Abstract: An adapter for a fiber optic connector has provides strain relief for a jacketed cable connected to the adapter and the connector. The adapter preferably has two portions that act together to engage the jacketed cable and a boot that applies pressure to the adapter to secure the adapter. The two portions of the adapter may also be rotatably connected to one another. The boot has a projection that cooperates with an optical component to seal the adapter and optical component from outside particulates.
Type:
Grant
Filed:
June 30, 2012
Date of Patent:
August 2, 2016
Assignee:
US Conec, Ltd.
Inventors:
Joseph L. Graham, Joseph P. Howard, Jillcha Fekadu Wakjira
Abstract: A cable holding tool for holding optical fiber ribbons relative one another for preparation has a cable holding portion and an optical fiber holding portion, each having a cover and an opening therein to receive an optical cable and a fiber optic ribbon respectively. The cable holding tool also has at least one channel disposed between the cable holding portion and the optical fiber holding portion to receive and divert at least one optical fiber ribbon from the optical cable disposed in the cable holding portion from the optical fiber holding portion. A spacer is also provided that is movable parallel to the optical fiber groove from a first position to at least one second position to assist in staggering the fiber ribbons.
Type:
Grant
Filed:
March 1, 2013
Date of Patent:
October 6, 2015
Assignee:
US Conec, Ltd
Inventors:
Hiep Nguyen, Darrell R. Childers, Michael E. Hughes
Abstract: A loopback housing has an upper body portion and a lower body portion that are removably connected to one another. One of the body portions has a fiber opening to protect the optical fibers that are looped around for the fiber optic connector. The loopback housing also functions to remove and insert the fiber optic connector into an adapter, particularly in a high density application.
Type:
Grant
Filed:
July 7, 2012
Date of Patent:
September 29, 2015
Assignee:
US Conec, Ltd
Inventors:
Mike Elbert Hughes, Jillcha Fekadu Wakjira, Darrell Randolph Childers, John H. Fox, Yefim Gorelik
Abstract: An optical fiber ribbonizing tool has a main body having an upper portion, a lower portion, and a thickness, the upper portion the lower portion having openings therein. The opening in the upper portion holds the optical fibers, while the opening in the lower portion allows the tool to be opened. An indentation is provided around the opening in the upper portion to hold an adhesive and to apply the adhesive as the optical fibers are drawn through the tool.
Type:
Grant
Filed:
March 1, 2013
Date of Patent:
September 8, 2015
Assignee:
US Conec, Ltd
Inventors:
Jillcha Fekadu Wakjira, Shane Stamey, Michael E. Hughes, David Thomas Underwood
Abstract: A fiber optic connector has a connector outer housing and a connector inner housing. The connector inner housing has a projection to interact with a latch on an adapter into which the connector is inserted. The force required to move the connector outer housing relative to the connector inner housing is less than the force to remove the connector inner housing from the latch. A groove or opening may also be formed in the connector outer housing to effectively shorten the connector outer housing and prevent interaction of the latch with the outer housing, reducing debris.
Type:
Grant
Filed:
November 24, 2014
Date of Patent:
September 1, 2015
Assignee:
US Conec, Ltd
Inventors:
Jillcha Fekadu Wakjira, Darrell R. Childers, Eric Childers, Michael E. Hughes
Abstract: A unitary fiber optic ferrule reflects light off an interior lens and through the fiber optic ferrule. Optical fibers can be easily secured in the unitary fiber optic ferrule. An adapter to secure the unitary fiber optic ferrule to a optical component assembly is also presented. The adapter provides a sealing function for the lenses and to provide routing for optical fibers from other assemblies of unitary fiber optic ferrules and adapters.
Type:
Grant
Filed:
August 12, 2009
Date of Patent:
March 24, 2015
Assignee:
US Conec, Ltd.
Inventors:
Joseph P. Howard, Darrell R. Childers, Russell J. Granger
Abstract: A unitary fiber optic ferrule reflects light off an interior lens and through the fiber optic ferrule. Optical fibers can be easily secured in the unitary fiber optic ferrule. An adapter to secure the unitary fiber optic ferrule to a optical component assembly is also presented. The adapter provides a sealing function for the lenses and to provide routing for optical fibers from other assemblies of unitary fiber optic ferrules and adapters.
Type:
Grant
Filed:
November 28, 2012
Date of Patent:
January 20, 2015
Assignee:
US Conec, Ltd
Inventors:
Joseph P. Howard, Darrell R. Childers, Russell J. Granger
Abstract: A fiber optic connector has a connector outer housing and a connector inner housing. The connector inner housing has a projection to interact with a latch on an adapter into which the connector is inserted. The force required to move the connector outer housing relative to the connector inner housing is less than the force to remove the connector inner housing from the latch. A groove or opening may also be formed in the connector outer housing to effectively shorten the connector outer housing and prevent interaction of the latch with the outer housing, reducing debris.
Type:
Grant
Filed:
July 15, 2013
Date of Patent:
November 25, 2014
Assignee:
US Conec, Ltd
Inventors:
Jillcha Fekadu Wakjira, Darrell R. Childers, Eric Childers, Michael E. Hughes
Abstract: A calibration assembly has a base and mounting elements to mount the base to a laser. The base has a front, middle and rear portions that are used to align the calibration assembly to the laser to cleave optical fibers with the laser. The front portion has a channel to receive the optical fibers, the middle portion has openings to confirm alignment of the laser; and the rear portion has a rear opening used to adjust the pitch and roll of the laser.
Type:
Grant
Filed:
May 31, 2012
Date of Patent:
November 11, 2014
Assignee:
US Conec, Ltd
Inventors:
Darrell R. Childers, Joseph P. Howard, Arnold Deal, III, Dirk E. Schoellner
Abstract: An inner sleeve has a main body with an opening therein and a front and back end. The back end has projections or extensions to engage corresponding cavities on another inner sleeve to allow for movement of the inner sleeves relative to a outer portion into which the inner sleeves have been inserted. The outer portion may accommodate any number of inner sleeve pairs.
Abstract: An insert-molded fiber optic transmission component has at least one insert and a main body portion. The main body portion has at least one adjoining surface, a portion of the at least one adjoining surface lying in a first plane. The insert has an engaging face disposed against the outer edge surface and a reference surface adjacent the engaging face, where the reference surface lies in a second plane, and the adjoining surface is adjacent the engaging face of the at least one insert and the first and second planes being parallel to and offset from one another.
Type:
Grant
Filed:
March 17, 2011
Date of Patent:
October 7, 2014
Assignee:
US Conec, Ltd.
Inventors:
Darrell R. Childers, Russell Granger, Myron Yount
Abstract: An interface device includes a body portion having a single-mode waveguide portion including a substantially optically transparent material, a cladding portion defined by channels contacting the waveguide portion, the cladding portion including a substantially optically transparent polymer material, an engagement feature operative to engage a portion of a wafer, and a guide portion operative to engage a portion of an optical fiber ferrule.
Type:
Grant
Filed:
December 20, 2011
Date of Patent:
May 13, 2014
Assignees:
International Business Machines Corporation, US Conec, Ltd.
Inventors:
Tymon Barwicz, Darrell R. Childers, Dan Kurtz
Abstract: A two-piece spring push includes a main body portion and a cap. The cap is attached to the main body portion through frictional or interference fits of projections and openings in the two-piece spring push. The two-piece spring push allows for the use of the spring push on larger diameter optical cables as the spring push is assembled on the optical fibers after the optical fibers are terminated in an optical ferrule.
Type:
Grant
Filed:
February 21, 2012
Date of Patent:
April 1, 2014
Assignee:
US Conec, Ltd.
Inventors:
Darrell R. Childers, Mike Hughes, Hiep Nguyen
Abstract: A sleeve has a handle and extensions to engage a fiber optic connector for insertion into and removal from high density adapters. The sleeve may have multiple connectors installed in a single sleeve and it may be removable. The sleeve has first and second extensions to engage the inner and outer housings, respectively, to insert and remove the fiber optic connector from an adapter.
Type:
Grant
Filed:
November 6, 2009
Date of Patent:
October 15, 2013
Assignee:
US Conec, Ltd.
Inventors:
Darrell R. Childers, Myron Yount, Russell Granger, Joe Howard, Alan Benner, Robert K. Mullady
Abstract: A cable holding tool for holding optical fiber ribbons relative one another for preparation has a cable holding portion and an optical fiber holding portion, each having a cover and an opening therein to receive an optical cable and a fiber optic ribbon respectively. The cable holding tool also has at least one channel disposed between the cable holding portion and the optical fiber holding portion to receive and divert at least one optical fiber ribbon from the optical cable disposed in the cable holding portion from the optical fiber holding portion. A spacer is also provided that is movable parallel to the optical fiber groove from a first position to at least one second position to assist in staggering the fiber ribbons.
Type:
Application
Filed:
March 1, 2013
Publication date:
September 19, 2013
Applicant:
US CONEC, LTD.
Inventors:
Hiep Nguyen, Darrell R. Childers, Michael E. Hughes
Abstract: A clip holds a plurality of optical fibers in an array to be inserted into a fiber optic ferrule. The clip has a base member and a lid to hold the optical fibers therebetween. A stacker block assists in making the array by aligning them in a single plane. The optical fibers are then held in alignment for stripping, cleaving and inserting into the fiber optic ferrule.
Type:
Grant
Filed:
December 18, 2009
Date of Patent:
July 16, 2013
Assignee:
US Conec, Ltd
Inventors:
Darrell R. Childers, Joseph P. Howard, Myron Yount
Abstract: An interface device includes a body portion having a single-mode waveguide portion including a substantially optically transparent material, a cladding portion defined by channels contacting the waveguide portion, the cladding portion including a substantially optically transparent polymer material, an engagement feature operative to engage a portion of a wafer, and a guide portion operative to engage a portion of an optical fiber ferrule.
Type:
Application
Filed:
December 20, 2011
Publication date:
June 20, 2013
Applicants:
US CONEC, LTD., INTERNATIONAL BUSINESS MACHINES CORPORATION
Inventors:
Tymon Barwicz, Darrell R. Childers, Dan Kurtz
Abstract: A unitary fiber optic ferrule reflects light off an interior lens and through the fiber optic ferrule. Optical fibers can be easily secured in the unitary fiber optic ferrule. An adapter to secure the unitary fiber optic ferrule to a optical component assembly is also presented. The adapter provides a sealing function for the lenses and to provide routing for optical fibers from other assemblies of unitary fiber optic ferrules and adapters.
Abstract: A multi-fiber ferrule and optical fibers therein make easier contact with other multi-fiber ferrules and connectors with a small fiber tip radius and a modulus of elasticity. A method for qualifying multi-fiber ferrules (and connectors) is also disclosed.
Type:
Grant
Filed:
October 9, 2008
Date of Patent:
November 20, 2012
Assignees:
US Conec, Ltd., Tyco Electronics Corp.
Inventors:
Michael Lawrence Gurreri, James David Kevern, Michael Aaron Kadar-Kallen, Lou Castagna, Mike Hughes, Darrell R Childers
Abstract: An adapter for holding two multi-fiber ferrules in positions to mate with one another includes a main body, a opening extending through the main body configured to receive and optically and mechanically mate the two multi-fiber ferrules. Engagement members, which preferably rotate about an axis transverse to the opening, is disposed adjacent the opening on each side of the adapter to engage and hold the multi-fiber ferrules in the adapter.
Type:
Grant
Filed:
February 9, 2007
Date of Patent:
January 31, 2012
Assignee:
US Conec, Ltd.
Inventors:
Joseph P Howard, Darrell P Childers, Russell J. Granger, Myron W Yount