JPS62500546A - Underwater mating optical fiber connector - Google Patents

Abstract

(57) [Summary] This bulletin contains application data before electronic filing, so abstract data is not recorded.

Description

[Detailed description of the invention] Underwater matable fiber optic connector Background of the invention The present invention relates to the field of underwater fiber optic connectors, and more particularly to the field of underwater fiber optic connectors, and more particularly to the field of underwater fiber optic connectors. Can be directly butt-bonded fiber to fiber for cyclic use in large oceans. The present invention relates to an optical fiber connector that can be freely engaged under water.

Underwater fiber optic systems are becoming increasingly popular under the sea. – Cable and connector systems have become necessary. Can be operated underwater Capable ex-fiber connectors have already been developed. An example of such a connector are the inventor's U.S. Patent Application No. 623, both of which are assigned to the assignee of this patent application; No. 037 and U.S. Patent Application No. 623,038.

The underwater connectors exemplified by these patent applications are optical fibers that can be used cyclically underwater. optical fibers to be coupled together. A lens arrangement is used to transfer light energy between. of these connectors The advantage is that the connector is robust and does not pose any risk of mechanical or corrosion damage. This is to protect the optical fiber itself from coming into contact with the saltwater environment. this The disadvantage of these lens-shaped connectors is that they cannot be connected through the connector by using a lens. This increases the inherent loss of optical energy. For lens type connectors, Defects in the lens itself, reflections at the fiber-lens interface, and mechanical alignment. Due to misalignment, energy is lost at the junction between the lens and the fiber.

As is well known, in the laboratory, two fibers are aligned using a precision alignment device such as a capillary tube. Optical joining with very low loss by directly butting the ends of the fibers together part is obtained. Advances in connector technology for glass light guides allow for gentle drying. A possible solution to the problem of butt-splicing two optical fibers in a A possible solution was presented. However, it is difficult to connect fiber to fiber in an underwater environment. There are problems that are much more difficult to solve than those that occur in the laboratory. to the underwater environment It is thought that this will lead to an increase in coupling loss when coupling optical fibers. Avoid exposing fibers to seawater to reduce the risk of fiber corrosion Must be retained. Furthermore, since the original fiber is thin and extremely brittle, Underwater connectors require very careful and precise handling of the fibers. Must be. Finally, subsea fiber-to-fiber connectors connect fiber Support to obtain reproducible results that can predict bankruptcy according to bond superposition must be able to do so.

The advantageous effects of the connector of the invention are that it can be placed at any depth and that Low-loss fiber without exposing the combined fiber to the resistive underwater environment The preparation of the source fiber is such that reproducible fiber-to-fiber coupling can be achieved. This is due to the creation of a well-organized preventive environment.

Therefore, the main objective of the present invention is to provide a recyclable and low loss light that can be used underwater. An object of the present invention is to provide a connector for forming a fiber joint.

Another objective is to provide such a connector that can withstand the threats of a saltwater environment. That is.

Yet another object of the invention is to provide optical fibers with high ambient pressure without damaging them. Low-loss fiber pair connectors that can be repeatedly engaged and separated It is to provide.

Summary of the invention To achieve the above object, the present invention butt-bonds a pair of optical fibers underwater. provides fiber optic connectors for use in The connector has two Consists of connector units, each connector unit is supported by the other unit. It supports the optical fiber that is butt-spliced with the fiber that is attached. each unit In the process, the fibers to be spliced are connected to an internal chamber filled with an optically transparent fluid. sealed inside the chamber.

Each chamber isolates the fibers it encloses from the effects of seawater. each chain The fiber is also used to transfer seawater pressure to the fluid surrounding the fiber. to compensate for the difference between the seawater pressure of the fiber and the pressure surrounding the encapsulated fiber. two chi The chamber has a penetrable fluid-tight seal. The fiber alignment device is on one side. The exposed end of one optical fiber is located within the internal chamber of the connector unit. hold part. Fiber guiding transport mechanism in the chamber of the other connector unit is butt-jointed with one end of the exposed fiber in the alignment device. Encapsulate the exposed end of the optical fiber. When the connector unit is joined, the fiber The fiber-guided transport mechanism penetrates the two chambers through a fluid-tight seal and encloses them. The fiber base is moved from the inner chamber where the mechanism is located to accommodate the alignment device. Move to the inner chamber where Therefore, the fiber guiding and conveying mechanism is 7. Guide the fiber into the alignment device and insert it into it, and one end of the fiber is aligned. butt spliced with one end of the fiber held within the host device.

The general connector of the present invention includes a hollow 11-hole cylindrical Prada unit, The gating unit has a hollow support tube that supports the free end of the fiber within the prada unit. Store it. A hollow elongated probe covers the support tube and one end of the fiber, and can be moved to a position exposing one end of the fiber along the support tube. Ru. Both the support tube and the blow f are arranged in a pladder inside the plug unit, Surrounded by Prada. The Prader is a fluid-tight movable seam that can be penetrated by the probe. has a file. The seal is coaxial with the longitudinal dimension of the probe. connector is used When the seal is inserted into the probe, the seal It is displaced to the position where it is made to come out.

Typical connectors engage the plug unit when fibers are to be butt-jointed. The mating hollow plug receptacle further includes a unit. The plug holder is the unit, the plug The seal engages the unit's penetrable seal so that the globe penetrates the seal. including a locking surface for changing the position of the probe relative to the probe of the plug unit. similarly The internal plug has a fluid-tight seal that can be penetrated into the plug unit's globe. A plug receptacle is provided within the unit. The plug holder is where the unit and plug unit connect. When the probe penetrates the seal of the plug unit, the probe The receiver also penetrates the unit's seal, and the plug receiver enters the unit's Prada.

The zorobe receiver engages the probe and connects one end of the fiber to be encapsulated with the probe. The device is designed to induce relative movement exposing one end of the fiber of the plug unit between the two. The lug receiver is located within the plug of the unit. The plug holder is inside the plug of the unit. holding the end of the second fiber adjacent to the probe locking mechanism and exposing the Contains a fiber alignment capillary that aligns with the end of the fiber. Ru.

The general connector is presented in two specific embodiments. In the first embodiment In this case, one end of the internal chamber of the plug unit is fixed and contains a penetrable seal. The end of the chamber freely reciprocates along the probe. In the second embodiment In this case, there is no part of the plug unit that is fixed to the internal chamber, and the entire unit is The probe is movable, and the position where the probe is enclosed and the chamber are the probe is exposed through the seal of the chamber. Move to and from the position.

When the following description is read in conjunction with the figures below, it will be seen that the fiber optic connector of the present invention is as described above. It becomes clear that the objective of the Probably.

Brief description of the drawing FIG. 1 is a side sectional view showing a half-closed plug of a first embodiment of the connector of the present invention; FIG. 2 is a side sectional view showing the plug holder of the first embodiment of the connector in a half-closed state.

Figure 3 shows how to butt connect two connector halves to a pair of optical fibers. FIG. 4 is a side sectional view showing the first embodiment of the connector of the present invention in a mated state. , a cross-sectional view of the interlocking connector halves of FIG. 3 taken along line 4--4 of FIG. Figure 5 is a cross-sectional view of the plug half-closed G-z along line 5-5 in Figure 1; FIG. 6 is a side sectional view showing a half-closed plug of a second embodiment of the connector of the present invention.

FIG. 7 is a side sectional view showing that the plug holder of the second embodiment of the connector is half closed; Figure 8 shows how to butt connect two connector halves to a pair of original fibers. FIG. 9 is a side sectional view showing the second embodiment of the connector of the present invention in a mated state. , a partial cutaway diagram showing a preferred embodiment of the fiber alignment device; Figure 10 shows a connector unit used to prevent axial rotation after mating of the connector unit. Figure 1 showing parts of the plug and plug receiver used in the second embodiment of the connector. 1 is a diagram showing the structure of an internal chamber in a second embodiment of the connector, Figure 12 shows the pen used to introduce the optical fiber into the connector unit. Figure 13 shows the penetrator device's compressible seal assembly. A diagram showing the assembly, Figure 14 shows the connector unit, Venetrator and underwater optical fiber cable. FIG.

Description of the preferred embodiment In this discussion we will refer to fibers, optical fibers and optical waveguides. child These terms all refer to a type of fiber that can guide light from one end of the fiber to the other. It is important to understand that this is related to optical fibers manufactured from materials with special characteristics. It is possible.

In this explanation, the term "unit" is used for the connector's plug unit and plug holder. is also used. As is well known, the word "plug" is the female type of the conventional Eri connector. "Plug holder" refers to a female-shaped plug. Following this convention, below The plug unit of the described embodiment is such that when the connector halves are mated, the plug A receiver is a unit that includes an elongated member that is inserted into the interior of the unit. The entire invention Connectors in the general sense can be characterized as "plugs" or "plug receivers" includes an engageable unit capable of The names are simply for understanding the following explanation; in reality, the unit is simply It is a generic "connector" unit.

First example Next, a first embodiment of the connector of the present invention will be described with reference to FIGS. 1 to 5. . The connector of the first embodiment has a freely matable plug unit and a plug holder as a unit. including. The plug unit shown as 10 in Figures 1 and 5 is a It can be constructed from any material that is sturdy enough to be handled in a It includes a cylindrical casing 12 that can be

The casing 12 is hollow and includes an inner surface 13 that is 91 cylindrical. The front end of the casing is It has an annular edge 14 defining a roughly circular opening 15 . Rear end of casing 12 The outer surface of the retaining nut 18 is formed with a thread 16 that engages with a thread on the inner surface of the retaining nut 18.

When the retaining nut 18 is threaded onto the threaded surface 16, the cable termination strain relief plug 2 0 in place. The plug 20 is resistant to the corrosive effects of seawater, but Some form of durability and flexibility that provides the necessary flexibility for strain relief in fiber cables. can be formed from a material with The fiber support assembly 22 is It is stored inside the plug 12 at the rear, and the inner surface 13 is adjacent to the bottom surface of the plug 20. includes an annular bottom portion 24 disposed in an inner groove of the holder. The retaining nut 18 is attached to the back of the casing. When screwed into the surface strain relief plug 20, the plug and support assembly together lock together. is received in the groove of the housing 12. Fiber support assembly 22 is made of stainless steel. The fiber is made of a rigid material such as steel and has a generally cylindrical axial passage 28. Includes bar support tube 26.

An annular probe stop flange 30 is attached to the fiber support assembly 22. /9- formed between the support tube 26 and the annular bottom 24;

The original fiber cable 32 with a seawater resistant jacket connects the bladder 20 and the fiber A central passage formed by a pair of axially communicating passages at the rear of the support assembly 22; kept in the path. Before the cable is inserted into the passageway, the buffer fibers 34 are A section near one end of the cable jacket is removed to expose the section. . Additionally, an exposed buffer is provided to expose a portion of the fiber termination 36. A portion of the fiber cushioning material is removed at the ends of the fins.

The fibers are tightened to the band 21 which compresses the bladder 20 in the area of the cable 32. , it is held in a substantially constant location substantially co-linear with the axis of the casing 12. . Additionally, the buffer fiber portion 34 is an element that secures this portion 34 within the passageway 28. It can be held in place with an adhesive such as poxy resin.

A hollow cylindrical probe 38 having a front end 40 with a fiber opening 42 has a fiber opening 42. A.9 - Disposed in sliding engagement with the forward end of the support tube 26. plow The size of the front part of the fiber tube is such that a portion of the end of the fiber aperture 42 is It is defined to encircle the end of tube 26 while penetrating therein. probe 38 At the rear there is a stopper to stop the probe 38 from moving forward beyond the position shown in FIG. a rear retaining edge 46 that engages the rear of the probe stop flange 30 to stop the probe stopper flange 30; A large diameter cylindrical spring cavity 44 is formed. The partial compression spring 48 has a spring cavity. Apply a spring force between the front end of the 44 and the front of the blowstop/IP7 Lanzo 30. In particular, the cavity 44 is designed to hold the shive rope 38 in the position shown in FIG. be housed inside.

Manufactured from ground-resistant, water-resistant material, forming an internal chamber containing 5 transparent dielectric currents. An internal bladder 50 is provided inside the casing 12 for carrying the probe 38 and the fiber. It is arranged to surround the support assembly 22. formed at the bottom of the bladder 50. The groove 52 is an annular groove formed in the front of the bottom 24 of the fiber support assembly 22. The rear portion of the bladder 50 is fixed within the casing 12 in cooperation with the protrusion 53 of the bladder 50 .

The combustible material forming the bladder 50 is such that the volumetric shape of the bladder is shown in FIG. Take any one of a series of shapes ranging from an elongated shape to a contracted shape shown in Figure 3. so that

The bladder 50 includes a molded flanged forward seal 54 that is an integral part of the bladder. including. Seal 54 has a groove that receives a resilient tightening strip 55 . Line 55 is hula The opening 56 through the threaded seal 54 is sealed.

The aperture 56 is formed in a fluid-tight manner by the elastic band 55 so that the probe can be inserted during the operation described below. 38 can be penetrated. The bladder 50 and its flanged forward seal are , both of which are assigned to the assignee of this application, describe the features of the bladder 50 and the penetrable seal 54. Inventor's U.S. Patent Application No. 48, which is incorporated by reference for purposes of illustration. No. 2.919, name “UNDERWATERC0NNECTOR”, application mortar 1 Dielectric fluid-filled bladder with penetrable seal described in April 7, 983 It can be composed of

Flanged seal 54 is movable relative to casing 10 and probe 38. be. The relative movement of these elements results in sliding contact with the inner surface 13 of the casing 12. This is achieved by a spring-loaded guide mechanism that is arranged in a similar manner.

The mechanism fully moves the guide 60 with a piston-like movement inside the casing I2. It consists of a cylindrical spring guide 60 having a front part 61 with a radius sufficient for sliding. will be accomplished. The guide 60 itself is hollow and has an inner annular shape that holds the seal retaining washer 62. Including stepped parts. The washer 62 attaches the seal 54 and the front part of the blinder 52 to the spring guide rod 0. hold it in place. The inner surface of the spring guide 60 adjacent to the washer 62 is equipped with a spring. It includes a threaded portion 64 that threadably engages with an end cap 66 . Bladder 50 with 7 runs The ring 54 is held fixed between a threaded end cap 66 and a washer 62, thereby As a result, the movement of spring guide 60 is applied to seal 54. The diameter of the spring guide 60 is the front 61 to a smaller diameter at the rear 70.

This forms an annular protrusion 72 that engages the front end of the partially compressed coil spring 74. The other end of the spring 74 touches the bottom 24 of the fiber support assembly IJ 20. be touched. The spring guide 60 is guided by the front flanged edge 14 of the casing 12. It can be stopped.

To use the connector of the present invention in an underwater environment, the interior of the connector must be It is necessary to make the pressure equal to the surrounding pressure. Equalization of pressure allows seawater to flow through the opening This is important to prevent seepage into the interior of bladder 50 through 56. No. In the bladder unit 10 of FIG. through a plurality of radial water holes, one of which is indicated by 76. .

Next, referring to Figure 2, select the plug holder that meshes with the plug unit in Figure 1. Explain. Plug holder unit 90 is manufactured from durable seawater resistant material It includes a hollow cylindrical casing 92. Casing 92ij: through opening I5 The size is such that it can be slidably inserted into the casing 12 of the unit shown in FIG. .

Both units can therefore be displaced relative to each other, so that the casing 92 The front end 93 of the plug support assembly and the annular bottom 24 of the plug support assembly approach each other. Before End 93 has an annular edge 94 defining a circular forward opening 96 . casing The rear face 98 of 92 connects the forward flanged end of the termination strain relief plug 102 to the case. Thread to receive threaded retaining nut J00 to hold inside thing 92. have The flanged end of the plug 102 is an optical fiber support/alignment It abuts the assembly 1θ6 and engages the annular bottom 10& of the assembly. bottom 1 08 and the flanged ends of the plug 102 are connected to the retaining nut 100 and the casing 92. It is fixed between it and an annular step 109 on the rear inner surface.

Assembly 106 includes a threaded forward receptacle 110 with a threaded front receptacle 110 therein. A probe receiver 112 having a rear surface is held. The probe receiver 112 is A front blow pocket having a lobe locking surface 114 and a front mound-shaped flange 117. Including. A fiber passageway 116 is cut through the locking surface 114 for precision alignment. It communicates with the central passageway of the ment device 118. In a preferred embodiment, the alignment The vent device consists of a capillary tube housed in the center. The alignment device 118 is A probe receiver 112 is threaded onto the front portion 110 of the support and alignment assembly. Sometimes it is fixed to the rear part of the probe receiver 112. Alignment device 118 and professional The tube receiver 112 is held in coaxial alignment with the casing 92.

The alignment device 118 precisely aligns the terminal ends of a pair of optical fibers. It includes a central precision passageway 120 in the longitudinal direction of the dam. The passageway 120 has an opening 11 at the front end. 6 and probe receiver 112. The other end of the passage 120 is the alignment device 1 It communicates through the end of 18. Passage 120 passes through the front of Assemble IJ 106 It continues. Midway along the axis of assembly 106, the inner shaft expands to accommodate the plug. Together with another similarly dimensioned shaft 102, the plug receptacle passes through the rear of the unit 92. Form a central opening through which the material passes.

The fiber optic cable, including the outer jacket 122, is part 1 of the buffer fiber. A portion is removed to expose 24. Near the end of the fiber, the cable The fiber buffer is removed to expose the fiber terminations 126. Ke The end of the cable, including a portion of cable jacket 122, is located at the rear of assembly 106. and passes through the shaft of the plug 102. The exposed buffer portion 124 of the fiber is A passage 120 is cut through the front of the assembly 106 to the alignment device 118. protrudes into the rear. One end of the fiber 126 is received into a precision portion of the passageway 120. It will be done. The fiber cable is tightened at the rear of the plug 102 with a band 104, Selected fixing compound such as thermal adhesive resin for implant assembly 106 The tonyo-schizorag holder is held inside the unit 92. assembly is fiber The terminal end of the casing 92 is held in substantially coaxial alignment with the casing 92.

A combustible flow-tight plug-1 corresponding to the prider 50 and forming another internal chamber 301fl, the end of the plug in the center of the support and alignment assembly 106. The securing fastener is held inside the casing 92 as a band 132VC. plastic The goo 132 is filled with a transparent dielectric current 134. Plug has an annular groove The groove includes a flanged seal 136, in which the elastic tightening line 13B is the seal. Opening 140 is closed. As with the front seal 54 of the plug-50, the tightening is The line 138 shows that when the probe penetrates the seal opening 140, Deflects against insertion pressure. The flanged seal 136 is attached to the casing 92. It snaps into a fixed position between the annular flange 117 and the circular edge 94. 14 Multiple water holes as shown in 2 allow the pressure inside the casing to flow through the plug holder and the unit. installed through the casing 92 to equalize the external ambient pressure surrounding the point 9o. I get kicked.

The operational assembly of units 10 and 9o is shown in FIGS. 3 and 4. . Units 1o and 9° can be moved freely or one unit can be kept in a fixed position. It should be understood that it is possible to hold the unit and move it to join the other unit. It is possible. In either case, the axial relative of the fiber ends 3, 6 and 126 Motion is induced, resulting in a narrowing of the distance between the fiber ends and optical transparency. The following explanation explains why one end of the fiber moves until abutting alignment is obtained. It is clear that

During operation, the plug unit and plug holder unit are The front ends are coaxially joined to each other so that they enter the plug unit through the opening 15. Ru. When the plug unit and plug receiver are pressed together, the plug receiver The front locking edge 94 engages the end of the threaded end cap 66 to secure the sliding guide assembly. The assembly 60 is pushed back into the interior of the casing 12 towards the annular bottom 24. guide As the assemble IJ 60 and the bottom 24 approach, the coil spring 74 is compressed. Ru. The spring 48 is activated when the plug holder unit and the plug unit are pressed together. The end 40 of the probe 38 is stiff enough to not compress into a sealed opening. 56 and the plug receptacle passes through a seal opening 140 in the plug of the unit.

When probe 38 penetrates the seal opening, elastic muscles 55 and 138 close seal 54 and and 136 respectively grip the outer surface of the probe. This allows the connector unit to The integrity of the seal to the seawater outside the container is maintained. Probe is plug-13 0, the probe and the probe receiver 112 move while engaging together. . At this point, a passageway isolated from the surrounding environment of the connector is provided at one end of the fiber 36. extends through the probe 38 between the plugs of the connector unit moving inside. put out Although the passageways are sealed against seawater, fluid flow between the internal chambers is It is possible. Preferably, fluids 51 and 134 are the same.

The tip 40 of the probe is fitted into the probe holder 112VC and the stop surface 114 at the bottom When the plug unit and plug holder come into contact with each other, the plug unit and plug holder are Further force is transmitted to the spring 48 via the spring 38 .

Therefore, the plug holder is an insert that brings the unit 90 and the plug unit 10 closer to each other. The input force is directed by probe receiver 112 to F)-f lobe 38 and spring 48. . The spring 48 compresses in response to this insertion pressure, and according to the compression, the fiber support Relative movement between the tube 26 and the passageway formed in the probe 38 occurs 9, causing the tube 26 and the end The parts 40 move towards each other. As this movement continues, the plug fiber The end portion 36 penetrates through the probe opening 42 and the opening 11θ of the probe receiver, and performs alignment. and extends into passageway 120 of device 11B. Relative to the exposed fur guide tube 26 When the internal spring 48 is compressed to the point where further movement is prevented, the fiber One end 36 is defined to be in precise abutment with fiber one end 120 . Like In a new embodiment, one fiber end 36 may be made slightly longer. The fiber flexes when it is abutted against the fiber end 126. In addition to this, A spring effect is created which holds the ends of the fibers tightly together.

As is well known, when one end of a fiber is abutted in capillary tube 118, there is a gap between the ends. An excellent optical transmission interface is obtained. Both the same dielectric current bodies 51 and 134n, It has a refractive index that reduces diffusion loss and suppresses reflection loss between one end of the fiber. It is preferable to select one. Finally, due to misalignment at one end of the fiber. The loss caused by the alignment passage 12 that axially aligns one end of the fiber is It is reduced by 00M@ machining.

Furthermore, the water holes 76 and 142 equalize the internal pressure of the connector after mating and the ambient pressure. This allows the connector to be cycled at virtually any depth, including low to high pressure waters. and can be operated.

Although not shown in Figure 3, the plug (22) and plug holder are used to lock the unit. Any one of a variety of latching mechanisms can be used to hold the device together in the mating configuration. Ru. For example, a locking nut with a threaded inner surface can be rotated into either unit. It can be mounted rotatably and screwed onto the fixing screw nut surface of the other unit. .

When separating the plug unit and plug holder, release the locking mechanism and The plug receiver causes a separation movement between the unit 90 and the plug unit IO.

As the plug receiver separates from the unit, the probe engaging surface 11 The force that 4 was exerting on the probe is reduced, causing the spring 48 to stretch and tighten the support tube 26 and the probe. This causes the fiber end 36 to once again be inserted into the hollow part of the probe. invade the department. At the same time, by separating the units, the ends of the gastrope are sealed and opened. Exit from 140. Spring 74 then extends and slides guide assembly 6θ and wedges together. The seal 54 causes a sliding movement between the end of the probe 38 and the end of the probe 38. Separate the probe from the end of the plug-50 inside the internal chamber formed by the Enclose it again.

The relative strength of springs 48 and 74 is important.

Spring 48 has enough force to force probe 38 through the end seal of the plug without compression. must have sufficient strength. At the same time, the spring force of spring 74 is Must be small enough so as not to exceed the pressure of edge 94 against tube 1J6o. No. Spring 48 is so high that it cannot hold probe 38 while spring 74 is compressed. If the plug fiber end 36 is weak, the probe 38 will be completely in contact with the probe. The end of the probe 38 is penetrated before it comes into contact with the probe 114 and is fixed. There is a risk of damaging the parts.

Another feature of the connector of the present invention is that the probe end 4° extends through openings 140 and 56. Clean the probe end each time it is removed or withdrawn from openings 140 and 56. This is the wiping action of the wiping seals 54 and 136.

Second embodiment Next, in order to understand the second embodiment of the connector of the present invention, FIGS. 6 to 11 will be explained. refer. A second embodiment of the connector includes an engageable derag unit 201 and a plug. Each receiver includes a unit 202. Each unit is a file within the other unit. supports one end of the fiber to be butt-jointed with one end of the fiber. In Figure 6, The lug unit 201 is attached later to form a continuous plug unit casing. It includes a front outer body segment 2o3 which is screwed into a front body segment 2o4.

The front body segment 203 and the rear body segment 204, when engaged, Grip the lip sleeve 205 in between.゛ An annular toothed ring 206 is attached to the front end of the front body segment 203. Ru. The annular petal-shaped grip mechanism 207 is coaxial with the toothed ring 206. It is slidably disposed within the front of the front body segment 203 . petal shaped grip machine Mounted within the structure 207 is the front portion of a combustible internal chamber assembly.

The inner chamber assembly includes a fluid tight chamber 208 and a spacer 211. blood Chamber 208 is essentially manufactured from a molded elastomeric material that renders the chamber flammable. It is a long and thin plug. Because of this flammability, the chamber must be It expands or contracts in response to the pressure difference between the can be done. The spacer 211 serves to maintain the longitudinal dimension of the chamber 208. to read.

A fluid-tight seal is formed at the front of chamber 208. The fluid-tight seal is made of elastic muscle 21 includes a perforated aperture 209 that is held hermetically sealed by a compressive force applied by 0;

The rear portion of chamber 208 is held sealed in place by forward compression struts 212.

The rear part of the chamber 208 is fixed to the inner plug unit body 213. inner body 213 is threaded onto the rear inner surface of the front outer body segment 203. Inner body 21 3 has a front extending portion 214 including a through hole. For front tightening, muscle 212 is chamber 2 0g is maintained in a sealed state with no leakage from the inner main body extension part 214. less than As will be described in further detail, the entire inner chamber assembly is connected to the inner body extension 2. When the plug unit 201 is removed, the plug unit 201 is removed. When the plug unit 201 is in the forward position and the plug receiver is engaged with the unit 202, It moves back and forth between the front and rear positions.

The interior of chamber 208 has a refractive index of the butt-jointed fiber within the connector. A cavity 215 is formed that is filled with an optically compatible lubricating fluid 216. anterior lateral Combination of body segment 203, inner chamber 20B and inner body extension 214 Another cavity 217 is formed between the four sides. The spring 218 is a grip mechanism 207 and chamber 20g toward the front opening 223 of the outer body segment 203. is disposed within the cavity 217 for pressing. The cavity 217 is located in the front outer body section. A passageway 219 formed in the grip sleeve 205 and a passageway 219 formed in the grip sleeve 205. It is communicated with the external environment via a water passage 220 that is connected to the outside environment. grip sleeve annular The grooves 221 provide communication between the water holes regardless of the relative orientation of the grip sleeve 205. ensure that the In this way, when the connector is submerged in the sea, the surrounding sea pressure is transmitted to the outer surface of chamber 208 and further to fluid 216. connec This communication to the environment outside the device allows the fibers inside the connector unit 201 to There will no longer be a pressure difference between the seawater and the outside seawater.

formed between the front outer body segment 203 and the rear outer body segment 204. The joint portion that is formed is sealed by a QIJ ring 223. inner body segment 213 and The joint with the front outer body segment 203 is sealed by another O-ring 225. Ru. The inner body 213, together with the extension portion 214, includes a female fiber guide portion and an optical fiber. One end of the bar is inserted into the alignment mechanism housed in unit 2o2. Forms a rigid housing that accommodates conveyance and lateral movement. Fiber guide section The structure and function of the transport mechanism will be described in more detail below.

The original fiber 227 whose end is to be butt-joined with another fiber is subjected to the pressure difference described later. It is introduced into the plug unit 201 via an optical fiber penetrator. Phi Bar 227 is housed within a fiber optic cable suitable for underwater use. It is understood that Such cables are sealed at the rear of the plug unit, for example. The pipe fitting to be attached is attached to the lug unit 201 using a fitting (not shown). It can be constructed from a full wind pipe with a diameter of 1 mm and a bend radius of 4 inches.

Fiber 2271d enters cavity 230 at the rear of rear body segment 2o4. The rest The fibers can form several helical coils in the fiber 227. It is housed in the cavity 230. Hold the remaining tough eye bar in the cavity 230. Therefore, the tension on the fiber optic cable is transferred through the fiber 227 to the connector. data is not communicated to the data. The fiber 227 is passed from the cavity 230 to the fiber guide/conveyor Enter the structure.

The fiber guide/transport mechanism includes a cylinder 231, a holding guide device 232, and a hypodermic tube. 234, movable guide mechanism 237, probe 238, plug 240, and spring 2 42 and a spring 245. Cylinder 231F17 Eyeper 227 It has a receiving drill hole 246 and a center hole. The center hole of the cylinder 231 is The rear portion of the dynamic fiber holding and guiding device 232 is received.

The hypodermic tube 234 is inserted into the holding guide in a hole provided in the forward extension 235 of the holding guide device. It is rigidly attached to the inner device 232. The cylinder 231 is located at the rear of the inner body 213. It is housed in the center hole. The holding guide device 232 and the attached hypodermic tube 234 are It reciprocates along the shaft of the plug unit 201 in the rear cavity of the side body 213. Forming an integral fiber retention mechanism, hypotube 234 extends within the inner body of body 213. It extends forward through the front center hole and into the center hole of the extension 214 . Hypodermic tube 23 4 passes through the center hole of the slidable guide device 237 in the front hole of the extension portion 214. . Hypodermic tube 234 is coaxially attached to an elongated central tube forming probe 238. It passes through the center hole of the guiding device 237. The hypodermic tube 234 is connected to a movable guide mechanism 237 and It slides freely inside the probe mechanism consisting of the probe 238 attached to the do. The probe mechanism slides freely within the bore of the inner body extension 214. extension A plug 240 screwed onto the end of the section 214 serves as an alignment device for the probe 238. It acts as a stopper for the movable guide mechanism 237.

The probe mechanism is pressed against the sieve lug 240 by the force of the spring 242, and is movable in this direction. An attempt is made to move the guide mechanism 237 towards the plug 240. Located in plug 240 Franz 243 works as a stopper for Chesono 9 spacer 21, and chamber 2 08 from sliding beyond the end of the inner body extension 214. Hane 245 moves the holding guide device 232 forward within the rear cavity of the inner body 213; A force is applied to separate the cylinder 23 from the cylinder 23. The holding pin 247 is cylinder It passes through the cylinder 231 and is attached to this cylinder. The holding pin 247 is a holding pin. It further passes through a slot 248 cut in the rear of the inner device 232. Therefore, the holding pin 24 7 prevents the holding and guiding device 232 from being pulled out from the cylinder 231. Groove hole 248 adjusts the moving distance of the holding guide machine 8232 and the hypodermic tube 234 attached to it. Ru.

As explained in more detail below, spring 245 consists of two butt-jointed fibers. It also functions to adjust the force that presses the surfaces of the surfaces against each other. The set screw 249 is attached to the cylinder 23 1 in the correct longitudinal position with respect to the rear cavity of the inner body segment 213. Ru. Those skilled in the art will appreciate that the initial tension in spring 245 and the butt-jointed flap The relative position of the fibers and the setscrew 249 during assembly of the second embodiment of the connector Can be adjusted according to usage.

The rear cavity 230 and rear body segment 204 have the same light as the chamber cavity 215. A chemically compatible fluid 216 is filled. Rear body segment cavity 230 and chi The chamber cavity 215 includes a series of water holes (213) extending through the inner body segment (213). (not shown).

Returning to inserting the fiber 227 into the plug unit 201, the fiber 227 The drill hole of the cylinder 23 is passed through the cavity 230 and the inside of the hypodermic tube 234 is inserted from there. join the club. The fiber 227 connects the hypodermic tube 234 and the holding guide of the holding guide device 232. It is rigidly attached to both front extensions 235 of the device. Installation is done using engineered resin, etc. with a suitable adhesive; however, at this point a mechanical grip A device can also be used. The tip 251 of the fiber 227 is inserted into the hypodermic tube 234. It protrudes somewhat from the end. In the construction shown in FIG. 6, the hypodermic tube 234 and the fiber Both the tip 251 and the frame are covered by the probe 238.

The filling boat 252 fills the cavity 230 from the cavity 2 after assembly of the plug unit 20. 15 to fill the entire internal space of the plug unit with refractive index matching fluid. It is. The O-ring 254 and set screw 255 are used to fill the plug unit 201 with fluid. Finally, seal the filled part.

Next, to understand the structure of the plug receiver unit 202, refer to FIG. P The lug receiver unit 202 has an outer body 259 and a front inner body segment 260. , a rear inner body segment 262.

The anterior medial body segment 260 and the posterior medial body segment 262 are threaded together. The outer body 259 is held on the rear segment 262 by a ring 263. .

The front inner surface of the outer body segment 259 is connected to the front outer body of the plug unit 201. It has a thread 265 that engages a counter thread 268 on the front of 203 . The plug holder The forward body segment 260d of the unit has a fluid-tight, penetrable seal at the front. It includes a resilient plug forming an internal chamber 266. Penetrable seal is an opening 262 and elastic muscles 269. The opening 267 is elastically tightened by the muscle 269. It is held in a sealed state by the compression action. The rear part of the internal chamber 266 is the center body. The flange 270 fits into the slot 271 cut in the front of the segment 273. sealed. Center body segment 273 has a front end terminated by end cap 274. form a cylindrical cavity. Inner body segment 273 and end cap 274 Both of these are connected to the fiber end 251f in the plug unit 201 as described later. The guide mechanism 276 that guides the eyebar alignment device 277 into the eyebar alignment device 277 is grasped. hold

Fiber alignment device 277 is shown in more detail in FIG. Inside the sleeve 279 there are three locks that form a triangular row and are held tightly. including heads R4, R2 and R3. The rods of the alignment device are arranged in a triangular row. , forming a pointed central opening into which one end of the fiber is inserted. Alignment The diameter of the trod is equal to or equal to the diameter of the optical fibers whose apertures are to be butt spliced. It is chosen to be slightly smaller. Therefore, one end of the fiber is When inserted into the opening between the implant rods, the rod end of the tenor or shape will fit inside the opening. The force that forces one end of the fiber into space while centering it is Spread the rod slightly to accommodate the fiber. The expansion of this aperture is Acting on the elastic sleeve 279, the sleeve and rod hold one end of the fiber. 277) and hold one end of the fiber in place within the alignment device 277. hold

When the fiber enters the opening between the rods, the passage of the fiber is described below. This is aided by the lubricating action of the index matching fluid in which the alignment rod is immersed. It will be done. The tips of the two fibers are aligned in the space between the alignment rods. As the fiber tips are pushed toward each other from both ends of the Optically aligned by an alignment rod. optically aligned When the fiber tips touch each other while It will be done.

The operation of the alignment device 277 involves the use of rods to align the fibers. The operation is superior to that of conventionally configured alignment devices using Usually traditional In alignment devices, the sleeve that holds the alignment rod together is Constructed from inelastic material, the device is able to withstand slight manufacturing variations in fiber diameter. Although it compensates for stickiness, it is not possible to grip the fiber firmly. Ara The implant device self-adjusts for such variations. Another advantage is that the three A pointed central aperture formed by the rod allows the fiber to enter the aperture. Allows fluid communication around the fiber when inserted, as well as Provides a connection that compensates for bulk modulus compression of the fiber at moderately high pressures. It is. This stabilizes the performance of the connector.

When the plug receiver of FIG. 7 of the alignment device 277 returns to its position in the unit, The position of the elastic sleeve 279 that holds the alignment rod together is Contact with the guiding mechanism 276 and the extending tip of the fiber holder 280 having a central hole. maintained by touch.

The fiber 281 passes through the port and the plug receptacle enters the unit. some spirals Extra fiber 281 in the form of a shaped coil is housed in the front cavity 282. Ru. Fiber 281 passes from cavity 282 through the center hole of alignment device 277. into a segment of hypodermic tube 284 through which it passes. Fiber Co., Ltd. epoxy resin etc. It is held firmly inside the tube 284 by adhesive. The tube 284 is connected to the set screw 28 5 and 286 to hold it in place within alignment device 27'7.

The front tip of the fiber 281 extends halfway into the alignment device 277 and held in place so that it is butt spliced with the end of the fiber 227 of the be done.

The cavity 287 of the chamber 266 and the plug receptacle are in communication with the cavity 282 at the rear of the unit. Both the optical refractive index matching flow contained within the plug unit during assembly. Body 288 is filled through a port containing a sealing screw 289 . chamber 26 6 and cavity 287 is through the central hole of fiber holder 280. .

The junction between the front inner body segment 260 and the rear inner body segment 262 is O. It is sealed by ring 291. Q　IJ Song 92 has front inner body segment The joint between 260 and center body segment 273 is sealed. central body segment 273d Self-contained internal body segment 260 to absorb mechanical shock. It slides into position, but is held firmly in place by a series of spacers 293. Ru. In the second embodiment, a conventional Bs1leville is used as the bus R-server 293. (Countersunk) Use a washer.

The outer surface of the chamber 266 is connected to the boat 294 of the outer segment 259 and the front segment. and a boat (not shown) at 260 to ambient seawater pressure. This is it Ambient pressure can be transmitted to fluid 288 through chamber 266.

The main components of the connector plug unit and plug holder have been explained. , the assembly procedure will now be described to further clarify the functions of the various parts. connec Reference is made to FIGS. 6-8 to understand the procedure for securing the unit.

When mated, the surfaces of the plug unit 201 and plug receiving unit 202 approach each other. However, the plug holder is located in the front inner main body segment of the unit 260fi plug unit. into the petal-shaped engagement mechanism 207. The front part of segment 260 is plug chamber 2 Contact with the front of 08. When additional bonding pressure is applied, the internal chamber assembly of the plug The entire assembly and petal-shaped engagement mechanism 207 compresses the spring 218 and releases the female-shaped forward outer body. 203, so the rear part of the chamber 2011 is against the internal body extension 214. and slide it in a sealed state. Slanted inner surface 29 of front outer body segment) 203 5 brings the petal portions of the engagement mechanism 207 closer together. As a result, the engagement mechanism 207 A petal-shaped latch 296 is attached to the flange 2 on the front body segment 260 of the plug receiver. Closes around the back of 97.

The engagement between the petal-shaped latch 296 and the flange 297 allows the connector engagement movement to be described later. During operation, seal openings 209 and 267 are maintained in close alignment.

The plug's internal chamber assembly and petal-shaped engagement mechanism are coupled to the internal body extension 214. However, the probe 238 and fiber guiding/transfer mechanism are all attached to the inner main body. It remains fixed with respect to body extension 214. Therefore, the probe 238 Penetrates seal opening 209 in the lug chamber. Engagement of units 201 and 202 Inside, the plug holder is fixed with respect to the chamber unit 202. It is in a steady state. However, chamber 266 is connected to unit 202 by a rainbow plug unit. The probe 235 is moved into the interior of the knit 201 and the probe 235 is moved into the seal opening 26. Penetrates 7. After entering the seal opening, the probe 238 is inserted into the alignment mechanism 2. 77, the end cap is housed in the chamber cavity 287 of the plug receiver. It is stopped by the flange 298 of the pipe 274.

The plug unit and plug holder are connected so that the probe 238 contacts the flange 298. Upon further engagement beyond the point where the spring 242 is The motion guide mechanism 237 and the probe 238 move toward the rear with respect to the inner main body extension 214. Moving. At this point in the unit joining, the tip 251 of the first blade is inserted. The machine 14237 and the probe 238 slide backward along the hypodermic tube 234. As the coating progresses, it becomes uncoated.

When the hypodermic tube 234 and fiber tip 251 are exposed, remove the connector unit. With further joining movement, the hypodermic tube 234 and the fiber tip 251 are attached to the end cap. Purchase at opening 299 of 274. If you continue moving further, the tip of the fiber 25 1 enters the tapered port 30 of the fiber guide mechanism 276. fiber end By moving the end 251 through the guide mechanism 276, the tip moves into the alignment machine. Enter structure 277. If the joining movement of the connector unit continues, the fiber will The tip 251 is attached to the fiber of the plug receiver held within the alignment device 227. It comes into contact with the tip 302 .

The plug unit and plug receiver are slightly pressurized by the barbs 245 that move the unit further. The holding and guiding device 2 is compressed and the fiber 227 is fixed to the front extension 235 32 to the fiber tip 25 and 302. Try to maintain a balanced power. Compression of spring 245 causes fiber tip 251 and and 202 are held firmly abutted against each other.

Next, referring to Figures 6 to 8 and 10, the plug unit and plug receiver are As the units approach each other, the annular bottom of the forward inner body segment 26o A finger 303 attached to the part engages a slot in the toothed cylinder 206 and the plug The unit and plug holder limit further rotation of the unit. connector unit are not keyed and may be engaged in any relative orientation, but the It is desirable that the tips 251 and 302 rotate further after they have once contacted each other. do not have. By providing the fin, f J OJ and toothed ring 206, the unit in any orientation while limiting rotation of the connector unit during final engagement of the Initial engagement is possible. When fully engaged with the unit, the screw 2θ5 is The outer main body engages the screw 206 of the forward outer body segment 203 of the It is held in rotational engagement with body 259.

Upon separation, screws 265 and 266 are disengaged. With flange 297 Petal latch 296 is initially engaged. Plug unit and plug receiving ff unit As the parts are spaced apart, the flange 297 engages the petal-shaped engagement mechanism 207 into the internal chain. 208.

The withdrawal force is applied when the petal-shaped latch 296 freely opens the anterior outer body segment 230. until it enters the sloped inner surface 295 of. When the petal-shaped latch 296 opens, The inner diameter of the latch will be large enough to pull completely through flange 297. Franc As the fiber is pulled out, the tip 25 of the fiber aligns with the alignment mechanism 277. When pulled out, the fiber tips 302 and 251 are disengaged. This is it As the resistance to the spring 245 is relaxed, the spring stretches and the bin 247 moves forward. Move the holding guide 232 and hypodermic needle 234 forward until movement is stopped. connection When the actuator unit is further pulled apart, the front tip of the probe 238 is exposed to the end cap 224. and the plug receiver is removed from the seal opening 267 of the chamber unit. probe 23 8 is removed from the end cap 274, the spring 242 begins to expand and is movable. The guide mechanism 237 and the attached probe are advanced to remove the hypodermic tube 234 and fiber. The bar tip 251 is recoated and encapsulated. Coating and opening of fiber tip 251 At about the same time, the tensioning action of the spring 305 and the pulling action of the flange 297 of the petal-shaped engagement mechanism 207 occur. In combination with the tensioning action, the internal chamber 208 is moved forward within the plug unit. so that the seal opening 209 is spaced apart from the probe 238 and '7'tll-1 238, hypodermic tube 234, and fiber tip 25 within chamber cavity 215. 1 is surrounded again.

Whenever a unit is separated or engaged, i.e. during the engagement or separation process , the tip of the fiber and the exposed fiber are placed in a protective environment of refractor-compatible fluid. isolated from the influence of seawater. Furthermore, the exposed fiber and tip are The purpose is to communicate the ambient seawater environment to the exterior surfaces of chambers 208 and 270.

It is protected from the effects of pressure differences that often occur during subsea operations.

Connect the fiber to the connector embodiment described above while maintaining pressure uniformity in the unit. The netrator is equipped with an optical fiber that is useful for introducing into each of the nectar units. This is shown in FIGS. 12 and 13. Benetrator, designated in its entirety as 308 connects the fiber 309 to a connector unit such as one of the connector units described above. 310 will be introduced. The penetrator is a unit 3 filled with the optically compatible fluid described above. It should be understood that it is opposed to chamber 31 of 1o. Benetrator causes the fiber 309 to be exposed to pressure, such as pressure within a fiber optic cable (not shown). from a low-pressure environment outside the connector. Fiber 309 is at ambient seawater pressure. is introduced into the rear chamber of the connector by pressure transmission to the fluid in the rear chamber. During this period, fluid flow between the inside and outside of the connector unit is blocked.

The penetrator may consist, for example, of one of the connector units of the two aforementioned embodiments. The rear part of the connector unit 310 can be screwed into the threaded surface 313. Housing 3121 &: Contains. O-ring 315 connects housing 312 and connector unit. It is thought that this occurs between the housing and the connector unit. forming a sealing barrier that prevents exchange of fluids inside and outside the connector unit. C The housing has a central hole 317 that is threaded into the front at 318. connector unit When installed in the connector unit, the threaded opening 318 of the hole It's suitable. At the opposite end of the hole 317 the radius decreases to allow the connector unit to An opening 319 that opens toward the inside of the cut 310 is formed.

The compression seal assembly has a portion of the hole 317 between the retaining plug 320 and the small diameter opening 319. held in minutes. compression seal assembly between hole 317 and itself; and fiber 309. In addition, compression-sealed assemblies Li forms a pressure barrier by acting on the peripheral portion of the surface of Phi/Z-309. do.

Compression seal assembly IJ i-j compression cone 323 and compressible elastic seal 325 , a seal follower 327, and an O-ring 329. compression cone 32 3 from a plug having an inwardly sloping receiving opening with a generally conical surface at one end. configured. A compressible elastic seal 325 is inserted into the receiving opening 324 of the compression cone 323. It has a conical plug extension 326 that fits into the plug. Seal follower 327 is cylindrical It is a shaped plug. As shown in FIG. 13, a plug 320, a cone 323 and , Seal 325,! :, seal follower 327f'@, fiber 309 All have a central hole for introduction through a netrator.

When assembling the penetrator, housing 312 has fiber 309 connected to it. Place the connector holder in the unit so that it is concentric with the opening through which it will be inserted into the connector unit. It is screwed onto the rear part of the cut 310. Next, the compression assemble IJ fl is shown in Figure 14. It is assembled so as to fit into the hole 317 and placed in the hole 317. A portion of the retaining plug 320 The fiber 309 is threaded into the threaded end of the hole 317 and the fiber 309 is inserted into the center of the venetrator 308. is introduced into the shaft, opening 319, compression seal assembly and retaining plug 320. and enters the inside of the connector unit 310. Fiber 309 was introduced and After the end of the retaining plug 320 is positioned within the connector unit 3 no. The part is screwed into the threaded part of the hole 317 and applies a light compression force to the compression cone 323. . This light compressive force is transmitted by the cone to the compressible seal 325, causing the seal to Squeeze from the periphery against the outer surface of the longitudinal portion of the fiber 309 passing through the roll 325. do. The connector unit 310 is then engaged with a counter member to connect to the subsea high pressure environment. form a connector that can be submerged into the

As the pressure acting through opening 319 increases, the pressure increases through opening 319f. is transmitted and acts on the compressible seal 325. As the pressure increases, the pressure The retractable seal 325 is pressed more firmly against the compression cone 323 so that the retractable seal 325 An even greater compressive sealing force on the fiber 309 is applied to the retaining plug 320. It is added to the force that Synthetic seal forming seal 325 against fiber 309 The force prevents fluid and pressure transmission between the connector unit and the interior and exterior.

The sealing force applied to the fiber 309 by the compressible seal is determined by the retaining plastic. Pressure transmitted through opening 319 from an initial level set by plug 320 changes according to

0 ring 329! ″j: Forming a seal between the hole 317 and the compression cone 323 and complete the fluid exchange barrier.

The 12th prisoner and the penetrator 308 in Fig. 13 are caused by the compression of the original fiber. It is obvious that the loss in the optical fiber 309 that is used should be minimized as much as possible.

Compressible elastic seal 325 is symmetrical with respect to fiber 309 so that The pressure of the lug 320 and the surrounding environment is transferred to the outside of the portion of the fiber 309 that the seal contacts. Distribute evenly on the surface. This causes compressive force to be applied asymmetrically to the fiber 309. The spread of the loss-generating stress boundary surface of the fiber 309, which is thought to be caused by reduced.

As will be understood by those skilled in the art, the seal follower 327 can be connected via port 319. The high ambient pressure generated may cause the connector unit 310 to be submerged below the water surface. in which case the pressure acting through the port is transferred to the connector unit. of the aqueous environment acting through the optical index matching fluid in the rear chamber 311 of the kit. It would be possible to remove it from ambient pressure.

The penetrators of Figures 12 and 13 are applicable only with respect to the connector embodiments described above. It's not for business. Other applications where the optical fiber must penetrate a pressure differential barrier Penetrators can also be used for this purpose.

The sunken submarine hull, submersible equipment container and space station fuselage are These are two examples of such barriers.

An integrated assembly that combines the connector unit, netrator and optical fiber cable. Please refer to FIG. 14 which shows the assembly. The assembly of Figure 14 is installed in a subsea operating environment. is intended to demonstrate how connectors and penetrators are used in .

Connector unit 350, which is equivalent to one of the aforementioned units 201 or 202, is , the same as the Venetrator of FIGS. 12 and 13, which is sealed in its rear part 354. It has an optical fiber initator 352 such as.

The penetrator is attached to the unit as shown in FIG. netley The retaining plug of the holder is designated by the numeral 356 in the figure. There is a screw on the rear outer surface 358. It is formed. The fiber optic cable 360 with a cable jacket is as described above. Introduce the optical fiber (not shown) into the venerator and connector unit as shown. Ru. Cable 360 is attached to scibenerator 354 in a conventional manner. Ke Strain relief between the cable and the penetrator is provided by the jacket of the cable 362. Formed from material molded over netrator 352 and threaded rear portion 354 This is achieved by end seal 362. Molded end seal 362 connects to the threads on the end of the connector. , with a mechanical clamp 364 compressively clamping the seal 362 to the cable 360. grippingly engaged between them.

The embodiments of the invention described above have been expanded to a broader range useful in carrying out the invention. It should be understood that this is an illustration of one of various embodiments that can be implemented. It is possible. In any event, the scope of the invention shall be limited by the scope of the appended claims. You should judge.

Procedural amendment (wall) 1. Display of incidents PCT/L158510 Bi’79 2゜Name of invention ] Kuki Takurei 1 child free connector 3. Person who makes corrections Relationship to the incident: Patent applicant Name: m% Yuzu N Nido, Kozume Oreji Yoshi 4, Agent December 23, 1985 (Shipping date) 6. Subject of correction Translation of the description and claims (written version) proving authority of agency international search report 1M161fil116MI AH"""0'N6'PCT10385 018 79

Claims (48)

[Claims] 1. a first unit having a hollow casing for receiving an end of a first optical fiber; a set provided within the casing and supporting the first optical fiber; supporting means; movably provided in the casing, exposing an end of the first optical fiber; to a retracted position or an extended position to cover the end of the first optical fiber. hollow probe means moved relative to the support means; being inside said casing and accommodating said probe means; movable and penetrable by the probe means; to an extended position in which the probe means is spaced apart from the probe means and a retracted position in which the probe means is penetrated and exposed. a first internal chamber having a first fluid-tight seal that is moved; With the unit; When the first unit is joined, it receives the end of the second optical fiber. a second unit having a body which is also attached to the casing of the first unit; and within the body and pulling the first seal when the units are joined. first stop means for moving to a closed position; within the body, the unit is joined and the first seal is retractable; a second fluid-tight seal penetrable by said probe means when in position; a second internal chamber having; in the main body, the unit is joined and the probe is in the first and second a first for moving said probe means to its retracted position when the second seal is penetrated; 2 stopper means; in the second chamber and the second optical fiber when the units are joined. while holding the end of the fiber and removing the first optical fiber from the support means. receiving an end in optical alignment with an end of the second optical fiber; a second unit having an alignment means; An optical fiber connector that can be freely engaged underwater. 2. within the first unit, and the first and second units are separated. a first return means for moving said probe means to its extended position; 1 unit, and when the first and second units are separated, the a second return means for moving the first seal to its extended position; Connector described in scope 1. 3. further comprising means for locking the first and second units when they are joined. 2. The connector according to claim 2. 4. The support means is fitted within the casing and supports the first optical fiber. holding the first optical fiber such that the end of the first optical fiber projects beyond the tube assembly; 3. A connector according to claim 2, including a tube assembly comprising: a tube assembly; 5. The probe means is slidably attached to the support tube and an end of the first optical fiber protrudes through the means when the means is in the retracted position; Claim 4 comprising a hollow probe tube having an end including an opening for emitting connector. 6. The probe tube includes a large-diameter portion, and the first return means is arranged in the large-diameter portion. Claims including a spring disposed between the probe tube and the support tube assembly. The connector described in box 5. 7. the first seal is a penetrable seal at one end of the first chamber; mounted in the first chamber adjacent to the seal and within the casing; and a slidably housed spring guide assembly. Nectar. 8. The second return means is arranged between the casing and the spring guide assembly. 8. The connector according to claim 7, further comprising a spring disposed in the connector. 9. The main body of the second unit is inserted into the casing of the first unit. 2. A connector as claimed in claim 1, including a hollow cylinder having a front end. 10. The first stopper means is adjacent to the front end of the body and is adjacent to the second stopper means. an opening adjacent to the seal of the unit and through which the probe passes when the unit is joined. 10. The connector of claim 9 including an annular edge defining a mouth. 11. The alignment means has an axial passageway adjacent the second seal. 11. The connector of claim 10, including a capillary tube. 12. The second stopper means is disposed between the capillary tube and the second seal. a receptacle for receiving said probe means in said axial capillary passage; Adjacent to the first light beam when the probe means is placed in the retracted position. According to claim 11, the fiber has an opening through which the end of the fiber penetrates. connector. 13. further comprising an optically transparent dielectric fluid within the first and second chambers. A connector according to claim 1. 14. Each of said units connects the exterior of a respective internal chamber to said connector. 14. The connector according to claim 13, further comprising means for communicating with ambient connector pressure external to the connector. Nectar. 15. within said second unit, said first and second stopper means; an inner body support assembly supporting a second chamber and the second seal; adjacent to the first seal within the first unit, the unit being joined; when the first stop means releasably engages the support assembly. the first stopper when the unit is moved to a first position and the unit is separated; the support assembly being moved to release the support assembly by the means and the second return means; petal-shaped engagement means; 3. The connector according to claim 2, further comprising: 16. The first chamber includes an elongated flexible chamber and an inner side of the chamber. and a chamber spacer for maintaining the longitudinal dimension of the chamber. Connector according to scope item 15. 17. The first chamber is slidably disposed in the probe means and said first stopper means to be slidable into a first position when said pieces are joined; 17. The connector of claim 16 which is moved. 18. The support means is slidable within the unit and is slidable within the first unit. When the first and second units are joined together, the first optical fiber - towards the end of the second optical fiber in the alignment means. Claim 1 further comprising means for applying a force to said supporting means in a direction of movement. Connector described in Section 6. 19. relative rotation of the first and second units when the units are joined; 3. The connector of claim 2 further comprising means for preventing rotation. 20. Each of the first and second units is configured to be received by the unit. Claim 2 further comprising recess means for accommodating an extra length of optical fiber. connector. 21. Each of the first and second connector units includes unit recess means. and a recess means for communicating fluid between the unit and the internal chamber of the unit. and an optically transparent fluid within the internal chamber and outside the internal chamber of the unit. 2. A communication means for communicating the external pressure of the connector with ambient pressure external to the connector. 20. The connector according to item 20. 22. The alignment means includes an elastic sleeve and a triangular stack inside the sleeve. are held one above the other for receiving and aligning a pair of abutting optical fiber ends. three longitudinally tapered holes forming a central alignment aperture with a pointed tip. 3. The connector according to claim 2, further comprising a rod having a cylindrical shape. 23. support means for supporting the end of the first optical fiber; covering said support means and into a position exposing said first fiber end; hollow probe means being moved; a first fluid-filled internal bladder surrounding said probe means and support means; , penetrable by said probe means, said probe means penetrating and said having a fluid-tight movable seal means moved into a position exposing the probe means; a first unit having; a second unit coupled to the first unit, When the first and second units are combined, the sealing means is connected to the probe hand. first stop means for moving to said position exposing the step; a fluid-tight seal that is penetrable by said probe means when the units are coupled; a second fluid-filled internal bladder having; in the second internal bladder and in the probe hand when the unit is coupled. second stop means for placing the step in said position exposing said first fiber; and; a first fiber in said second bladder adjacent said second stop means; alignment means for aligning the end with the end of the second optical fiber; a second unit; A device for butt-splicing a pair of optical fibers underwater. 24. The probe means is configured such that the first stopper means is connected to the shaft of the first bladder. substantially the same as moving the probe means to said first position exposing said probe means. 24. The device of claim 23, wherein the device sometimes penetrates a seal of the second bladder. 25. The second stopper means is configured such that the probe means after penetrating the fiber, the probe means exposes an end of the first fiber; 25. The apparatus of claim 24, wherein the apparatus is placed in said position. 26. The alignment means is configured such that the probe means is aligned with the second stopper means. aligning the ends of the first and second fibers after they are placed in the position; 26. The apparatus according to claim 25. 27. The unit is separable, and in the first unit, When the unit is separated, the probe means is connected to the support means and the fiber. means for moving to another position covering the end of the; When the unit is separated, the first bladder seal is removed from the first bladder. a distance from said probe means such that a ladder can cover said probe means; a means of moving to the location; 27. The apparatus of claim 26, further comprising: 28. the second unit has a front end to be inserted into the first unit; , the first stopper means is a locking surface adjacent to the front end, and the first stopper means is a locking surface adjacent to the front end; 24. The device of claim 23, wherein the rudder seal is disposed adjacent to the locking surface. Place. 29. The second stopper means is disposed within the second bladder to stop the protrusion. 29. The device of claim 28, wherein the device is a receptacle having an opening for receiving the tube. . 30. The alignment means is in the second bladder adjacent the receptacle. 30. A device as claimed in claim 29, including a capillary tube disposed as a capillary tube. 31. Each of the units has a corresponding one for a bladder stored in the unit 40. claim including pressure compensating means for equalizing the pressure of the unit with the ambient pressure outside said unit. The device according to item 23. 32. a first connector unit for receiving a terminal end of the first optical fiber; , a hollow fiber being moved to a first position exposing a terminal end of the first fiber; Lobe means; provided inside the first unit to receive the probe means; movable internal chamber means moved to a position exposing said movable chamber means; within said movable chamber means when said movable chamber means is moved to said exposed position. a first fluid-tight seal means penetrated by the probe means; Kuta unit; a second connector unit coupled to the first unit, moving the movable chamber means to the exposed position when the units are coupled; a first stop means that moves; an internal chamber provided inside the second unit; in the inner chamber, the units are coupled together, and the first stopper hand is connected to the inner chamber; the probe means when the stage moves the internal chamber means to the exposed position; a second fluid-tight seal that is more penetrable; The probe means exposes the end of the fiber when the fibers are coupled together. a second stopper means for moving to a position where the within the internal chamber to hold the termination of the second optical fiber and to connect the connector to the inner chamber; When the fiber units are coupled together, the terminal ends of the first and second fibers are a second unit having an alignment means for aligning; Fiber optics for use in high ambient pressure environments with connector. 33. the internal chamber within the second connector unit; and the first and second further comprising central structural means supporting said stop means and said alignment means. The first connector unit includes the first and second connector units. releasably engages said central structure means when coupled, said probe means While penetrating the first and second seals, the alignment of the first and second seals is maintained. 33. The connector of claim 32, further comprising movable engagement means for maintaining the Ta. 34. is movably held within the first connector unit, and fiber support means for supporting the terminal end of the bar; and a fiber support means within the first connector unit. a terminal end of the first fiber when the connector unit is coupled; the end of the second fiber within the alignment means. biasing means for applying a compressive biasing force to the fiber support means. Connectors described in scope item 33. 35. the first and second fibers when the connector unit is coupled means for preventing rotation of said first and second connector units about the terminal ends of said first and second connector units; 35. The connector of claim 34, further comprising: 36. Each of the first and second units has a terminal end connected to the connector unit. Rear chamber hand to accommodate excess length of optical fiber that is received in the 36. The connector of claim 35 further comprising a step. 37. having a refractive index matching the refractive index of the terminal ends of the first and second fibers. an optically transparent fluid within the first connector unit and an amount of the optically transparent fluid within the first connector unit; a first chamber for directing said fluid between said first rear chamber means and said inner chamber means; a port means in said second connector unit for supplying another quantity of said fluid; a second port hand for directing between said internal chamber and said second rear chamber means; 37. The connector of claim 36, further comprising a step. 38. a first chamber communicating said internal chamber means with a high pressure environment in which said connector is disposed; further comprising a communication means in the first connector unit, the communication means being connected to the high pressure ambient environment. a second communication means communicating with the internal chamber within the second connector unit; 38. The connector of claim 37, further comprising: 39. The connector unit is attached to each of the first and second connector units. The optical fiber is connected to the core while preventing the transmission of the ambient pressure from inside the core. The claimed invention further includes fluid-resistant and pressure-resistant fiber penetration means introduced into the connector unit. A connector according to scope item 38. 40. Isolate the exposed end of the optical fiber from contact with the surrounding underwater environment. a first chamber means for providing a pressure-compensated protective environment; and said first inner chamber; an arrangement disposed within the means for butt-joining the ends of a pair of exposed optical fibers; a receiving connector unit comprising: isolating the exposed end of the optical fiber from contact with the surrounding underwater environment; a second internal chamber means for providing a pressure compensated protective environment; and said second chamber hand. in the step, and when the receiving unit and probe unit are joined, the exposed While isolating the end of the ejected optical fiber from contact with the surrounding underwater environment, The exposed end of the optical fiber is transferred from the second chamber means to the first chamber. and guide the exposed end of the optical fiber to the bar means and guide the exposed end of the optical fiber. A flap for operative engagement with the end of another exposed optical fiber in the alignment device. a fiber guiding and conveying means, and a probe connector joined to the first unit; An optical fiber connector that can be freely engaged underwater, comprising: a connector unit; 41. The first internal chamber means includes a first chamber having a penetrable fluid-tight seal. a flexible bladder; the alignment means being in the first flexible bladder; hold the exposed optical fiber end of the second exposed optical fiber end; butt the end of the first exposed optical fiber in optical alignment. includes an optical fiber receiving and alignment mechanism; The second chamber means includes an elongated flexible bladder having a penetrable fluid-tight seal. - disposed within the elongate bladder and having a longitudinal dimension of the elongate bladder. and a spacer for maintaining; The fiber guiding and conveying means is configured such that when the first and second units are joined, The exposed end of the optical fiber is transferred from the second bladder to the first bladder. a support means moved into the alignment mechanism, and a support means and an exposed The end of the optical fiber taken out is coated so that it can be retracted freely, and the unit is coated. the first and second bladder seals to extend the support means to the bladder; moved protected between the rudders and operated by the alignment mechanism. exposing the support means and connecting the exposed end of the optical fiber to the aligner. and probe means for intruding into the implant mechanism; as set forth in claim 40. connector. 42. When the unit is separated, the probe means is connected to the support means and exposed. The claim further includes means for moving the end of the ejected optical fiber to a position where it is recoated. The connector described in item 41 of the scope of demand. 43. said probe means when said probe means is moved to said recoating position; is retracted from the seal of said second bladder, and said probe means and coated support are retracted from said second bladder seal. positioning the holding means and the end of the optical fiber within the second flexible bladder; 43. The connector of claim 42, further comprising means for controlling the connector. 44. said first and second bladder means each containing an optically transparent fluid; and each of said connector units connects each bladder to said surrounding underwater environment. 42. The apparatus of claim 41, further comprising sealing means for preventing exchange of fluid between the Nectar. 45. each of the receiving unit and the plug unit, that of the bladder; Claim 44, further comprising communication means for communicating each with the surrounding aquatic environment. Connector included. 46. housing means penetrating the differential pressure barrier; a fiber opening means for providing an opening having two ends through the barrier; a retainer fitably fitable in the first end of the opening for retaining the mechanism within the opening; a retaining means providing a holding force; held within the opening by the retaining force and forward in response to a pressure difference on either side of the barrier. A peripheral portion of the surface of the optical fiber in the aperture is compressed and sealed, and the surface of the fiber is sealed. compressive sealing means for preventing transmission of fluid or pressure through said barrier along; A penetrator device that provides a fluid-resistant pressure-resistant passage through a differential pressure barrier comprising: 47. further comprising stop means adjacent a second end of the aperture, A sealing means is slidably received within the opening and the pressure differential causes the first opening to close. a follower means moved towards the mouth; a compression member received in the opening adjacent the retaining means and having a recess; is held between the follower means and the compression member, and is pressed by the follower means. a compressible convex seal means compressively sealingly engages the recess when pressed; within the means and compressively clamped when the sealing means compressively engages the recess; and second aperture means for providing an optical fiber passageway. Penetrator device as described in Section. 48. a direction adjacent to the second opening and towards the second opening of the follower means; further comprising stopper means for restraining movement in the direction, the compression member being moved into the opening. movably received and further compressively sealingly engages said convex sealing means and said recess. 12. The second opening is moved toward the second opening by the holding operation to hold the second opening. 48. The penetrator device according to clause 47.