Optical waveguides – With disengagable mechanical connector – Optical fiber/optical fiber cable termination structure
Reexamination Certificate
2000-03-31
2002-09-24
Sanghavi, Hemang (Department: 2874)
Optical waveguides
With disengagable mechanical connector
Optical fiber/optical fiber cable termination structure
C385S077000, C385S078000, C385S086000, C385S139000
Reexamination Certificate
active
06454466
ABSTRACT:
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
Field of the Invention
The invention lies in the field of optoelectronic devices for data transmission, in which electrical signals that have been converted by an optical transmitter into optical signals (transmission pulses), pass via optical data lines (for example an optical conductor cable) to a coupling partner. The coupling partner may be, for example, an optical receiver which converts the optical signals back into electrical signals, or maybe a further optical conductor cable, which is connected to one end of the first optical conductor cable. The optical data lines comprise one or more optical conductors, which are normally provided with optical conductor connectors at the ends, for connection to the coupling partners.
The invention relates to an optical conductor connector which can be fitted in the field, i.e., in situ. The connector has a plug-in assembly which comprises at least one front subframe and a plug pin arranged in it. It further has a holder for an optical conductor end. An amount of adhesive fixes the optical conductor end in the holder.
A connector of that type is disclosed in the commonly assigned U.S. Pat. No. 5,915,057 (German patent application DE 195 33 498). That connector contains a prefabricated plug-in assembly, which comprises a plug pin, a pin mounting, a helical spring and a front subframe that forms the front housing part. The rearward end of the plug pin in the insertion direction is held by the pin bearing, which has a through-hole with an insertion opening for threading in an optical conductor whose protective sheath has been removed at the end. A helical spring is pushed onto the rearward end of the pin bearing. The front housing part has an axial through-opening for insertion of an optical conductor end and for holding the plug-in assembly. On the inside, the housing part has retaining elements which act on the helical spring and thus secure the prefabricated plug-in assembly against sliding out backward, until the connector is completed by a housing part at the rear.
When the known connector is being mounted, the optical conductor end is threaded into a central hole in the plug pin, with the aid of the insertion opening through the through-hole in the pin bearing; in the process, adhesive is applied to the area of the insertion opening. The adhesive wets the optical conductor end during the subsequent insertion process. The adhesive then has to be cured, although the earlier U.S. Pat. No. 5,915,057 does not provide any further details relating to this.
In order to assemble the prior art plug connector in the field, it is in principle feasible for the adhesive to be applied to the very largely prefabricated connector in situ (in the field) by means of filling aids (for example flexible plastic tubes containing adhesive), and to use transportable, electrically operated heating ovens to cure the adhesive. It is also conceivable for a heat-fusion adhesive to be used, and for the plug-in assembly and the plug pin to be appropriately heated during the fitting process, and then to be fixed by subsequent cooling after insertion of the optical conductor end.
Such processes appear cumbersome and they require a relatively great expense in equipment and manpower.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
The object of the invention is to provide an in situ mountable optical conductor connector which overcomes the above-noted deficiencies and disadvantages of the prior art devices and methods of this kind, and which can be fitted on site to an optical conductor cable end or to an optical conductor end using simple means and with little equipment being required.
With the above and other objects in view there is provided, in accordance with the invention, an in situ mountable optical conductor connector, comprising:
a plug-in assembly having a front subframe, a plug pin arranged in the front subframe, and a holder for receiving and holding an optical conductor end;
an amount of light-curable adhesive for fixing the optical conductor end in the holder, the amount of adhesive being introduced into the holder prior to the optical conductor end;
the plug-in assembly being formed of a transparent and/or translucent material relative to light at wavelengths adapted to initiate and/or result in curing the adhesive; and
the adhesive being cured by supplying light after the optical conductor end has been introduced into the holder.
In other words, the objects of the invention are satisfied in that the amount of adhesive is formed by a light-curable adhesive which is introduced in advance into the area of the holder, the plug-in assembly is transparent and/or translucent for light at those wavelengths which initiate and/or result in curing of the adhesive, and once the optical conductor end has been introduced into the holder, the adhesive is cured by supplying light. The term light-curable adhesive for the purposes of the present invention means an adhesive whose curing is initiated or activated (and then continues) by light, or is brought about by supplying light, i.e., by irradiating with electromagnetic radiation in the light spectrum. Both curing mechanisms may also take place in parallel.
A major aspect of the invention is the use of an adhesive which can be activated or cured by light, and is introduced into the connector, the pin mounting or the plug pin in advance—preferably at the factory during assembly of the plug-in assembly. A major further aspect of the invention is that, when being fitted in the field, the optical conductor end can easily be inserted into the still liquid or viscous adhesive in the holder, and the adhesive can then be cured using very simple equipment means—namely simply by illuminating with light. Possible adhesives are, for example, DELO-Katiobond or ICI-Light Cured Resin; adhesives whose curing process need be activated only by light and which then takes place automatically (curing initiated by light) are particularly preferred since they require only a comparatively short light illumination time and handling duration.
Further practical advantages of the invention result from the fact that no components which additionally need be handled and, possibly, need to be disposed of—such as plastic tubes as filling aids and containers for the adhesive to be used—are required for fitting. There is no need either for the mixing process required with other adhesive components (for example with two-component adhesives), or for the process of filling with adhesive to be carried out in situ. The invention furthermore considerably reduces the required curing times and, in particular, no waiting times are involved for the cooling down process, which is required for heat-fusion adhesives, before further processing.
In accordance with an added feature of the invention, the adhesive is curable by visible light, and the plug-in assembly is mounted in an opaque package until a time when the plug-in assembly is assembled.
With the above and other objects in view there is also provided, in accordance with the invention, a method of assembling an optical conductor connector in situ, which comprises:
providing a plug-in assembly having a front subframe, a plug pin arranged in the front subframe, and a holder for receiving and holding an optical conductor end;
introducing an amount of light-curable adhesive in the holder;
subsequently introducing the optical conductor end into the holder provided with the adhesive; and
subsequently curing the adhesive by illuminating the adhesive with light through the plug-in assembly and thereby fixing the optical conductor end in the plug-in assembly.
In accordance with a concomitant feature of the invention, the adhesive is cured with visible light, and, in order to prevent premature curing of the adhesive, the plug-in assembly is covered by an opaque package until a time when the optical conductor connector is assembled.
It is a particularly preferred refinement of the invention for the light which initiates curing and/or results in curing to be visible light. In that case, the plug-assembly will b
Günther Uwe
Weigel Hans-Dieter
Greenberg Laurence A.
Infineon - Technologies AG
Locher Ralph E.
Sanghavi Hemang
Stemer Werner H.
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