Coupling device for protectively jacketed fibers

Claim 1

A device for coupling a pair of protectively jacketed optical fibers in axial alignment comprising: a resiliently compressible body for holding a pair of opposing fibers in end-to-end abutment in an abutment region, the body receiving the fiber pair through opposite ends of a fiber-receiving bore formed axially therethrough, the bore having an oversized cross-section with respect to the cross-sections of the received fibers, wherein the bore includes an inner portion for receiving bared ends of the fiber pair and a pair of outer portions for receiving the jacketed portion of the fibers; and body compression means for forming a plurality of fiber-engaging areas along the bore wall in the abutment region to exert a lateral aligning force on the abuttingly held fiber tips, and wherein the body compression means includes first means for symmetrically reducing the cross-section of the inner bore portion to a fiber-engaging dimension and second means for reducing the cross-section of the outer bore portions to a jacket-engaging dimension.

Claim 2

A device for coupling a pair of protectively jacketed optical fibers in axial alignment comprising: a resiliently compressible body for holding a pair of opposing fibers in end-to-end abutment in an abutment region, the body receiving the fiber pair through opposite ends of a fiber-receiving bore formed axially therethrough, the bore having an oversized cross-section with respect to the cross-sections of the received fibers, wherein the bore includes an inner portion for receiving bared ends of the fiber pair and a pair of outer portions for receiving the jacketed portion of the fibers; and body compression means for forming a plurality of fiber-engaging areas along the bore wall in the abutment region to exert a lateral aligning force on the abuttingly held fiber tips, and wherein the body compression means includes first means for symmetrically reducing the cross-section of the inner bore portion to a fiber-engaging dimension and second means for reducing the cross-section of the outer bore portions to a jacket-engaging dimension.

Claim 4

A device for coupling a pair of protectively jacketed optical fibers in axial alignment comprising: a resiliently compressible body for holding a pair of opposing fibers in end-to-end abutment in an abutment region, the body receiving the fiber pair through opposite ends of a fiber-receiving bore formed axially therethrough, the bore having an oversized cross-section with respect to the cross-sections of the received fiber, and including an inner portion for receiving bared ends of the fiber pair and a pair of outer portions for receiving the jacketed portion of the fiber, the body having a generally cylindrical exterior central portion encompassing the abutment region, a pair of generally cylindrical exterior end portions encompassing the outer bore portions, and a surface of generally increasing diameter extending axially from one of the end portions, the body being externally threaded; first means for symmetrically reducing the cross-section of the inner bore portion to a fiber-engaging dimension including a first rigid housing member having a central cavity extending axially therethrough substantially surrounding the central portion of the compressible body, the cavity being internally threaded along a lead-in region to mate with the external threading of the body and having an undersized cavity portion with respect to the central body portion for exerting a symmetrical compression force thereon; and second means for reducing the cross-section of the outer bore portions to a jacket-engaging dimension.

Claim 5

A device for coupling a pair of protectively jacketed optical fibers in axial alignment comprising: a resiliently compressible body for holding a pair of opposing fibers in end-to-end abutment in an abutment region, the body receiving the fiber pair through opposite ends of a fiber-receiving bore formed axially therethrough, the bore having an oversized cross-section with respect to the cross-sections of the received fiber, and including an inner portion for receiving bared ends of the fiber pair and a pair of outer portions for receiving the jacketed portion of the fiber, the body having a generally cylindrical exterior central portion encompassing the abutment region, a pair of generally cylindrical exterior end portions encompassing the outer bore portions, and a surface of generally increasing diameter extending axially from one of the end portions, the body being externally threaded; first means for symmetrically reducing the cross-section of the inner bore portion to a fiber-engaging dimension including a first rigid housing member having a central cavity extending axially therethrough substantially surrounding the central portion of the compressible body, the cavity being internally threaded along a lead-in region to mate with the external threading of the body and having an undersized cavity portion with respect to the central body portion for exerting a symmetrical compression force thereon; and second means for reducing the cross-section of the outer bore portions to a jacket-engaging dimension.

Claim 10

A device for coupling a pair of protectively jacketed optical fibers in axial alignment comprising: a resiliently compressible body for holding a pair of opposing fibers in end-to-end abutment in an abutment region, the body receiving the fiber pair through opposite ends of a fiber-receiving bore formed axially therethrough, the bore having an oversized cross-section with respect to the cross-sections of the received fibers, and including an inner portion for receiving bared ends of the fiber pair and a pair of outer portions for receiving the jacketed portion of the fibers; the body having a generally cylindrical exterior central portion encompassing the abutment region, a pair of generally cylindrical exterior end portions encompassing the outer bore portions, including second and third rigid housings, each having an axially extending cavity formed therethrough substantially surrounding a respective end portion of the body, each cavity including an internally threaded lead-in region for mating with the external threads of the compressible body and a cavity region which is undersized with respect to the end portion for exerting a compressible force on the body to securely hold the jacketing of the respectively inserted fiber, the body being externally threaded; first means for symmetrically reducing the cross-section of the inner bore portion to a fiber-engaging dimension, including a first rigid housing member having a central cavity extending axially therethrough substantially surrounding the central portion of the compressible body, the cavity being internally threaded along a lead-in region to mate with the external threading of the body, and having a cavity portion of the cavity being undersized with respect to the central body portion for exerting a symmetrical compression force thereon; and second means for reducing the cross-section of the outer bore portions to a jacket-engaging dimension.

Claim 11

A device for coupling a pair of protectively jacketed optical fibers in axial alignment comprising: a resiliently compressible body for holding a pair of opposing fibers in end-to-end abutment in an abutment region, the body receiving the fiber pair through opposite ends of a fiber-receiving bore formed axially therethrough, the bore having an oversized cross-section with respect to the cross-sections of the received fibers, and including an inner portion for receiving bared ends of the fiber pair and a pair of outer portions for receiving the jacketed portion of the fibers; the body having a generally cylindrical exterior central portion encompassing the abutment region, a pair of generally cylindrical exterior end portions encompassing the outer bore portions, including second and third rigid housings, each having an axially extending cavity formed therethrough substantially surrounding a respective end portion of the body, each cavity including an internally threaded lead-in region for mating with the external threads of the compressible body and a cavity region which is undersized with respect to the end portion for exerting a compressible force on the body to securely hold the jacketing of the respectively inserted fiber, the body being externally threaded; first means for symmetrically reducing the cross-section of the inner bore portion to a fiber-engaging dimension, including a first rigid housing member having a central cavity extending axially therethrough substantially surrounding the central portion of the compressible body, the cavity being internally threaded along a lead-in region to mate with the external threading of the body, and having a cavity portion of the cavity being undersized with respect to the central body portion for exerting a symmetrical compression force thereon; and second means for reducing the cross-section of the outer bore portions to a jacket-engaging dimension.

Claim 19

A device for coupling a pair of protectively jacketed fibers in axial alignment comprising: a plurality of rigid, axially spaced, generally co-axial essentially annular shells; a resiliently compressible body of material encircled by, and extending axially through, the plurality of shells for holding the bared end segments of a pair of opposing protectively jacketed fibers in end-to-end abutment, the body receiving the jacketed fiber pair through opposite ends of a fiber-accommodating bore formed axially therethrough and oversized with respect to the cross-sections of the accommodated fibers, the abutting bared ends of the opposing fibers being held radially inward from, and axially adjacent to, one of the shells; a first housing member having an axially extending internal cavity including a first shell-engaging cavity portion and a second body-contacting cavity portion, the first cavity portion wall being retainingly engaged by the periphery of said one shell to maintain the second cavity portion wall in symmetrically compressing contact with the resilient body axially adjacent to said one shell and encompassing the abutting fiber tips, whereby the bore cross-section is reduced to a fiber-engaging dimension to hold the fibers in axial alignment; second and third housing members, each having an axially extending internal cavity including a first shell-engaging cavity portion and a second body-contacting cavity portion, the first cavity portion wall being retainingly engaged by the periphery of a shell located radially outward from, and axially adjacent to, a jacket-accommodating section of the bore, to maintain the second cavity portion wall in compressing contact with a jacket-encompassing segment of the resilient body, whereby the bore cross-section is reduced to a jacket-clamping dimension.

Claim 20

A device for coupling a pair of protectively jacketed fibers in axial alignment comprising: a plurality of rigid, axially spaced, generally co-axial essentially annular shells; a resiliently compressible body of material encircled by, and extending axially through, the plurality of shells for holding the bared end segments of a pair of opposing protectively jacketed fibers in end-to-end abutment, the body receiving the jacketed fiber pair through opposite ends of a fiber-accommodating bore formed axially therethrough and oversized with respect to the cross-sections of the accommodated fibers, the abutting bared ends of the opposing fibers being held radially inward from, and axially adjacent to, one of the shells; a first housing member having an axially extending internal cavity including a first shell-engaging cavity portion and a second body-contacting cavity portion, the first cavity portion wall being retainingly engaged by the periphery of said one shell to maintain the second cavity portion wall in symmetrically compressing contact with the resilient body axially adjacent to said one shell and encompassing the abutting fiber tips, whereby the bore cross-section is reduced to a fiber-engaging dimension to hold the fibers in axial alignment; second and third housing members, each having an axially extending internal cavity including a first shell-engaging cavity portion and a second body-contacting cavity portion, the first cavity portion wall being retainingly engaged by the periphery of a shell located radially outward from, and axially adjacent to, a jacket-accommodating section of the bore, to maintain the second cavity portion wall in compressing contact with a jacket-encompassing segment of the resilient body, whereby the bore cross-section is reduced to a jacket-clamping dimension.

Claim 23

A method for splicing a pair of protectively jacketed optical fibers in axial alignment comprising the steps of: (a) removing the jacketing from one end of each fiber to expose a length of bare fiber; (b) inserting the exposed end of one fiber into one end of a fiber-receiving channel extending axially within a compressible body; (c) inserting the exposed end of the second fiber into the other end of the channel until the fibers are in end-to-end abutment; (d) compressing the body about the fibers to exert lateral aligning forces on the fibers; and (e) tightening an internally threaded internally tapered nut onto the externally threaded generally cylindrical body portion that encloses the abutting fiber ends, a portion of the internal taper being undersized with respect to the diameter of the body, whereby symmetrical compressional forces are applied to the body.

Claim 24

A method for splicing a pair of protectively jacketed optical fibers in axial alignment comprising the steps of: (a) removing the jacketing from one end of each fiber to expose a length of bare fiber; (b) inserting the exposed end of one fiber into one end of a fiber-receiving channel extending axially within a compressible body; (c) inserting the exposed end of the second fiber into the other end of the channel until the fibers are in end-to-end abutment; (d) compressing the body about the fibers to exert lateral aligning forces on the fibers; and (e) tightening an internally threaded internally tapered nut onto the externally threaded generally cylindrical body portion that encloses the abutting fiber ends, a portion of the internal taper being undersized with respect to the diameter of the body, whereby symmetrical compressional forces are applied to the body.