US6019519A
Expired / Lapsed
US
⏱️ 0.0 years remaining
Floating optical connector body and an optical connector
Assignee: Tyco Electronics Service GmbH
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Filing: 1997-10-28
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Granted: 2000-02-01
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Expires: 2017-10-28
Abstract
Abstract Optical fibers (7) within alignment ferrules (6) are aligned by a connector body (1) that is supported by a resilient member (17) in floating suspension within a wall (23) of a connector (20), and a mating end (2) of the connector body (1) is sealed by the resilient member (17) and by seals (16) encircling the alignment ferrules (6).
Inventors
- 👤 Soren Grinderslev
- 👤 Daniel Erlin Wertman
Bibliographic Details
Application Number
—
Jurisdiction
US
Data Source
google_patents
Last Synchronized
2026-10-31 22:12
CPC Classifications
G; G02; G02B; G02B6/00; G02B6/24; G02B6/36; G02B6/38; G02B6/3807; G02B6/3873; G02B6/3882; G02B6/3883; G02B6/26; G02B6/32; G02B6/3874; G02B6/3878; G02B6/3887; G02B6/3888; G02B6/381; G02B6/3817; G02B6/3818; G02B6/3821; G02B6/3833; G02B6/3851; G02B6/38875
Claims Analysis
Total Claims: 14
Claim 1
Independent Claim
149 words
A connector comprising: at least one connector body with aligned optical fibers, a wall on the connector against which the connector body is seated to maintain the connector body stationary during alignment with a mating connector body, and a resilient member encircling the connector body, wherein, following unseating of the connector body by the application of pressure by the mating connector body, the connector body is attached by the resilient member in floating suspension against an interior of an opening through the wall so as to float in the opening in response to vibration, alignment ferrules are aligned along passages through the connector body, the alignment ferrules terminate respective optical fibers, environmental seals encircle respective alignment ferrules, resilient springs bias the environmental seals toward respective collars on the alignment ferrules, and the environmental seals compress against the collars and compress against interiors of the passages to seal the passages.
Claim 2
Dependent Claim
149 words
A connector comprising: at least one connector body with aligned optical fibers, a wall on the connector against which the connector body is seated to maintain the connector body stationary during alignment with a mating connector body, and a resilient member encircling the connector body, wherein, following unseating of the connector body by the application of pressure by the mating connector body, the connector body is attached by the resilient member in floating suspension against an interior of an opening through the wall so as to float in the opening in response to vibration, alignment ferrules are aligned along passages through the connector body, the alignment ferrules terminate respective optical fibers, environmental seals encircle respective alignment ferrules, resilient springs bias the environmental seals toward respective collars on the alignment ferrules, and the environmental seals compress against the collars and compress against interiors of the passages to seal the passages.
Claim 3
Dependent Claim
38 words
A connector as recited in claim 1, and further wherein, a projecting key aligns with the opening through the wall, and a recessed keyway in the connector body receives the key to prevent rotation of the connector body.
Claim 4
Dependent Claim
55 words
A connector as recited in claim 1, and further wherein, a keyed opening in the connector housing aligns with the opening through the wall of the connector housing, and the connector body and the keyed opening provide a combination of a projecting key aligned with a recessed keyway to prevent rotation of the connector body.
Claim 5
Dependent Claim
46 words
A connector as recited in claim 1, and further wherein, a projecting key aligns with the opening through the wall, and a recessed keyway in the connector body receives the key to prevent rotation of the connector body, the resilient member being adjacent to the key.
Claim 6
Dependent Claim
49 words
A connector as recited in claim 1, and further wherein, a projecting key aligns with the opening through the wall, a recessed keyway in the connector body receives the key to prevent rotation of the connector body, and the resilient member being slidable along the opening toward the key.
Claim 7
Dependent Claim
34 words
A connector as recited in claim 1, and further wherein, a resiliently deformable member biases the connector body, and the connector body unseats from the wall against a bias of the resiliently deformable member.
Claim 8
Dependent Claim
25 words
A connector as recited in claim 1 , and further wherein, the springs bias the alignment ferrules toward a mating end of the connector body.
Claim 9
Dependent Claim
76 words
A connector body to align optical fibers with a mating connector body, comprising: alignment ferrules terminating optical fibers, wherein the alignment ferrules are aligned along passages through the connector body, and further, wherein the passages are environmentally sealed, whereby, environmental seals encircle respective alignment ferrules, springs bias the environmental seals toward respective collars on the alignment ferrules, and the environmental seals compress against the collar and compress against interiors of the passageways to seal the passages.
Claim 10
Dependent Claim
76 words
A connector body to align optical fibers with a mating connector body, comprising: alignment ferrules terminating optical fibers, wherein the alignment ferrules are aligned along passages through the connector body, and further, wherein the passages are environmentally sealed, whereby, environmental seals encircle respective alignment ferrules, springs bias the environmental seals toward respective collars on the alignment ferrules, and the environmental seals compress against the collar and compress against interiors of the passageways to seal the passages.
Claim 11
Dependent Claim
23 words
A connector body as recited in claim 8 wherein, the springs bias the alignment ferrules toward a mating end of the connector body.
Claim 12
Dependent Claim
21 words
A connector body as recited in claim 8 wherein, a resilient member encircles the connector body and provides an environmental seal.
Claim 13
Dependent Claim
46 words
A connector body as recited in claim 8 wherein, a resilient member encircles the connector body, and the connector body is attached by the resilient member in floating suspension against an interior of an opening in a wall so as to float in response to vibration.
Claim 14
Dependent Claim
24 words
A connector body as recited in claim 10 wherein, the resilient member is in front of a forward facing shoulder on the connector body.
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USPTO Annuity & Maintenance Windows
| Annuity Stage | Window Opens | Payment Deadline | Surcharge Period Until | Estimated Fee | Status |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 3.5 Years (Year 4) | 2003-01-31 | 2003-08-02 | 2004-02-01 | $2000.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 7.5 Years (Year 8) | 2007-01-31 | 2007-08-02 | 2008-02-01 | $3760.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 11.5 Years (Year 12) | 2011-01-31 | 2011-08-02 | 2012-02-01 | $7700.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |