Optical waveguides – With disengagable mechanical connector – Optical fiber/optical fiber cable termination structure
Patent
1993-02-16
1994-06-21
Ullah, Akm E.
Optical waveguides
With disengagable mechanical connector
Optical fiber/optical fiber cable termination structure
G02B 600, G02B 636
Patent
active
053234758
DESCRIPTION:
BRIEF SUMMARY
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
Field of the Invention
This invention relates to a connector for connecting an optical fibre to an optical device, and in particular to a connector that can be used to connect one optical fibre to another optical fibre, thereby to effect a temporary repair to an optical fibre line.
Related Art
If an optical connection is required between two optical fibres, the fibres may be spliced or connectorised. Splicing forms a permanent connection between the two fibres, usually either by a fusion process (which melts the fibres together), or by the use of an adhesive to glue the fibres together. In either case, splicing is an intricate operation involving accurate manipulation of the fibres. When splices are made during routine installation and repair, complex and expensive splicing apparatus must be used for fibre alignment, and the operator, although sometimes in restricted surroundings, must manipulate the fibres with dexterity.
An important step in the splicing process is that of cleaving the optical fibres. In order to achieve a splice of low optical loss (<1 dB), it is necessary to cleave each fibre end to produce an optically-flat surface across most of its end face. Additionally, such an end face must make a small angle (<3.degree.) with the plane normal to the fibre axis. As a result, cleavers which are used to cleave optical fibres before splicing are fairly complex devices, requiring dexterity in use from the operator.
Connectorising is a process in which a demountable optical connection is made between two optical fibres. Currently two methods of connectorising optical fibres are known, namely to splice a pre-terminated connector tail onto each fibre, or to terminate each fibre with a connector assembly. Known termination techniques involve permanently fixing a connector assembly to a fibre end, and grinding or polishing the entire end face of the connector assembly, thereby to produce an optically-flat, fibre end face at a small angle to the plane normal to the fibre axis. This is necessary to achieve a low loss connection between the fibres.
Thus, both the known methods of connecting optical fibres, splicing and connectorising, currently require the use of complex apparatus and dexterity from the operator. However, there are circumstances when operator dexterity is hindered, for example if it is necessary for protective clothing to be worn such as is the case in contaminated areas. It is then difficult to ensure that a good optical connection is made, even for the purpose of temporary repair.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,435,036 describes an optical fibre connecting device that enables an optical fibre to be connected to an ordinary connector. One end portion of the connecting device is adapted to fit into the ordinary connector, this end portion having a conical insertion bore for receiving the free bare end of the inserted fibre. Unfortunately, this arrangement results in a large air gap between the end face of the bare fibre and the fibre associated with the ordinary connector, and this leads to unacceptably high connection losses. The device and the ordinary connector are also very small, and so are extremely difficult to manipulate in circumstances when operator dexterity is hindered.
BRIEF SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
The present invention provides a connector for connecting an optical fibre to an optical device, the connector comprising a holder and gripping means, the holder being formed with a through-bore having first and second end portions and an intermediate portion, the first end portion of the through-bore being sized and shaped to be an interference fit around one end portion of a standard fibre connector, and the gripping means being engageable with the holder to constrict the intermediate portion of the through-bore thereby to grip an optical fibre inserted into the through-bore via the second end portion.
Advantageously, the first end portion of the through-bore has a larger diameter than the intermediate portion, the first end portion being separated from
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patent: 4435036 (1984-03-01), Sasakawa
patent: 4464817 (1984-08-01), Johnson, Jr. et al.
patent: 4875755 (1989-10-01), Borgos et al.
patent: 4936662 (1990-06-01), Griffin
patent: 5058983 (1991-10-01), Croke et al.
patent: 5071218 (1991-12-01), Nishimoto
Marsden Stephen A.
Merlo Clifford E.
Wettengel Paul F.
British Telecommunications public limited company
Ullah Akm E.
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