WO2020263388A1

WO2020263388A1 - Connector assemblies for hybrid fiber/wire connections

Info

Publication number: WO2020263388A1
Application number: PCT/US2020/029069
Authority: WO
Inventors: Donald Lee Sipes Jr.; John David Read
Original assignee: Radius Universal Llc
Priority date: 2019-06-24
Filing date: 2020-04-21
Publication date: 2020-12-30

Abstract

A connector assembly for a hybrid cable includes: a housing, comprising a base; at least one discrete connector mounted in the base or at least one connector that is at least partially integrated in the base, configured to receive at least one fiber from the hybrid cable; and at least one electrical interface, configured to receive at least one wire from the hybrid cable.

Description

CONNECTOR ASSEMBLIES FOR HYBRID FIBER/WIRE CONNECTIONS

CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS

[0001] This patent application claims priority to U.S. Patent Application No. 16/450,310, filed June 24, 2019, which is incorporated by reference herein in its entirety.

BACKGROUND

[0002] Examples of fiber-based communications networks where hybrid fiber/wire cables are used to deliver data/power, respectively, are described in U.S. Patent Application No. 14/490,988, U.S. Patent Application No. 14/836,600, and U.S. Patent Application No.

14/837,989, which are incorporated herein by reference. The hybrid fiber/wire cables used in these fiber-based communications network include fiber for data communications and wire for power transmission.

[0003] In order to facilitate the transmission of both data and power using the hybrid fiber/wire cables, the hybrid fiber/wire cables are connected to end devices or interface devices of the fiber-based communications network. For example, as discussed in U.S.

Patent Application No. 14/836,600, connections may be achieved through a cabling interface with separate fiber and wire connectors, a dongle wherein the fibers are mechanically spliced, Small Form-factor Pluggable (SFP) cage-based interfaces, and/or a junction box internal or external to an end device or interface device.

SUMMARY

[0004] In an exemplary embodiment, the invention provides a connector assembly for a hybrid cable including: a housing, comprising a base; at least one discrete connector mounted in the base, configured to receive at least one fiber from the hybrid cable; and at least one electrical interface, configured to receive at least one wire from the hybrid cable.

[0005] In another exemplary embodiment, the invention provides a connector assembly for a hybrid cable including: a housing, comprising a base; at least one connector that is at least partially integrated in the base, configured to receive at least one fiber from the hybrid cable; and at least one electrical interface, configured to receive at least one wire from the hybrid cable.

[0006] In yet another exemplary embodiment, the invention provides a connector assembly for a hybrid cable including: a housing adapted to accept the hybrid cable, the housing comprising multiple pathways; wherein the multiple pathways include: a first pathway configured to receive at least one fiber of the hybrid cable; and a second pathway configured to receive at least one wire of the hybrid cable.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0007] The present invention will be described in even greater detail below based on the exemplary figures. The invention is not limited to the exemplary embodiments. All features described and/or illustrated herein can be used alone or combined in different combinations in embodiments of the invention. The features and advantages of various embodiments of the present invention will become apparent by reading the following detailed description with reference to the attached drawings which illustrate the following:

[0008] Figures 1A-1C are schematic diagrams illustrating an exemplary LC connector assembly utilizing discrete LC connectors.

[0009] Figures 2A-2B are schematic diagrams illustrating an exemplary LC-compatible connector assembly utilizing integrated LC-compatible connectors.

[0010] Figure 3A is a schematic diagram illustrating another exemplary LC connector assembly utilizing discrete LC connectors.

[0011] Figure 3B is a schematic diagram illustrating another exemplary LC-compatible connector assembly utilizing integrated LC-compatible connectors.

[0012] Figures 4A-4D are schematic diagrams illustrating an exemplary SC connector assembly utilizing a discrete SC connector.

[0013] Figure 5 is a schematic diagram illustrating a cross-sectional view and an exploded view of a fiber terminator assembly.

[0014] Figure 6 is a flowchart illustrating an exemplary process for assembling the fiber terminator assembly depicted in Figure 5.

[0015] Figure 7 is a schematic diagram illustrating a cross-sectional view and an exploded view of another fiber terminator assembly.

[0016] Figure 8 is a flowchart illustrating an exemplary process for assembling the fiber terminator assembly depicted in Figure 7.

[0017] Figure 9 is a schematic diagram illustrating an exploded view of a connector assembly having two fiber terminator assemblies.

[0018] Figure 10 is a schematic diagram illustrating a portion of a cross-sectional view of Figure 9. [0019] Figure 11 is a schematic diagram illustrating a perspective view of a connector assembly.

[0020] Figure 12 is a schematic diagram illustrating a cross-sectional view of a portion of a connector assembly.

[0021] Figure 13 is a schematic diagram illustrating a cross-sectional view of a portion of a connector assembly.

[0022] Figure 14 is a schematic diagram illustrating a protective end cap for covering the fiber connector(s).

[0023] Figure 15 is a schematic diagram illustrating two different views of an anchor for attaching the protective end cap to a connector assembly.

[0024] Figure 16A is a schematic diagram illustrating an exploded view of a connector assembly in an exemplary embodiment of the present application.

[0025] Figure 16B is a schematic diagram illustrating a top view of the bottom portion of the connector assembly depicted in Figure 16A.

[0026] Figure 17 is a flowchart illustrating a process for field termination of a connector assembly in an exemplary embodiment of the present application.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION

[0027] Field installation of optical fiber can be a relatively complicated and difficult task, typically requiring the involvement of a technician with the appropriate experience and expertise.

[0028] Embodiments of the present invention, however, provide connector assemblies that provide a convenient and effective manner of connecting a hybrid fiber/wire cable to various devices and components of a fiber-based communication system (such as mid span power insertion devices, end devices, and/or interface devices). Once hybrid fiber/wire cables are terminated using embodiments of the connector assemblies discussed herein, everyday users of a fiber-based communication system are able to configure and rearrange hybrid fiber/wire connections in the field without having to involve a specialized technician.

[0029] Further, features of the embodiments of the connector assemblies discussed herein provide various advantages with respect to protecting the integrity of the optical fiber, safety with respect to power transmission, cost, and ease of manufacture. Further, by utilizing existing low-cost SFP-type infrastructure and existing standards, low-cost and reliable connections of hybrid fiber/wire cables can be achieved that conform with current multi source agreements (MSA) and other standards.

[0030] Figures 1A-1C are schematic diagrams illustrating an exemplary LC connector assembly 100 utilizing discrete LC connectors. The LC connector assembly 100 utilizes standard LC connectors for terminating fibers of a hybrid fiber/wire cable and power sockets for terminating wires of a hybrid fiber/wire cable.

[0031] Figure 1A is a schematic diagram illustrating LC connector assembly 100 with cover 102 in an assembled position relative to base 101. LC connector assembly 100 further includes a strain relief rubber boot in the neck of the connector assembly 103 that secures a hybrid fiber/wire cable to the connector assembly. The hybrid cable (not depicted) terminated by the LC connector assembly 100 extends out of the strain relief rubber boot. LC connectors 104, which may be standard, commercially-available discrete LC connectors, protrude from the other end of the LC connector assembly and provides an interface for LC- compatible device (e.g., a device having dual LC connector sockets of an SFP cage).

[0032] In an exemplary implementation, LC connectors 104 are Corning Opticam field terminate- able LC connectors. In other exemplary implementations, LC connectors 104 may be other types of field terminate-able connectors (e.g., from other vendors) or factory- terminated LC connectors.

[0033] In an exemplary embodiment, base 101 and cover 102 may be produced via a molding process and may be made of plastic.

[0034] Figure IB is a schematic diagram illustrating an expanded view of LC connector assembly 100 with cover 102 removed. Figure IB illustrates the positioning of fibers 110 and wires 111 (e.g., copper electrical wires) of an unsheathed portion of the hybrid fiber/wire cable within LC connector assembly 100 (it will be appreciated that the sheathed portion of the hybrid fiber/wire cable is not depicted, which extends out of the neck of the LC connector assembly, is not depicted). Fibers 110 are inserted into LC connectors 104, and the LC connector assembly 100 includes support structures 120 for supporting and holding the LC connectors 104 in place. Wires 111 are inserted into power sockets 112.

[0035] In this example, support structures 120 of base 101 have tabs such that LC connectors 104 may be snapped into place and securely held in position relative to one another such that the protruding portions of LC connectors 104 are able to successfully interface with dual LC connector sockets of an SFP cage. Base 101 may further include holding structures, such as grooves, for routing fibers 110 and wires 111 through the LC connector assembly 100. [0036] In one example, to terminate a hybrid fiber/wire cable using LC connector assembly 100, an end of the hybrid fiber/wire cable is stripped of its outside sheath to expose individual fibers 110 and wires 111. The individual fibers 110 and wires 111 are also stripped at the ends to expose the fibers 110 and wires 111. The exposed wires 111 are inserted into power sockets 112 and the exposed fiber is terminated in LC connectors 104.

LC connectors 104 are then placed into LC connector assembly 100 into appropriate positions dictated by the support structures 120, and the power sockets 112 are disposed in appropriate positions dictated by the base 101. The corresponding fibers 110 and wires 111 are routed within the LC connector assembly 100 along respective pathways or pairs of pathways (which may be accomplished, for example, by placing wires 111 in corresponding grooves formed in base 101), while a sheathed portion of the hybrid fiber/wire cable is run through the neck 103 of LC connector assembly 100. In this example, wires 111 are routed on a pair of pathways along the outside of base 101 while fibers 110 are routed on a pair of pathways closer to the center of base 101. The cover 102 may be clipped or snapped onto base 101 to secure the fibers 110 and wires 111 into place, and the cover 102 may clamp onto an outer sheath of the hybrid fiber/wire cable at the neck 103 to provide a degree of strain relief to the fibers 110 and wires 111 within LC connector assembly 100. In a further exemplary embodiment, there may be additional structures (not depicted) on the underside of the cover 102 to augment the holding of the components within the LC connector assembly 100 in place.

[0037] Support structures 120 may also provide some degree of strain relief, and additional strain relief may be incorporated as well.

[0038] It will be appreciated that the length of the stripped off portions of the hybrid fiber/wire cable, the fibers and the wires may vary based on a number of factors, including the nature of the connector (e.g., LC, SC), the size of the connector, etc.

[0039] Figure 1C is a schematic diagram illustrating an exemplary environment in which LC connector assembly 100 is depicted with a device 150 to which LC connector assembly 100 may be connected. Device 150 includes a printed circuit board (PCB) 151. An SFP cage 160 on PCB 151 having a dual SFP socket 161 is configured to interface with LC connectors 104 to provide data communications, while contact blades 170 located in contact blade housings 171 on PCB 151 are configured to interface with power sockets 112 to provide power transmission. The contact blades 170 (which are male electrical connectors mounted on the PCB 151), may be connected to the rest of device 150 through electrically conductive traces on the PCB 151. [0040] The SFP cage 160 and the contact blades 170 may be positioned such that the contact blades 170 interface with power sockets 112 and the dual SFP socket 161 interfaces with LC connectors 104 simultaneously (or near simultaneously) during connection of LC connector assembly 100 to device 150. In an exemplary embodiment, by using a rigid or semi-rigid relationship between the fiber connectors (e.g., LC connectors 104 and SFP cage 160) and the electrical connections (e.g., power sockets 112 and contact blades 170), both the data and power connections may be made at the same time during the mating process and released at the same time during the de-mate process. For example, because the SFP socket 161 and the contact blade housings 171 may be misaligned with respect to each other on the PCB 151, and because the fit of the LC connectors 104 with respect to the SFP socket 161 is a very precise fit (e.g., approximately lum tolerance), some flexibility may be provided for the LC connectors 104 with respect to each other, and the SFP cage 160 may have a bevel on a sleeve of the ferrule inputs to guide the LC connectors 104 into place. In another exemplary embodiment, a mechanical delay between completing the fiber connection and completing the wire connection may be achieved by positioning the components so as to cause the respective connections to be made one before the other or one after the other.

[0041] In the exemplary embodiment of the LC connector assembly depicted in Figures 1A-1C, the electrical connection for power transmission of LC connector assembly 100 are female. In the device to which the LC connector assembly is attached, there exists a corresponding SFP (or SFP+ or QSFP) or SFF module, with the LC connectors in the LC connector assembly being configured to be of the same dimensions as that required by the SFP or SFF module. Further, because of the planar nature of the electrical circuit boards, positive and negative (or ground) electrical connectors are placed on either side of the SFP module (and in this case, the connector assembly, which is providing the power, has female electrical connections and the circuit board, which is receiving the power, has male electrical connections).

[0042] It will be appreciated that although the contact blades 170 and power sockets 112 in this example are illustrated with respect to a rectangular blade type configuration, other configurations of the electrical connection for power transmission may be used in other exemplary embodiments. Additionally, it will be appreciated that although the contact blades 170 and power sockets 112 in this example are illustrated as being disposed on either side of LC connectors 104 and SFP cage 160, other configurations, such as having both electrical connections on one side of the SFP cage, or above or below the SFP cage, may be used in other exemplary embodiments. [0043] In the foregoing discussion of Figures 1A-1C, base 101 and LC connectors 104 are separate components that are snapped or otherwise affixed together. In another exemplary embodiment, the base of the LC connector assembly and the LC connectors may be integrally formed as a single component from a single plastic mold. In this exemplary embodiment, the ferrule, fiber stub and v-groove components of an LC connector 104 may be placed as inserts in the base of the LC connector assembly having integrated LC connectors.

[0044] Figures 2A-2B are schematic diagrams illustrating an exemplary LC-compatible connector assembly 200 utilizing integrated LC-compatible connectors. As shown in Figure 2A, connector assembly 200 is similar to LC connector assembly 100 in that it is compatible with an SFP cage having a dual SFP socket configured to interface with two LC connectors, but connector assembly 200 does not include discrete LC connectors. Rather, connector assembly 200 includes fibers 210 which include stripped portions disposed in respective protrusions 202 coming out of base 201. It will be appreciated that since connector assembly 200 does not utilize discrete LC connectors, it may be produced at a lower cost relative to connector assembly 100.

[0045] Figure 2A is a schematic diagram illustrating an expanded view of connector assembly 200 with only a portion of cover 203 shown. The connector assembly 200 includes fibers 210 and wires 211 of a hybrid fiber/wire cable, as well as power sockets 212. The wires 211 are located in grooves in base 201 to the outside of fibers 210, which are disposed in the center of connector assembly 210. The wires 211 and fibers 210 are routed towards the neck of connector assembly 200 where the hybrid fiber/wire cable is sheathed 213. Cover 203, which is not completely shown, may be clipped to base 201 to secure the wires 211 and fibers 210 into place. A strain relief (not depicted) may also be provided in the neck of connector assembly 200 to protect the fibers 210 and wires 211 of the hybrid fiber/wire cable.

[0046] Figure 2A also depicts protrusions 202 coming out of base 201, as well as fiber clamps 220, both in an unclamped position (left side) and a clamped position (right side). Figure 2B is a schematic diagram illustrating the fiber clamps 220 and the protrusions 202 in more detail, as well as the configuration of the fibers 210 on the protrusions 202. As shown in Figure 2B, the fibers 210 are cleaved at an appropriate length such that an end of the bare portion of fiber 210 matches up with an end of protrusion 202. Further, the connector assembly 200 is split in such a way to allow for the fibers 210 with bare portions to be inserted and held in a plastic two-piece ferrule (formed by the combination of a clamp 220 and a protrusion 202) that is compatible with SFP type modules— i.e., respective fiber clamps 220 are clamped down on protrusions 202 to securely hold the fibers 210 into place, and the clamped structure provides an SFP-compatible interface. The fiber clamps 220 may be part of cover 203 or may be standalone components.

[0047] The right side of Figure 2B shows a cleaved fiber 210 with a bare portion disposed in a protrusion 202. The fiber 210 is cleaved by standard methods, and the fiber 210 is inserted at and/or adjusted to be in a proper position such that the bare portion reaches the end of the protrusion 202. In an exemplary implementation, the end of the fiber needs to be placed within about 1mm of the end of the ferrule (+/- 0.5mm). This may be accomplished, for example, by creating a fixture for assembling the connector that stops the fiber at the appropriate location, or by building a stop into the connector, or by relying on the fiber to touch the plastic lens of the SFP itself. This allows the position of the end of the fiber to be controlled in the direction along the fiber. The left side of Figure 2B shows a fiber clamp 220 clamped onto a protrusion 202 such that a fiber 210 is securely held in place.

[0048] In a standard field-terminated connector, such as the LC connectors 104 used in connector assembly 100 depicted in Figures 1A-1C, there is a short piece of glass fiber (i.e., a “stub”), that is polished at the connector face and then cleaved inside the connector in a precision plastic v groove. A small amount of index matching gel is placed between the fiber stub in the connector and a fiber input into the connector to reduce loss and minimize reflections. In connector assembly 200 depicted in Figures 2A-2B, on the other hand, a bare portion of fiber is run to the output end of the fiber ferrule of the connector assembly, which avoids the use of the short, polished fiber stub. Thus, connector assembly 200 is particularly suitable for applications using fiber-to-air interfaces (such as encountered when connecting to a SFP type transceiver pair or equivalent device), since fiber-to-air interfaces are not as sensitive to the flatness or angle of the fiber end. Connector assembly 200 may also be used for fiber-to-fiber interfaces so long as the fiber is cleaved with sufficient flatness and a small cleave angle.

[0049] In a further embodiment, a combination of the structures shown in Figures 1A-1C and 2A-2B may be utilized. Specifically, this further embodiment provides a field-terminated LC connector assembly having a ceramic ferrule, a fiber stub, and a fiber-to-fiber connecting v-groove built into the fiber/wire connector format.

[0050] Figure 3A is a schematic diagrams illustrating another exemplary LC connector assembly 300a utilizing discrete LC connectors (cover not shown). LC connector assembly 300a is similar to the LC connector assembly 100 depicted in Figures 1A-1C in that it also includes discrete LC connectors 104, base 101, support structures 120, fibers 110 from a hybrid cable, wires (not depicted) from a hybrid cable, and power sockets 112. LC connector assembly 300a further illustrates these components arranged in a different configuration, and additionally illustrates bent metal pieces 301a (a metal element having a beveled portion) disposed in each of the power sockets 112 for making a connection between an external device and the wires from the hybrid cable. The bent metal pieces 301a are flexible such that male connectors from an external device that are inserted into the power sockets 112 make contact with the bent metal pieces and cause the bent metal pieces to bend upwards and/or to the side.

[0051] Figure 3B is a schematic diagram illustrating another exemplary LC-compatible connector assembly utilizing integrated LC-compatible connectors. LC connector assembly 300b is similar to the LC connector assembly 200 depicted in Figures 2A-2B in that it also includes base 101, fibers 110 (partially depicted) from a hybrid cable, wires (not depicted) from a hybrid cable, and power sockets 112. Further, like the LC connector assembly 300a of Figure 3A, LC-compatible connector assembly 301b also includes bent metal pieces 301b disposed in each of the power sockets 112 for making a connection between an external device and the wires from the hybrid cable.

[0052] Additionally, the LC-compatible connector assembly 301b of Figure 3B has a one-piece ferrule integrated into base 101 as LC-compatible protrusions 302 with a v-groove and fiber stub included, such that stripped portions of fibers 110 may be inserted into the LC- compatible protrusions 302.

[0053] Figures 4A-4D are schematic diagrams illustrating an exemplary SC connector assembly 400. The SC connector assembly 400 utilizes a standard SC connector 404 for terminating a fiber of a hybrid fiber/wire cable and power sockets 412 for terminating wires of a hybrid fiber/wire cable. In this example, connector assembly 400 includes a single SC type connector 404 with wire connections for power transmission. This single SC connector type arrangement is typically found in Passive Optical LAN (POL) or Passive Optical Network (PON) type architectures where communications in both directions are

accommodated on a single fiber by way of two wavelength multiplexing (e.g., 1310nm and 1550nm).

[0054] Figures 4A and 4B are schematic diagrams illustrating SC connector assembly 400 with cover 402 in an assembled position relative to base 401, with latch 405 protruding from the cover 402 in a latched position in Figure 4A and an unlatched position in Figure 4B. The latch 405 being in the unlatched position depicted in Figure 4B facilitates release of SC connector assembly 400 from an SC receptacle such as a single SC-based passive optical network (PON) module (not shown in Figure 4A), to allow for removal of the SC connector assembly 400 from the corresponding receptacle. In Figure 4A, the latch 405 being in the latched position facilitates the SC connector assembly being securely attached to a corresponding SC receptacle. In the latched position, a fiber carrier portion of the SC connector 404 is flush with a body of the SC connector 404, while in the unlatched position, the body of the SC connector 404 is retracted relative to the front of the fiber carrier portion of the SC connector 404.

[0055] Figure 4C is a schematic diagram illustrating an expanded view of SC connector assembly 400. In this example, the cover 402 is raised to show how the SC connector 404 fits within SC connector assembly 400. Support structures 420 that are built into or attached to base 401 are configured to securely hold the SC connector 404 in place, and the latch 405 is part of an actuator element 421 that interfaces with a corresponding latching element of the SC connector 404 such that actuating the latch 405 causes a corresponding latch of the SC connector 404 to be actuated. Power sockets 412 are provided in the base 401 on either side of the connector assembly, and wires are routed towards the neck of the SC connector assembly 400 through respective pathways (e.g., grooves) along the outside of the base 401, whereas fiber from the SC connector 404 is routed towards the neck of the SC connector assembly 400 through respective pathways as well (not shown). In an example, the fiber of the hybrid fiber/wire cable is terminated into the SC connector 404 after cleaving the fiber to an appropriate length, and the wires 411 and terminated into power sockets 412 as well. A strain relief (not shown) may further be placed over the ferrule end of SC connector assembly 400 to secure the hybrid fiber/wire cable in place.

[0056] Figure 4D is a schematic diagram illustrating an exemplary environment in which SC connector assembly 400 is depicted being connected to a device 450. Device 450 includes a printed circuit board (PCB) 451. An SFP cage 460 on PCB 451 having a PON type SFP socket for a single SC connector 461 is configured to interface with SC connector 404 of the connector assembly 400 to provide data communications, while contact blades disposed in contact blade housings 471 on PCB 451 are configured to interface with power sockets of the connector assembly 400 to provide power transmission. The contact blades (which, for example, may be male electrical connectors mounted on the PCB 451), may be connected to the rest of device 450 through electrically conductive traces on the PCB 451.

[0057] In further exemplary embodiments, parts or all of the discrete SC connector 404 may be replaced by integrating such parts into base 401. For example, similar to how Figures 2A-2B and Figure 3B depict exemplary embodiments where the discrete LC connectors 104 from Figures 1A-1C are replaced with integrated components of the housing, the SC connector assembly 400 may also be modified to allow a portion of bare fiber to be run through such that the SC connector assembly 400 is still able to interface with SC-compatible SFP modules while the polished fiber stub used in standard discrete SC connectors is not used.

[0058] Conventional connector assemblies hold a fiber within a respective connector by clamping the fiber using a v-groove with a slide that pushes down on the bare fiber. For a terminated connector, a polished fiber would be pushed into a v-groove to interface with another polished fiber using index-matching gel, and the polished fiber would be pushed in until scattered light from a light being shone into the fiber could no longer be seen.

[0059] Further exemplary embodiments of the present disclosure provide for holding a fiber within a connector by using a fiber terminator assembly to radially grab the fiber on the buffer of the fiber rather than the bare fiber. Thus, by radially grabbing the fiber in this manner and using the fiber terminator assembly to provide a fiber-to-air interface instead of using a conventional terminated LC or SC connector for a fiber-to-air interface, exemplary embodiments of the present disclosure are able to achieve various advantages over conventional connector assemblies. For example, since components of the fiber terminator assembly may be injection-molded, cost savings on the order of pennies versus dollars can be achieved. Further, because a connection to a conventional terminated LC or SC connector is not required, the difficult process of polishing a fiber is not needed for a fiber-to-air interface. Rather, a fiber can simply be cleaved, attached to the fiber terminator assembly, and clamped, allowing for simple assembly with less training. Additionally, by radially grabbing the buffer of the fiber (unlike conventional solutions which use a v-groove with a slide that pushes down on bare fiber), better strain relief is achieved.

[0060] In one exemplary embodiment, a fiber terminator assembly with a plastic ferrule is provided. In another exemplary embodiment, a fiber terminator assembly with a ceramic ferrule is provided. The determination as to whether to use a fiber terminator assembly having a plastic ferrule or a ceramic ferrule may be based on the particular application. For example, for single mode applications (which may include, for example, a 5-6 um core, more expensive end devices, and lengths of 2-5 km), ceramic ferrules may be preferred. In another example, for multimode applications (which may include, for example, a 50 um core, less expensive end devices, and lengths of 300-500 m), plastic ferrules may be preferred

[0061] Figure 5 is a schematic diagram illustrating a cross-sectional view (top) and an exploded view (bottom) of a fiber terminator assembly. The fiber terminator assembly includes a terminator body 501, a fiber guide 502, a fiber latch 503, and a fiber guide assembly lock 504. The terminator body 501 provides a housing having a connector interface, which may be, for example, an LC interface or an SC interface. The fiber guide 502 guides the fiber into a ferrule (the ferrule in this embodiment is part of the fiber guide 502). The fiber latch 503 holds the fiber in the ferrule, and the fiber guide 502 applies radial pressure to radially grab the fiber 505. The fiber guide assembly lock 504 holds the internal components of the fiber terminator assembly to the terminator body 501 to prevent the internal components from coming out of the connector interface portion of the terminator body 501. These components of the fiber terminator assembly are threaded over the fiber 505, with an end of the fiber 505 being flush with the end of a ferrule of the fiber guide 502.

A portion of the fiber within the ferrule will have had its buffer stripped off prior to being inserted into the ferrule.

[0062] The fiber guide 502 is disposed in the terminator body 501. There may be a groove in the terminator body 501 and a groove in the fiber guide assembly lock 504 which are to be aligned, and the fiber guide assembly lock 504 may be used to push the fiber guide 502 and fiber latch 503 with the fiber 505 into the terminator body 501. There may be grooves, guides, and/or chamfers on the inside of the ferrule to guide the fiber as well. When pushed in, the fiber guide assembly lock 504 may be flush with the back end of the terminator body 501.

[0063] Figure 6 is a flowchart illustrating an exemplary process for assembling the fiber terminator assembly depicted in Figure 5. At stage 601, a part of the cover of the fiber 505 is stripped (e.g., 3-4 mm) to remove the buffer. At stage 602, the fiber 505 is cleaved. At stage 603, the fiber guide assembly lock 504, the fiber latch 503, and the fiber guide 502 (e.g., in that order), are threaded over the cleaved end of the fiber 505, with the cleaved end of the fiber 505 being pushed into the fiber guide 502 such that the end of the fiber 505 is flush with the end of the fiber guide 502. At stage 604, the fiber latch 503 is pushed onto the fiber guide 502 to hold the fiber 505 in the guide and keep it flush with the end of the ferrule (the fiber latch 503 may be pushed until it is up against the flange of the fiber guide 502).

[0064] At stage 605, the fiber guide 502, together with the fiber latch 503, may be introduced into the terminator body 501, for example, by using the fiber guide assembly lock 504 to push the fiber guide 502 together with the fiber latch 503 into the terminator body 501 to cause the fiber guide 502 to radially grab the fiber 505, and such that an end of the fiber guide assembly lock 504 is flush with an end of the terminator body 501. The fiber latch 503 is configured as a slide which is able to capture the fiber 505 all the way around to provide a more positive grab relative to conventional v-groove configurations. The fiber guide assembly lock 504 and the terminator body 501 may have grooves on each respective component to indicate a correct alignment of the fiber guide assembly lock 504 relative to the terminator body 501.

[0065] At stage 606, a radial clamp is used to hold an outer jacket of a cable and other cable components (including the fiber 505 and electrical wires) fixed relative to a connector assembly which houses the fiber terminator assembly. This protects the connector assembly from inadvertent pulling on the cable relative to the fiber.

[0066] In view of the foregoing, a flexible fiber housing is provided which, when locked together, exerts a grabbing force on the fiber at multiple points. Further, it will be appreciated that by utilizing multiple points of radial grabbing (the fiber latch and fiber guide applying radial pressure on the fiber and the radial clamp holding the outer jacket of the hybrid cable), the fiber is held more securely and enhances its robustness against potential sources of mechanical damage.

[0067] It will be appreciated that the foregoing steps may be performed in different sequences in various exemplary embodiments. For example, the components of the fiber terminator assembly may be threaded over the fiber in a different order (e.g., if one or more components are threaded over the opposite end of the fiber). To provide another example, the cover of the fiber may be stripped after threading one or more components onto the fiber.

[0068] Figure 7 is a schematic diagram illustrating a cross-sectional view and an exploded view of another fiber terminator assembly. The terminator body 701 provides a housing having a connector interface, which may be, for example, an LC interface or an SC interface. The fiber guide 703 guides the fiber into a ferrule 702, which in this embodiment is separate from the fiber guide 703. The fiber latch 704 holds the fiber 708 in the ferrule 702, and the fiber latch 704 and the fiber guide 703 exert a radial grabbing force on the fiber 708. The spring 705 is configured to allow the ferrule 702 of the fiber terminator assembly to contact an opposing fiber ferrule or a laser or receiver lens assembly without mechanically damaging the element that it contacts. The spring guide 706 is configured to provide a backstop for the spring (once the fiber guide assembly lock 707 is in place). The fiber guide assembly lock 707 holds the internal components of the fiber terminator assembly to the terminator body 701 to prevent the internal components from coming out of the connector interface portion of the terminator body 701. These components of the fiber terminator assembly are threaded over the fiber 708, with an end of the fiber 708 being flush with the end of the ferrule 702. The portion of the fiber within the ferrule will have had its buffer stripped off prior to being inserted into the ferrule. [0069] The fiber guide 703 is disposed in the terminator body 701. There may be a groove in the terminator body 701 and a groove in the fiber guide assembly lock 707 which are to be aligned, and the fiber guide assembly lock 707 may be used to push the fiber guide 703 and fiber latch 704 with the fiber 708 into the terminator body 701. There may be grooves, guides, and/or chamfers on the inside of the ferrule 702 to guide the fiber 708 as well. When pushed in, the fiber guide assembly lock 707 may be flush with the back end of the terminator body 701.

[0070] Figure 8 is a flowchart illustrating an exemplary process for assembling the fiber terminator assembly depicted in Figure 7. At stage 801, a part of the cover of the fiber 708 is stripped (e.g., 8-10 mm) to remove the buffer. At stage 802, the fiber 708 is cleaved. At stage 803, the ferrule 702 is attached to the fiber guide 703 (e.g., through the use of adhesives or through insert molding where a ferrule made of higher temperature plastic, ceramic, or metal is placed in a fiber guide mold and other plastic forming the guide is molded around it). At stage 804, the fiber guide assembly lock 707, the spring guide 706, the spring 705, the fiber latch 704, and the fiber guide 703 with ferrule 702 (e.g., in that order), are threaded over the cleaved end of the fiber 708, with the cleaved end of the fiber 708 being pushed into the fiber guide 703 and ferrule 702 such that the end of the fiber 708 is flush with the end of the fiber guide 702. At stage 805, the fiber latch 704 is pushed onto the fiber guide 703 to cause the fiber guide 703 to radially grab the fiber 708 (the fiber latch 704 may be pushed until it is up against the flange of the fiber guide 703). At stage 806, the fiber guide 703 with the ferrule 702— together with the fiber latch 704, the spring 705, and the spring guide 706— may be introduced into the terminator body 701, for example, by using the fiber guide assembly lock 707 to push these components into the terminator body 701 such that an end of the fiber guide assembly lock 707 is flush with an end of the terminator body 701. The fiber guide assembly lock 707 and the terminator body 701 may have grooves on each respective component to indicate a correct alignment of the fiber guide assembly lock 707 relative to the terminator body 701. At stage 807, a radial clamp is used to hold an outer jacket of a cable and other cable components (including the fiber 708 and electrical wires) fixed relative to a connector assembly which houses the fiber terminator assembly.

[0071] Again, as discussed above, it will be appreciated that the foregoing steps may be performed in different sequences in various exemplary embodiments.

[0072] Figures 9-10 depict an alternate configuration of electrical connectors for a connector assembly. Figure 9 is a schematic diagram illustrating an exploded view of a connector assembly, and Figure 10 is a cross-sectional view of part of the connector assembly. Similar to Figure 3A, the connector assembly includes two LC-compatible fiber connectors 901 terminating respective fibers 902 from a hybrid fiber/wire cable 903, as well as a housing have a top cover 904 and base 905, and a strain relief 906. However, the connector assembly also includes two electrical connectors 907 connected to respective wires of the hybrid cable 903 having a different configuration than that of Figures 3A (for illustrative purposes, the electrical connector 907 is depicted separate from the fiber connector 901 on the right side of Figure 9). That is, the electrical connectors 907 of the connector assembly are disposed on the bottom of the connector assembly such that the connector assembly has electrical contacts on a bottom surface of the housing which can interface with corresponding electrical connectors 908 of another element, such as a printed circuit board (PCB) 909, to which the connector assembly is attached. Each electrical connector 907 may be made of metal and shaped to conform to the overall shape of the respective fiber connectors 901, and the bottom of each electrical connector 907 may include a bent contact beam that is deflected into an opening in the base of the connector assembly.

In other exemplary embodiments, the electoral connectors may be disposed in other locations such that the electrical contacts are, for example, on a top surface of the housing or on one or more side surfaces of the housing.

[0073] Figures 11-13 depict an alternate configuration of a connector assembly wherein instead of a hybrid fiber/wire cable being input to the connector assembly, two separate cables (a first cable 1101 having two fibers 1110 and a second cable 1102 having two wires 1120), are input into the connector assembly, for example, in a side-by-side configuration. The two wires 1120 may be, for example, 18 SWG wires, and are connected to respective electrical connectors in the connector assembly. The two fibers 1110 are also connected to respective fiber connectors 1111 in the connector assembly. Figure 11 depicts a perspective view of the connector assembly without a strain relief. Figure 12 depicts a cross-sectional view with strain relief 1103. Figure 13 depicts another cross-sectional review with strain relief 1103. The strain relief 1103 may, for example, have a width of 15mm.

[0074] Because the advancements provided by the present application are suitable for facilitating usage of fiber optic connector assemblies in consumer and enterprise applications which previously may have been impracticable, the protective end caps for fiber connector(s) may be more susceptible to being lost. In the exemplary embodiment provided in Figures 14 and 15, a protective end cap 1401 is attached to an anchor 1402 on the connector assembly 1403. Figure 14 is a schematic diagram illustrating the protective end cap 1401 for covering the fiber connector(s), as well as the anchor 1402 and the connector assembly 1403. Figure 15 is a schematic diagram illustrating a top view (top part of Figure 15) and a side view (bottom part of Figure 15) of the anchor 1402 for attaching the protective end cap 1401 to the connector assembly 1403. The protective end cap 1401 may be, for example, a soft rubber boot that fits over the end of the fiber connectors of the connector assembly 1403. The protective end cap 1401 is thus configured to protect the fiber connectors of the connector assembly 1403 when not in use, and is not susceptible to being lost due to its attachment to anchor 1402.

[0075] Figure 16A is a schematic diagram illustrating an exploded view of a connector assembly in an exemplary embodiment of the present application. Figure 16B is a schematic diagram illustrating a top view of the bottom portion of the connector assembly depicted in Figure 16A. The connector assembly has a housing comprising a base 1601 and a cover 1602. Disposed within the housing are discrete LC connectors 1604, fibers 1610, wires 1611, and electrical connectors 1607. An exposed portion of each of the two wires 1611 is connected to a respective electrical connector 1607. The electrical connectors 1607 are made of a conductive material (e.g., a metal such as copper), and the base 1601 of the housing includes openings on the lateral sides of the connector assembly to facilitate a corresponding socket making electrical contact with the electrical connectors 1607 when the connector assembly is plugged into the socket (when plugged in, the discrete LC connectors 1604 are also mated to corresponding fiber connections of the socket). The wires 1611 and the fibers 1610 come from a hybrid cable 1630 which is routed into and terminated in the connector assembly.

[0076] In this exemplary embodiment, the hybrid cable 1630 has a Siamese configuration including a top portion 1631 which houses the fibers 1610 and a bottom portion 1632 which houses the wires 1611. The top portion 1631 and the bottom portion 1632 may contain synthetic filling (such as Kevlar) to protect the fibers 1610 and wires 1611 contained therein. The top portion 1631 and the bottom portion 1632 may form a monolithic cable jacket or may be separate cable jackets which are attached together, for example, via glue. In an exemplary implementation, the top portion 1631 and the bottom portion 1632 may be separated, for example, by pulling the portions apart.

[0077] In the exemplary embodiment depicted in Figures 16A-16B, the fibers 1610 are routed through the respective discrete LC connectors 1604 all the way to the end of the discrete LC connector 1604. Thus, unlike conventional discrete LC connectors, which would typically contain a fiber stub disposed therein, the discrete LC connectors 1604 do not contain a fiber stub. Instead, a bare portion of each fiber 1610 is routed out through the end of the respective discrete LC connector 1604, cleaved, and then pulled back to be flush with the end of the respective discrete LC connector 1604. This enables a simpler field termination process relative to conventional field termination processes, as conventional field termination processes require the implementation of a glass-to-glass interface between a fiber and a fiber stub.

[0078] It will be appreciated that, in an alternative embodiment, the two discrete LC connectors 1604 may be replaced with a single discrete SC connector, and the two fibers 1611 may be replaced with a single fiber, so as to provide a connector assembly compatible with a socket having an SC interface.

[0079] Figure 17 is a flowchart illustrating a process for field termination of a connector assembly in an exemplary embodiment of the present application. At stage 1701, a connector assembly is provided which has one or more discrete connectors, wherein each of the one or more discrete connectors does not have a fiber stub disposed therein.

[0080] At stage 1703, a respective fiber is routed through each of the one or more discrete connectors. A bare portion of a respective fiber may be pushed through the end of a respective discrete connector and protrude past the end of the respective discrete connector, for example, by approximately 1cm, to facilitate cleaving the respective fiber.

[0081] At stage 1705, each respective fiber is cleaved.

[0082] At stage 1707, the cleaved end of each respective fiber is pulled back until flush with the end of the respective discrete connector through which the respective fiber is routed.

[0083] At stage 1709, each respective fiber is attached to the respective discrete connector through which the respective fiber is routed, in order to hold the fiber in place. For example, a glue (e.g., cyanoacrylate) may be applied to the end of the fiber to attach the end of the fiber to the end of the discrete connector.

[0084] The process of Figure 17 may further include a step of attaching the bare portion of one or more wires to one or more respective electrical connectors of the connector assembly (stage 1711), as well as mating the connector assembly to a corresponding socket (stage 1713).

[0085] Unlike conventional field termination processes in which fiber polishing and a careful alignment process is needed to utilize a fiber stub, the process depicted in Figure 17 utilizes a cleaving step which does not require careful fiber-to-fiber alignment, as the cleaved end of the fiber is used as a fiber-to-air interface. Taking the connector assembly shown in Figures 16A-16B as an example, the fibers 1610 of the hybrid cable 1630 can thus be easily and quickly field terminated, such that preparing a multitude of connector assemblies for interconnecting various devices during set-up of a hybrid power/data network using hybrid cables is greatly simplified.

[0086] It will be appreciated that all of the foregoing embodiments are exemplary, and that the features thereof may be used in a variety of different embodiments relating to LC- compatible interfaces, SC-compatible interfaces, as well as interfaces involving other types of connectors. For example, other standard types of fiber connectors include ST, FC, MTRJ, MTO, and Diamond connectors, and suitable connector assemblies may be provided for those connector types based on the principles discussed herein. There may also be further types of hybrid optical and electrical cable connections that do not adhere to any established standard where these principles may be applicable.

[0087] It will further be appreciated that the arrangement of components within a connector assembly is not limited to the exemplary embodiments discussed herein, and in other embodiments may be arranged in different ways. For example, the fiber connectors need not be side by side, and in other examples may be positioned one above the other, or in other configurations, depending on the needs of the application.

[0088] Additionally, the mechanical relationships between the optical fiber and the electrical wires may be arranged in various manners. In one example, the arrangement of the components provides for electrical shielding around the SFP module.

[0089] It will be appreciated that the exemplary embodiments discussed herein may be connected to a variety of devices so long as the devices are provided with appropriate sockets/connectors for interfacing with the connector assembly. In one example, a connector assembly may be plugged into an interface device between a hybrid fiber/wire cable and a client device. In another example, the connector assembly may be plugged into a box embedded in a wall, the box being adapted to receive the connector assembly. The box may also be connected to a wall plate attached a wall. The box may further include a media converter, and the wall plate may include a standard opening to receive a Category (e.g., Cat 5, 6, 7 etc.) cable. In yet another example, the wall plate to which the box and connector assembly are attached may include a standard opening to receive USB Type-C cable.

[0090] It will be appreciated that the exemplary embodiments discussed herein may be applied with respect to either multimode or single mode optical fibers.

[0091] All references, including publications, patent applications, and patents, cited herein are hereby incorporated by reference to the same extent as if each reference were individually and specifically indicated to be incorporated by reference and were set forth in its entirety herein. [0092] The use of the terms“a” and“an” and“the” and“at least one” and similar referents in the context of describing the invention (especially in the context of the following claims) are to be construed to cover both the singular and the plural, unless otherwise indicated herein or clearly contradicted by context. The use of the term“at least one” followed by a list of one or more items (for example,“at least one of A and B”) is to be construed to mean one item selected from the listed items (A or B) or any combination of two or more of the listed items (A and B), unless otherwise indicated herein or clearly

contradicted by context. The terms“comprising,”“having,”“including,” and“containing” are to be construed as open-ended terms (i.e., meaning“including, but not limited to,”) unless otherwise noted. Recitation of ranges of values herein are merely intended to serve as a shorthand method of referring individually to each separate value falling within the range, unless otherwise indicated herein, and each separate value is incorporated into the specification as if it were individually recited herein. All methods described herein can be performed in any suitable order unless otherwise indicated herein or otherwise clearly contradicted by context. The use of any and all examples, or exemplary language (e.g.,“such as”) provided herein, is intended merely to better illuminate the invention and does not pose a limitation on the scope of the invention unless otherwise claimed. No language in the specification should be construed as indicating any non-claimed element as essential to the practice of the invention.

[0093] Preferred embodiments of this invention are described herein, including the best mode known to the inventors for carrying out the invention. Variations of those preferred embodiments may become apparent to those of ordinary skill in the art upon reading the foregoing description. The inventors expect skilled artisans to employ such variations as appropriate, and the inventors intend for the invention to be practiced otherwise than as specifically described herein. Accordingly, this invention includes all modifications and equivalents of the subject matter recited in the claims appended hereto as permitted by applicable law. Moreover, any combination of the above-described elements in all possible variations thereof is encompassed by the invention unless otherwise indicated herein or otherwise clearly contradicted by context.

Claims

CLAIMS:

1. A fiber terminator assembly, comprising:

a terminator body;

a ferrule;

a fiber guide;

a fiber latch; and

a fiber guide assembly lock;

wherein the ferrule, the fiber latch, and the fiber guide assembly lock are disposed in the terminator body;

wherein the fiber latch and the fiber guide are configured to radially grab a fiber routed through the fiber guide assembly lock, the fiber latch, the fiber guide, and the ferrule.

2. The fiber terminator assembly according to claim 1, wherein the terminator body provides an LC-compatible interface or an SC-compatible interface.

3. The fiber terminator assembly according to claim 1, wherein the fiber guide is configured to guide the fiber into the ferrule.

4. The fiber terminator assembly according to claim 1, wherein the fiber guide and the ferrule form a single molded component.

5. The fiber terminator assembly according to claim 1, wherein the fiber guide and the ferrule are separate components.

6. The fiber terminator assembly according to claim 1, wherein the fiber guide assembly lock is configured to hold the fiber latch, the fiber guide, and the ferrule in place within the terminator body.

7. The fiber terminator assembly according to claim 1, wherein a back end of the fiber assembly lock is flush with a back end of the terminator body.

8. The fiber terminator assembly according to claim 1, wherein the fiber latch is configured to slide over a portion of the fiber guide.

9. The fiber terminator assembly according to claim 1, wherein a cleaved end of the fiber is flush with an end of the ferrule.

10. The fiber terminator assembly according to claim 1, further comprising: a spring; and

a spring guide;

wherein the spring is disposed between the fiber latch and the fiber guide, and wherein the fiber is also routed through the spring and the spring guide.

11. A connector assembly, comprising:

at least one fiber connector configured to receive at least one fiber; and

at least one electrical connector configured to receive at least one wire;

wherein the at least one electrical connector comprises a portion exposed through an opening in a bottom portion of a housing of the connector assembly.

12. The connector assembly according to claim 11, wherein the portion of the at least one electrical connector exposed through the bottom portion of the housing comprises a bent contact beam deflected into the opening in the bottom portion of the housing.

13. The connector assembly according to claim 11, wherein the at least one electrical connector of the connector assembly is configured to interface with at least one corresponding electrical connector of a printed circuit board (PCB).

14. The connector assembly according to claim 11, further comprising:

an anchor connected to the housing, wherein the anchor is configured to keep a protective end cap attached to the connector assembly.

15. The connector assembly according to claim 11, wherein the at least one fiber and the at least one wire are received into the connector assembly via a hybrid cable.

16. The connector assembly according to claim 11, wherein the at least one fiber and the at least one wire are received into the connector assembly via a fiber cable and a wire cable in a side-by-side configuration.

17. The connector assembly according to claim 11, further comprising:

a radial clamp configured to radially grab an outer jacket of a cable.

18. The connector assembly according to claim 11, wherein the at least one fiber connector comprises:

a terminator body;

a ferrule;

a fiber guide;

a fiber latch; and

a fiber guide assembly lock;

19. A method for assembling a fiber terminator assembly, comprising:

stripping part of a fiber to remove a buffer of the fiber;

cleaving the fiber;

threading a fiber guide assembly lock, a fiber latch, and a fiber guide over the fiber; pushing the fiber latch onto the fiber guide; and

introducing the fiber guide and the fiber latch into a terminator body.

20. The method according to claim 19, further comprising:

providing a radial clamp on an outer jacket of a cable.

21. A connector assembly, comprising:

a housing;

one or more discrete fiber connectors disposed within the housing, wherein each discrete fiber connector is configured to receive a respective fiber from a hybrid cable, and wherein each discrete fiber connector does not have a fiber stub;

one or more electrical connectors disposed within the housing, wherein each electrical connector is configured to interface with a respective wire from the hybrid cable.

22. The connector assembly according to claim 21, wherein the one or more discrete fiber connectors comprise two LC connectors.

23. The connector assembly according to claim 21, wherein the one or more discrete fiber connectors comprise an SC connector.

24. The connector assembly according to claim 21, wherein the respective fiber corresponding to a respective discrete fiber connector comprises a cleaved end flush with an end of the respective discrete fiber connector.

25. The connector assembly according to claim 21, wherein the one or more electrical connectors comprise two electrical connectors arranged on opposite lateral sides of the housing, and wherein the housing comprises openings to expose the two electrical connectors.

26. A system, comprising:

a hybrid cable, comprising one or more fibers and one or more wires; and

a connector assembly, comprising:

a housing, comprising an opening for receiving the hybrid cable; one or more discrete fiber connectors disposed within the housing, wherein each discrete fiber connector is configured to receive a respective fiber from the hybrid cable, and wherein each discrete fiber connector does not have a fiber stub;

27. The system according to claim 26, wherein the one or more discrete fiber connectors comprise two LC connectors.

28. The system according to claim 26, wherein the one or more discrete fiber connectors comprise an SC connector.

29. The system according to claim 26, wherein the respective fiber corresponding to a respective discrete fiber connector comprises a cleaved end flush with an end of the respective discrete fiber connector.

30. The system according to claim 26, wherein the one or more electrical connectors comprise two electrical connectors arranged on opposite lateral sides of the housing, and wherein the housing comprises openings to expose the two electrical connectors.

31. The system according to claim 26, wherein the hybrid cable comprises a first portion for housing the one or more fibers and a second portion for housing the one or more wires.

32. A method for field termination of a connector assembly, comprising:

providing a connector assembly, wherein the connector assembly comprises one or more discrete fiber connectors, and each of the one or more discrete fiber connectors does not have a fiber stub;

routing one or more fibers through the one or more discrete fiber connectors, wherein each of the one or more fibers is from a hybrid cable;

cleaving each of the one or more fibers routed through the one or more discrete fiber connectors;

pulling back each of the one or more fibers routed through the one or more discrete fiber connectors such that each respective fiber is flush with an end of a respective discrete fiber connector corresponding to the respective fiber; and

attaching each respective fiber to the respective discrete fiber connector

corresponding to the respective fiber.

33. The method according to claim 32, further comprising:

attaching one or more wires of the hybrid cable to one or more electrical connectors of the connector assembly.

34. The method according to claim 33, further comprising:

mating the connector assembly to a corresponding socket.

35. The method according to claim 32, wherein the one or more discrete fiber connectors comprise two LC connectors.

36. The method according to claim 32, wherein the one or more discrete fiber connectors comprise an SC connector.

37. The method according to claim 32, wherein attaching each respective fiber to the respective discrete fiber connector corresponding to the respective fiber further comprises:

applying glue to an end of the respective fiber to hold the respective fiber in place relative to the respective discrete fiber connector.