Field installed fiber optic connector
The present disclosure relates to a field installable connector system. The connector system includes a factory terminated subassembly including a ferrule terminating an optical fiber of an optical fiber cable. The factory terminated subassembly has a small transverse cross-section to facilitate routing through a duct. The connector system also includes a field installable subassembly including various connector components that can be installed after the factory terminated subassembly has been routed through a duct. The components can be sealed and hardened.
1. A method of assembling a fiber optic connector, comprising:
providing a subassembly including a ferrule at which an optical fiber is terminated and a ferrule hub mounted to the ferrule, the fiber defining a longitudinal fiber axis;
routing the subassembly through a duct;
after the routing, inserting the subassembly through a hardened coupling element;
after the routing, installing a plug locator about the optical fiber;
after the routing, installing a plug body that receives the ferrule and the ferrule hub; and
connecting the plug locator to the plug body.
2. The method of claim 1 , further comprising, before the routing, enclosing the connector subassembly in a casing, the routing including routing the casing enclosing the connector through the duct.
3. The method of claim 1 , further comprising, subsequent to the routing, removing the casing from the subassembly.
4. The method of claim 3 , wherein the removing is performed after the inserting the subassembly through a hardened coupling element.
5. The method of claim 1 , wherein the plug locator includes a plug mount to which the plug body is connected.
6. The method of claim 1 , wherein the installing the plug locator is performed by laterally installing, relative to the axis, the fiber through a slot defined by the plug locator.
7. The method of claim 1 , wherein the installing the plug locator is performed by interconnecting two pieces of the plug locator to each other about the fiber.
8. The method of claim 7 , wherein each of the two pieces is a half-piece of the plug locator.
9. The method of claim 1 , wherein the plug locator includes a pair of opposite paddles.
10. The method of claim 1 , further comprising, after connecting the plug locator, installing the plug body in a fiber optic adapter.
11. The method of claim 1 , wherein the plug body has an SC type form factor.
12. The method of claim 1 , wherein the hardened coupling element is installed to turn about the fiber axis, the hardened coupling element including a twist-to-lock coupling interface.
13. The method of claim 1 , wherein the routing includes pushing or pulling the subassembly through the duct.
14. The method of claim 1 , further comprising installing an elastomeric sealing sleeve on the plug locator.
15. The method of claim 1 , further comprising, before the connecting the plug locator to the plug body, connecting a rear housing to the plug body to axially capture the spring between the plug body and the rear housing.
16. The method of claim 15 , further comprising laterally installing, relative to the axis, the optical fiber in the rear housing through a slot defined by the rear housing.