KR20220054791A - Tube coupling for fiber optic cable installation - Google Patents

Abstract

A fiber optic cable connector comprising a connector body (1) having an axial through bore (8) having a connector (2) at either end for connection of each tube. An annular flange 20 extends radially into the through bore, and each end face of the annular flange provides a stop surface for each tube end. The annular flange is tilted and undercut 21 to increase the axial dimension of the flange towards the axis. A plurality of axial splines 30 in the wall of the through bore near the annular flange deflect the outer wall of the tube as it approaches the flange.

Description

Tube coupling for fiber optic cable installation

The present invention relates to a fiber optic cable connector for use on the ground or underground.

These connectors are used for laying fiber optic cables. Cables are used to provide fiber optic cable connections, for example, from junction boxes to buildings such as offices or houses to provide connections to Internet data.

Fiber optic cables are available as individual fiber bundles/cables up to several kilometers in length. Fiber bundles are usually fed through tubes (sometimes called ducts/microtubules/conduits) that are 50 meters long but can be up to 2000 meters long. Therefore, multiple tubes may need to be connected together to support the full run of the fiber bundle.

The connector is provided with an annular flange at an intermediate point along the through bore. When feeding the fiber or fiber bundle through the connector, this is done at a distance of 100 meters or several kilometers. A fiber jam can cause serious problems as you have to dig up cables and connectors to isolate the problem.

A typical prior art arrangement is shown in Figures 4a and 4b. The central annular stop S has rounded corners to avoid sharp transitions that can provide stress concentrations that promote propagation. However, as can be seen in Fig. 4a, the rounded corner of the radially outermost portion of the stopper S means that the end faces of the tube T at both ends cannot be completely seated on the end face of the stopper. As a result, as shown in Figure 4a, a gap (G) is created between the stop (S) and the tube (T) where the fiber (F) can be caught. The situation in Fig. 4A assumes that the end of the tube T is cut completely square. However, as shown on the left side of Fig. 4B, the situation is further aggravated when the tube T is cut at an angle. In this case, the leading edge of the tube T (shown at the top of Fig. 4b) engages the radiused angled portion and the tube T stops at this point. As can be seen at the bottom of Figure 4B, this creates a larger gap (G') on the opposite side of the connector, creating a greater risk of snagging.

The present invention aims to solve the snagging problem.

According to the present invention, there is provided an optical fiber cable connector according to claim 1 .

By providing an undercut flange, the present invention ensures that the radially innermost edge of the tube engages the annular flange before the radially outermost edge engages. This greatly reduces or eliminates the gap between the tube and the annular flange. For tube ends cut square, the presence of an undercut eliminates gaps on both sides of the tube. For tube ends that are not cut at right angles, the undercut eliminates the gap between one side of the tube (unless the tube is cut at a very oblique angle) and the other side. For tubes, the gap is significantly reduced as the leading edge touching the annular flange moves further into the connector than in the prior art.

Therefore, simply modifying the shape of the connector greatly reduces or eliminates the snagging problem.

To reduce stress concentration, the interface between the annular flange and the connector body preferably has a radius to provide a curved transition. Similarly, the innermost corner of the annular flange preferably has a radius to provide a curved transition.

In the prior art, the inner diameter of the flange is set equal to or larger than the inner diameter of the tube to be inserted into the connector. In this case, the inner diameter of the flange is preferably smaller than the inner diameter of the tube inserted into the connector during use. This aspect of the invention extends to a tube cable connector combined with a tube inserted into the connector, wherein the inner diameter of the flange is less than the inner diameter of the tube.

This is a non-intuitive step as it is intentionally reducing the minimum inner diameter through the connector. However, making the diameter of the flange slightly smaller than the inner diameter of the tube, along with the requirement that the innermost corner of the annular flange be the radius, means that the annular flange protrudes slightly than the inner diameter of the tube. The protrusion is a curved transition such that the fiber tangent to one of the innermost corners of the annular flange is simply guided through the opening in the flange. As described above, when a small gap occurs between the flange and the tube end, the rounded corners drive the fiber away from the tube edge. It is much better for the fibers to meet the rounded corners of the annular flange than the sharp, exposed corners of the tube end.

Another problem with these types of connectors is due to the fact that the tube is usually supplied wound in a coil. This tends to flatten the tube so that it deforms from a true round to an oval shape. When the tube is inserted into this elliptical configuration of the connector and abuts the annular flange, the inner diameter becomes larger in one direction and shorter in the transverse direction. In the direction it is greatest, it exposes the annular flanges in these areas, presenting a snagging hazard.

Accordingly, preferably, a plurality of axial splines are provided in the wall of the through bore in the vicinity of the annular flange to deflect the outer wall of the tube as it approaches the flange. The spline engages all parts of the expanded radius tube and creates a more rounded shape at the end of the tube where it meets the annular flange, applying a radially inward force to push these parts radially inward. The requirement for axially extended splines does not imply that the splines must be purely axially extended. Instead, it is sufficient that the ring expands in an appropriate axial direction to apply an inward force to the tube as it approaches the annular flange.

The splines may have a constant thickness. However, preferably the thickness of the splines increases towards the annular flange. This allows a thinner portion of the spline away from the annular flange to effectively provide a tapered ramp into the spline section, and the increased spline thickness provides increased compression force as the tube approaches the annular flange. The presence of the splines allows a compressive force to be applied to the non-circular area of the tube. However, space remains between adjacent splines to push the deformed tubing material in, so the tubing does not stick to the connector.

This idea forms the second aspect of the invention which can be defined in the broadest sense as a fiber optic cable connector according to claim 10 .

Preferably, the body comprises an outer sleeve and an inner sleeve, the inner sleeve receiving the distal end of each tube. The outer wall of the inner sleeve is generally spaced from the inner wall of the outer sleeve to define an air gap, the inner sleeve being supported to the outer sleeve by a separate web supporting the inner sleeve and maintaining a gap between the inner sleeve and the outer sleeve. . With this arrangement, rather than providing multiple outer ribs as in conventional connectors, the impact protection of the present invention may be provided by an inner sleeve spaced apart from the outer sleeve to define a gap. Preferably there is more than one web. The webs are preferably in the same radial plane. The web is preferably axially offset from the annular flange so as not to impair visibility into that area.

This arrangement can significantly reduce the need for prior art ribs. Preferably, it is not necessary to use all of the ribs together so that there is preferably no ribs on the outer surface of the connector body. This eliminates stress concentrators on the outer surface of the connector and eliminates potential dust traps.

An example of an optical fiber cable connector according to the present invention will be described with reference to the accompanying drawings.

1A-1C are cutaway perspective views of a connector showing the gradual insertion of a tube;
FIG. 2A is a cross-sectional view of the connector body in a plane perpendicular to the main access of the connector body through line AA of FIG. 2B ;
FIG. 2B is a cross-sectional view of the connector body in a plane passing through the main axis of the body through line BB of FIG. 2A ;
Fig. 2C is a view in the same plane as Fig. 2A showing a second example of the connector.
Fig. 2D is a view from the same plane as Fig. 2B showing the second example.
Fig. 3 is a cross-sectional view in the plane of Fig. 2b of a connector to which the tube is connected and through which the fiber bundle is passed;
Fig. 3a shows the central part of Fig. 3 in more detail.
3B is a view similar to that of FIG. 3A, but shows a view in which the tube has a different configuration and the fibers do not pass therethrough.
4A and 4B correspond to FIGS. 3A and 3B illustrating the arrangement of the prior art.
5 is an exploded perspective view of the connector seen from one end of the connector body;
6A is an equivalent of FIG. 5 in an unexploded form showing the cartridge and collet in a first prismatic configuration;
FIG. 6B is a cross-sectional view through the plane of FIG. 6A through the locking tab;
7A and 7B are views corresponding to FIGS. 6A and 6B, respectively, showing a cartridge and a collet of a second prismatic configuration, respectively.
Figures 8a and 8b correspond to figures 7a and 7b, but show the tube in place.

The connector comprises a connector body 1 about a main axis X and having a generally hollow cylindrical configuration. A connector 2 (described in more detail below) is provided at both ends to receive and grip the tube T at each end sealed by an O-ring 3 .

The body 1 is molded from a non-opaque plastic. The plastic must be clear enough that a visual inspection of the outside of the connector allows the operator to determine whether there is a fiber cable or fiber bundle (F) in the center of the connector. Ideally, the body should be as close to transparent as possible. However, practical considerations mean that the body will not be truly transparent. Instead, the body is translucent enough so that the fibers are visible. Suitable materials are polycarbonate, polystyrene, polyester, acrylic and nylon. The body 1 is formed by a molding process and may optionally be polished to improve the sharpness of the body. As can be seen in the various figures, the outer profile of the body has a smooth construction with no external ribs, eliminating holes for stress concentration and dust accumulation.

The body 1 consists of an outer sleeve 5 and an inner sleeve 6 connected by at least one web 7 as described below.

The outer sleeve 5 has an axial bore 8 having a first step 10 and a second step 11 which open at the distal end 8 and receive the connector 2 as described below.

As best shown in FIG. 2A , the inner sleeve 6 is held by a web 7 to form a gap 12 of generally uniform thickness.

2A and 2B , the web 7 extends across only a very small portion of the inner sleeve 6 such that there is a gap 12 for most of the length and perimeter of the inner sleeve 6 . .

Impact on the outer sleeve 5 that occurs during tube installation or when the tube is dug for maintenance may cause deformation of the outer sleeve 5 .

By providing the gap 12 , the effect of any external impact on the outer sleeve 5 is isolated to a significant extent from the inner sleeve 6 , and thus any change in the diameter of the inner bore 14 of the inner sleeve 6 . is largely prevented from causing Initial testing has shown this design to be effective in withstanding external shocks. Also, this can be achieved in a way that does not require the addition of ribs and does not require an increase in the outer diameter of the connector.

The use of a web 7 of a very small size means that the possibility that the impact is transmitted directly via the web 7 from the outer sleeve 5 to the inner sleeve 6 is greatly reduced. Even if this occurs (ie, an impact is applied in the vertically downward direction of FIG. 2A at the midpoint connector of FIG. 2B ), the inner sleeve 6 is still subjected to stresses that may adversely affect the inner bore 14 of the inner sleeve 6 . Before this occurs in the inner sleeve, it can be deflected by an amount equal to the width of the gap 12 .

Any plastic needed for the inner sleeve 6 to form the body 1 must pass through the webs 7 , 15 . This represents a fairly large amount of plastic flowing into a relatively complex and narrow flow path. To alleviate this, we are contemplating providing one or more additional webs 13 schematically shown in FIG. 2a , which are angularly offset with respect to the web 7 and also at the point at which the inner sleeve is supported on the opposite side. It can be axially offset to ensure that there is no The additional web 13 provides an additional flow path for the plastic into the inner sleeve during the forming process. Multiple webs may be made weaker than a single web such that the web closest to impact will preferentially break under the applied load leaving the remaining ribs supporting the inner sleeve 6 .

Instead of extending radially as shown in FIG. 2A , the web 15 or each web 15 is tangentially oriented as shown in FIG. 2C , or across the gap 12 in any other direction. can be extended to As shown in FIG. 2D , the web 15 is axially offset from the annular flange 20 so as not to impair visibility into this area. The outer sleeve 5 , the inner sleeve 6 , the web 7 and the annular flange can preferably all be molded as a single component as shown.

With reference to FIGS. 3, 3A and 3B, together with FIGS. 4A and 4B to provide a comparison with the linear technique, the manner in which the connector is configured to prevent jamming of the optical fiber F will be described.

3 shows a connector body 1 to which a tube T is fixed and both ends are sealed. When connected in this way, the fibers F fly through the tube T at one end across the interface between the tubes to the adjacent tube.

The tube T abuts the annular flange 20 at the midpoint of the inner sleeve 6 . The connector 2 and the O-ring 3 have an inner diameter substantially equal to the inner diameter of the inner sleeve 6 , so that when the tube T is pushed into the body 1 , it is guided into the inner sleeve 6 . The end of the tube T abuts the annular flange 20 . 3A and 3B, each end of the annular flange 20 is provided with an undercut portion 21 such that the thickness of the annular flange 20 in the axial direction increases toward the axis X.

As a result, the innermost corner 22 of the tube T is the first part of the tube T that abuts the annular flange 20 . This means that there is no gap between the inner surface 23 of the tube T and the annular flange 20 .

The undercut portion 21 has a radius as shown in FIGS. 3A and 3B . Similarly, the radially innermost corner 24 of the annular flange is radial to provide a smooth surface to the fibers.

Compared to the prior art arrangement shown in FIG. 4A , the removal of the gap G between the end of the tube T and the annular flange 20 results in an exposed sharp edge of the tube T for catching the fiber F. means there is no

Figure 3b shows the situation in which the left tube is cut at an angle slightly oblique to the plane perpendicular to the axis X. As a result, the top edge 25 of the tube T enters the undercut region 21 and rests on the annular flange 20 .

Compared with FIG. 4B , it can be seen that the gap between the tube T and the annular flange 20 is eliminated in the upper half of the figure and the gap at the lower part is significantly reduced compared to FIG. 4B .

3A and 3B , the radially inner extent of the annular flange 20 is greater than the inner diameter of the tube T. As shown in FIGS. As a result, the annular flange 20 protrudes slightly inward beyond the inner surface 23 of the tube T. In the comparison of Figs. 3b and 4b, it is assumed that the fiber F is fed from right to left, and the tip of the fiber in the vicinity of the connector 1 moves along the lower part of the inner surface 23 in Figs. 3a and 4b, In FIG. 3b this will initially meet the edge of the annular flange 20 which projects slightly beyond the inner surface 23 of the tube T. However, the fiber (F) can easily go over this bent corner and in doing so this deflection must push the fiber tip over the exposed edge (28) of the tube T. In contrast, in FIG. 4b , the annular projection S does not project beyond the inner surface 23 of the tube so nothing starts deflecting the fiber F back towards the center of the bore. Also, the gap G' in FIG. 4B is significantly larger than the corresponding gap in FIG. 3B. Not only will the fiber not deflect in this gap, but the presence of a large gap provides a much greater chance for the fiber to enter the gap and get caught at the edge 28 of the tube T.

Another feature that prevents snagging of the tube is the listed spline arrangement, best illustrated in FIGS. 1 and 2 .

As can be seen from these figures, six axially extending splines 30 are equally spaced around the circumference of the inner sleeve 6 . They are represented as having a constant cross-section in a plane perpendicular to the axis. However, they may have an increasing thickness towards the annular flange 20 .

1A and 1B, the tube T was fed from a coil and took on a flat oval shape. As it enters the inner sleeve 6 , the tube T engages the enlarged portion of the tube T and tends to push it more circularly as shown in FIG. 1C .

Multiple splines can be used. However, 6 was confirmed as a reasonable number. This allows for engagement with flat tubes that are inserted in all directions. The smaller the number of flanges, the more likely an enlarged portion of the tube will fit between adjacent splines. On the other hand, adding more splines increases the insertion resistance of tube T to connector 1.

The splines 30 are dimensioned such that where the splines are located is slightly smaller than the outer diameter of the tube. The splines 30 will thus bite into the material of the tube T in this area. This ensures a secure and tight fit of the tube T and the splines provide the greatest opportunity to reduce the eccentricity of the tube.

The arrangement of the annular flange 20 and the splines 30 has been described in the context of arrangement with an outer sleeve 5 and an inner sleeve 6 supported by a web 7 . However, both the annular flange 20 and the splines 30 may be used in a connector of a more general configuration that does not have an inner sleeve 6 . Instead, the through bore and inner flange are formed directly in the body. With this arrangement, reinforcing ribs may be provided to provide improved impact resistance.

However, there is a synergistic effect between the improved impact resistance provided by the inner sleeve 6 and the web 7 and the arrangement of the annular flange 20 . Impact testing performed on these connectors requires that the connector be subjected to an impact so that the impact does not cause a reduction of more than 15% of the inner diameter of the tube. As mentioned above, the annular flange 20 already projects a small amount into this area. This provides an anti-snagging advantage. However, the smaller internal deformation of the connector near the annular flange 20 means that it will fail the impact test because the annular flange has already been pre-designed to cover 15% of the area. However, because of the improved ability of the sleeve (6)/web (7) arrangement to resist impact, we can reduce the inner diameter to improve anti-snagging properties, while maintaining sufficient impact resistance to reliably meet the test requirements. can

The connectors 2 (one at each end of the body 1) will now be described in more detail with reference to Figs.

The connector 2 is composed of two components: a cartridge 40 and a collet 41 .

Cartridge 40 has a generally annular configuration. The outer surface is provided with a plurality of flexible metal teeth 42 . The cartridge 40 is inserted into the end of the body 1 until it is seated on the second step 11 . The teeth 42 grip the wall of the body 1 so that the cartridge 40 is permanently retained in the body 1 . At the end of the cartridge 40 adjacent the second step 11 there is a tapered cam surface 43 which cooperates with the collet as described below. At the opposite end, the end face of the cartridge 40 is provided with a pair of inclined faces 44 . Two such surfaces are shown, but there may be a single surface or there may be more than one. Each ramp surface has a trough 45 corresponding to the unlocked configuration and a trough 46 corresponding to the locked configuration within a slope 47 therebetween. A bump 48 is provided at the interface between the peak 46 and the slope 47 . A similar bump may be provided at the interface between the slope 47 and the trough 45 . The low point 45 ends at the first end stop 49 and the high point 46 ends at the second end stop 50 .

Most of the features of the collet 41 are typical. It has a collet ring 52 from which a plurality of flexible arms 53 extend. Each arm has a head 54 at its distal end as provided with inwardly projecting metal teeth 55 .

For example with a tube T inserted as shown in FIG. 8B , any movement that tends to pull the tube T from the connector causes the teeth 55 to be gripped into the tube, which in turn causes the tube T to Pulls the head 54 towards the tapered cam surface 43 on the cartridge 40 which biases the arm 53 inward to provide a progressively increasing gripping force. This serves to hold the tube (T) firmly in place. This is the general way collets work.

An application provided by the present invention is the presence of a pair of cam followers 56 extending from a collet ring 52 towards an inclined surface 44 on the cartridge 40 . Although two followers 56 are shown, in reality there are as many followers 56 as slope 44 . Alternatively, the cam arrangement may be reversed such that the beveled surface(s) are on the collet and the follower(s) are on the cartridge.

The collet ring 52 is also provided with a pair of tabs 57 extending from the collet ring 52 in an opposite direction to the follower 56 . As shown in the figure, the location of the tabs 57 corresponds to the number and location of the followers 56 . But it may not be. Components may be offset from each other and both need not be the same number.

The operation of the collet will now be described with reference to FIGS. 6 to 8 . The positions shown in Figs. 6A and 6B are the unlocked positions. In this position, the collet 41 is rotated such that the cam follower 56 abuts the first end stop 49 so that the cam follower is at the trough 45 . As is evident from Fig. 6b (particularly compared to Fig. 7b) in this position, the collet 41 moves from the position where the head 54 engages the tapered cam surface 43 to the left end of the position shown in the figure (Fig. 6b) because it can move, it has a relatively large degree of axial freedom. When held in position by the user, the tube T can be withdrawn because the head 54 is held away from the tapered slope 43 so that the collet cannot grip the tube. The collet 41 is rotated in the direction of the arrow 60 to the locked position shown in FIG. 7A . In doing so, the follower 56 moves over the slope 57 , over the bump 48 , providing the user with a tactile feeling that the position has been reached and the high point 46 .

As can be seen from the comparison of Figs. 6b and 7b, in the locked position shown in Fig. 7b, the collet does not have the same degree of freedom as in Fig. 6b, so the teeth 55 are separated from the tube T in the unlocked position. cannot be moved and fixed. This is more evident in FIGS. 8a and 8b with the tube in place, but in the same locked position as in FIGS. 7a and 7b. Here it can be seen how the presence of the tube pushes the head 54 back to the tapered cam surface 43 .

The only way to remove the tube T in this locked configuration is by the user holding the tab 57 and rotating the collet 41 to the unlocked position in the direction of the arrow 61 in FIG. 6A , and remove the tube from the body 1 Manually holding the collet in the position shown in Figure 6b during pull-out.

The tube T is generally inserted with the collet 41 in the unlocked position shown in FIGS. 6A and 6B , which allows more range for the arm 53 to be deflected upon insertion of the tube. However, as can be seen in FIG. 7b , even in the locked position there is a small gap between the head 54 and the tapered cam surface 43 . Therefore, the tube T can be inserted with the collet in the locked position. This provides a simple assembly process as the user only needs to insert the tube into the collet. They don't have to worry about lock operation.

1A to 1C and 3 , the collet ring 52 is installed axially back inside the body 1 . However, the tab 57 extends beyond the end of the body 1 . In this position, the collet 41 is protected from external impact by the body 1 . In addition, since it is recessed inside the body 1, the cable is shielded to some extent from the soil in which it is buried. For this connector, the only points where dust can potentially enter the connector's internal workings are between the collet ring 52 and the tube T and between the collet ring 52 and the body 1 . However, this is an interface that can apply tight tolerances. Dust entering it cannot impair the visibility of the fibers F in the body 1 . Also, even if some dust gets into these gaps due to the rotational motion required to unlock the collet, the collet 41 will not jam in place as the rotational motion can easily generate enough torque to overcome this sticking. .

Claims (22)

A fiber optic cable connector comprising: a connector body having an axial through bore defining an axis and having a connector at either end for connection of a respective tube at each end;
an annular flange extending radially into the through bore and each end face providing a stop surface at a respective tube end, wherein the annular flange is tilted and undercut to increase the axial dimension of the flange towards the axis; connector. The connector of claim 1 , wherein an interface of the annular flange and the connector body is rounded to provide a curved transition. 3. The connector of claim 2, wherein the innermost corner of the annular flange is rounded to provide a curved transition. A connector according to the preceding claim, wherein the inner diameter of the annular flange is less than the inner diameter of the tube inserted into the connector in use. The connector of claim 1 , wherein a plurality of axial splines are provided in the vicinity of the annular flange to deflect an outer wall of the tube as the tube approaches the flange. 6. The connector of claim 5, wherein the thickness of the splines increases towards the annular flange. The method of claim 1 wherein the body comprises an outer sleeve and an inner sleeve, the inner sleeve receiving a distal end of each tube, the outer wall of the inner sleeve being generally spaced apart from the inner wall of the tube to define an air gap; , wherein the inner sleeve is supported on the outer sleeve by a separate web of material that supports the inner sleeve and maintains a gap between the inner sleeve and the outer sleeve. The connector according to the preceding claim, wherein the outer surface of the connector body is ribless. The connector of the preceding claim, wherein the connector body is molded from an opaque plastic. The connector of the preceding claim, wherein each end face of the annular flange is undercut. The connector of the preceding claim, wherein the annular flange is integrally molded with the connector body. A fiber optic cable connector comprising: a connector body having an axial through bore defining an axis and having a connector at either end for connection of a respective tube at each end;
an annular flange extending radially into the through bore, each end face providing a stop surface for a respective tube end; and
a plurality of axial splines provided proximate the annular flange to deflect an outer wall of the tube as the tube approaches the flange. 13. The connector of claim 12, wherein the interface of the annular flange and the connector body is rounded to provide a curved transition. 14. The connector of claim 12 or 13, wherein the innermost corner of the annular flange is rounded to provide a curved transition. 15. A connector according to any one of claims 12 to 14, wherein the inner diameter of the flange is less than the inner diameter of the tube inserted into the connector in use. 16. A connector according to any one of claims 12 to 15, wherein the thickness of the splines increases towards the annular flange. 16. The body of any one of claims 12-15, wherein the body comprises an outer sleeve and an inner sleeve, the inner sleeve receiving a distal end of each tube, the outer wall of the inner sleeve defining an air gap A connector generally spaced from an inner wall of said outer sleeve, said inner sleeve supported to said outer sleeve by a separate web of material supporting said inner sleeve and maintaining a gap between said inner sleeve and said outer sleeve. 18. The connector of claim 17, wherein there is a plurality of webs supporting the inner sleeve. 19. The connector of claim 17 or 18, wherein the or each web is axially offset from the annular flange. 20. A connector according to any one of claims 12 to 19, wherein an outer surface of the connector body is ribless. 21. A connector according to any one of claims 12 to 20, wherein the connector body is molded from an opaque plastic. 16. A connector according to claim 4 or 15, wherein the inner diameter of the flange is smaller than the inner diameter of the tube inserted into the connector.

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