Angled optical fiber connector

Details Angled optical fiber connector Angled optical fiber connector

2000-09-26

2003-11-11

Feild, Lynn (Department: 2839)

Optical waveguides

With disengagable mechanical connector

Structure surrounding optical fiber bundle-to-bundle connection

C385S139000

Reexamination Certificate

active

06644863

ABSTRACT:

FIELD OF THE INVENTION
The present invention relates to an optical fiber connector employed in connecting audio-visual devices with each other for optical communication.
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
Various optical fiber connectors have been proposed and in practical use.
FIG. 18
shows a conventional plastic optical fiber connector
601
which is constituted by an optical cable
602
, input and output plugs
603
and
604
installed respectively to input and output end portions
602
a
and
602
b
of the optical cable
602
. The plastic optical fiber connector
601
is employed in connecting electronic devices
701
and
703
by inserting the input plug
603
into an input jack
702
of the electronic device
701
and by inserting the output plug
604
into an output jack
704
of the electronic device
703
. As shown in
FIGS. 19 and 20
, the optical cable
602
is constituted by a single-fiber core
611
and a covering layer
612
which covers an outer periphery of the single-fiber core
611
. The single-fiber core
611
is made of plastic and functions as a signal transmitting medium. An outer peripheral portion of the single-fiber core
611
is covered with a cladding
613
. In other words, the cladding
613
is provided between the single-fiber core
611
and the covering layer
612
. The covering layer
612
is made of plastic superior in durability so as to protect the single-fiber core
611
and the cladding
613
. In order to connect the electronic devices
701
and
702
by means of the optical connector
601
, the end portions of the optical cable
602
are set straight, and the plugs
603
and
604
are inserted to the jacks
702
and
704
of the input and output sides of the electronic devices
701
and
703
, respectively.
SUMMARY OF INVENTION
However, the above-mentioned plastic optical fiber connector
601
has had the following problems. (1) Since an allowable bent radius R of the optical cable
602
is large (about 20 mm), it is difficult to use a so-called bent-type plug which is used by perpendicularly bending the input and output end portions of the optical cable
602
. Therefore, it is necessary to use a straight-type plug when such an optical cable
602
is employed. (2) Even when the straight-type plug is used, the allowable bent radius R of the optical cable
602
is still large such as about 20 mm. Therefore, it is necessary to provide a relatively large arrangement space S as shown in
FIG. 21
in order to ensure the allowable bent radius R for the optical cable connector
601
. This restricts degree of freedom as to wiring of the optical cable
602
.
The inventors of the present invention found that an allowable radius of an optical cable employing a multi-fiber core was smaller than an optical cable employing a single-fiber core. On the basis of the result, the present invention has been achieved so that the optical fiber connector according to the present invention solves the conventional problems by employing a multi-fiber core to the optical cable.
An aspect of the present invention resides in an optical fiber connector which comprises an optical cable employing a multi-fiber core constituted by a plurality of plastic fibers, and a pair of plugs installed to both end portions of the optical cable.
With this arrangement, it becomes possible to utilize the optical fiber connector in a condition that the optical cable is bent at a desired angle while decreasing its allowable bent radius at a smaller radius.


REFERENCES:
patent: 4869686 (1989-09-01), Michaels et al.
patent: 4986622 (1991-01-01), Martinez
patent: 5570443 (1996-10-01), May et al.
patent: 5734773 (1998-03-01), Teshima et al.
patent: 5785403 (1998-07-01), Chang
patent: 5832159 (1998-11-01), Davis
patent: 6012950 (2000-01-01), Vanbesien
patent: 6130983 (2000-10-01), Cheng
patent: 6179476 (2001-01-01), Besler et al.

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