IP Library › Granted Patent US 12693477
Granted Patent B2
US 12693477 · App. 18/497,752 · Granted Jul 28, 2026

Pitch conversion ferrule boot

Inventors: Paige E. Canzonieri (Brooklyn Park, MN); Richard S. Tiev (Shakopee, MN); Jaime Gonzalez Batista (Prior Lake, MN); Scott L Carlson (Bloomington, MN); Yu Lu (Eden Prairie, MN); Bruce Ogren (Edina, MN); Chinmay M. Bendale (Eden Prairie, MN); Joseph Fredrick Cowdery (Eden Prairie, MN); Seth C. Taccola (Lakeville, MN)
Assignee: COMMSCOPE TECHNOLOGIES LLC
G02B6/368G02B6/3861G02B6/3885
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Quick Facts
Patent No.
US 12693477
App. No.
18/497,752
Granted
Jul 28, 2026
Kind
B2
Abstract

The present disclosure relates to a ferrule boot that provides a pitch conversion from fiber ribbon having a first pitch (e.g., about 200 microns) to a multi-fiber ferrule having fiber openings arranged at a second pitch larger than the first pitch (e.g., about 250 microns). The ferrule boot may also function as a tool for inserting pitch converted optical fibers into the multi-fiber ferrule.

Claims (28)

1 . A fiber optic assembly comprising:

a fiber ribbon including a plurality of optical fibers maintained at a first center-to-center spacing;

a multi-fiber ferrule including a front end and a rear end, the multi-fiber ferrule including a row of ferrule fiber openings adjacent the front end of the multi-fiber ferrule, the ferrule fiber openings being arranged at a second center-to-center spacing that is larger than the first center-to-center spacing, the plurality of optical fibers having end portions secured within the ferrule fiber openings such that the end portions of the plurality of optical fibers are arranged at the second center-to-center spacing within the multi-fiber ferrule; and

a ferrule boot including a rear end and a front end, the front end secured within the multi-fiber ferrule adjacent the rear end of the multi-fiber ferrule, the ferrule boot defining a row of ferrule boot fiber openings arranged at the first center-to-center spacing at the rear end, each ferrule boot fiber opening including a conical taper to funnel a received optical fiber of the plurality of optical fibers to the second center-to-center spacing at the front end of the ferrule boot, the plurality of optical fibers being arranged to extend through the ferrule boot fiber openings.

2 . The fiber optic assembly of claim 1 , wherein the fiber ribbon is a rollable fiber ribbon.

3 . The fiber optic assembly of claim 1 , wherein the first center-to-center spacing is about 200 microns and the second center-to-center spacing is about 250 microns.

4 . The fiber optic assembly of claim 2 , wherein the fiber ribbon includes a transition region positioned behind the ferrule boot where the plurality of optical fibers transition from the first center-to-center spacing toward the second center-to-center spacing.

5 . The fiber optic assembly of claim 1 , wherein the ferrule boot fiber openings have diameters smaller than the second center-to-center spacing.

6 . The fiber optic assembly of claim 1 , wherein the multi-fiber ferule defines a window for receiving epoxy to secure the end portions of the plurality of optical fibers within the ferrule fiber openings.

7 . The fiber optic assembly of claim 1 , wherein the ferrule boot includes a front portion and a rear portion, wherein an interior of the front portion defines an inner slot that is not divided into separate openings and that has a cross-sectional shape that is elongate along a width of the ferrule boot, wherein the inner slot includes a taper such that the inner slot expands in a height orientation as the inner slot extends in a forward direction, and wherein an interior of the rear portion is divided into a plurality of ferrule boot fiber openings that are parallel and that extend through the rear portion from the rear end of the ferrule boot toward the front portion.

8 . A fiber optic assembly comprising:

a fiber ribbon including a plurality of optical fibers maintained at a first center-to-center spacing;

a multi-fiber ferrule including a front end and a rear end, the multi-fiber ferrule including a row of ferrule fiber openings adjacent the front end of the multi-fiber ferrule, the ferrule fiber openings being arranged at a second center-to-center spacing that is larger than the first center-to-center spacing, the plurality of optical fibers having end portions secured within the ferrule fiber openings such that the end portions of the plurality of optical fibers are arranged at the second center-to-center spacing within the multi-fiber ferrule; and

a ferrule boot secured within the multi-fiber ferrule adjacent the rear end of the multi-fiber ferrule, the ferrule boot defining a row of ferrule boot fiber openings arranged at an average center-to-center spacing that is larger than the first center-to-center spacing, the plurality of optical fibers being arranged to extend through the ferrule boot fiber openings, wherein the ferrule boot fiber openings are arranged in pairs of ferrule boot fiber openings, wherein the ferrule boot fiber openings of each pair of ferrule boot fiber openings are separated by a first ferrule boot fiber opening center-to-center spacing, and wherein the ferrule boot fiber openings of adjacent ones of the pairs of ferrule boot fiber openings are separated by a second ferrule boot fiber opening center-to-center spacing that is larger than the first ferrule boot fiber opening center-to-center spacing.

9 . The fiber optic assembly of claim 8 , wherein the fiber ribbon is a rollable fiber ribbon.

10 . The fiber optic assembly of claim 8 , wherein the first center-to-center spacing is about 200 microns and the second center-to-center spacing is about 250 microns.

11 . The fiber optic assembly of claim 8 , wherein the fiber ribbon includes a transition region positioned behind the ferrule boot where the plurality of optical fibers transition from the first center-to-center spacing toward the average center-to-center spacing.

12 . The fiber optic assembly of claim 8 , wherein the ferrule boot fiber openings have diameters smaller than the second center-to-center spacing and the average center-to-center spacing of the ferrule boot fiber openings.

13 . The fiber optic assembly of claim 8 , wherein the multi-fiber ferrule defines a window for receiving epoxy to secure the end portions of the plurality of optical fibers within the ferrule fiber openings.

14 . The fiber optic assembly of claim 8 , wherein the ferrule boot fiber openings neck down as the ferrule boot fiber openings extend towards a front end of the ferrule boot.

15 . The fiber optic assembly of claim 8 , wherein the average center-to-center spacing of the ferrule boot fiber openings is equal to the second center-to-center spacing.

16 . The fiber optic assembly of claim 8 , wherein the average center-to-center spacing of the ferrule boot fiber openings is between the first center-to-center spacing and the second center-to-center spacing.

17 . The fiber optic assembly of claim 8 , wherein the first ferrule boot fiber opening center-to-center spacing is about 200 microns, and the second ferrule boot fiber opening center-to-center spacing is about 300 microns.

18 . A fiber optic assembly comprising:

a fiber ribbon including a plurality of optical fibers;

a multi-fiber ferrule including a front end and a rear end, the multi-fiber ferrule including a row of ferrule fiber openings adjacent the front end of the multi-fiber ferrule, the ferrule fiber openings being arranged at a ferrule center-to-center spacing, the plurality of optical fibers having end portions secured within the ferrule fiber openings such that the end portions of the plurality of optical fibers are arranged at the ferrule center-to-center spacing within the multi-fiber ferrule; and

a ferrule boot secured within the multi-fiber ferrule adjacent the rear end of the multi-fiber ferrule, the ferrule boot defining a row of ferrule boot fiber openings arranged in pairs of ferrule boot fiber openings, wherein the ferrule boot fiber openings of each pair of ferrule boot fiber openings are separated by a first ferrule boot fiber opening center-to-center spacing, and wherein the ferrule boot fiber openings of adjacent ones of the pairs of ferrule boot fiber openings are separated by a second ferrule boot fiber opening center-to-center spacing that is larger than the first ferrule boot fiber opening center-to-center spacing, wherein the ferrule boot includes a front portion and a rear portion, wherein an interior of the front portion defines an inner slot that is not divided into separate openings and that has a cross-sectional shape that is elongate along a width of the ferrule boot, wherein the inner slot includes a taper such that the inner slot expands in a height orientation as the inner slot extends in a forward direction, and wherein an interior of the rear portion is divided into a plurality of ferrule boot fiber openings that are parallel and that extend through the rear portion from the rear end of the ferrule boot toward the front portion.

19 . The fiber optic assembly of claim 18 , wherein the first ferrule boot fiber opening center-to-center spacing is about 200 microns, and the second ferrule boot fiber opening center-to-center spacing is about 300 microns.