Abstract: A connector system wherein a first connector (12) has a pair of latches (34, 36) that can be depressed to release them from a pair of strikes (30, 32) of a mating second connector (14). A retainer (60) is provided that prevents accidental release of the latches. The retainer has blocking parts (70) that move under the latches when the retainer is slid to a forward blocking position. The first connector has a pair of radially-projecting pins (84) at its laterally opposite sides, and the retainer has a pair of forwardly-projecting arms (80, 82) with slots (90) that each receives one of the pins. Each slot has a constriction (104) that resists sliding of the retainer away from its forward or rearward position.

Abstract: A connector system wherein a first connector (12) has a pair of latches (34,36) that can be depressed to release them from a pair of strikes (30, 32) of a mating second connector (14). A retainer (60) is provided that prevents accidental release of the latches. The retainer has blocking parts (70) that move under the latches when the retainer is slid to a forward blocking position. The first connector has a pair of radially-projecting pins (84) at its laterally opposite sides, and the retainer has a pair of forwardly-projecting arms (80, 82) with slots (90) that each receives one of the pins. Each slot has a constriction (104) that resists sliding of the retainer away from its forward or rearward position.

Abstract: A battery holder frame (12) that facilitates the removal of a fully installed battery (30) (electrical cell). The frame has top (20), bottom (22), opposite side (24, 26), and back walls (28) that form a cavity (14) that receives a battery by moving the battery rearward into the cavity until the battery abuts the back wall. The back wall upper portion has a bottom edge (66) and leaves an opening (62) below the bottom edge through which the bottom of the battery can move rearward out of the cavity. To remove a fully installed battery, the battery bottom is pushed rearward to cause the battery to pivot so its upper portion (152) moves forward out of the cavity and can be grasped to pull the battery out of the cavity.

Abstract: A wire guide includes first and second tubes (14, 16) having first and second perpendicular axes (22, 26), with the second tube having a backshell (40) that is pivotable about the first axis on the first tube rear end, so wires (30) can be routed in a variety of directions. The first tube rear end and the backshell are pivotally connected by a pair of balls (34, 36) that each lies in a groove (44) in the first tube rear end and in a hole (50) in the backshell portion. A strain relief member lying largely in the first tube rear portion has a through hole (82) extending along the first axis, an outside that forms a 360° groove (84), and at least one end slot (90, 92) that connects the hole to the groove. A wire (30) can extend through much of the hole, then through a slot to the groove and around the groove, and then back through a slot.

Abstract: Each optical fiber terminus (20) of a connector has an indexing device (32) that indicates and fixes the rotational position of the terminus in its housing passage (14), the indexing device being in the form of a sleeve that is easily applied when an optimum position is determined. The indexing sleeve is fixed directly to the stripped optic fiber cable (30) at a location immediately rearward of the terminus body (24), so a rear end of the indexing sleeve lies at the rear end of the housing. The indexing sleeve rear end has a radial projection (82) that projects into a slot (84) formed in the rear surface (86) of the connector.

Abstract: An optical fiber connector includes a housing (12) with a terminus-holding housing (14) portion that holds a plurality of optical fiber termini (24) with optical cables trailing therefrom. A pair of metal sleeves are crimped to the strength member of each optical cable to form a crimp sleeve assembly (26). The housing including a holder (16) with a plurality of channels (32) that each removably holds one of the sleeve assemblies. This arrangement enables a selected one of a plurality of optical fiber cables with termini fixed thereto, to be easily removed from the rest of the housing, and to allow a new optical fiber cable with a terminus and crimp sleeve assembly thereon to be installed in its place.

Abstract: An optical fiber connector (20) is provided with a compact latching mechanism (42) for holding the connector in a bulkhead casing (12) when inserted therein, and for enabling easy removal, the connector also having a simplified strain relief assembly (170) for fiber optic cables. The connector has an outer shell with slits (74, 74) that form a beam (60) having a rear end (70) merging with the rest of the shell, a free front end (82), and a beam middle (84) that forms a latch dog (32) with a rearwardly-facing shoulder. When the connector is inserted into the bulkhead casing, the latch dogs snap into latch-receiving slots (30) of the casing to latch the connector in place. When the middle of the beam is depressed into a groove (100), the latch dog moves inwardly and out of engagement with the bulkhead shoulder. A latch release member (62) has a rear end (112) mounted on the outer shell and a front end (114) that can depress a bump (116) on the beam middle portion to facilitate inward deflection of the beam.

Abstract: An optical fiber connector includes a housing (12) with a terminus-holding housing (14) portion that holds a plurality of optical fiber termini (24) with optical cables trailing therefrom. A pair of metal sleeves are crimped to the strength member of each optical cable to form a crimp sleeve assembly (26). The housing including a holder (16) with a plurality of channels (32) that each removably holds one of the sleeve assemblies. This arrangement enables a selected one of a plurality of optical fiber cables with termini fixed thereto, to be easily removed from the rest of the housing, and to allow a new optical fiber cable with a terminus and crimp sleeve assembly thereon to be installed in its place.

Abstract: An optical fiber connector (20) is provided with a compact latching mechanism (42) for holding the connector in a bulkhead casing (12) when inserted therein, and for enabling easy removal, the connector also having a simplified strain relief assembly (170) for fiber optic cables. The connector has an outer shell with slits (74, 74) that form a beam (60) having a rear end (70) merging with the rest of the shell, a free front end (82), and a beam middle (84) that forms a latch dog (32) with a rearwardly-facing shoulder. When the connector is inserted into the bulkhead casing, the latch dogs snap into latch-receiving slots (30) of the casing to latch the connector in place. When the middle of the beam is depressed into a groove (100), the latch dog moves inwardly and out of engagement with the bulkhead shoulder. A latch release member (62) has a rear end (112) mounted on the outer shell and a front end (114) that can depress a bump (116) on the beam middle portion to facilitate inward deflection of the beam.

Abstract: A strain relief apparatus which is especially useful with a standard fiber optic connector (10) having a cylinder backshell (12) with a pair of rearwardly-projecting arms (20, 22) that hold circular clamp elements (24, 26) to clamp to a circular optical fiber cable, which facilitates clamping to a fiber optic flat ribbon cable, or flat cable (40). A flat cable adaptor (54) has a groove (82) with front, rear, and middle groove portions (84, 86, 90) each of rectangular cross-section for receiving the flat cable. A jacket (94) of compressible material of about one inch length is wrapped around the flat cable and lies in the groove middle portion. Only the jacketed part of the flat cable is firmly pressed against the bottom wall (114) of the groove to clamp the flat cable to the adaptor. In one adaptor device, two identical adaptors (52, 54) are used, which form a circular recess (62) that receives the clamp elements.

Abstract: A strain relief apparatus which is especially useful with a standard fiber optic connector (10) having a cylinder backshell (12) with a pair of rearwardly-projecting arms (20, 22) that hold circular clamp elements (24, 26) to clamp to a circular optical fiber cable, which facilitates clamping to a fiber optic flat ribbon cable, or flat cable (40). A flat cable adaptor (50) has a groove (82) with front, rear, and middle groove portions (84, 86, 90) each of rectangular cross-section for receiving the flat cable. A jacket (94) of compressible material of about one inch length is wrapped around the flat cable and lies in the groove middle portion. Only the jacketed part of the flat cable is firmly pressed against the bottom wall (114) of the groove to clamp the flat cable to the adaptor. In one adaptor device, two identical adaptors (52, 54) are used, which form a circular recess (62) that receives the clamp elements.

Abstract: A break-away apparatus for electrical and optical connectors (12) includes front and rear fittings (30, 32) with peripheries that have pairs of aligned fastener-receiving holes, and a plurality of fasteners (100) that each lies in a pair of holes and holds the peripheries of the fittings together. Each fastener is a screw with a shank having a threaded front end that engages threads in the hole of the front fitting, and includes a screw head (214) at the rear of the shank which lies against a rearwardly-facing shoulder (172) on the rear fitting, to thereby prevent fitting separation. A bore (142) extends along the axis of the shank, and a rear end portion of the shank has a groove (182), resulting in a break-away portion of the fastener that has a ring-shaped cross-section. The ring-shaped coss-section permits tightening of the screw but results in the screw breaking when a predetermined force is applied to allow separation of the fittings.

Abstract: A break-away apparatus for electrical and optical connectors (12) includes front and rear fittings (30, 32) with peripheries that have pairs of aligned fastener-receiving holes, and a plurality of fasteners (100) that each lies in a pair of holes and holds the peripheries of the fittings together. Each fastener is a screw with a shank having a threaded front end that engages threads in the hole of the front fitting, and includes a screw head (214) at the rear of the shank which lies against a rearwardly-facing shoulder (172) on the rear fitting, to thereby prevent fitting separation. A bore (142) extends along the axis of the shank, and a rear end portion of the shank has a groove (182), resulting in a break-away portion of the fastener that has a ring-shaped cross-section. The ring-shaped coss-section permits tightening of the screw but results in the screw breaking when a predetermined force is applied to allow separation of the fittings.

Abstract: A process and apparatus for coating a fiber with a coating material are described. The apparatus includes a coating block and a curing device for curing the coating on the fiber. In the process, the fiber is drawn through the coating block containing the coating material. The coating material on the fiber is then cured in the curing device.

Abstract: A clip (30) grips the shields (24) of each of a plurality of cables to hold the front ends of the cables relative to connector contacts (12) and to ground the shields to a shell (16) of the connector. The clip includes a main part (40) that has been bent into a plurality of loops of about 220° each, with alternate loops opening upward and downward. The shields can be installed in the loops by pressing them into the loops, with the opposite sides of the loops resiliently spreading apart as the shield is installed and then closing around it. The loops have holes (80) that permit inspection of the shield at the side of the cable that would otherwise be hidden. A wire (32) that connects the clip to the connector shell, has a wire inner end (82) that extends across a hole, with a quantity of solder (84) soldering the wire to the clip and soldering the wire to a cable shield.

Abstract: A plug connector has a clip (30) that is crimped to a front portion of a cable jacket to securely lock to the cable jacket and prevent cable pullout while providing strain relief when the cable is jerked up or down, the clip enabling itself to be securely locked to the connector frame. The clip initially has a front portion in the form of a cylindrical sleeve (30A), with slots (51-54) at its opposite sides, the clip being crimped to a shape (30) wherein the opposite sides between the slots are deformed into sidewardly-projecting wings (44, 46). The slots receive the outwardly-bulging crimped cable jacket to better lock the jacket to the clip, and the slots can receive molded polymer material (122, 141) of the frame to lock the frame to the clip. Copper foil wrapped about a first molded part (120) and the clip, provides EMI shielding around cable wires (20) and grounds a connector shell.

Abstract: Apparatus is provided for connecting the rear termination ends (32, 34) of connector contacts (12, 14) to wires (42, 44) of a cable (40) in a design where the solder connections are encased in molded plastic, which maintains the contacts so their axes (20, 22) extend precisely along forward-rearward directions. This is accomplished by providing a mold with an alignment mold part (110) with holders (114, 120) that either directly engage shoulders (160, 162) of the contacts or that engage shoulders (140, 142) formed on a circuit board (54) with holes (62) that closely receive rear termination ends (32) of a contact.