Pusher device for plastic optical fiber

Claim 1

A pusher device for holding an end of a plastic optical fiber cable of the type having a plurality of optical fibers enclosed in sheaths which extend along a longitudinal axis in parallel with each other and covered in an outer covering, comprising: a pair of opposing pusher members which are pressed toward each other for clamping onto the sheathed optical fibers of said cable which are exposed at a predetermined position from said outer covering, said pusher members each having, complementarily, a front end provided with pushing portions for clamping on respective ones of the sheathed optical fibers, a wall defining an inside hollow portion extending longitudinally beyond the predetermined exposed position from said outer covering for accomodating respective exposed lengths of the optical fibers therein, and a rear end provided with a recess forming an opening for fitting said cable covered with said outer covering therethrough; and an annular fixing member having an outer diameter which is greater than the opening formed by said recesses in said rear ends of said pushing members, and which is fixed on said cable on the inside of said hollow portion of said pushing members abutting, but not fixed to, said rear ends of said pushing members, whereby said annular fixing member prevents said cable from being pulled in the longitudinal direction and substantially displaced through said rear ends, while at the same time said annular fixing member is left pivotable on the inside relative to said rear ends of said pushing members for allowing said cable to be bent at an angle to the longitudinal axis on the outside without stressfully shortening the lengths of the optical fibers held at said front ends relative to each other.