector, thus facilitating rapid on-site assembly of the optical fibre connector.

Claims

1. An optical fibre connector, comprising: an external shell; an internal shell, installed within said external shell; a core component, contained within said internal shell and comprising a core and a section of optical fibre pre-installed within said core; and a spring contained within said internal shell and located behind said core, for exerting a pre-set axial force on said core, wherein said internal shell comprises a front part and a rear part, said rear part being assembled on said front part; and wherein said spring is compressed between said rear part and said core.

2. The optical fibre connector of claim 1, wherein: said optical fibre connector further comprises a temporary retention component, said temporary retention component being capable of assembly on said front part, and being for pre-retaining said core component and said spring within said front part before the rear part is assembled on the front part.

3. The optical fibre connector of claim 2: wherein said temporary retention component includes a weak section; and wherein said rear part-is adapted, when assembling the rear part on the front part, to interfere with the temporary retention component, causing said weak section to break and causing said temporary retention component to detach from said front part.

4. The optical fibre connector of claim 3: wherein said temporary retention component is adapted for fitting over the rear section of said front part, a cylindrical front end section of said rear part being adapted for insertion into the rear section of said front part.

5. The optical fibre connector as described in claim 4: wherein said temporary retention component includes an internal wall having a raised section, the raised section being adapted to press on a rear end of said spring to temporarily retain said core component and said spring within said front part; and wherein a recessed positioning section on an external wall of the front end section of said rear part matches and interferes with said raised section, the recessed positioning section being adapted to cause the weak section of said temporary retention component to break and to provide a correct orientation of said rear part when inserted into said front part.

6. The optical fibre connector of claim 5: that: wherein the raised section of said temporary retention component includes a catch groove; and wherein said rear part includes a raised section within the recessed positioning section which corresponds to said catch groove and is adapted for guiding insertion of said rear part into said temporary retention component.

7. The optical fibre connector of claim 6: wherein said temporary retention component includes a flexible catch, said flexible catch being adapted to catch in a recess on said front part so as to facilitate assembly of said temporary retention component on said front part.

8. The optical fibre connector of claim 7: wherein the front end section of said rear part includes a raised section, said raised section being adapted to catch in the opening of said front part so as to facilitate assembly of said rear part on said front part.

9. The optical fibre connector of claim 8: wherein when said rear part is assembled on said front part, the cylindrical front end section of said rear part is fitted over said spring; and wherein the rear end of said spring is pressed onto a stepped obstructing surface on an internal wall of said rear part (120).

10. The optical fibre connector of claim 1: wherein said pre-installed optical fibre is adapted to be fused with an incoming optical fibre from an optical cable connected to said optical fibre connector.

11. The optical fibre connector of claim 10: wherein a fusion splice is provided between said pre-installed optical fibre and said incoming optical fibre, the fusion splice being located within a protective sleeve; and wherein a front end of the protective sleeve is connected to a buffer tube encapsulating said pre-installed optical fibre.

12. The optical fibre connector of claim 11: wherein said optical fibre connector further comprises a dust cap, said dust cap being fitted over a front end section of said core and adapted to protect the pre-installed optical fibre within said core.

13. The optical fibre connector of claim 12: wherein before said rear part is assembled on said front part, said temporary retention component pre-retains said dust cap, said core component and said spring (500) in said front part (110).

14. The optical fibre connector as of claim 13: wherein said optical cable is an optical cable with Kevlar fibre, and wherein the Kevlar fibre of said optical cable is secured by heat shrink tubing; and wherein a front end of said heat shrink tubing is heat shrunk onto the rear end section of said rear part, a rear end of said heat shrink tubing being heat shrunk onto an external protective cover of said optical cable.

15. The optical fibre connector of claim 13: wherein said optical cable is an optical cable without Kevlar fibre, and wherein said optical fibre connector further comprises heat shrink tubing for securing said optical cable, a front end of said heat shrink tubing being heat shrunk onto the rear end section of said rear part, a rear end of said heat shrink tubing being heat shrunk onto an external protective cover of said optical cable.

16. The optical fibre connector of claim 14: wherein said optical fibre connector further comprises a strain relief boot, a front end of said strain relief boot being adapted to fit over said heat shrink tubing, and a rear end of said strain relief boot being adapted to fit over the external protective cover of said optical cable.

17. The optical fibre connector of claim 13: wherein a rear end section of said rear part includes a threaded connection section, wherein a Kevlar fibre of said optical cable is adapted to be secured on the rear end section of the rear part of said internal shell in a threaded connection with a threaded sleeve on the rear end section of said rear part; and wherein a front end of one section of an external protective cover of said optical cable includes two halves, between which are pressed said threaded sleeve and the rear end section of said rear part.

18. The optical fibre connector of claim 17: wherein an internal wall of the threaded sleeve includes a conical pressure surface facing an edge of an end surface of the rear end section of said rear part; and wherein the external protective cover of said optical cable is pressed between the conical pressure surface and the edge of the end surface of the rear end section of said rear part.

19. The optical fibre connector of claim 17: wherein said optical fibre connector further comprises a strain relief boot, a front end of said strain relief boot being adapted to fit over said threaded sleeve, and a rear end of said strain relief boot being adapted to fit over the external protective cover of said optical cable.

20-39. (canceled)

40. The optical fibre connector of claim 2, wherein said temporary retention component is adapted to fall way from the front part when assembling the rear part and the front part together.

41. An optical fibre connector assembly, comprising: an external shell; an internal shell adapted to be installed within the external shell, the internal shell including a front part and a rear part adapted to be assembled together; a core component comprising a core and a section of optical fibre installed within the core; a spring for exerting a pre-set axial force on the core; and a temporary retention component adapted to be assembled to the front part of the internal shell to retain the core component and the spring within the front part when the rear part and the front part are not assembled together.

Description

DRAWINGS

[0056] FIG. 1 presents an exploded view of a first exemplary embodiment of the optical fibre connector according to the present invention, the external shell not being shown here;

[0057] FIG. 2 is a representation of a pre-installed part formed by pre-assembling the dust cap, inserted core component and spring in FIG. 1 within the front part of the internal shell using a temporary retention component;

[0058] FIG. 3 presents a cut-away view of the pre-installed part in FIG. 2;

[0059] FIG. 4 is a magnified representation of the temporary retention component in FIG. 1;

[0060] FIG. 5 is a magnified representation of the rear part of the internal shell in FIG. 1;

[0061] FIG. 6 is a representation of the pre-installed optical fibre and the incoming optical fibre of the optical cable fusion spliced together after the pre-assembled part in FIG. 2 has been formed;

[0062] FIG. 7 is a representation of the protective sleeve the two ends of which have been separately joined to the buffer tubing of the pre-installed optical fibre and the incoming optical fibre after the pre-installed optical fibre and incoming optical fibre have been fusion spliced together;

[0063] FIG. 8 is a representation of the rear part of the internal shell inserted into the front part, and the Kevlar fibre of the optical cable placed on the rear end section of the rear part;

[0064] FIG. 9 is a representation of the heat shrink tubing heat shrunk onto the rear end section of the rear part of the internal shell and the optical cable;

[0065] FIG. 10 is a representation of the complete optical fibre connector resulting from installing the strain relief boot over the heat shrink tubing and optical cable and installing the internal shell within the external shell;

[0066] FIG. 11 is a cut-away view of the optical fibre connector shown in FIG. 10;

[0067] FIG. 12 is a cut-away view of the optical fibre connector according to exemplary embodiment 2 of the present invention, the external shell not being shown here; and

[0068] FIG. 13 is a cut-away view of the optical fibre connector shown in FIG. 12, neither the external shell nor the optical cable being shown here.

SPECIFIC EMBODIMENTS

[0069] The following embodiments, taken in conjunction with the drawings, provide a more detailed description of the technical schemes of the present invention. Within the description, numbering that is the same or similar in the drawings refers to components that are the same or similar. The aim of the following description of implementations of the present invention taken in conjunction with the drawings are to aid in the interpretation of the overall inventive conceptual framework of the present invention, and should not be understood as restricting the present invention in any way.

[0070] In addition, in the following detailed descriptions, for convenience of interpretation, many specific details are provided in order to allow a full understanding of the embodiments disclosed. However, it should be clear that one or more embodiment could be implemented without these specific details. In all other cases, structures and devices which are common knowledge are represented graphically to allow simplification of the drawings.

[0071] According to an overall technical concept of the present invention, it provides an optical fibre connector comprising: an external shell; an internal shell, installed within said external shell; an inserted core component, contained within said internal shell and comprising an inserted core and a length of optical fibre pre-installed within said inserted core; and a spring, contained within said internal shell and being located behind said inserted core, for exerting a pre-set axial force on said inserted core. Said internal shell includes a front part and a rear part, said rear part being assembled on said front part; said spring is compressed between said rear part and said inserted core.

Embodiment 1

[0072] FIG. 1 is an exploded view of the first exemplary embodiment of the optical fibre connector according to the present invention, the external shell 200 not being shown here.

[0073] As is shown in FIG. 1, in an exemplary embodiment of the present invention, the optical fibre connector mainly includes an internal shell 100, an external shell 200, an inserted core component, a spring 500, heat shrink tubing 700 and a strain relief boot 800.

[0074] FIG. 10 is a representation of the complete optical fibre connector resulting from installing the strain relief boot 800 over the heat shrink tubing 700 and optical cable 10 and installing the internal shell 100 within the external shell 200; FIG. 11 is a cut-away view of the optical fibre connector in FIG. 10.

[0075] In the embodiment represented in FIG. 1, FIG. 10 and FIG. 11, the inserted core component is contained within the internal shell 100, and the inserted core component includes an inserted core 300 and a length of pre-installed optical fibre 21 within the inserted core 300. In the embodiment depicted in the drawing, the rear end of the pre-installed optical fibre 21 extends out of the rear end section 320 of the inserted core 300 in order to facilitate fusion splicing with the incoming optical fibre 11 of the optical cable 10.

[0076] In the embodiment represented in FIG. 1, FIG. 10 and FIG. 11, a spring 500, contained within the internal shell 100 and located behind the inserted core 300, is for exerting a pre-set axial force on the inserted core 300.

[0077] With further reference to FIG. 1, FIG. 3. 10 and FIG. 11, in an exemplary embodiment of the present invention, the internal shell 100 includes a front part 110 and a rear part 120, the rear part 120 being capable of being assembled on the front part 110. After the rear part 120 has been assembled on the front part 110, the spring 500 is compressed between the rear part 120 and the inserted core 300.

[0078] In the embodiment represented in FIG. 1, FIG. 10 and FIG. 11, the optical cable 10 connected to the optical fibre connector possesses Kevlar fibre (a strengthening component) 13, and that Kevlar fibre 13 is secured to the rear end section 122 of the rear part 120.

[0079] FIG. 2 is a representation of a pre-installed part 1000 formed of the front part 110 pre-assembled from the dust cap 900, inserted core component and spring 500 in FIG. 1 in the internal shell 100 using a temporary retention component; FIG. 3 is a cut-away view of the pre-installed part 1000 in FIG. 2.

[0080] In the exemplary embodiment represented in FIG. 1, FIG. 2 and FIC-3. 3, the optical fibre connector may also include a temporary retention component 400. The temporary retention component 400 is capable of assembly on the front part 110 and is for pre-retaining the inserted core component and spring 500 in the front part 110 before the rear part 120 is assembled on the front part 110.

[0081] In an exemplary embodiment of the present invention, the temporary retention component 400 is constructed in such a way that during the process of assembling the rear part 120 on the front part 110 it drops from the front part 110 automatically.

[0082] FIG. 4 is a magnified representation of the temporary retention component 400 in FIG. 1; FIG. 5 is a magnified representation of the rear part 120 of the internal shell 100 in FIG. 1.

[0083] In the embodiment graphically represented in FIG. 4 and FIG. 5, a weak section 440, e.g., a thin wall section, a cut section or section that can be easily broken in some other way, is formed on the temporary retention component 400. The rear part 120 is constructed in such a way that, during the process of assembling the rear part 120 on the front part 110, it interferes with the temporary retention component 400, causing the weak section 440 to break and causing the temporary retention component 400 to drop from the front part 110 automatically.

[0084] In the embodiment represented in FIG. 2 and FIG. 3, the temporary retention component 400 is suitable for fitting over the rear end section of the front part 110, and the front end section 121 of the rear part 120 is suitable for insertion into the rear end section of the front part 110.

[0085] As shown in FIGS. 2 through 5, in an exemplary embodiment of the present invention, there is a raised section 420 formed on the internal wall of the temporary retention component 400. After the temporary retention component 400 is assembled on the front part 110, the raised section 420 presses down on the rear end of the spring 500, temporarily retaining the inserted core component and spring 500 within the front part 110. Additionally, there is a recessed positioning section 125 formed on the external wall of the front end section 121 of the rear part 120 which matches and interferes with the raised section 420 and which is for causing the weak section 440 of the temporary retention component 400 to break and ensuring the correct orientation of the rear part 120 when inserted into the front part 110.

[0086] In an exemplary embodiment of the present invention, as indicated in FIG. 2 to FIG. 5, a catch groove 430 is formed on the raised section 420 of the temporary retention component 400. Additionally, on the rear part 120 there is a raised section 126 formed within the recessed positioning section 125 which matches the catch groove 430 and which is for guiding insertion of the rear part 120 into the temporary retention component 400.

[0087] In the depicted embodiment, when the front end section 121 of the rear part 120 is inserted into the temporary retention component 400, the raised section 420 of the temporary retention component 400 matches and interferes with the recessed positioning section 125 of the rear part 120, causing the temporary retention component 400 to gradually expand outwards, and causing the weak section 440 on the temporary retention component 400 to break.

[0088] In addition, in the depicted embodiment, in order to facilitate insertion of the front end section 121 of the rear part 120 into the temporary retention component 400, there are angled guide surfaces 125a and 126a formed on the recessed positioning section 125 of the rear part 120 and on the front end of the raised section 126, respectively.

[0089] In an exemplary embodiment of the present invention, as represented in FIGS. 1 through 5, there is a flexible catch 410 formed on the temporary retention component 400. The flexible catch 410 is for catching in the recess 115 on the front part 110 in order to facilitate assembly of the temporary retention component 400 onto the front part 110.

[0090] In an exemplary embodiment of the present invention, as represented in FIGS. 1 through 5, on the front end section 121 of the rear part 120 there is a raised section 124. The raised section 124 is suitable for catching in the opening 114 formed on the front part 110 in order to facilitate assembly of the rear part 120 on the front part 110.

[0091] In the embodiment graphically represented in FIG. 10 and FIG. 11, after the rear part 120 is assembled on the front part 110, the cylindrical front end section 121 of the rear part 120 is fitted over the spring 500. Additionally, the rear end of the spring 500 is pressed onto the stepped obstructing surface 127 formed on the internal wall of the rear part 120.

[0092] In the embodiment depicted in the drawings, in order to prevent the rear part 120 from being inserted into the front part 110 too far, there is a raised edge section 123 on the rear part 120. The raised edge section 123 is located between the front end section 121 and rear end section 122 of the rear part 120. When the rear part 120 is inserted into the front part 110, the raised edge section 123 comes to rest against the wall of the rear end of the front part 110, thus preventing the rear part 120 from being inserted too far into the front part 110.

[0093] FIG. 6 is a representation of the pre-installed optical fibre 21 and the incoming optical fibre 11 of the optical cable 10 fusion spliced together after the pre-assembled part 1000 in FIG. 2 has been assembled. FIG. 7 is a representation of the protective sleeve 600 the two ends of which have been joined to the buffer tubing 22 and 12 of the pre-installed optical fibre 21 and incoming optical fibre 11, after the pre-installed optical fibre 21 and incoming optical fibre 11 have been fusion spliced together.

[0094] As shown in FIG. 6, FIG. 7, FIG. 10 and FIG. 11, the fusion splice between the pre-installed optical fibre 21 and the incoming optical fibre 11 is located within a protective sleeve 600. Additionally, the front end of the protective sleeve 600 is connected to the buffer tube 22 encapsulating the pre-installed optical fibre 21, and the rear end is connected to the buffer tube 12 encapsulating the incoming optical fibre 11 in an embodiment of the present invention, the protective sleeve 600 may be heat shrink tubing or cold shrink tubing.

[0095] In the embodiment graphically represented in FIG. 1 through FIG. 3, the optical fibre connector also includes a dust cap 900. The dust cap 900 is fitted over the front end section 310 of the inserted core 300 in order to protect the pre-installed optical fibre 21 within the inserted core 300.

[0096] In the exemplary embodiment of the present invention represented in FIG. 2 and FIG. 3, before the rear part 120 is assembled on the front part 110, the dust cap 900, inserted core component and spring 500 are retained on the front part 110 by the temporary retention component 400.

[0097] FIG. 8 is a representation of the rear part 120 of the internal shell 100 inserted into the front part 110, and the Kevlar fibre 13 of the optical cable 10 placed on the rear end section 122 of the rear part 120. FIG. 9 is a representation of the heat shrink tubing 700 heat shrunk onto the rear end section 122 of the rear part 120 of the internal shell 100 and the optical cable 10.

[0098] In the exemplary embodiment of the present invention graphically represented in FIG. 8, FIG. 9, FIG. 10 and FIG. 11, the Kevlar fibre 13 of the optical cable 10 is secured to the rear end section 122 of the rear part 120 of the internal shell 100 by heat shrink tubing 700. The front end of the heat shrink tubing 700 is heat shrunk onto the rear end section 122 of the rear part 120 and is for securing the Kevlar fibre 13 of the optical cable 10 on the rear end section 122 of the rear part 120 of the internal shell 100. The rear end of the heat shrink tubing 700 is heat shrunk onto the external protective cover of the optical cable 10.

[0099] In the embodiment graphically represented in FIG. 10 and FIG. 11, the front end of the strain relief boot 800 is installed over the heat shrink tubing 700, and the rear end of the strain relief boot 800 is installed over the external protective cover of the optical cable 10.

[0100] The following taken in conjunction with FIG. 1 through PG. 11 provides a detailed description of the assembly process of the optical fibre connector of an exemplary embodiment of the present invention.

[0101] Firstly, as shown in FIG. 2 and FIG. 3, the temporary retention component 400 is used to pre-retain the dust cap 900, the inserted core component and spring 500 within the front part 110 of the internal shell 100, forming the pre-installed part 1000. It should be noted that this pre-installed part 1000 can be completed at the factory, and does not require on-site assembly, thus reducing the amount of work required by the on-site assembly of the optical fibre connector.

[0102] Subsequently, as shown in FIG. 6, the pre-installed optical fibre 21 and the incoming optical fibre 11 of the optical cable 10 are fusion spliced together.

[0103] Subsequently, as shown in FIG. 7, the two ends of the protective sleeve 600 are connected respectively with the buffer tubing 12 and 22 of the incoming optical fibre 11 and the pre-installed optical fibre 21, ensuring that the fusion splice between the incoming optical fibre 11 and the pre-installed optical fibre 21 is contained within the protective sleeve 600.

[0104] Subsequently, as shown in FIG. 8, the rear part 120 of the internal shell 100 is assembled within the front part 110, resulting in the spring 500 being compressed between rear part 120 and the inserted core 300 and also causing the temporary retention component 400 to break and automatically drop off the front part 110.

[0105] Subsequently, as shown in FIG. 9, the heat shrink tubing 700 is heat shrunk onto the rear end section 122 of the rear part 120 and the external protective cover of the optical cable 10, thus securing the Kevlar fibre 13 of the optical cable 10 on the rear end section 122 of the rear part 120 of the internal shell 100.

[0106] Finally, as shown in FIG. 10 and FIG. 11, the strain relief boot 800 is installed over the heat shrink tubing 700 and the external protective cover of the optical cable 10, and the internal shell 100 is installed within the external shell 200, thus completing the assembly of the whole optical fibre connector.

[0107] In the embodiment shown in FIGS. 1 through 11, the optical cable 10 connected to the optical fibre connector is an optical cable which possesses Kevlar fibre 13. However, the present invention is not restricted to the embodiment diagrammatically represented here, and the optical cable connected to the optical fibre connector may also be optical cable without Kevlar fibre, e.g., “FIG. of 8” optical cable. However, where this type of optical cable is concerned, the optical fibre and the buffer tubing encapsulating the optical fibre may not move relative to the external protective cover of the optical cable. As a result, it is necessary to leave a fairly long section of buffer tubing exposed on the optical cable. When optical fibre connectors are used in this manner (the front end of the inserted core becomes compressed), the relatively long section of exposed optical cable buffer tubing can easily become bent, causing the inserted core to move slightly. Thus, the optical fibre connector cannot produce [sic] additional insertion loss because of the bending, nor can it prevent breakage of the optical cable under extreme circumstances.

Embodiment 2

[0108] FIG. 12 is a cut-away view of the optical fibre connector according to exemplary embodiment 2 of the present invention (the external shell not being shown here), and FIG. 13 is a cut-away view of the optical fibre connector shown in FIG. 12 (neither the external shell or optical cable being shown here).

[0109] The main difference between the optical fibre connector of embodiment 2 shown in FIGS. 12 and 13 and the optical fibre connector of embodiment 1 shown in FIGS. 1 through 11 is the securing structure used to secure the Kevlar fibre of the optical cable. Otherwise, the optical fibre connector of embodiment 2 shown in FIGS. 12 and 13 and the optical fibre connector of embodiment 1 shown in FIGS. 1 through 11 are identical, and for the sake of brevity, the following only provides a description of areas in which embodiment 1 and embodiment 2 differ.

[0110] In the exemplary embodiment represented in FIG. 12 and FIG. 13, there is a threaded connecting section 122a formed on the rear end section 122′ of the rear part 120′ of the internal shell. The Kevlar fibre 13 of the optical cable 10 is secured on the rear end section 122′ of the rear part 120′ of the internal shell by being in a threaded connection with a threaded sleeve 700′ on the rear end section 122′ of the rear part 120′. The front end of a section of external protective cover 14 of the optical cable 10 is cut in two halves, and is pressed between the rear end section 122′ of the rear part 120′ and the threaded sleeve 700′.

[0111] In the embodiment graphically represented in FIG. 12 and FIG. 13, there is a conical pressure surface 700b formed on the internal wall of the threaded sleeve 700′. The conical pressure surface 700b faces the edge 122b of the end surface of the rear end section 122′ of the rear part 120′. Additionally, the external protective cover 14 of the optical cable 10 is pressed between the conical pressure surface 700b of the threaded sleeve 700′ and the edge 122b of the end surface of the rear end section 122′ of the rear part 120′.

[0112] In embodiment 2 shown in FIG. 12 and FIG. 13, after the threaded sleeve 700′ is in a threaded connection with the rear end section 122′ of the rear part 120′ of the internal shell, the strain relief boot 800′ is installed over the threaded sleeve 700′ and the external protective cover of the optical cable 10.

[0113] Although the present invention has been described in conjunction with the drawings, the objective of the embodiments disclosed by the drawings is purely to provide illustrative descriptions of preferred implementations of the present invention, and should not be understood as constituting any kind of restriction on the present invention.

[0114] Although some embodiments of the overall concepts of the present invention have been displayed and described, a person of ordinary skill in the art would be able to make various modifications to these embodiments which do not depart from the principles and spirit embodied by the concepts of the present invention. The scope of the present invention is defined by the claims and their equivalents.

[0115] It should be understood that, the word “including” or “comprising” does not exclude other components or steps, and the word “a”, “an” or “one” does not exclude more than one. In addition, the labelling of any component in the claims should not be understood as restricting the scope of the present invention in any way.