Ferrule seating features for a fiber optic connector
A fiber optic connector housing has seating features in an internal opening that coordinate with a flange on a fiber optic ferrule to have a secure and precise position for the fiber optic ferrule. There are at least one pair of ramps that may be attached to an inner connector housing wall and an opening wall. The flange has contacts that engage the ramps, which direct the fiber optic ferrule in a rotational direction as well as a translational direction to a final position. The seating features also ensure the correct position after the fiber optic ferrule has been mated and unmated.
1. A fiber optic connector comprising:
a connector housing having an opening defined by an inner connector housing wall, the opening extending along a longitudinal direction of the connector housing;
an opening wall at least partially surrounding the opening and extending into the opening from the inner connector housing wall;
a fiber optic ferrule disposable in the opening, the fiber optic ferrule having a flange extending around at least a portion thereof, and
at least one pair of ramps extending into the opening from the inner connector housing wall, each of the at least one pair of ramps connected to the opening wall via a respective ramp wall at the opening wall, the flange engaging each of the at least one pair of ramps in at least two places in a final position.
2. The fiber optic connector according to claim 1 , wherein the final position comprises a position allowing the fiber optic ferrule to resiliently engage a second fiber optic ferrule in a second fiber optic connector.
3. The fiber optic connector according to claim 1 , wherein the at least one pair of ramps comprises two ramps and the flange engages the two ramps in at least four places in the final position.
4. The fiber optic connector according to claim 1 , wherein the engagement of the flange with the at least one pair of ramps causes the flange to rotate relative to the connector housing in only one direction.
5. The fiber optic connector according to claim 1 , wherein the engagement of the flange with the at least one pair of ramps causes the flange to translate relative to the connector housing.
6. The fiber optic connector according to claim 1 , wherein the final position is when a first portion of the flange contacts each ramp in the at least one pair of ramps and a second, different portion of the flange contacts each ramp in the at least one pair of ramps in a different position from the first portion.
7. The fiber optic connector of claim 1 , wherein the at least one pair of ramps geometrically follow a helical curve.
8. The fiber optic connector according to claim 1 , wherein the flange includes a ramp contact edge configured to slide along at least a portion of one of the at least one pair of ramps in a rotational motion of the fiber optic ferrule until the final position.
9. The fiber optic connector according to claim 1 , wherein the fiber optic ferrule has an angled polished end-face.
10. The fiber optic connector according to claim 1 , wherein in the final position, there is a gap between the flange and a junction of a ramp surface of the at least one pair of ramps and a non-uniform ramp wall of another of the ramps of the at least one pair of ramps.
11. A fiber optic connector comprising:
a connector housing having an opening defined by an inner connector housing wall, the opening extending along a longitudinal direction of the connector housing;
an opening wall at least partially surrounding the opening and extending into the opening from the inner connector housing wall;
a fiber optic ferrule disposable in the opening, the fiber optic ferrule having a flange extending around at least a portion thereof; and
at least one pair of ramps extending into the opening from the inner connector housing wall, each of the at least one pair of ramps having a ramp surface and a non-uniform ramp wall and engaging at least a portion of the inner connector housing wall, the flange engaging each of the at least one pair of ramps in at least two places in a final position.
12. The fiber optic connector according to claim 11 , wherein the flange engages a junction of the ramp surface of one of the at least one pair of ramps and the non-uniform ramp wall of another of the at least one pair of ramps.
13. The fiber optic connector according to claim 11 , further comprising: an additional fiber optic ferrule also disposable in the opening substantially parallel to the fiber optic ferrule, the additional fiber optic ferrule having a respective flange extending around at least a portion thereof.
14. The fiber optic ferrule according to claim 11 , wherein in the final position the fiber optic ferrule has a maximum angular rotation about the longitudinal direction that is within 0.5°-1.5°.
15. A duplex fiber optic connector comprising:
a connector housing having a pair of openings each opening in the pair of openings defined by an inner connector housing wall, the opening extending along a longitudinal direction of the connector housing;
an opening wall at least partially surrounding the opening and extending into the opening from the inner connector housing wall;
a pair of fiber optic ferrules receivable inside the connector housing, wherein each fiber optic ferrule in the pair of fiber optic ferrules is disposable in a respective one of the openings, each of the fiber optic ferrules having a flange extending around at least a portion thereof and each of the fiber optic ferrules supporting an optical fiber; and
at least one pair of ramps extending into each of the openings from the inner connector housing wall, each of the at least one pair of ramps having a ramp surface and a non-uniform wall and engaging at least a portion of the inner connector housing wall, the flange engaging each of the at least one pair of ramps in a final position,
wherein in the final position of the pair of fiber optic ferrules, an endface of one of the pair of fiber optic ferrules is facing in a direction different from an endface of the other one of the pair of fiber optic ferrules.
16. The duplex fiber optic connector according to claim 15 , wherein the optical fiber has a single core or has multiple cores.
17. The duplex fiber optic connector according to claim 16 , wherein in the final position each of the fiber optic ferrules has a maximum angular rotation about the longitudinal direction that is within 0.5°-1.5°.
18. The duplex fiber optic connector according to claim 15 , wherein in the final position each of the fiber optic ferrules has a maximum angular rotation about the longitudinal direction that is within 0.5°-1.5°.