Assembly tool and optical connector assembly method
View Patent ↗An assembly tool for installing an optical fiber in an optical connector includes a base having a connector mounting region to receive and secure the optical connector on the base, the connector including a housing and a ferrule. The assembly tool further includes a protrusion setting mechanism to set a protrusion of the terminal end of the optical fiber, the protrusion corresponding to a distance the terminal end of the fiber extends from an end face of the connector ferrule.
1. An assembly tool for installing an optical fiber in an optical connector, comprising:
a base having a connector mounting region to receive and secure the optical connector on the base, the connector including a housing and a ferrule disposed therein, and
a protrusion setting mechanism to set a protrusion of a terminal end of the optical fiber, the protrusion corresponding to a distance the terminal end of the fiber extends from an end face of the connector ferrule, wherein the protrusion setting mechanism comprises a shim and a fiber stop.
2. The assembly tool of claim 1 , wherein the optical connector is a remote grip optical connector.
3. The assembly tool of claim 1 , further comprising an actuator arm pivotally mounted on the base adjacent to the connector mounting region to engage a fiber securing mechanism in the connector.
4. The assembly tool of claim 1 , wherein the connector mounting region includes a connector clamp disposed on the base to secure the position of the connector housing relative to the base.
5. The assembly tool of claim 4 , wherein the connector clamp is integrally formed with the base of the assembly tool.
6. The assembly tool of claim 4 , wherein the connector clamp includes two arms engageable with a portion of the connector housing.
7. The assembly tool of claim 6 , wherein the two arms are coupled to each other by a spring.
8. The assembly tool of claim 1 , wherein the shim is formed from one of a plastic, a metal, and a ceramic and wherein the fiber stop is formed from one of a plastic, a metal, glass, quartz and a ceramic.
9. The assembly tool of claim 1 , wherein the shim has a thickness of from about 15 μm to about 60 μm.
10. The assembly tool of claim 1 , wherein the shim has a thickness of from about 15 μm to about 35 μm.
11. An assembly tool for installing an optical fiber in an optical connector, comprising:
a base having a connector mounting region to receive and secure the optical connector on the base, the connector including a housing and a ferrule disposed therein, and
a protrusion setting mechanism to set a protrusion of a terminal end of the optical fiber, the protrusion corresponding to a distance the terminal end of the fiber extends from an end face of the connector ferrule, wherein the protrusion setting mechanism comprises a stop block slidably engageable with the base.
12. The assembly tool of claim 11 , wherein the first surface is configured to engage with the end face of the ferrule, and wherein the stop block comprises a second surface, disposed in the indent portion, configured to engage with the terminal end of the fiber.
13. The assembly tool of claim 11 , wherein the base includes a channel to configured to facilitate positioning of the stop block.
14. The assembly tool of claim 11 , wherein the stop block slidably engageable with the base includes a stacked structure having a first material and a second material, the materials selected such that a thermal expansion behavior of the stop block compensates for a thermal expansion behavior of the optical fiber connector.
15. The assembly tool of claim 11 , wherein the stop block includes an indent portion formed in a first surface thereof having a depth corresponding to the distance the terminal end of the fiber extends from an end face of the connector ferrule.
16. The assembly tool of claim 11 , wherein the optical connector is a remote grip optical connector.
17. The assembly tool of claim 11 , further comprising an actuator arm pivotally mounted on the base adjacent to the connector mounting region to engage a fiber securing mechanism in the connector.
18. The assembly tool of claim 11 , wherein the connector mounting region includes a connector clamp disposed on the base to secure the position of the connector housing relative to the base.
19. The assembly tool of claim 18 , wherein the connector clamp includes two arms engageable with a portion of the connector housing.
20. The assembly tool of claim 19 , wherein the two arms are coupled to each other by a spring.