MXPA98004867A - . optical fiber connector using the fiber docking and aligning spring force of alineac - Google Patents

Abstract

A fiber optic connector comprising a plug and a receptacle is described, which utilizes the outside spring supplied by the arching of the fiber of the plug to maintain a continuous compression load on the fiber joint located in an alignment slit of the fiber. the fiber. The plug has a carrier for securing the fiber of the plug and a cover which is snapped onto the carrier, with the fiber of the plug extending generally straight to the inside of the cover. The cover has a slot that provides access to the terminal portion of the fiber of the plug and a sliding door which selectively covers the slot. The receptacle includes a housing and another fiber carrier for securing the fiber of the receptacle, with a projection or handle attached to the fiber carrier of the receptacle, the projection having the fiber alignment slit. The handle is oriented within the housing of the receptacle such that, when the plug is inserted into the receptacle, the handle extends through the slot in the cover at an angle oblique to the axis of the plug. In this way, in the manner that the plug is inserted, the end of the fiber of the plug slides in the fiber alignment slot in the handle and contacts the end face of the fiber of the receptacle. The continuous insertion results in the arching of the fiber of the pin to obtain the compression load. The door of the plug may have cam surfaces which are actuated by corresponding surfaces that are on a door of the receptacle. The connector can be used simultaneously to interconnect a plurality of pairs of fibers or to terminate a fiber to an optical device.

Description

OPTICAL FIBER CONNECTOR USING THE SPRING FORCE OF THE FIBER AND ALIGNMENT HENDING BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION FIELD OF THE INVENTION The present invention relates in general to the devices for connecting a telecommunications line (in which voice, data, video, etc. are included) to another line or to a terminal, and more particularly with a device for interconnecting at least one optical fiber with another optical fiber or with an optoelectronic component.

DESCRIPTION OF PREVIOUS TECHNIQUE Optical fibers have replaced copper wire as the preferred means of carrying telecommunications signals. In a similar way to copper wire, it is necessary to provide the interconnection of optical fibers, during the installation, repair or replacement of the fibers and finish the fibers on active optical devices. There are generally two kinds of interconnection devices, splices and connectors. The term "splicing" usually refers to a device which provides a permanent connection between a pair of optical fibers. In contrast, the term "connector" usually refers to a device which can be coupled and uncoupled repeatedly, often with a different plug or receptacle. A connector can also refer to the plug portion of a fiber termination, which is attached to an optical device. Optical devices include, for example, optical detectors (photoelectric diodes) and light sources (LEDs, laser diodes). The termination of an optical fiber can be indirect, that is, the fiber can be connected to some other optical device (passive) such as a beam diffuser or polarizer, before the light beam is directed to the active optical device. The present invention is generally directed to a connector, although this term should not be interpreted in a limiting sense, since the present invention can inherently provide a permanent connection or termination also as temporary. In the fiber optic connector described in U.S. Patent No. 5,381,498, the connector has a plug and a receptacle, the plug has a V-shaped slit, which receives the fiber, for each fiber to be interconnected, with the end of the fiber that ends in the middle of the slit. The receptacle has a plate which retracts as the pin is inserted, whereby another fiber is lowered into the V-shaped groove of the pin. After full insertion of the plug, the two ends of the fiber are in contact and the fiber secured to the receptacle is elastically deformed to maintain a continuous compression load between the terminal ends of the fibers. The connector provides fast disconnection and reconnection of a plurality of pairs of optical fibers, without the use of splice sleeves or other alignment elements. A high-strength fiber can be used to support the repeated insertions and arching of the fibers. The exact lengths of the fibers (that is, the relative locations of their terminal ends in the plug and the receptacle) are not critical, since tolerance is provided by the clearance t in the arcuate receptacle fiber (the terminal portion of the fiber). secured to the plug is not arched, but always remains straight). The ends of the fibers can be prepared by simple insertion and beveling; the end faces can optionally be inserted at an angle (that is, not orthogonal to the fiber axis) to reduce signal reflections. Many optical fiber splices employ plate-like elements having slots that receive the fiber, with means for holding the terminal ends of the fibers in a common slit. Some of these devices are designed to interconnect a plurality of fiber pairs, such as the splice shown in US Pat. No. 5.151,964. In U.S. Patent No. 4,028,162, the fibers approach alignment slits at an angle of incidence and are temporarily retained as long as a connector plate adhere to the interconnected fibers. For other examples of techniques involving arcuate fibers entering into alignment slits, see U.S. Patent Nos. 4,077,702, 4,148,559, 4,322,127 and 5,080,461 and French Patent Application No. 2,660,442. Some of the connector designs that use the principle of arcing the fiber to a fiber alignment slit are rather complex and require many parts, such as the designs seen in US Patent Nos. 4,045,121, 4,128,113 and 4,767,180 . The connector in the '498 patent, makes use of this arched principle of fiber, but offers other certain disadvantages. For example, the pin design allows the powder to settle easily on the fiber tips, since these tips are exposed above the slits that receive the fibers. The fibers in the receptacle can similarly be contaminated since there are no doors or other means to close the opening when the pin is not present. While the connector of the '498 patent has fewer parts than most splice sleeve connectors, it would still be preferable to remove the moving parts, such as the sliding plate and the spring inside the receptacle. That design also recommends the use of high strength fibers in the receptacle, which makes it less compatible with an embedded standard fiber base. It would therefore be desirable and advantageous to devise a fiber optic connector, which similarly provides fast connection and reconnection of a plurality of pairs of optical fibers and which is simple to install and use, but which additionally overcomes the above limitations without sacrifice in the performance or the cost.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION The present invention provides a fiber optic connector generally comprising a plug having at least one fiber terminating therein, releasably attached to a receptacle and which may have another fiber secured thereto, or which can accommodate an active optical component. The plug includes a fiber carrier securing a terminal portion of an optical fiber, and an elongated, hollow plug body having first and second ends, the first end is open and attached to the fiber carrier of the plug with the terminal portion of the fiber of the plug extending into the interior of the plug body, the interior having sufficient space to allow the terminal portion of the fiber of the plug to be arched and the second end to have a slot providing access to the terminal portion of the fiber. The receptacle has an opening sized to receive the second end of the body of the pin and a projection or handle adapted to enter the slot in the body of the pin at an oblique angle with respect to the axis of the body of the pin. The handle has a fiber alignment slit therein, located to receive the terminal portion of the fiber of the plug, when the body of the plug is inserted into the receptacle. In the fiber-to-fiber interconnection mode, the receptacle further has a receptacle fiber carrier that secures a terminal portion of another fiber optic whose end face is located along an intermediate section of the fiber alignment slit. . The receptacle fiber can be properly retained in the slit by a fiber retention. In the embodiment for termination to an electro-optical device, the handle is attached to a base having a fiber retainer. Either in one mode or another, the fiber of the plug extends generally straight into the body of the plug when the plug separates from the receptacle, but the fiber of the plug is insufficiently long such that, when the plug is fully inserted into the receptacle, the fiber of the plug arches to maintain a continuous compression load either against the end face of the receptacle fiber, or the fiber retainer. The curvature of the fiber of the plug also keeps the fiber firmly spliced in the fiber alignment gap. First securing or retaining means are provided to releasably secure the body of the plug in the receptacle and second retention means are provided to releasably mount the receptacle on a support surface. The first retaining means can be formed in an extension or surface between grooves of pin fiber carrier. This gap between grooves may also have vertical posts which extend into the interior of the pin body to limit the obliquity of the end portion of the pin fiber. The pin may be predisposed in an interconnected position to be urged back against the first securing means to minimize the effect of manufacturing tolerances.

The body of the plug may further include a door of the plug, slidable between a closed position where the door of the plug covers the slot and an open position where the slot is not obstructed by the door of the plug. The door of the plug may have cam surfaces adapted to drive the force member sideways and the receptacle may have a door with a corresponding cam surface adapted to move against the cam surface of the plug door after the inserting the body of the plug into the receptacle. The connector can be coupled and decoupled quickly, and is easy to install. The design can be adapted to provide the interconnection of a plurality of pairs of optical fibers.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS The invention will be better understood by reference to the accompanying drawings, in which: Figure 1 is a side view of a longitudinal section of an embodiment of the present invention, illustrating a fiber optic connector that includes a pin and receptacle; Figure 2 is a perspective view of the plug and receptacle of Figure 1, with a partial section revealing the arcuate fibers inside the plug; Figure 3 is a perspective view of one embodiment of the plug used with the connector present with a sliding door; Figure 4 is a perspective view of another embodiment of the plug used with the present connector, with the plug cover omitted to reveal the interior details; Figure 5 is a perspective view of one embodiment of the receptacle used with the present connector, with an articulated door having camming surfaces which cooperate with the camming surfaces found in the door of the plug; Figure 6 is a perspective view of a termination fitting, which can be used in the receptacle of the present invention; Figure 7 is a side view of a longitudinal section of the connector present as used for the termination of a fiber to fiber interconnection; Figure 8 is a sectional view of a tool used to clean the ends of the fibers in a pin; and Figure 9 is a sectional view of a tool used to clean the ends of the fibers in a modified receptacle.

DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED MODE With reference now to the figures, and in particular with reference to FIGS. 1 and 2, a mode 10 of the fiber optic connector of the present invention is illustrated. The connector 10 generally comprises an elongate plug 12 and a receptacle 14. Figure 1 is a longitudinal sectional view of the connector 10 showing the plug 12 fully inserted into the receptacle 14 and the receptacle 14 mounted on a supporting surface or screen 16. Figure 2 is a perspective view with the screen 16 omitted, also with a partial longitudinal section to illustrate the interior of the connector. The illustrated embodiment provides the interconnection of two fiber pairs, but those skilled in the art will appreciate that the concepts of the invention described herein extend to a single pair interconnection as well as the interconnection of a multiplicity of pairs. The plug 12 also shown in Figure 3 includes a fiber carrier 18 which can be constructed of two fastening elements or blocks 20 and 22 and a plug or cover body 24, which is attached to the fiber carrier 18. The cover 24 can be removably attached to the carrier 18 of the fiber of the pin by means of, for example, fasteners 26 integrally molded on the blocks 20 and 22, which engage with the cutouts or guide notches 28, formed in the corresponding walls of the cover 24. The fibers 30 and 32, which are to be interconnected or terminated, pass through the carrier 18 and into the hollow interior of the cover 24. The end portions of the fibers are unlined, that is, they are not fixed to any alignment element, such as a splice sleeve. Accordingly, the cover 24 serves not only to assist in physically locating the plug 12 in the receptacle 14, but also to provide protection for the otherwise exposed terminal portions of the fibers.

(The cover could be made retractable to leave the ends of the fibers fully exposed, if required). The carrier 18 has slits 34 receiving the fiber, formed on the adjacent surfaces of the blocks 20 and 22; These two components can be identical parts. The carrier 18 can secure the fibers, for example, by clamping, adhesives or both. Alternative means may be used to secure the fibers to the carrier 18. The carrier 18 may have an extension 36 surrounding the fibers for additional strain relief and fastening. A sheath 38 can be provided for stress relief and additional capture of the reinforcement elements in the fiber cable (KEVLAR strands) and to help manipulate the plug 12. The reinforcement elements do not need to be lashed, but can be be stuck on the carrier. Relief to the tension of the reinforcing elements is obtained by a forced adjustment of the straight wall section of the fiber carrier of the plug within the sheath. This is dependent on the choice of materials used for the sleeve and the plug fiber carrier and produces a design that does not require a clamping ring and which helps facilitate manufacturing and reduces the number of necessary components. Alternatively, an extension can be formed on the carrier with a "tortuous" (irregular) path to hold the strands and retain the sheath with an interference fit. The "unidirectional" tines on the surface of the pin fiber carrier help in the connection of the cover to the fiber carrier of the pin, which also helps in the connection of the cable to the pin. In the embodiment of Figures 1 and 2, a fastener 40 is integrally molded on one side of the cover 24 to releasably secure the plug 12 to the receptacle 14. The fastener 40 also imparts mechanical polarization to the plug, that is, only it can be inserted into the receptacle 14 in one orientation. The pin 12 can be biased in the interconnected position, for example, by a trampoline (flexible cantilever) formed within the receptacle 14 to be urged back against the fastener 40 to minimize the effect of manufacturing tolerances. Figure 4 shows a slightly different mode 12 'of a plug usable with the connector of the present invention. This embodiment employs a similar cover, which is omitted from Figure 4 to better illustrate the alternate fiber carrier 18 'and the interior features. The carrier 18 'is formed again from two blocks 20' and 22 ', but these two blocks are not identical in this mode. First, the block 22 'has an extension or surface 42 between grooves, which has several vertical posts 44, 46 and 48. These posts serve to guide the fibers within the cover 24 in the proper position for location in the V-shaped slits of the receptacle 14 as described further below, and limits the obliquity of the fibers, to ensure proper alignment of the tips of the fibers with the openings in the cover 24. The fastener 40 'is molded in block 22 'along the underside of surface 42 between grooves. Secondly, the fiber passages in the carrier 18 'are formed by providing V-shaped slots 34' only in the block 22", with the corresponding surface of the block 20 'which is flat to provide only three holding surfaces of The V-shaped slits 34 'are additionally housed in the block 22' and tiers 50 are formed on the block 20 'which settle in the recesses and facilitate the proper joining of the blocks together. 32 generally extend straight into the cover 24 provided that the pin 12 (or pin 12 ') is not installed in the receptacle 14. The fibers are "generally" straight, since they extend without a significant bow, although there could be some small flexing of the fibers as a result of gravity, sufficient space is provided within the cover 24, however, to allow the fibers to arch significantly, as seen in Figures 1 and 2, when the Avija is fully inserted into the receptacle. The front end 52 of the cover 24 has a pair of slits 54 and 56 formed therein., which provide access to the terminal ends of the fibers located within the cover 24. A bell or door 58 is slidably attached to the front end 52 of the cover 24, with two covers or bars 60, 62, which are they overlap the slits 54 and 56 respectively, when the door 58 is in the closed position of Figure 3. When the door 58 slides to the open position, the bars 60 and 62 move to allow access to the fibers 30. and 32 via the slits 54 and 56 respectively, without the need for the fibers to extend outwardly from the cover 24, although this would be acceptable in alternative designs. The door 58 is slidably attached to the cover 24 with a snap fit resulting from two tongue and groove arrangements 64 and 66 (Figure 1). Further to prevent dust from entering through the slits, the door 58 also prevents light in the fibers of the plug from escaping and reaching the user's eyes. As discussed below in connection with Figure 8, the door 58 may also reveal, in the open position, one or more holes above the cover 24, which may receive push rods to point the fibers outwardly from the openings. openings 54 and 56 to allow cleaning of the fiber tips. Other door arrangements for the plug can be provided. For example, it could have a door (not shown) which rises vertically during the insertion process of the plug. This is accomplished by having the door seated elsewhere, such as a shuttle, which moves within the body of the cover. The shuttle has a vertical slit on each of its side walls and is open through each end. The solid door that has a post protruding beyond the side parts of the shuttle and the slots that come out on the deck, which have the following shape. Each of the slits begins at an upward angle (approximately 30 ° C) of approximately 1 mm, then becomes horizontal for most of the distance, then rises again to approximately 1 mm, and ends with a second track horizontal (approximately 1.5 mm). When the plug comes into contact with a retainer in the receptacle, it propels the shuttle back into the cover. The first few millimeters of travel, the door is raised to its first position. In this position, the fibers come into contact with the door, which flexes the fibers downward at an obtuse angle, although it is not necessary, the door can also act as an alignment mechanism. This helps avoid contact of the end face of the fibers of the plug with the V-shaped slit when they come in contact with the V-shaped slit. Before the plug reaches full insertion, the shuttle reaches the second angular slit to the cover. At this time, the door is raised to its final position, in which the door is no longer connected to the fibers, such that they are free to bow and provide adequate pressure on the receptacle. The return or return of the shuttle and the door is carried out by a spring that drives between the fiber carrier and the shuttle. The particular advantage of this design is that it exposes the entire end of the plug without any slits, so that the fibers must be fed through, and brought into contact with the V-shaped slits. The other door arrangement ( not shown), the door slides through the plug during the insertion process, again using a shuttle that moves inside the body of the cover. The shuttle has a vertical slit on each of its side walls and is opened through the end closest to the fiber carrier. The end closest to the front of the cover has one end enclosed with two vertical slits that are in line with the fibers, they run from top to bottom. The door is no more than a rectangular plate, which has two vertical slits running from its bottom to approximately two thicknesses of material from its top. Also, it has a notch cut on its top that travels on a shoulder on the deck. This shoulder acts as the cam mechanism for the door. The cam is located on the inside of the roof of the roof. From the front it begins at an obtuse angle until it reaches the center, where it runs down the length of its body. In the closed position, the two sets of slits in the shuttle and door are offset from each other, to provide a closed pin. When the plug comes into contact with a retainer in the receptacle, it propels the shuttle back into the cover. During the first few millimeters of travel, the door slides sideways inside the deck, at the same time the shuttle moves backwards. Once the two sets of slits are lines, to provide an open slit for the fiber exiting through it, the door has reached the straight section of the cam. At this point, the doors stop moving to the sides and is carried back to the deck by the shuttle. The return of the shuttle and the door is carried out by a spring that pushes between the fiber carrier and the shuttle. This design also exposes the entire end of the plug and provides a uniform operation of the door. Pin design variations of the present invention will become apparent to those skilled in the art with reference to the following description.

For example, a plug (not shown) may be used in which the main difference is the manner of releasing the fibers of the plug to the V-shaped slits of the receptacle. This alternative plug design has a body with two distinct parts, a body which engages with the receptacle and a sheath which is connected to the body by a hinge or articulation. The joint allows the body of the plug and sheath to remain at a 180 ° angle (ie, straight obtained) when the plug is inserted into the receptacle. Then, the sheath is rotated in such a way that the angle between the body and the sheath is less than 180 °. This pushes the fibers of the plug out of the body of the protective plug and into the V-shaped slits of the receptacle. This design may be further adapted to a pin which is not hinged, but rotational movement is still used to move the fibers of the plug to the V-shaped slots of the receptacle. The V-shaped slits do not need to be fed through the slits. These designs also allow the plug sheath to be flush against the wall and do not require the slits V of the receptacle to enter the cover and the longer plug fiber and the larger rotational angle provide additional fabrication and assembly tolerance.

A test plug can also be used to test the operation of the receptacle. This pin would be essentially identical to the pin previously described, except that it receives a single curved fiber to have both ends extending towards the receptacle. In this way, a signal can be sent through one of the receptacle fibers, received by the annular fiber in the pin. and then re-routed to the other fiber in the receptacle, which carries the signal to a test detection system. The receptacle 14, also shown in Figure 5, includes a body or housing 70 and another fiber carrier 72. The housing 70 has an opening 74 of the size and shape generally corresponding to that of the front end 52 of the plug 12. The housing 70 may also have suitable features (such as retainer arms 76) that allow it to be removably mounted to the screen 16, which may consist, for example, of an interconnection panel or workstation contact (front plate of the wall box). The retention means can provide a mounting of the front of the panel, to allow all the preparation work to be done on the front side of the panel or can provide the mounting of the back of the panel, to allow all the work of preparation is done on the back side of the panel. The fibers of the receptacle (only one of which, 78 is visible in FIGS. 1 and 2) are secured to the receptacle fiber carrier 72, also by fastening, using a fastening plate 80 adapted to hold the fibers at a first end. of the carrier 72. The terminal ends of the fibers of the receptacle extend into fiber alignment slits formed in projections or hands 82 and 84 at a second end of the carrier 72 of the receptacle fiber. The slits are preferably V-shaped, although they may be more rounded, that is, U-shaped. An intermediate section 86 of the slits in the fiber alignment is curved to hold the receptacle fibers in the slits, by the elastic impulse of the slightly arched fibers. Additional means, such as the fiber retention shown in Figure 7, can be provided to hold the fibers firmly in the slits. The fibers do not extend to the tips of the hands 82 and 84, but rather end at a sufficient distance from the tips to allow proper support of the fibers of the plug when the connector is in use. If the fiber-to-fiber contact is very close to the tips of the V-shaped slots (or if the plug is inserted too far), the fiber of the plug can curve beyond the crack and rise from the apex to break the connection. The receptacle 14 can have as many of these hands with fiber alignment slits as fibers there are in the pin 12. The hands 82 and 84 are formed to project to the slits 54 and 56, respectively of the cover 24 when the pin 12 is fully inserts the receptacle 14. The hands 82 and 84 enter the cover 24 at an oblique angle (not zero) with respect to the axis of the pin, that is, the axis defined either by any of the fibers of the plug 30 or 32, when they extend straight into the cover 24. This angle is preferably about 42 °, which balances the concerns concerning the contact pressure of the outer face of the fiber, the fiber forces directed over the crack V-shaped, the friction effects, and the desired tolerance space (a greater angle increases the tolerances). Since the fibers of the receptacle are not directed towards the opening 74, there is no danger that the light escaping will reach the user's eyes. The fiber carrier 72 of the receptacle is rotatably attached to the housing 70 by providing posts on the first end of the holder 72 which are inserted into notches or hooks 88 formed at one end of the housing 70 of the receptacle. The carrier 72 is releasably secured in place by using protrusions or pins formed on one side of the carrier, which engage with the holes 89 in the housing 70 of the receptacle. An alternative design for the fiber carrier of the receptacle can be used, in which the carrier is molded as a single piece with a separate top cover or top cover plate that can be inserted on its base, the base has the positioning slits of fiber. The receptacle 14 may also have a flap or door 90 to minimize the entry of contaminants through the opening 74. The described embodiment uses a receptacle door, which cooperates with the door of the plug to operate the door 58 of the plug between closed and open states as the plug 12 is inserted into the receptacle 14. Specifically, the receptacle door 90 has two cam surfaces 92 and 94, which interact with the cam surfaces 96 and 98 respectively, which are located on top of each other. the door 58 of the plug. The receptacle door 90 is hinged along an edge by the provision of poles 100 which are inserted into the guide grooves 102 in the housing 70 of the receptacle. Means (not shown), such as a spring or cam links molded in the part to predispose the door 90 in the closed position. When the plug 12 is inserted into the receptacle 14, the front end 52 and the door 58 of the plug are urged against the door 90 of the receptacle, to raise and open it. Then, the ramp-shaped cam surface 94 begins to forcefully engage the cam surface 98 on the door 58 of the pin, to urge the door 58 to a side to reveal the slits 54 and 56. After this, if the plug 12 is separated from the receptacle 14, then the ramp-shaped cam surface 92 is similarly urged against the cam surface 96 as the pin is remo to slide the door 58 of the pin backwards to its closed position. The cover 24 has slits or indentations 104 and 106 to accommodate the cam surfaces 92 and 94 when the plug is in the receptacle, which also serves to additionally stabilize the connection. Other door designs can be implemented with the receptacle 14, such as a door, which is manually opened outwardly and closed. The receptacle may also have a door that acts as the fastener to retain the pin. In this alternative design (not shown), the body of the plug (cover) has a notched area on its underside. The door in the receptacle is a rectangular plate, loaded by spring, with a tongue (cantilevered rocker arm) protruding from its lower part when the door is in the closed position. When the plug is inserted into the receptacle, the door rotates from a vertical position to a horizontal position. Once the plug is fully inserted, the notch separates the top edge of the door. Then, the door returns elastically to a few degrees and reaches the bottom over the area in the notch. This provides the fixation between the two parties. The separation of the pin is carried out by compression on the pin and the tongue portion of the door. This causes the door to return to its horizontal position and allows the plug to slide back out of the receptacle. The tongue will be formed in such a way that, when the pin is removed, there would be insufficient pressure to keep the handle on the tongue. This construction provides a simpler plug design. The receptacle can be further modified with internal fasteners to be mounted in two different positions on the wall, or partition, a first position where it is fully operational and flush with the wall and a second position where it projects slightly outward from the wall . This provides access to the interior of the receptacle for cleaning.

The clamping mechanism of the plug-receptacle can be advantageously designed to prevent the breaking of the set of pins when the plug cable is pulled excessively, such as if someone pulls on the cable. This is achieved by providing a clamping geometry, which allows the plug to be pulled out of the receptacle if the tension on the cable exceeds a given tensile force. This results in the plug being released from the receptacle instead of pulling the plug wire and this effect becomes more acceptable because of the automatic closing of the plug door of the receptacle spacing. A plug-to-plug connection can also be provided, which utilizes two pin-shaped pins 12 with no receptacle, but rather with a coupling mechanism to receive both of the pins (similar to a coupling sleeve). used to interconnect panel-type optical connectors). The design glimpsed will probably use an S-curve on both of the fibers of the plug and a fiber spike located in the coupling mechanism, curved in such a way that its end ends are adapted to be connected to the respective ends of the fibers of the coupling. plug.

All components of the connector 10 (except the sleeve 38 of the plug) can be formed of any durable material, preferably an injection moldable polymer such as polycarbonate, VALOX (a polyester sold by General Electric), or RADEL (a polyarylsulphone sold by Amoco). The material can include conductive fillers to return to the semi conductor components, in order to minimize the triboelectric charge which can induce contamination of the end of the fiber. The sheath 38 is preferably formed of a low modulus copolyester elastomer, such as that available from RTP of Inona, Minnesota, under the material number 1559X67420B. The assembly and installation of the connector 10 are direct. Pin 12 is normally mounted in the factory, although it can be easily mounted in the field. In this regard, the term "pre-terminated" as used herein, refers simply to the attachment of the optical fibers to the plug 12 or receptacle 14 regardless of whether such binding occurs in the factory, the field or in other part. It will also be understood that the plug 12 or receptacle 14 could be mounted on a mating cable or interconnecting cable with any kind of optical connector at the other end of the fibers. It is recommended that the fibers be used which have a longer life when exposed to internal environments, such as the high strength fibers available from Minnesota Mining and Manufacturing Co. (3M-assignee of the present invention). Those fibers having a core and conventional coating, which is surrounded by a new three-layer construction, as discussed in US Patent No. 5,381,504. Those skilled in the art will also appreciate that the connector of the present invention can accommodate discrete optical fibers or multi-fiber slats, also as single-mode fibers and multi-modal fibers. The fibers which are pre-terminated, either to the plug 12 or the receptacle 14 must be stripped, inserted and cleaned. If the fibers are in the form of a lath, which is part of a group of lath bundles in a cable, then a portion of the cable sheath must be cut first to reveal the laths. Most cables have several protective layers and each of these layers must be removed in order to provide access to the fiber slats. Similar steps must be carried out to separate the protective layers of a cable having a single discrete fiber. After the fibers have separated from the lining of the protective cable, they are stripped. The stripped fibers are then ready to be inserted, which can be carried out by using one of several commercially available fiber inserters, such as that shown in US Pat. No. 5,024,363. The insertion length for bonding the fibers to the plug 12 is the distance from the fiber carrier 18 which, in the preferred embodiment, is approximately 23 mm. For joining the fibers to the receptacle 14, the insertion length is the distance from the fiber carrier 72 which in the preferred embodiment is approximately 15 mm. Any scrap must be cleaned of the fibers using a clear cloth. Before separating the fibers from the inserter, the technician must inspect the fibers to confirm that the end faces of all the fibers are acceptable, that is, that they are smooth inserts without spikes. The fiber visor disclosed in US Patent No. 5,210,647 can be used for this purpose. Once the technician is satisfied that each of the fibers has an acceptable end face, the fibers can be separated from the inserter. In the preference mode, the end faces of the fiber are planar with a chamfered or bevelled (or at least partially chamfered) periphery to obtain the advantages associated with such a fiber end profile, as discussed more fully in the Patent Application. American Series No. 08 / 122,755. Alternatively, the end faces of the fiber may be rounded (generally spherical). The fibers may optionally be provided with an asymmetric treatment, similar to the insert for imparting an angled end face, as taught in U.S. Patent No. 5,048,908. If so, in order to minimize insertion losses and reflections, the fibers should be inserted in such a way that the orientation of the angled end faces of a set of fibers (that is, on pin 12) complements the orientation of the angular end faces of the other set of fibers (that is, in the receptacle 14). For the pin fibers, the preparation of the fiber can be done after the fiber cable has been screwed through the sheath 38. The final assembly of the pin 12 comprises the simple steps of holding the fibers in the grooves in the recesses. V-shape of the carrier 18 and adjust the cover 24 on the carrier 18. A mounting accessory can be used to guide the cover 24 over the fiber carrier of the pin to prevent damage to the fibers as they are inserted into the carrier. cover. The ends of the fibers of the plug should end approximately 0.5 mm from the end of the cover. The completion of the receptacle 14 is also simple. The fibers of the receptacle are fastened on the fiber carrier 72 when using the holding plate 80, with the ends of the fibers of the receptacle ending in the fiber alignment slots of approximately 15 mm from the tips of the hands 82 and 84. The fibers of the receptacle can be inserted after securing them to the fiber carrier. The fibers can be assembled to the carrier by using the V-shaped slit to actually capture the fiber carrier of the inserter, to avoid contamination of the fiber tips, if coupling and guiding characteristics are provided on one or both parts. A drilling tool could also be used to simplify assembly. The fiber carrier 72 is attached to the housing 70, first by pushing the pivot posts into the guide grooves 88, and then adjusting the pins in the holes 89. Care must be taken during placement of the fibers in the grooves in the form of V and union of the carrier to the receptacle so as not to contaminate the tips of the fiber. The installation of the connector 10 is equally direct. The receptacle 14 is optionally mounted to any desired surface by convenient means, such as clamping arms 76 (other constructions could be molded into the housing 70 for tight fitting). Several receptacles could also be mounted in a single module and can be designed for front or rear loading or sliding from one side. After the receptacle 14 is assembled, the connection is completed by simply inserting the plug 12 into the opening 74. The plug 12 is released from the receptacle 14 by the fastener 40. Figures 1 and 2 illustrate the full insertion of the plug. As the plug 12 is inserted, the door 90 opens and the door 58 of the cams open as described above, to allow the hands 82 and 84 to enter the slits 54 and 56 respectively. The fibers 30 and 32 of the pin contact the fiber alignment slits in the fiber carrier 72 and slide until their end faces buttress with the respective end faces of the fibers of the receptacle and are bent or curved. they arch when the pin is fully inserted. The fibers of the plug can undergo an S-shaped curvature. All the strength of the fiber-to-fiber interface comes from the resilience (elastic deformation) of the arcuate fibers 30 and 32 which maintains a continuous compression load between the ends . The connector 10 is preferably designed to maintain a minimum radius of curvature of 0.762 cm (0.3 inches) on the fibers. The dimensions of the various components of the connector 10 may vary considerably, comprising the desired application. The following approximate dimensions are considered exemplary. The plug 12 has an overall length of 57 mm, a width of 12 mm and a thickness of 8 mm and the fiber carrier 18 of the plug provides a fastening groove that is 13 mm long. The cover 24 of the plug extends 25 mm beyond the carrier 18, to provide an interior space which is 24 mm long, 10 mm wide and 6 mm high. The opening 74 of the receptacle 14 is 12 mm x 10 mm. Its overall height and depth are 38 mm and 36 mm. The holder 72 of the receptacle fiber is 20 mm long (from the end where the fibers are attached to the tips of the hands 82 and 84), 12 mm wide and 1.5 mm thick. The alignment slits of the fibers on the hands 82 and 84 are 11.5 mm long and have a maximum depth of 2 mm which accommodates most conventional optical fibers. The inner angle of the V-shaped slits should not be too narrow, since this could result in excessive friction with the fibers, but also should not be too wide since this would not keep the fibers properly guided. It is believed that an interior angle of 90 ° is a good intermediate solution. The present invention is not limited to fasteners for fiber-to-fiber interconnection, but also includes connectors for terminating an optical fiber, such as an active optical device. Figure 6 illustrates a termination fitting 110, adapted for use with an active device. The fitting 110 is essentially replaced by the holder 72 of the receptacle fiber and has a base 112 and a projection or handle 114 similar to the hands 82, 84. The Fiber 114 has a slit 116 for aligning the fiber to receive one of the fibers of the plug, the terminal end face of which rests on a fiber retainer or surface 118, as shown in Figure 7. The material defining the surface 118 is usually clear (ie, transparent to the wavelength of transmitted light in the optical fiber) to allow the active optical device to be placed on the other side of the base 112 whereby the light signal passes through the material; the material can be coated or otherwise manufactured to affect the light signal, such as by controlling its intensity or polarizing it. The posts 120 formed on the base 112 can be used to align and attach the accessory 110 to the substrate of the active device, for example, a printed circuit board (PCB). The fitting 110 preferably has a unitary construction of a clear, injection-moldable polymer such as ULTEM (a polyetherimide available from General electric), and may further include a lens 122 formed on the opposite surface 118 to focus light from the fiber . Active optical devices and support structures are beyond the scope of the present invention but may include, for example, photoelectric detectors or laser diodes. Other passive optical devices (beam splitters, outgoing fibers in splicing sleeves, etc.) which direct light to, from the active devices can be employed and different geometries of the termination fitting can be used to direct or focus the light to a particular site, in which geometries are included, which are used total internal reflection (TIR). The TIR method of coupling the light of a naked fiber from a photodetector or from a light source to a fiber using the present invention has a variety of disadvantages. One is that the position of the fiber is determined by the fiber retainer, to allow the fiber of the plug to be repeatedly located in the same position. The position of the end of the fiber is thus predetermined by the tolerances on the molded part and the accuracy of the location of the active elements, that is, the photodetector or light source, hence this eliminates the need for active optical alignment. Another advantage is that, coupled with an S-bend of the fiber, the overall height of the trans-receiver module can be reduced. A curvature of S could also be used in a connector for two parallel fibers but not coaxial. Finally, the trans-receiver electronic components can be mounted on a board that lies on the same plane in which it is inserted and connectors. Fiber bumps can also be used in a termination of the optical device, the protrusion (not shown) is secured in a carrier similar to the receptacle carrier 72. In addition to providing a quick and easy connection and disconnection, the connector 10 has several other advantages. As mentioned above, it can be easily predetermined in the field as well as in the factory. Even if the fibers either in the plug or in the receptacle do not end up exactly in the desired position, there will still be full fiber-to-fiber contact in the consummate connection, since the resilient stress of the curved fibers provides a positive splicing force. . In other words, the tolerance in the relative positions of a pair of fibers is facilitated by the clearance in the fibers of the pin. The plug 12 is also inherently pull-proof due to its predisposition. The tolerances are also not critical in the transverse position of a given pair of fibers since the V-shaped slits 36 serve to align the fibers and fibers that are predisposed toward the apex of the slits. The surface finish of the fiber alignment slits must be smooth or even and the angle of the slit must be well defined; This finish is easy to manufacture using standard injection molding techniques. The V-shaped slit preferably has a sharpness with a radius of no more than 0.001". It is preferable to use a material for the substrate of the V-shaped slit which is hard, resistant to abrasion, but also has a low coefficient of friction to minimize the frictional forces on the fibers as it slides in the slit, Also, since the fibers of the receptacle enter the housing 70 at an oblique angle (up to 90 °) with respect to the axis of the plug, requires very little depth for assembly. In addition, the mounting methods are compatible with those of the RJ45 plug. Finally, the reduced count of parts and the fact that all parts can be injection molded contribute to a very low cost meter. With further reference to Figures 8 and 9, those figures illustrate tools, which may be used in conjunction with the present invention, to clean the tips of the various optical fibers. Figure 8 shows a tool 130 used to clean the tips of the fibers in the plug 12. The tool 130 has a body 132, adapted to be held in the hand, with an opening 134 in the body 132 for receiving the plug 12. The tool 130 also has a drive element or lever 136 rotatably attached to the body 130 to 138. In Figure 8, the lever 136 is shown in the actuated position, a state in which a push rod or tab 140 enters a hole or slit 142 in the upper part of the plug cover and contacts the fibers of the plug, to force them out of the cover through the slots 54, 56. In the non-actuated position, the lever 136 oscillates from the opening 132 and retracts the push tab 140 such that the pin 12 can enter the tool 130 without interfering with the push tab. The lever 136 is preferably biased toward the non-actuated position, for example by means of a spring. The opening 134 and the lever 136 are located in such a way that the fibers of the pin, when pushed through the slits of the cover, are forcedly joined against the adhesive side 144 of a strip of tape 146. The tape 146 it comes off a roll 148 of tape, which is stored in a body 132 of the tool. Two rollers 150 and 152 are provided to allow the belt to advance in such a manner that a new adhesive surface is present at the tips of the fiber. For ease of use, the belt 146 can be wound around another roller 154, to form a ratchet wheel which engages a pawl 156. In turn, the pawl 156 is located on another rotary handle or lever 158 attached to the body of the tool at 160. In this way, the user can advance the tape and clean the fibers of the pin by compressing or tightening the handle 158 while retaining the tool. The handle 158 can also be predisposed by, for example, a spring, towards the external position. Figure 9 shows a tool 162 used to clean the tips of the fibers in a modified receptacle 14 '. The shape of the tool 162 is similar to that of the plug 12, whereby it is adapted to be inserted into the receptacle 14 'in a similar manner. The receptacle 14 'is generally identical to the receptacle 14, except for the provision of certain features designed to lift the fibers of the receptacle up and out of the V-shaped slits for cleaning. These features include a fiber detent 164 and an inclination link 166. The fiber detent 164 is rotatably attached to the fiber carrier at 168 and includes a block or bearing 170 located at one end of the retainer arm 172, adapted to drive to the fibers to the V-shaped slit and keep them appropriately spliced therein. The bearing 170 can be molded into the retention of the fiber. The other end of the retention arm 172 has thereon formed a protrusion or button 174 which is urged against the receptacle fibers when the retention arm 172 is in the actuated position, as shown in Figure 9. The thrust of the fibers by the protrusion 174 causes the fibers to flex outwardly from the V-shaped slits. Fiber retainer 164 is preferably predisposed, for example, by a spring 176 to the deactivated position., that is, by pushing the bearing 170 against the fibers to hold them in the V-shaped groove. The tool 162 includes a body 178, which, like the tool 130, also houses a supply reel 180 of adhesive tape 182. The rollers 184 and 186 serve to position the belt 182 in such a way that its adhesive side can again be advanced to clean the tips of the fiber. The fibers are bent when the tool 162 enters the receptacle 14 'by means of the tilt link 166, which includes two tilt arms 188 and 190 fixed together at another pivot point 192. A drive projection or protrusion 194, formed on the The front end of the tool 162 pushes against the tilt arm 188, as the tool is inserted into the receptacle. This in turn causes the tilt arm 190 to rotate and urge against a retainer or pin 196 attached to the fiber detent 164. The forced contact between the tilt arm 190 and the handle 196 causes the fiber detent 164 to rotate about the point 168, thereby pushing the protrusion 174 against the fibers and flexing them out of the V-shaped slits. tape 182 on tool 162 can be wound on another spool 198, or body 178 of the output tool in a manner similar to that shown in Figure 8 for tool 130. A small dial or torsion rod can be attached to the spool of winding 198 and extending out of the body 178 to allow the user to advance the tape. Although the invention has been described with reference to specific embodiments, this description is not intended to be interpreted in a limiting sense. Various modifications of the described embodiment, also as alternative embodiments of the invention, will become apparent to those skilled in the art with reference to the description of the invention. For example, although only two pairs of fibers connected in the figures are shown, the connector 10 could accommodate practically number of fibers (or only one pair). Accordingly, it is contemplated that such modifications may be made without deviating from the spirit or scope of the present invention as defined in the appended claims. It is noted that, in relation to this date, the best method known by the applicant to carry out the aforementioned invention is the conventional one for the manufacture of the objects to which it refers. Having described the invention as above, property is claimed as contained in the following

Claims (20)

1. CLAIMS 1. A pin for terminating or interconnecting an optical fiber, characterized in that it comprises: means for retaining a terminal portion of the fiber; an elongated, hollow plug body attached to the fiber retention means such that the end portion of the fiber extends to an interior of the plug body generally parallel to an axis of the plug body, the interior has sufficient space to allow the terminal portion of the fiber to bow within its interior and the body of the plug has at least one opening that provides access to the terminal portion of the fiber from an oblique angle with respect to the axis of the body of the plug. The plug according to claim 1, characterized in that it also comprises means located inside the body of the pin to limit the obliquity of the terminal portion of the fiber. 3. The plug in accordance with the claim 1, characterized in that the access opening comprises a slot located in a front end of the body of the plug, and further comprises a door element attached to the body of the plug, movable between a closed position, wherein the door element covers the slot and an open position where the slot is not obstructed by the door element. 4. The plug according to claim 1, characterized in that the body of the plug is mechanically polarized. The plug according to claim 1, characterized in that the means for retaining the fiber comprise: a first block having an element of space between grooves extending in a direction towards the terminal portion of the fiber, the element of The space between grooves has vertical poles which limit the obliquity of the terminal portion of the fiber; and a second block positioned adjacent to the first block, at least one of the first and second blocks have a slit for receiving the fibers on an adjacent surface. The plug according to claim 3, characterized in that the door element slides transversely to the front end of the body of the plug. The plug according to claim 5, characterized in that the spacing element between the grooves has retaining means attached to it to releasably secure the body of the plug to a receptacle. The plug according to claim 6, characterized in that the door element has a cam surface adapted to drive the door element to the sides after the insertion of the plug into a receptacle. 9. An optical fiber termination, characterized in that it comprises: a plug having a pin fiber carrier securing a terminal, bare portion of an optical fiber and an elongated, hollow plug body having first and second ends, the first end is open and attached to the fiber carrier the plug with the terminal portion of the fiber extending to an interior of the plug body generally parallel to an axis of the plug body, the interior has sufficient space to allow the terminal portion of the fiber to be arched within the interior, and the second end has a slot that provides access to the terminal portion of the fiber; a receptacle having an opening sized to receive the second end of the body of the pin, the receptacle further has a projection adapted to enter the slot in the body of the pin, the projection has a slit of alignment of the fiber therein. located to receive the terminal portion of the fiber, when the body of the plug is inserted in the receptacle; and fastening means for releasably holding the body of the plug in the receptacle. 10. The fiber optic termination according to claim 9, characterized in that it further comprises means for predisposing the body of the plug in an outlet direction of the receptacle opening. The optical fiber termination according to claim 9, characterized in that it further comprises means for releasing the clamping means when a predetermined tension is placed on the fiber of the plug. The fiber optic termination according to claim 9, characterized in that it further comprises a door element attached to the body of the plug, movable between a closed position, wherein the door element covers the slot and an open position, in where the slot is not obstructed by the door element. The fiber optic termination according to claim 9, characterized in that the receptacle further has a receptacle fiber carrier that secures a bare terminal portion of another optical fiber, whose end face is located along an intermediate section of the alignment gap of the fiber. The optical fiber termination according to claim 9, characterized in that the pin fiber carrier comprises: a first block has a space member between grooves extending in a direction towards the terminal portion of the fiber, the space element between grooves has vertical posts which limit the obliquity of the terminal portion of the fiber; and a second block positioned adjacent to the first block, at least one of the first and second blocks has a slit that receives the fiber on an adjacent surface. 15. The fiber optic termination according to claim 12, characterized in that: the door element slides sideways transversely to the second end of the body of the plug; the door element has a cam surface adapted to drive the door element to the sides; and the receptacle has a door element having a corresponding cam surface adapted to move in a cam-like manner against the cam surface of the door member of the plug after insertion of the plug body into the receptacle. The fiber optic termination according to claim 13, characterized in that it further comprises fiber retention means for securely retaining the fiber of the receptacle at a vertex of the fiber alignment slit. 17. A fiber optic connector characterized in that it comprises: a plug including a plug fiber carrier securing a bare terminal portion of an optical fiber, an elongated hollow pin cover having first and second ends, the first end being open and attached to the fiber carrier of the plug with the end portion of the fiber extending to an interior of the plug cover generally parallel to an axis of the plug cover, the interior has sufficient space to allow The end portion of the fiber arches within the interior and the second end has a groove providing access to the end portion of the fiber; and a receptacle including a receptacle housing having an opening sized to receive the second end of the plug cover, the plug cover further having means for releasably securing the plug cover in the receptacle housing. , a receptacle fiber carrier securing a bare terminal portion of another optical fiber, the fiber carrier of the receptacle has a projection adapted to enter the slot in the plug cover at an oblique angle with respect to the cover axis of the receptacle. the plug, the projection has a fiber alignment slot located therein to receive the terminal portion of the fiber of the plug when the plug cover is inserted into the receptacle, an end face of the receptacle fiber is located along an intermediate section of the fiber alignment slit, and means for releasably mounting the housing of the receptacle to a support surface, whereby the fiber of the plug extends generally straight inside the plug cover when the plug is separated from the receptacle, but is sufficiently long such that when the plug is fully inserted into the receptacle, the fiber of the plug arches to maintain a continuous compression load against the end face of the receptacle fiber. 18. The fiber optic connector according to claim 17, characterized in that: the plug further includes a plug door slidably connected to the second end of the cover of the plug, which has a closed position wherein the door of the plug pin covers the slot and an open position where the slot is not obstructed by the plug door; and the receptacle further includes a door of the receptacle hingedly attached to the housing of the receptacle in the opening, having means for urging the door of the plug into the open position as the second end of the plug cover is inserted into the receptacle. receptacle housing. 19. An optical fiber connector, characterized in that it comprises: a plug that includes a fiber carrier of the plug that secures a terminal portion of an optical fiber, an elongated, hollow plug cover attached to the fiber carrier of the plug with the end portion of the fiber extending to an interior of the plug cover, the plug cover having a leading end with a slot that provides access to the terminal portion of the fiber, and a plug door attached to the end of the plug cover, which has a closed position where the plug door covers the slot and an open position where the slot is not obstructed by the plug door; and a receptacle including a receptacle housing having an aperture sized to receive the second end of the cap of the plug a receptacle having a projection adapted to enter the slot in the pin cover, the projection has a fiber alignment slit therein, positioned to receive the terminal portion of the fiber of the plug, when the plug cover is inserted in the receptacle, and a receptacle door jointly attached to the receptacle housing in the opening , having means for urging the plug door into the open position as the second end of the plug cover is inserted into the receptacle housing. 20. The fiber optic connector according to claim 19, characterized in that the door of the plug slides sideways transversely to the end of the body of the plug; the door of the plug has a cam surface adapted to drive the door of the plug sideways; and the door of the receptacle has a corresponding cam surface adapted to move with a cam movement against the cam surface of the plug door after insertion of the body of the plug into the receptacle. SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION A fiber optic connector comprising a pin and a receptacle is described, which utilizes the outside of spring supplied by the arching of the fiber of the pin to maintain a continuous compression load on the joint of the fiber located at a slit of alignment of the fiber. The plug has a carrier for securing the fiber of the plug and a cover which is snapped onto the carrier, with the fiber of the plug extending generally straight to the inside of the cover. The cover has a slot that provides access to the terminal portion of the fiber of the plug and a sliding door which selectively covers the slot. The receptacle includes a housing and another fiber carrier for securing the fiber of the receptacle, with a projection or handle attached to the fiber carrier of the receptacle, the projection having the fiber alignment slit. The handle is oriented within the housing of the receptacle such that, when the plug is inserted into the receptacle, the handle extends through the slot in the cover at an oblique angle with respect to the axis of the pin. In this way, in the manner that the plug is inserted, the end of the fiber of the plug slides in the fiber alignment slot in the handle and contacts the end face of the fiber of the receptacle. The continuous insertion results in the arching of the fiber of the pin to obtain the compression load. The door of the plug may have cam surfaces which are actuated by corresponding surfaces that are on a door of the receptacle. The connector can be used simultaneously to interconnect a plurality of fiber pairs or to terminate a fiber to an active optical device.