Abstract: An optical fiber attenuator includes an optical fiber section having an end at an angle to the longitudinal axis of the section. The end has on it a first layer of substantially transparent anti-reflective material, a second layer of light attenuating material on the first layer and a third layer of substantially transparent anti-reflective material over the second layer. A fourth layer of substantially transparent, relatively hard scratch-resistant material may be added on the third layer.

Abstract: An adapter assembly is provided for holding two individual fiber optic connectors in generally parallel side-by-side alignment. The assembly includes a one piece body having a pair of through passages adapted for holding the fiber optic connectors in a substantially side-by-side relationship when the connectors are inserted axially into the passages. The body substantially entirely surrounds the connectors. Complementary interengaging latches are provided between the body and each fiber optic connector for latching the connectors in the passages automatically in response to the insertion the connectors thereinto. The latches are configured to afford lost motion between the body and each fiber optic connector to provide floating motion between the connectors and the body.

Abstract: An adapter assembly is provided for holding two individual fiber optic connectors in generally parallel side-by-side alignment. The assembly includes a body having a pair of holding portions adapted for holding the fiber optic connectors in a substantially side-by-side relationship. A separate spring is mounted on the body and is adapted for cooperating with the body to bias the fiber optic connectors to a substantially parallel relationship.

Abstract: An adapter assembly is provided for holding two individual fiber optic connectors in generally parallel side-by-side alignment. The assembly includes a body having a pair of holding portions adapted for holding the fiber optic connectors in a substantially side-by-side relationship. A separate spring is mounted on the body and is adapted for cooperating with the body to bias the fiber optic connectors to a substantially parallel relationship.

Abstract: A duplex connector system is provided for coupling two individual simplex fiber optic connectors in a side-by-side alignment. Each fiber optic connector includes a housing in which an optical fiber cable is terminated through a rear end of the housing. First and second strain relief boots are respectively interengageable with the housings of the connectors at the rear ends thereof and encompass the optical fiber cables. Resilient portions interconnect the first and second strain relief boots and are oriented therebetween for enabling the boots to hold the connectors in their side-by-side alignment while allowing relative motion between the connectors during mating and unmating process.

Abstract: An adapter assembly is provided for mating an optical fiber along an optic axis with an associated fiber optic transmission device. The adapter assembly includes a body having an end face for mating with the associated fiber optic transmission device, the end face of the body traversing the optic axis. A movable protective shield is adapted for attachment to the body to cover the end face thereof and prevent ingress of contamination thereinto and to protect operator's eyes. The shield includes a diverting surface in alignment with the optic axis to prevent light energy transmitted by the optical fiber from being reflected back toward the fiber.

Abstract: An optical fiber connector assembly includes a housing having a forward end, a rearward end and an axially extending passageway therethrough. A ferrule assembly is mounted within the passageway and includes a forwardly projecting ferrule near a forward end of the connector assembly for axially receiving the fiber end of an optical fiber cable inserted into the passageway from the rearward end of the housing. A tube is removably positioned in the passageway, with a front end of the tube at the ferrule assembly and a rear end of the tube exposed at the rearward end of the housing for receiving epoxy injected into the tube. Therefore, the connector assembly can be substantially assembled and transported with the tube in position in the passageway, the epoxy later can be injected through the tube to the ferrule assembly. The tube then can be removed and the optical fiber cable can be inserted into the passageway into engagement with the injected epoxy.

Abstract: An apparatus is provided for polishing the end face of an optical fiber encapsulated within a ferrule portion of a fiber optic connector device which terminates the optical fiber. The end of the optical fiber projects from the ferrule portion. A mounting plate has a forward surface and a receptacle for mounting the connector device, with the end of the optical fiber projecting from the forward surface, to permit the end face to be polished by moving the mounting plate over an appropriate polishing surface. A polishing plate forms a substrate having a recess in a forward surface thereof. A polishing film is adhered to the substrate, spanning the recess, to define an air space beneath the film in the recess.

Abstract: A right angle strain relief system is provided for an optical fiber cable. A fiber optic connector terminates a fiber of the cable on a longitudinal connector axis. A right angle strain relief boot extends from a rear of the connector and has a cable-receiving passage therethrough. The boot has a first leg portion and a second leg portion joined by a bend. The first leg portion is on the longitudinal connector axis and defines a proximal end of the boot coupled to the rear of the connector. The second leg portion extends transversely of the longitudinal connector axis and defines an open distal end of the boot from which the optical fiber cable extends. The boot is rotatable relative to the connector about the longitudinal connector axis. A slot is provided in the boot extending from the open distal end thereof generally to at least the bend in the boot.

Abstract: An adapter assembly is provided for interconnecting a pair of opposing optical fiber connectors generally along an optical axis. The adapter assembly is constructed as a double-ended receptacle for receiving the connectors in opposite open ends thereof. The assembly further includes a pair of halves each defining one of the open ends for receiving one of the connectors. Each half has an interconnection operatively associated with its respective connector. At least one latch arm is provided on one of the adapter halves, within the peripheral bounds thereof, projecting generally parallel to the optical axis toward the other adapter half and engageable with a complementary latch on the other half.

Abstract: An optical fiber alignment device is provided for aligning an optical fiber ferrule which has a geometric axis which may or may not be coincident with the optical axis of the fiber therewithin, with a cylindrical optical transmitter/receiver component which has a geometric axis which may or may not be coincident with the optical axis of the component. The adaptor includes a first end for receiving the ferrule and a second end for embracing the cylindrical optical component. The first end has a geometric axis generally coincident with the geometric axis of the ferrule, and the second end has a geometric axis generally coincident with the geometric axis of the cylindrical optical component. The first and second ends of the adaptor are eccentric to each other, thereby offsetting the respective geometric axes thereof. Therefore, rotation of the adaptor about the cylindrical transmitter/receiver component allows for alignment optimization between the optical axes of the component and the optical fiber ferrule.

Abstract: A crimping tool system is provided for compressing a connector component onto an optical fiber cable, wherein the component includes an open end into which the cable is inserted. A tool includes a pair of jaws relatively movable toward and away from each other. Each jaw includes a first stage recessed surface area combining with the first stage recessed surface area of the other jaw to define a first stage crimping cavity sized to compress the cable sufficiently to ensure that the cable is insertable into the open end of the connector component. Each jaw includes a second stage recessed surface area combining with the second stage recessed surface area of the other jaw to define a second stage crimping cavity sized to compress the connector component onto the cable. The second stage recessed surface areas have protrusions for indenting the connector component and driving portions of the component against the cable.

Abstract: A fiber optic connector includes a housing having a longitudinal passage extending therethrough and having two ends. A rear end is adapted for attaching a fiber optic cable therethrough. A front end is adapted for having a mating fiber contact plug secured thereto in the passage. The plug has a fiber-receiving passage coextensive with the passage in the housing. A retaining ring is disposed in a transverse groove in the passage in the housing for abutment against the fiber contact plug near the front end thereof to secure the plug in the passage in the housing. A tool is provided for assembling the fiber optic connector. The tool includes a head for receiving and holding the housing of the connector in position with the fiber contact plug and retaining ring insertable into the passage thereof. A pusher apparatus is mounted for movement relative to the head and is engageable with the retaining ring to push the retaining ring into the groove while the connector housing is held by the head of the tool.

Abstract: An optical fiber connector assembly is disclosed for mating the end of an optical fiber with a fiber of a second optical connector element. A cylindrical ferrule is adapted to be secured around the optical fiber. A ferrule holder is adapted to be secured about the ferrule. A housing is adapted for receiving the ferrule holder, the housing having a rear open end into which the ferrule holder can be assembled. A spring within the housing biases the ferrule holder forwardly. The housing is adapted for relative permanent mounting to a substructure such as a printed circuit board. A retainer clip is insertable through an opening in the housing from the exterior thereof against a rear portion of the spring to retain the spring within the housing in loaded condition biasing the ferrule holder forwardly in the housing. The retainer clip can be readily removed to allow the ferrule holder to be disassembled from the housing through the rear open end thereof without unmounting the housing from the substructure.

Abstract: A crimping tool system is provided for compressing a connector component onto an optical fiber cable, wherein the component includes an open end into which the cable is inserted. A tool includes a pair of jaws relatively movable toward and away from each other. Each jaw includes a first stage recessed surface area combining with the first stage recessed surface area of the other jaw to define a first stage crimping cavity sized to compress the cable sufficiently to ensure that the cable is insertable into the open end of the connector component. Each jaw includes a second stage recessed surface area combining with the second stage recessed surface area of the other jaw to define a second stage crimping cavity sized to compress the connector component onto the cable. The second stage recessed surface areas have protrusions for indenting the connector component and driving portions of the component against the cable.

Abstract: A hand tool is provided for facilitating assembly of a fiber optic connector which includes a body, a forwardly projecting fiber ferrule and a backshell member. The tool includes a base with a forward upstanding portion for receiving and positioning the fiber ferrule and a rearward upstanding portion for receiving and positioning the connector body. The rearward upstanding portion forms a saddle for receiving the connector body, the saddle having a flat side for engaging a flat side of the connector body to prevent rotation thereof as the backshell member is threadably assembled thereto.

Abstract: A polishing tool is provided for polishing the end faces of optical fibers encapsulated within connectors which terminate the optical fibers. The tool includes a housing which has a forward surface and spaced passageways extending thereinto from the forward surface for receiving a pair of connectors with the end faces of optical fibers, encapsulated within the connectors, exposed at the forward surface to permit the end faces to be polished by moving the housing over a polishing surface. A support member is disposed within the housing and includes through holes for supporting the connectors received in the passageways. A spring is disposed between an upper portion of the housing and the support member for normally biasing the support member and the connectors supported thereby forwardly in the passageways. The passageways are located on opposite sides of a line passing through the spring whereby the singular spring is operatively associated with both connectors and their optical fibers.

Abstract: A manually manipulatable tool is disclosed to facilitate loading an optical fiber in a connector component. The tool includes a base for holding a fiber optic cable with an optical fiber projecting therefrom stripped of its jacket. A carriage holds the connector component in a position for receiving the fiber. The carriage is slidably mounted on the base whereby the carriage can be manually moved relative to the base and thereby move the connector component relative to the fiber optic cable.

Abstract: A hand-held tool is provided for scoring and severing an optical fiber. An elongate, generally hollow body has a longitudinal axis extending lengthwise thereof and defines a graspable handle for the tool. A plunger is reciprocally mounted in the hollow body for movement in a path generally in the direction of the longitudinal axis. An optical fiber is supported at one end of the body transverse to the longitudinal axis, and a deflector places the optical fiber under tension. A scoring probe is operatively associated with the plunger and movable therewith towards the fiber for scoring and severing the fiber extending across the path of movement of the scoring probe. An actuator lever is pivotally mounted on the body, operatively associated with the plunger, with a finger depressible portion exposed exteriorly of the body, for manual actuation while grasping the body to move the plunger and scoring probe towards the tensioned optical fiber.

Abstract: An optical fiber connector for terminating and providing strain relief on an optical fiber cable having an inner fiber, an outer jacket and longitudinal strength material therebetween. A housing has a rear input end into which the fiber, stripped of the outer jacket, extends, along with a front termination end. The rear input end of the housing is externally threaded and about which the longitudinal strength material is positionable. An internally threaded strain relief member is provided and through which the cable extends. The strain relief member is threadable onto the externally threaded rear input end of the housing to clamp the longitudinal strength material directly between the threads of the housing and the strain relief member. Grooves span the threads of the housing to prevent at least some of the longitudinal strength material from spiralling with the threads when the strain relief member is threaded onto the housing.