Classifications

• • G—PHYSICS
  • G02—OPTICS
  • G02B—OPTICAL ELEMENTS, SYSTEMS OR APPARATUS
  • G02B6/00—Light guides; Structural details of arrangements comprising light guides and other optical elements, e.g. couplings
  • G02B6/24—Coupling light guides
  • G02B6/36—Mechanical coupling means
  • G02B6/38—Mechanical coupling means having fibre to fibre mating means
  • G02B6/3807—Dismountable connectors, i.e. comprising plugs
  • G02B6/3873—Connectors using guide surfaces for aligning ferrule ends, e.g. tubes, sleeves, V-grooves, rods, pins, balls
  • G02B6/3882—Connectors using guide surfaces for aligning ferrule ends, e.g. tubes, sleeves, V-grooves, rods, pins, balls using rods, pins or balls to align a pair of ferrule ends
• • G—PHYSICS
  • G02—OPTICS
  • G02B—OPTICAL ELEMENTS, SYSTEMS OR APPARATUS
  • G02B6/00—Light guides; Structural details of arrangements comprising light guides and other optical elements, e.g. couplings
  • G02B6/24—Coupling light guides
  • G02B6/36—Mechanical coupling means
  • G02B6/38—Mechanical coupling means having fibre to fibre mating means
  • G02B6/3807—Dismountable connectors, i.e. comprising plugs
  • G02B6/381—Dismountable connectors, i.e. comprising plugs of the ferrule type, e.g. fibre ends embedded in ferrules, connecting a pair of fibres
  • G02B6/3816—Dismountable connectors, i.e. comprising plugs of the ferrule type, e.g. fibre ends embedded in ferrules, connecting a pair of fibres for use under water, high pressure connectors
• • G—PHYSICS
  • G02—OPTICS
  • G02B—OPTICAL ELEMENTS, SYSTEMS OR APPARATUS
  • G02B6/00—Light guides; Structural details of arrangements comprising light guides and other optical elements, e.g. couplings
  • G02B6/24—Coupling light guides
  • G02B6/36—Mechanical coupling means
  • G02B6/38—Mechanical coupling means having fibre to fibre mating means
  • G02B6/3807—Dismountable connectors, i.e. comprising plugs
  • G02B6/3833—Details of mounting fibres in ferrules; Assembly methods; Manufacture
  • G02B6/3834—Means for centering or aligning the light guide within the ferrule
  • G02B6/3835—Means for centering or aligning the light guide within the ferrule using discs, bushings or the like
• • G—PHYSICS
  • G02—OPTICS
  • G02B—OPTICAL ELEMENTS, SYSTEMS OR APPARATUS
  • G02B6/00—Light guides; Structural details of arrangements comprising light guides and other optical elements, e.g. couplings
  • G02B6/24—Coupling light guides
  • G02B6/36—Mechanical coupling means
  • G02B6/38—Mechanical coupling means having fibre to fibre mating means
  • G02B6/3807—Dismountable connectors, i.e. comprising plugs
  • G02B6/3833—Details of mounting fibres in ferrules; Assembly methods; Manufacture
  • G02B6/3847—Details of mounting fibres in ferrules; Assembly methods; Manufacture with means preventing fibre end damage, e.g. recessed fibre surfaces
• • G—PHYSICS
  • G02—OPTICS
  • G02B—OPTICAL ELEMENTS, SYSTEMS OR APPARATUS
  • G02B6/00—Light guides; Structural details of arrangements comprising light guides and other optical elements, e.g. couplings
  • G02B6/24—Coupling light guides
  • G02B6/36—Mechanical coupling means
  • G02B6/38—Mechanical coupling means having fibre to fibre mating means
  • G02B6/3807—Dismountable connectors, i.e. comprising plugs
  • G02B6/3873—Connectors using guide surfaces for aligning ferrule ends, e.g. tubes, sleeves, V-grooves, rods, pins, balls

Definitions

• This invention relates to a fibre optic connecting device which in particular is intended for underwater applications.
• the device can be connected and disconnected under water and is suitable for integration with other underwater connectors (electrical, hydraulic etc.).
• One objective of this invention is to provide a device which gives the necessary protection of the fibre ends and precision parts used in a connector, and which has a simpler design and function than found in the known solutions for similar purposes.
• a typical example of a known solution is stated in Norwegian Patent Application no. 85.4758.
• the protective fluid i.e. usually oil
• the protective fluid is enclosed in chambers in each of the mating parts of the connector.
• Membranes that cover the front of these chambers are designed so as to be penetrated by fibre ferrules so that contact is established. This is obviously a complicated and unreliable construction, and in principle all solutions which are to provide the type of protection referred to here and which are based on oil or similar low viscosity media, will have similar drawbacks and disadvantages.
• the present invention is based on a a fibre optic connecting device consisting of two mating connector halves, each with a protective housing and at least one ferrule for the end of each optical fibre.
• One housing includes a centring unit which guides the ferrules so that they connect accurately, and each part of the connector is filled with a filling compound to protect vital, sensitive components, particularly the ferrules and fibre ends.
• the innovative and distinctive characteristics of the device in the present invention are mainly found in the compound used as a filler.
• the compound is insoluble in water and consists of a greasy or visco-elastic material such as silicone grease, which is able to withstand shear forces so that when the connector is disconnected, it has a stable, free surface towards environments such as seawater.
• the relative movements of the parts of the connector and/or its components are designed so as to cause a pumping action that during connection forces some of this compound away from the area around the fibre ends and inwards into one or both parts of the connector, and during disconnection draws the medium that has been pressed away, back towards this area, to provide protection when the connector is disconnected. It is particularly important to protect the critical surfaces of the high precision parts and elements in the device when the connector is diconnected. This will be even more important in the case of connectors with strict tolerance requirements something which is of great significance for certain appations of this invention. When the two connector halves are joined so that a connection is made, the visco-elastic compound is displaced and stored until the connector is diconnected.
• This specially-chosen compound has to be such that it can be exposed to seawater without its qualities being changed and without loss of material, e.g. by being washed off or dissolved by the water. At the same time, its viscosity must be sufficiently low to allow it to move backwards and forwards in the connector during connection and disconnection.
• the present invention allows the connector to be connected and disconnected numerous times with satisfactory protection of the precision parts in the connector.
• a simple design has been achieved by using commercially available ferrules for positioning the fibre ends.
• the ferrules are manufactured with extreme accuracy and will position the fibre ends against each other when the outside surfaces are parallel.
• the ferrules are positioned in a centring unit which has to provide radial pressure on the ferrules from at least three sides and simultaneously ensure that the protective medium can be displaced when the connector is being connected.
• Figures IA, IB and 1C are simplified diagrams showing the principle of the device according to the invention, seen in longitudinal section.
• Figures 2A-D illustrate by sectional views a detailed design of the two parts of the connector.
• Figure 3 presents a sectional view of the two parts in Figs. 2A-D when connected.
• Figures 1A-C indicate how the connector works in principle.
• Figure IA shows the two parts of the connector when disconnected.
• Figure IB presents the parts of the connector close together but before optical contact has been made. The completed connection is shown by the position of the parts in Figure 1C.
• Figure IA shows the male connector ' s protective housing la pulled forward over ferrule 2a in the male connector.
• the fiber 3a is protected by the ferrule and the end surface by the visco-elastic compound 4.
• ferrule 2b in the female connector is protected by compound 4 and the protective housing lb of the female connector.
• the female connector also contains centring unit 5.
• Compound 4 mainly fills the recess immediately in front of the ends of ferrules 2a and 2b, but it can also protect a larger or smaller part of the surrounding end surfaces on the respective parts of the connector.
• ferrule 2a in the male connectors is pressed into the centring unit 5 in the female connector, as shown in Figure 1C.
• the maleconnector ' s ferrule 2a will first be retracted. This movement will draw filling compound 4 back in through slots 7 so that it can again provide protection for the ferrules and the fibre ends (as in Fig. IA).
• Figures 2A-D show a more detailed and as an example a design of the individual parts in a connector based on the principle shown in Figures 1A-C.
• Figure 2A shows the female connector's protective housing lib with ferrule 12b, centring unit 15 and protective medium 14.
• a tubular part 10 inside housing lib serves as a holder for ferrule 12b.
• FIG 2B shows a sectional view across line A-A in Figure 2A. It is seen from this together with Figure 2A that the centring unit 15 is made of slots or openings 17 that are filled with the compound 14, and the forward end of ferrule 12b is guided between three radially projecting parts in centring unit 15. As is shown in Fig. 3, slots 17 communicate with a through-going passage in connector part lib.
• Figure 2C shows the protective housing 11a of the male connector when the contact is disconnected. The housing protects ferrule 12a and the protecting compound 14. The protective housing 11a can be moved in relation to the ferrule 12a and is pressed forward by a spring arrangement 16.
• Figure 2D shows the connector in section across line B-B in Figure 2C.
• FIG 3 shows the connector when connected.
• Ferrules 12a and 12b are pressed towards each other and are positioned with centring unit 15.
• the front surfaces of the parts of the connector or their housing 11a and lib are pressedtightly together, with guidance and tightening performed by a chamfer in the male part 11a and a seat-shaped area 20 on the rim at the end of the female part lib. It is important 30 that the parts are being pressed tightly together to obtain a pumping or displacement of the medium 14, and this is maintained during the movement of the ferrule 12a both during connection and disconnection.
• ferrule 12a When the parts are being disconnected, ferrule 12a will first be drawn to the left in Figure 3. During this first phase the protective housing 11a of the male connector is still pressed against the protective housing lib of the female connector by spring 16. The movement will draw the material 4 that had been pressed out, back from its temporary storage in the protective housing of the female connector.
• the female part of the connector is designed so as to serve as a storage space for the displaceable protection medium, but this does not preclude the male part from having a similar function too, at least to a certain degree. The amount of available space may, however, make this difficult, particularly in miniature versions of the connector.
• guiding pins of known construction can be added in addition to the chamfered and seat- shaped end surfaces mentioned previously. Such pins could provide a coarse guidance in the initial phase of the mating process.
• the examples have described the connection of a single optical fibre but obviously the solutions shown here can easily be adapted to connectors with several parallel fibres.

Landscapes

• Physics & Mathematics (AREA)
• General Physics & Mathematics (AREA)
• Optics & Photonics (AREA)
• Mechanical Coupling Of Light Guides (AREA)
• Connector Housings Or Holding Contact Members (AREA)
• Radiation-Therapy Devices (AREA)
• Laser Surgery Devices (AREA)

Priority Applications (3)

Applications Claiming Priority (2)

Publications (1)

Family

ID=19891808

Family Applications (1)

Country Status (7)

Cited By (1)

Families Citing this family (6)

Citations (5)

Family Cites Families (1)

• 1989
  • 1989-03-03 NO NO890905A patent/NO166744C/no not_active IP Right Cessation
• 1990
  • 1990-01-16 AT AT90901913T patent/ATE124544T1/de not_active IP Right Cessation
  • 1990-01-16 EP EP90901913A patent/EP0465464B1/en not_active Expired - Lifetime
  • 1990-01-16 WO PCT/NO1990/000012 patent/WO1990010245A1/en active IP Right Grant
  • 1990-01-16 DE DE69020546T patent/DE69020546D1/de not_active Expired - Lifetime
  • 1990-01-16 BR BR909007181A patent/BR9007181A/pt not_active IP Right Cessation
• 1991
  • 1991-08-26 US US07/749,711 patent/US5146524A/en not_active Expired - Lifetime

Patent Citations (5)

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