Abstract: A fiber optic connector assembly includes an outer housing having an interior cavity. A termination module is insertable into the cavity and includes a ferrule for terminating a distal end of at least one optical fiber stub. A base is attached to the ferrule and includes a channel for splicing a proximal end of the optical fiber stub to a fiber end of a fiber optic cable. A cover is positionable onto the base for holding the fiber stub and fiber end in the channel. A clamp is provided for holding the cover onto the base. A latch is provided between the clamp and the outer housing for holding the termination module in the cavity of the housing.

Abstract: A fiber optic connector assembly includes an outer connector housing defining an optic axis. An inner optical fiber plug is mounted in the housing for limited axial movement therein and for rotational movement angularly of the axis. An indexing or locking mechanism is provided between the plug and the housing to hold the plug in selected rotational positions of adjustment angular of the optic axis. Axial movement of the plug within and relative to the housing is effective to disengage the lock or indexing mechanism and allow rotation of the plug. A retainer is selectively movable into engagement with the plug to prevent axial movement of the plug and, thereby, prevent disengagement of the lock or indexing mechanism, thereby fixing the rotational position of the adjustment of the plug.

Abstract: A fiber optic connector module is provided for assembly at a rear face of a fiber optic connector assembly. The module includes a ferrule terminated to at least one optical fiber. A housing is spaced behind the ferrule and includes a rear end exposed at said rear face of the connector assembly. An extender member is removably attached to the housing at the rear end thereof and extends away from the rear face of the connector assembly for facilitating manipulation of the connector module.

Abstract: A method is provided for cross-connecting individual optical fibers of a plurality of fiber optic ribbons and includes the steps of providing first and second substrates having adhesive thereon. Individual optical fibers are routed on the substrates to form at least portions of fiber optic input ribbons and fiber optic output ribbons, with the fibers extending beyond the substrates to define input and output tails. One substrate is positioned on top of another substrate, and a ribbonizing apparatus is used to gather the input and output tails in ribbon form whereupon they can be coated to hold the tails in their ribbon form.

Abstract: A method of cross-connecting or reorganizing individual optical fibers of a plurality of fiber optic ribbons include the steps of providing a substrate having an adhesive thereon with a mixing zone within the boundaries thereof. A plurality of individual optical fibers are routed onto the substrate to form a plurality of fiber optic input ribbons, reorganizing the fibers in the mixing zone, and forming a plurality of fiber optic output ribbons. At least some of the output ribbons have fibers from more than one of the input ribbons. The input and output ribbons are coated on the substrate outside the mixing zone to hold the routed fibers in ribbon form, leaving at least portions of the fibers in the mixing zone uncoated. The coated ribbons are stripped from the substrate with the uncoated fibers from the mixing zone being loose. A holding device is placed about at least the uncoated loose fibers between the input and output ribbons.

Abstract: A replaceable module is provided for attachment to a standard fiber optic connector and an opto-electronic device on a printed circuit board. The module is mounted between the internal assembly and the external assembly of a fiber optic connector. The module is easily replaceable without requiring access to the interior side of the mounting panel and without requiring disconnection of the internal assembly from the opto-electronic device on the printed circuit board. Use of the replaceable module when connecting to an external device results in reduced wear on the internal assembly, thereby enabling an increase in the number of mating cycles that the internal assembly is able to perform.

Abstract: A fiber optic connector module includes a ferrule terminated to at least one optical fiber. The ferrule includes a front mating end and a rear end. A pin keeper is engaged with the rear end of the ferrule. At least one alignment pin extends from the pin keeper through the ferrule and projects beyond the front mating end of the ferrule for operative association with a complementary connecting device. A pusher member is spaced behind the pin keeper. A spring is sandwiched between the pusher member and the pin keeper. The spring has opposite ends fixed to the pusher member and the pin keeper to hold the entire module together as a self-contained unit.

Abstract: A fiber optic connector module includes a ferrule terminated to at least one optical fiber. The ferrule has a rearwardly facing abutment surface. The ferrule is mounted within a housing which includes a forwardly facing abutment surface for engaging the rearwardly facing abutment surface on the ferrule. The forwardly facing abutment surface on the housing is convexly rounded so that the ferrule can tilt relative to the housing.

Abstract: A polishing fixture is provided for polishing the optic ends of a fiber optic cable terminated in a fiber optic connector. A holding plate has a receptacle for receiving the fiber optic connector, with at least a portion of each of a first side and a second side of the connector exposed. A clamping arm is disposed for linear movement relative to the holding plate and the received connector, as well as for pivotal movement relative to the holding plate and the received connector. The clamping arm has first and second clamping portions for engaging the first and second sides, respectively, of the connector. An actuator mechanism is operatively associated with the clamping arm for moving the clamping arm linearly to bring the first clamping portion of the arm into clamping engagement with the first side of the connector and then pivoting the clamping arm to bring the second clamping portion of the arm into clamping engagement with the second side of the connector.

Abstract: A method to skew or deskew a plurality of optical channels in a multichannel optical cable which includes the steps of determining an optical pulse transmission time in at least a first channel and a second channel of the multichannel optical cable. A relative pulse delay between the first channel and the second channel of the multi-channel optical cable is calculated. Delay optics with the appropriate relative pulse delay are serially optically connected to at least one of the channels to one of skew or deskew the first channel relative to the second channel.

Abstract: A system for positioning at least one optical fiber. The system includes a plate having a major surface defining a hole adapted to receive an optical fiber. A spring is located on the plate and is located at least partially within the hole to position the optical fiber therein and/or additional plates are used to position the optical fiber.

Abstract: A fiber optic connector is provided for mating with a complementary connecting device along a mating optical axis. The connector includes an outer housing having a forward mating end, a rear end and a resilient latch arm for latching engagement with the complementary connecting device. The outer housing includes walls at the rear end thereof substantially surrounding the optical axis to define a cavity opening rearwardly of the housing. An inner housing is fitted into the rearwardly opening cavity in the outer housing, wherein the walls of the outer housing constrain the inner housing in “X” and “Y” directions generally perpendicular to the optical axis. The inner housing includes an optical element receiving cavity communicating with the optical axis.

Abstract: A fiber optic connector assembly includes a receptacle for receiving a fiber optic connector along an optic axis. A housing has an open end for receiving the fiber optic connector. A pair of shutter members are pivotally mounted on the housing at opposite sides of the open end for pivotal movement toward and away from each other to close and open the open end. One of the shutter members is shorter than the other shutter member so that the one shutter member closes before the other shutter member and, thereby, prevents binding therebetween. The receptacle has a bottom mating face, and the fiber optic connector has a plurality of alignment pins insertable into guide holes in the mating face. The fiber optic connector assembly include particular dimensional relationships to prevent the alignment pins from engaging the mating face rather than entering the guide holes.

Abstract: A method of testing optical fibers includes: providing at least two optical fibers; transmitting a light at a first end of the at least two optical fibers; measuring a light transmission time for each of the at least two optical fibers; determining a difference in the light transmission times for the at least two optical fibers; and determining whether the difference in light transmission times is above a predetermined value.

Abstract: A method is provided for cross-connecting individual optical fibers of a plurality of fiber optic ribbons and includes the steps of providing first and second substrates having adhesive thereon. Individual optical fibers are routed on the substrates to form at least portions of fiber optic input ribbons and fiber optic output ribbons, with the fibers extending beyond the substrates to define input and output tails. One substrate is positioned on top of another substrate, and a ribbonizing apparatus is used to gather the input and output tails in ribbon form whereupon they can be coated to hold the tails in their ribbon form.

Abstract: The specification and drawings show and describe an embodiment of the present invention in the form of a ferrule for a fiber optic connector having a capillary for receiving an optical fiber and a flange molded onto an outer surface of the capillary. A recess is formed in the outer surface of the capillary prior to the molding process, and a plastic material is injected into a mold containing the capillary, forming both the flange and a projecting portion of the flange which extends into the capillary recess. The features of the molded flange are used for positioning and securing the capillary within the fiber optic connector.

Abstract: A fiber optic apparatus and method are provided for cross-connecting the individual optical fibers of a plurality of fiber optic ribbons. A plurality of individual optical fibers are routed on a flat substrate to form at least one first fiber optic ribbon leading onto the substrate and at least one second fiber optic ribbon leading away from the substrate to a terminating end of the ribbon. The individual optical fibers of at least the second fiber optic ribbon being routed in a predetermined sequence from one side of the ribbon to an opposite side thereof. The individual optical fibers at the terminating end of the second fiber optic ribbon are cut-off at different lengths in a predetermined pattern correlated to the predetermined sequence of fibers in order to visually identify any fiber which is out of the predetermined sequence.

Abstract: An adapter assembly is provided for mounting in an opening in a panel. The assembly includes a housing mountable in the opening and including a pair of housing halves. A first housing half projects from one side of the panel and has a first receptacle for receiving a connector. The first housing half is fabricated of plastic material to withstand repeated insertions of the connector into the receptacle. A second housing half projects from an opposite side of the panel and has a second receptacle for receiving a complementary connecting device for mating with the connector within the adapter assembly. The second housing half is fabricated of metal material to provide EMI protection at the opening in the panel.

Abstract: A connector assembly includes a multi-part housing for mating with a complementary connecting device. The housing has a first housing part of a first, resilient plastic material and includes a resilient latch portion for latching engagement with the complementary connecting device. The housing has a second housing part of a second plastic material with less resiliency than the first plastic material and includes a cavity for receiving and retaining an operative component of the connector assembly.

Abstract: A layout for a keypad is provided that has a highly regular arrangement of alphabetic characters for ease of use thereof and a highly efficient distribution of the characters to minimize the instances where multiple words are formed from a given sequence of key inputs. The keypad layout is for the Chinese phonetic Bopomofo alphabet. The keypad layout utilizes a top-down approach to provide the desired regularity so that commonly known sets of the characters appear in an assigned column therefor but not in other columns. Further, the character groups have their sets distributed amongst the key columns in a balanced fashion to minimize ambiguity in character input. Where a separate navigation key is not available, an alternative nine-key layout utilizing the above principles is disclosed.