A lens holder assembly for a fiber optic connector

Claim 2

A lens (10) holder assembly (70) for receiving an optical fiber (81), said assembly characterized by: a housing (74) having a forward end, a rear end, and a central passage extending between the ends for receiving an optical fiber (81); a lens (10) having a forwardly facing curved surface (15), and a surface opposite said curved surface (15), said opposite surface optically aligned with the curved surface (15) and adapted to be optically aligned with one end of an optical fiber (81); means (12, 75) for releasably mounting said lens (10) to said housing (74) so that said opposite lens surface is axially aligned with the central passage in said housing; a spring (72); and means (73, 76) for mounting said spring to said housing (74) for axial compression upon application of opposing axial forces to said lens holder assembly.

Claim 3

The lens (10) holder assembly as recited in Claim 1 wherein said lens (10) includes a recess (16) in said opposite surface that is at the focal point of the lens (10) and is axially aligned with the central passage in said housing (74).

Claim 4

The lens holder assembly (70) as recited in Claim 2 wherein said lens (10) includes a radially extending annular shoulder (12) and wherein said lens mounting means includes a plurality of radially deflectable spring fingers (75) mounted at one end to the forward end portion of said housing (74), said fingers having at the other free end thereof a rearwardly facing portion that engages the forwardly facing portion of the annular shoulder (12) of the lens (10) to releasably mount the lens (10) to the forward end portion of the tubular housing (74).

Claim 5

The lens holder as recited in Claim 3 including means (71, 85) applying a compressive force to a portion of an optical fiber (81, 82) located in the central passage of said housing (74).

Claim 6

A fiber optic connector of the type having: a housing (50) having a central passage; an insert (55) mounted in the central passage of said housing (50), said insert (55) having at least one bore (56) therein; at least one lens (10) and means for mounting a lens (10) in each bore (56), the invention wherein the lens (10) and mounting means are characterized by: a lens holder assembly (70) located in each of said bores, said lens holder assembly comprising: a tubular member (74) having a forward end, a rear end, * and a central passage extending between the ends for receiving an optical fiber (81); a lens (10) having forwardly facing curved surface (15) and a recess (16) in the surfaces opposite said curved surface (15), said recess (16) axially aligned with the curved surface (15); and means (12, 75) for mounting said lens (10) to said tubular member (74) so that said curved surface (15) is facing forwardly and said recess (16) is facing rearwardly and is axially aligned with the central passage in said tubular member (74) and adapted to receive one end of an optical fiber (81); and means for releasably retaining a lens holder assembly (70) in each bore (56) of said insert (55), said means including a plurality of resiliently and radially deflectable spring fingers (54) extending axially in each bore (56) and located on one of said insert (55) and lens holder assembly (70) and a surface (78), located on the other of said insert (55) and lens holder assembly (70) that engages the ends of each of said fingers (54) to selectively prevent axial movement of said lens holder assembly (70) in one axial direction.

Claim 7

A fiber optic connector of the type having: a housing (50) having a central passage; an insert (55) mounted in the central passage of said housing (50), said insert (55) having at least one bore (56) therein; at least one lens (10) and means for mounting a lens (10) in each bore (56), the invention wherein the lens (10) and mounting means are characterized by: a lens holder assembly (70) located in each of said bores, said lens holder assembly comprising: a tubular member (74) having a forward end, a rear end, * and a central passage extending between the ends for receiving an optical fiber (81); a lens (10) having forwardly facing curved surface (15) and a recess (16) in the surfaces opposite said curved surface (15), said recess (16) axially aligned with the curved surface (15); and means (12, 75) for mounting said lens (10) to said tubular member (74) so that said curved surface (15) is facing forwardly and said recess (16) is facing rearwardly and is axially aligned with the central passage in said tubular member (74) and adapted to receive one end of an optical fiber (81); and means for releasably retaining a lens holder assembly (70) in each bore (56) of said insert (55), said means including a plurality of resiliently and radially deflectable spring fingers (54) extending axially in each bore (56) and located on one of said insert (55) and lens holder assembly (70) and a surface (78), located on the other of said insert (55) and lens holder assembly (70) that engages the ends of each of said fingers (54) to selectively prevent axial movement of said lens holder assembly (70) in one axial direction.

Claim 8

The fiber optic connector as recited in Claim 5 including means (72, 73, 76, 78, 54) for forwardly biasing said lens holder assembly (70).

Claim 9

The fiber optic connector as recited in Claim 6 wherein said biasing means includes: a spring (72); and means (73) for mounting said spring to said tubular member for axial compression upon application of opposing axial forces to said lens holder assembly (70), said means for mounting said spring including an annular shoulder (78) extending radially outwardly beyond the outer surface of said tubular member (74), the rearward facing portion .of said annular shoulder (78) engaging spring fingers (54) extending inwardly from the insert (55) into the bore (56).

Claim 10

A fiber optic connector as recited in Claim 5 - including means (30) for receiving the front end of said lens (10) and axially positioning said lens (10).

Claim 11

A fiber optic connector as recited in Claim 6 including means (30) for receiving the front end of said lens (10) and axially positioning said lens (10).

Claim 12

A fiber optic connector as recited in Claim 7 including means (30) for receiving the front end of said lens (10) and axially positioning said lens (10).