Patents Assigned to Miniflex Limited
  • Patent number: 9285559
    Abstract: A protective caddy for the installation of an optical fiber cable in optical fiber ducting which temporarily protects a duplex optical fiber cable assembly for an optical fiber duplex connector during insertion of the assembly into a length of ducting. The duplex optical fiber cable assembly comprises a duplex optical fiber cable and a pair of optical fiber connector sub-assemblies. The protective caddy comprises a pair of receptacles, each for receiving one of the optical fiber connector sub-assemblies. Each receptacle has a recess for protectively receiving the termination end of one of the optical fiber ferrules. In use, both the duplex optical fiber cable and the pair of optical fiber connector sub-assemblies are held to the elongate body so that the termination ends are protected by the recesses during insertion of the protective caddy and duplex optical fiber cable assembly into the length of ducting.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 7, 2014
    Date of Patent: March 15, 2016
    Assignee: Miniflex Limited
    Inventors: David Stockton, Kim Samuel Howard Leeson
  • Patent number: 8465235
    Abstract: The present invention provides an apparatus (100) for forming circumferential grooves (14) in the exterior surface of a linear member (10), such as a tube. The grooves are formed by rotating a cylindrical cutting element (120) around the tube such that cutting means in the cylindrical cutting element form the grooves. One rotation of the cylindrical cutting element causes multiple grooves to be formed in the surface of the tubes.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 12, 2006
    Date of Patent: June 18, 2013
    Assignee: Miniflex Limited
    Inventors: Peter David Jenkins, Daniel Owen Jenkins
  • Patent number: 8439577
    Abstract: The present invention relates to an optical fiber connector, and in particular to a Subscriber Connector (SC)-type push/pull optical fiber connector and to a method of forming and using such a connector. The SC-type optical fiber connector (101) is made up of an optical fiber (8), a cylindrical ferrule (14), a ferrule holder (16), a spring biasing means (17), a ferrule holder carrier (50), an inner housing (120), and an outer housing (40). The optical fiber (8) is held within the ferrule (14) and the ferrule (14) is held by the ferrule holder (16). The ferrule holder (16) is engaged within a receiving portion (54) of the ferrule holder carrier (50), said holder and carrier being relatively moveable with respect to each other along the ferrule axis (5) between limits defined by an interaction between the ferrule carrier (50) and the ferrule holder (16).
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 30, 2008
    Date of Patent: May 14, 2013
    Assignee: Miniflex Limited
    Inventor: Peter David Jenkins
  • Patent number: 7844148
    Abstract: A linear member (10) comprises a first layer (30) and a second layer (40), the second layer being arranged around the first layer. The second layer comprises a series of annular grooves (60). The material for the second layer is substantially stronger than the material for the first layer.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 27, 2005
    Date of Patent: November 30, 2010
    Assignee: Miniflex Limited
    Inventors: Peter David Jenkins, Daniel Owen Jenkins
  • Patent number: 5911939
    Abstract: An apparatus for forming grooves in the cylindrical surfaces of tubes or rods has a passage through the apparatus with a grooving roller mounted adjacent the passage. The roller has a helically extending ridge formed on its circumference, with the ridge extending into the passage and the roller being mounted for rotation about an axis inclined to the axis of the passage. The angle of inclination of the axis is such that the ridge, where it extends into the passage, runs at right angles to the axis of the passage. The roller is made to rotate about the tube or rod as the tube passes through the apparatus.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 17, 1996
    Date of Patent: June 15, 1999
    Assignee: Miniflex Limited
    Inventor: Peter David Jenkins
  • Patent number: 5862291
    Abstract: A cable routing has a body (10) and a plurality of cable passages (22) through the body. Each passage has an entry socket (24) adapted to receive a cable end (20), an exit (26) in line with the entry socket and a lateral opening (28). Each passage also has a cross-sectional reduction between the entry socket (24) and the exit (26) to limit longitudinal movement of a cable (20) along the passage.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 6, 1996
    Date of Patent: January 19, 1999
    Assignee: Miniflex Limited
    Inventors: Anthony J. Stockman, Peter D. Jenkins, Simon C. T. Benton
  • Patent number: 5774617
    Abstract: A manifold for breaking out optical fibers from a multifiber bundle has at least one input channel and several output channels. The channels are initially laterally open so that fibers can be laid in the channels without having to thread a fiber end through an aperture, and can then be closed once the fiber has been laid in, to retain fiber.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 15, 1995
    Date of Patent: June 30, 1998
    Assignee: Miniflex Limited
    Inventors: Anthony John Stockman, Simon Charles Tristan Benton, Matthew John Polaine