Fiber optic connector assembly employing fiber movement support and method of assembly

Abstract

A fiber optic connector assembly and method employing one or more fiber movement supports. The one or more fiber movement supports are each disposed around one or more optical fibers and are configured to inhibit kinks or sharp bends from occurring in the one or more optical fibers. The fiber movement support is more rigid than an optical fiber. Thus, when a force is exerted on an optical fiber in a direction angled to the axis of the optical fiber, the force is directed to the fiber movement support. The fiber movement support translates the non-axial force in a direction toward the axis of the optical fiber. This causes the optical fiber to be pushed back towards the fiber optic cable instead of the kinking or bending the optical fiber, thus avoiding or reducing high insertion losses resulting from bending of the optical fiber.

1 . A fiber optic connector assembly, comprising:
 a connector housing, comprising:   a first end configured to receive a first end portion of a first optical fiber from a fiber optic cable aligned along a first longitudinal axis; and   a second end receiving a first ferrule holder having a first passage extending therethrough and aligned along a second longitudinal axis offset a distance from the first longitudinal axis, wherein the first passage is in communication with a first ferrule; and   a first fiber movement support disposed in the connector housing and in communication with the first passage, and configured to receive and direct the first end portion into the first passage.   
   
   
       2 . The fiber optic connector of  claim 1 , wherein the fiber first movement support is further configured to translate a nonaxial force exerted on the first end portion in a direction towards the longitudinal axis of the first end portion. 
   
   
       3 . The fiber optic connector assembly of  claim 1 , wherein the offset distance between the first longitudinal axis and the second longitudinal axis at least about 2.0 millimeters. 
   
   
       4 . The fiber optic connector assembly of  claim 1 , wherein the first fiber movement support translates the direction of the force exerted on the first end portion at an angle between about 15 degrees and 25 degrees. 
   
   
       5 . The fiber optic connector assembly of  claim 1 , wherein the first fiber movement support is constructed from a rigid material comprised from the group consisting of a thermoplastic material, a fluropolymer, Tetrafluoroethylene (TFE), Polytetrafluorethylene (PTFE), Polyvinylidene Fluoride (PVDF), and a Teflon®-based material. 
   
   
       6 . The fiber optic connector assembly of  claim 1 , wherein the first fiber movement support is adapted to guide the first end portion of the first optical fiber into the first passage. 
   
   
       7 . The fiber optic connector assembly of  claim 1 , wherein the first fiber movement support is comprised of a first stiffener tube. 
   
   
       8 . The fiber optic connector assembly of  claim 7 , wherein the first stiffener tube has an inner diameter of between about 300 and 1000 micrometers (μm). 
   
   
       9 . The fiber optic connector assembly of  claim 1 , wherein the first fiber movement support is comprised of a first insert disposed within the connector housing. 
   
   
       10 . The fiber optic connector assembly of  claim 9 , wherein the first insert comprises a first insert channel. 
   
   
       11 . The fiber optic connector assembly of  claim 1 , wherein the first fiber movement support is comprised of a first molded channel molded inside the connector housing. 
   
   
       12 . The fiber optic connector assembly of  claim 1 , wherein the connector housing defines a first ferrule holder recess holding a portion of the first ferrule holder. 
   
   
       13 . The fiber optic connector assembly of  claim 1 , wherein the second end is further configured to receive a second end portion of a second optical fiber from a duplex fiber optic cable;
 wherein the second end receives a second ferrule holder having a second passage extending therethrough and aligned along a third longitudinal axis offset a distance from the first longitudinal axis, wherein the second passage is in communication with a second ferrule; and   a second fiber movement support disposed in the connector housing and in communication with the second passage, and configured to receive and direct the second end portion into the second passage.   
   
   
       14 . The fiber optic connector assembly of  claim 13 , wherein the first fiber movement support and the second fiber movement support are disposed within the connector housing at an acute angle with respect to the first and second longitudinal axes. 
   
   
       15 . The fiber optic connector assembly of  claim 13 , wherein the first fiber movement support is adapted to receive and guide the first end portion into the first passage, and wherein the second fiber movement support is adapted to receive and guide the second end portion into the second passage. 
   
   
       16 . The fiber optic connector assembly of  claim 13 , wherein the first fiber movement support is comprised of a first stiffener tube, and the second fiber movement support is comprised of a second stiffener tube. 
   
   
       17 . The fiber optic connector assembly of  claim 13 , wherein the connector housing is comprised of an upper housing coupled to a lower housing defining a connector passage therebetween, and disposed around a portion of a first optical connector sub-assembly, a portion of a second optical connector sub assembly, the first fiber movement support, and the second fiber movement support. 
   
   
       18 . The fiber optic connector assembly of  claim 17 , wherein the lower housing defines at least one mating recess that mates with a protrusion defined by the upper housing. 
   
   
       19 . A fiber optic connector assembly, comprising:
 an LC connector housing, comprising:   a rear end configured to receive a first end portion and a second end portion both of a duplex first optical fiber aligned along a first longitudinal axis; and   a front end for receiving:   a first ferrule holder of a first LC connector sub-assembly having a first passage extending therethrough and aligned along a second longitudinal axis offset a distance from the first longitudinal axis, wherein the first passage is in communication with a first ferrule; and   a second ferrule holder of a second LC connector sub-assembly having a second passage extending therethrough and aligned along a third longitudinal axis offset a distance from the first longitudinal axis, wherein the second passage is in communication with a second ferrule;   a first fiber movement support disposed in the LC connector housing and in communication with the first passage, and configured to receive and direct the first end portion into the first passage; and   a second fiber movement support disposed in the LC connector housing and in communication with the second passage, and configured to receive and direct the second end portion into the second passage.   
   
   
       20 . The fiber optic connector assembly of  claim 19 , wherein the distance of offset between the first longitudinal axis, and the second and third longitudinal axes is at least about 2.0 millimeters (mm). 
   
   
       21 . A method of assembling a fiber optic connector assembly, comprising the steps of:
 exposing a first end portion of a first optical fiber contained in a fiber optic cable aligned along a first longitudinal axis;   inserting a first fiber movement support into a first passage extending through a first ferrule holder of a first optical connector sub-assembly aligned along a second longitudinal axis offset a distance from the first longitudinal axis; and   inserting the first end portion into the first fiber movement support and into the first passage.   
   
   
       22 . The method of  claim 21 , wherein the first fiber movement support is further configured to translate a nonaxial force exerted on the first end portion in a direction towards the longitudinal axis of the first end portion. 
   
   
       23 . The method of  claim 21 , further comprising placing a portion of the first optical connector sub-assembly into a connector housing. 
   
   
       24 . The method of  claim 23 , wherein placing a portion of the first optical connector sub-assembly into a connector housing comprises placing the portion of the first optical connector sub-assembly into a first recess in a lower housing of the connector housing. 
   
   
       25 . The method of  claim 23 , further comprising attaching an upper housing of the connector housing onto the lower housing to secure the first optical connector sub-assembly within the connector housing. 
   
   
       26 . The method of  claim 23 , further comprising placing the first end portion of the fiber optic cable into the connector housing. 
   
   
       27 . The method of  claim 26 , wherein placing the first end portion of the fiber optic cable into the connector housing comprises:
 inserting the first end portion through a crimp body; and   placing the crimp body in a third recess in a lower housing of the connector housing.   
   
   
       28 . The method of  claim 23 , further comprising the steps of:
 exposing a second end portion of a second optical fiber contained in the fiber optic cable aligned along the first longitudinal axis;   inserting a second fiber movement support into a second passage extending through a second ferrule holder of a second optical connector sub-assembly aligned along a third longitudinal axis offset a distance from the first longitudinal axis; and   inserting the second end portion into the second fiber movement support and into the second passage.