Mechanical connector with cable retention feature

Abstract

A connector includes a body and a cap, wherein the cap is configured to be threadedly coupled to the body. The body is configured to receive an optical fiber cable therein and to be coupled to a subassembly of an optical fiber connector, wherein an inner surface of the body includes an annularly extending ridge protruding radially inward; and the body is configured to be radially compressed on a jacket of the optical fiber cable when the cap is threadedly coupled to the body.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] The present invention generally relates to connectors for coupling a fiber optic cable to a fiber optic connector. More specifically, the present invention relates to a mechanical connector configured to be secured to a fiber optic cable by compression and coupled to a fiber optic connector. Background Art

[0002] Fiber optic communication systems typically use fiber optic cable networks to transmit large amounts of data. A typical fiber optic connector includes a ferrule that supports the end of an optical fiber. When two fiber optic connectors are interconnected, the end faces of the ferrules on each connector are directly opposite each other. Therefore, the optical fibers supported by each ferrule are also directly opposite each other. In addition, when the connectors are in this interconnected state, springs in each connector bias the optical fibers toward each other. Optical signals can then be transmitted from one optical fiber to the other optical fiber.

[0003] Conventional fiber optic connectors are fastened to a Kevlar strengthening member that is included in the fiber optic cable or is crimped to a crimping ring using a crimping tool. Attaching the connector to the Kevlar strengthening member creates a relatively weak connection that is susceptible to bending. In addition, some types of fiber optic cables (such as Fiber optic cables contain less Kevlar than other standard jumper cords, which can result in a less reliable connection under load.

[0004] Crimp type fiber optic connector is inconvenient because it requires each installer to carry a special tool for crimping the connector onto the cable. Moreover, the use of the crimping tool can cause poor connection due to potential installer error.

[0005] It is desirable to provide a connector that overcomes one or more of the above-mentioned disadvantages of conventional fiber optic connectors. For example, it is desirable to provide a connector that is configured to couple a fiber optic cable to a fiber optic connector, increase connection strength, and wherein the risk of process errors is reduced. Summary of the invention

[0006] According to various aspects of the present disclosure, a connector includes a body and a cap, the body including a threaded portion, and the cap is configured to be threadedly coupled to the threaded portion of the body. The body is configured to receive a fiber optic cable therein, the inner surface of the body includes an annularly extending ridge that protrudes radially inward, the body is configured to be radially compressed on the jacket of the fiber optic cable when the cap is threadedly coupled to the body, and the annularly extending ridge is configured to engage a circumferential groove in the fiber optic cable to prevent relative axial movement between the fiber optic cable and the connector. The body includes a front portion and a rear portion, a threaded portion, the threaded portion is between the front portion and the rear portion, and includes threads on the outer surface of the body, the front portion is configured to be coupled to a fiber optic connector subassembly, and the rear portion of the body includes a plurality of finger-shaped portions that extend from a tubular wall of the rear portion in a rearward direction away from the threaded portion and the front portion. The front portion of the cap includes an internal thread that is sized and configured to be threadably coupled to a thread on an outer surface of the main body, and the rear portion of the cap includes a tapered inner diameter portion that tapers radially inward from the internal thread in a rearward direction, and the tapered inner diameter portion is configured to engage a plurality of finger-shaped portions when the cap is threadably coupled to the main body, and radially compress the plurality of finger-shaped portions toward an outer jacket of the optical fiber cable so that the optical fiber cable is clamped by the main body.

[0007] In some aspects, the connector includes a crimp sleeve. The jacket of the optical fiber cable is received between the body and the crimp sleeve. The crimp sleeve includes an elongated tubular member that terminates at a front flanged head, and the flanged head includes a first flange portion behind a second flange portion, each of the first and second flange portions includes an annular flange, the second flange portion has a larger outer dimension than the first flange portion, and the first flange portion includes at least one flat area on its outer surface. The tubular wall at the rear of the body includes an annular recess that is configured to receive the first flange portion of the crimp sleeve, and the recess includes one or more flat areas that are sized and arranged to receive one or more flat areas of the first flange portion of the crimp sleeve so that when the first flange portion is received by the recess, the crimp sleeve does not rotate relative to the body.

[0008] According to various aspects of the present disclosure, the connector includes a body and a cap, the body including a threaded portion. The cap is configured to be threadedly connected to the threaded portion of the body. The body is configured to receive a fiber optic cable therein, the inner surface of the body includes an annularly extending ridge that protrudes radially inward, the body is configured to be radially compressed on the sheath of the fiber optic cable when the cap is threadedly connected to the body, the annularly extending ridge is configured to engage a circumferential groove in the fiber optic cable to prevent relative axial movement between the fiber optic cable and the connector, the rear portion of the cap includes a tapered inner diameter portion that tapers radially inward from the internal thread in a rearward direction, and the tapered inner diameter portion is configured to engage a plurality of finger-shaped portions when the cap is threadedly connected to the body, and the plurality of finger-shaped portions are radially compressed toward the outer sheath of the fiber optic cable, so that the fiber optic cable is clamped by the body.

[0009] In various aspects, the body includes a front portion and a rear portion, a threaded portion located between the front portion and the rear portion and including threads on an outer surface of the body, the front portion is configured to couple with a fiber optic connector subassembly, and the rear portion of the body includes a plurality of fingers extending from a tubular wall of the rear portion in a rearward direction away from the threaded portion and the front portion. The front portion of the cap includes internal threads sized and configured to threadably couple with the threads on the outer surface of the body.

[0010] In some aspects, the connector includes a crimp sleeve. The jacket of the optical fiber cable is received between the body and the crimp sleeve. The crimp sleeve includes an elongated tubular member that terminates at a front flanged head, and the flanged head includes a first flange portion behind a second flange portion, each of the first and second flange portions includes an annular flange, the second flange portion has a larger outer dimension than the first flange portion, and the first flange portion includes at least one flat area on its outer surface. The tubular wall at the rear of the body includes an annular recess that is configured to receive the first flange portion of the crimp sleeve, and the recess includes one or more flat areas that are sized and arranged to receive the above-mentioned one or more flat areas of the first flange portion of the crimp sleeve, so that the crimp sleeve does not rotate relative to the body when the first flange portion is received by the recess.

[0011] According to various embodiments of the present disclosure, the connector includes a body and a cap, the cap being configured to be threadedly coupled to the body. The body is configured to receive an optical fiber cable therein, and the body is coupled to a subassembly of an optical fiber connector, the inner surface of the body includes an annularly extending ridge protruding radially inward, and the body is configured to be radially compressed on a jacket of the optical fiber cable when the cap is threadedly coupled to the body. BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0012] Figure 1 is an exploded perspective view of an exemplary connector according to aspects of the present disclosure.

[0013] Figures 2A-2D They are Figure 1 A perspective view, a side view, a side cross-sectional view (along line II-II) and an end view of the body of an exemplary connector.

[0014] Figures 3A-3D They are Figure 1 A perspective view, a side view, a side cross-sectional view (along line III-III), and an end view of a cap of an exemplary connector.

[0015] Figures 4A-4D They are Figure 1 A perspective view, a side view, a side cross-sectional view (along line IV-IV), and an end view of a crimp sleeve of an exemplary connector.

[0016] Figure 5 Assembled with fiber optic cable Figure 1 A side cross-sectional view of an exemplary connector.

[0017] Figure 6 is an exploded perspective view of another exemplary connector according to aspects of the present disclosure.

[0018] Figures 7A-7D They are Figure 6 A perspective view, a side view, a side cross-sectional view (along line VII-VII), and an end view of the body of an exemplary connector.

[0019] Fig. 7E yes Figure 6 An enlarged perspective view of a portion of a body of an exemplary connector.

[0020] Figures 8A-8D They are Figure 6 A perspective view, a side view, a side cross-sectional view (along line VIII-VIII), and an end view of a cap of an exemplary connector.

[0021] Fig. 9 Assembled with fiber optic cables and fiber optic connectors Figure 6 An exploded perspective view of an exemplary connector.

[0022] Fig.10 Assembled with fiber optic cables and fiber optic connectors Figure 6 A side cross-sectional view of an exemplary connector. DETAILED DESCRIPTION

[0023] Figure 1-5 An exemplary connector 100 according to aspects of the present disclosure is shown. The connector 100 is configured for use with a fiber optic cable 190, such as Optical cables, such as Figure 5 Of course, connector 100 may be used with any fiber optic cable.

[0024] refer to Figure 1 The connector 100 includes a body 110, a cap 140, and a crimp sleeve 170. The body 110 is configured to be connected to a fiber optic connector subassembly (such as, Fig. 9 and Fig.10 The optical fiber connector subassembly 682 shown in FIG. The optical fiber connector subassembly 682 can be a subassembly of a subscriber connector (SC connector, Subscriber Connector), a Lucent connector (LC connector, Lucent Connector), a straight end connector (ST connector, Straight Tip Connector), or the like.

[0025] Reference now Figures 2A-2D , the body 110 includes a front portion 112, a rear portion 114, and a threaded portion 116 between the front portion 112 and the rear portion 114. The front portion 112 is configured to couple with a fiber optic connector subassembly, as described in more detail below. The threaded portion 116 includes threads 130 on an outer surface 132. The rear portion 114 includes a plurality of finger-shaped portions 120 extending from a tubular wall portion 122 of the rear portion 114 in a rearward direction away from the threaded portion 116 and the front portion 112.

[0026] exist Figure 1-5 In the embodiment shown in FIG. 1 , the plurality of fingers 120 are defined by keyhole-shaped cutouts 128 at the rear end of the rear portion 114 of the body 110. Figure 1-5 The embodiment includes a rear portion 114 having four fingers 120, but it should be understood that in some embodiments, the rear portion 114 may include two fingers or three fingers or more than four fingers. One or more of the plurality of fingers 120 may include an annularly extending ridge 124 that protrudes radially inward from an inner surface 126 of the one or more fingers 120.

[0027] Reference now Figures 3A-3D The cap 140 includes a front portion 142 and a rear portion 144. The front portion 142 includes an internal thread 146 ( Figure 3C ) and an outer surface that may include one or more gripping features 148 (e.g., ribs, grooves, knurling, and / or the like). The rear portion 144 may include an outer surface 158 having one or more barbs 160 configured to receive and help retain the cover 192, as described with respect to Figure 5 The internal threads 146 are sized and configured to threadably couple with the threads 130 on the outer surface 132 of the body 110 .

[0028] Reference Figures 4A-4D , the crimping sleeve 170 includes an elongated tubular member 172 terminating in a forward flanged head 174. Figures 4A-4C In the illustrated embodiment, the flanged head 174 includes a first flange portion 176 behind a second flange portion 178. Each of the first and second flange portions 176, 178 includes an annular flange, wherein the second flange portion 178 has a larger outer dimension in a radial direction than the first flange portion 176. Moreover, the first flange portion 176 includes at least one flat area 180 on its outer surface. The illustrated embodiment includes two flat areas 180, but in some embodiments may include one flat area or more than two flat areas.

[0029] Reference again Figure 2C , the tubular wall 122 of the rear portion 114 of the body 110 includes a first inner diameter d1 adjacent to the finger-shaped portion 120. The body 110 includes a flange portion 136 that extends radially inward from the inner surface of the tubular wall 122 of the rear portion 114 and the threaded portion 116. That is, the flange portion 136 extends axially from the rear portion 114 into the threaded portion 116. The flange portion 136 has a second inner diameter d2 that is smaller than the first inner diameter d1. The front end of the flange portion 136 includes a notch portion 138 that is sized and configured to receive the first flange portion 176 of the crimping sleeve 170. That is, the notch portion 138 has a third inner diameter d3 that is larger than the second inner diameter d2 but smaller than the first inner diameter d1. The notch portion 138 includes one or more flat areas 139 (the same number as the number of flat areas 180 on the first flange portion 176 of the crimp sleeve 170) that are sized and configured to receive the one or more flat areas 180 of the first flange portion 176 of the crimp sleeve 170 so that the crimp sleeve 170 cannot rotate relative to the body 110 when the first flange portion 176 is received by the notch portion 138. The threaded portion 116 of the body 110 includes a fourth inner diameter d4 behind the inner flange 136 and the notch portion 138. The fourth inner diameter d4 is greater than the second inner diameter d2 and the third inner diameter d3, and may be equal to, greater than, or less than the first inner diameter d1.

[0030] Reference now Figure 3C , the rear portion 144 of the cap 140 includes a tapered inner diameter portion 150 that tapers radially inwardly from the internal threads 146 to the middle region 152 of the rear portion 144 in the rearward direction. The inner diameter of the cap from the middle region 152 of the rear portion to the rear end 154 remains substantially constant, allowing for manufacturing tolerances that may result in a small taper of, for example, approximately 1°. The middle region 152 may include a rounded transition portion 156 between the tapered inner diameter portion 150 and the substantially constant diameter portion. As shown, the inner diameter of the portion of the cap 140 extending from the middle region 152 of the rear portion 144 to the rear end 154 is less than the outer diameter of the finger-shaped portion 120, so that when the cap 140 is threadedly coupled to the body 110, the cap 140 is configured to compress the finger-shaped portion 120 radially inwardly.

[0031] In use, the elongated tubular member 172 of the crimping sleeve 170 is inserted into the front portion 112 of the body 110 until the first flange portion 176 is received by the notch 138 of the inner flange 136 of the body 110. The one or more flat areas 180 of the first flange portion 176 of the crimping sleeve 170 are aligned with and received by the one or more flat areas 139 of the inner flange 139, so that the crimping sleeve 170 cannot rotate relative to the body 110. Figure 5As shown, the elongated tubular member 172 extends through the inner flange 136 and through the threaded portion 116 and the rear portion 114 of the body 110. In some aspects, the tubular member 172 can extend axially outward from the rear portion 114 of the body 110.

[0032] To attach the connector 100 to the fiber optic cable 190, the hood 192 is slid over the outer jacket 196 and the optical fibers 194 at the end 198 of the fiber optic cable 190 and moved on the fiber optic cable 190 in a direction away from the end 198. Next, the cap 140 is slid over the outer jacket 196 and the optical fibers 194 at the end 198 of the fiber optic cable 190, the rear portion 144 of the cap 140 is closer to the hood 192, and the cap 140 is moved on the fiber optic cable 190 in a direction away from the end 198. Then, the optical fibers 194 ( Figure 5 The optical fiber 194 is fed out of the front portion 112 of the main body 110 so that the optical fiber 194 can be terminated with the optical fiber subassembly 182.

[0033] The end 198 of the outer jacket 196 of the optical fiber cable 190 is inserted into the rear portion 114 of the main body 110 to an axial position such that the axial groove 199' of the outer jacket 196 of the optical fiber cable 190 closest to the end 198 is aligned with one or more ridges 124 of the finger-shaped portion 120 of the main body 110. It should be understood that the one or more ridges 124 can be spaced a distance from the rear end of the flange portion 136 that is substantially the same as the distance between consecutive grooves 199 in the outer jacket 196, so that the end 198 can be defined by the grooves 199 and the one or more ridges 124 are aligned with the axial groove 199' closest to the end 198.

[0034] It should also be understood that the rear portion 114 of the main body 110 may have a certain length, the size of which is determined so that the inner surface of the rear portion 114 may have a second annular ridge (not shown), which extends radially inward and is spaced apart from the one or more ridges 124 mentioned above, so that the second annular ridge and the one or more ridges 124 mentioned above can engage two continuous grooves 199 in the outer sheath 196 of the cable 190.

[0035] Next, the cap 140 is moved along the fiber optic cable 190 in a forward direction toward the body 110 until the internal threads 146 of the cap 140 begin to engage the external threads 130 of the body 110. The cap 140 is then rotated relative to the body 110. As the cap 140 is rotated relative to the body 110, the cap 140 is threadably coupled to the body 110. As the cap 140 is rotated relative to the body 110, the tapered inner diameter portion 150 of the cap 140 may engage the finger portions 120 of the body 110 and radially compress the finger portions 120 of the body 110 onto the outer jacket 196 adjacent to the end 198 of the fiber optic cable 190. The one or more ridges 124 of the finger portions 120 are configured to be received by the circumferential grooves 199' in the cable 190, as shown in FIG. Figure 5 , to prevent relative axial movement between the fiber optic cable 190 and the connector 100, for example, under load conditions.

[0036] If the fiber optic cable 190 is not a grooved cable, or if the annularly extending ribs 124 on the finger-shaped portion 120 are not aligned with the grooves 199, the annularly extending ribs 124 can still dig into the outer jacket 196 to help retain the fiber optic cable 190 in the connector 100 under load conditions. The cap 140 is rotated relative to the body 110 until the cap 140 and the body 110 are tightened to each other through a threaded connection. After the cap 140 and the body 110 are tightened to each other, the cover 192 moves along the cable 190 in a forward direction on the rear portion 144 of the cap 140 and engages with one or more barbs 160 on the outer surface of the cap 140 so that the cover 192 is retained by the cap 140.

[0037] The optical fiber 194 that is fed out of the front portion 612 of the body 610 is cut and passed through the optical fiber connector subassembly 182 ( Fig. 9 and 10 ) termination, as will be understood by those skilled in the art. Such cutting and termination can occur in the field, thereby producing a field terminated fiber optic connector. The fiber optic connector subassembly 182 and the housing 184 ( Fig. 9 and Fig.10 ), the housing 184 is configured to be coupled to a fiber port of, for example, a bulkhead adapter, a splitter, or the like. The housing 184 can be configured as an SC connector, an LC connector, an ST connector, or the like. For example, the housing can be configured as SC connector, LC connector, ST connector, or the like.

[0038] Figure 6-10 Another exemplary connector 600 according to aspects of the present disclosure is shown. The connector 600 is configured for use with a fiber optic cable 190, for example, Optical cables, such as Fig. 9and 10 Of course, connector 600 may be used with any fiber optic cable.

[0039] refer to Figure 6 , the connector 600 includes a body 610 and a cap 640. The body 610 is configured to couple with a fiber optic connector subassembly 682, as described below with reference to Fig. 9 and 10 Described in more detail. The fiber optic connector subassembly 682 can be a subassembly of an SC connector, an LC connector, an ST connector, or the like.

[0040] Reference now Figures 7A-7D , the body 610 includes a front portion 612, a rear portion 614, and a threaded portion 616 between the front portion 612 and the rear portion 614. The front portion 612 is configured to couple with a fiber optic connector subassembly 682, as described in more detail below. The threaded portion 616 includes threads 630 on an outer surface 632. The rear portion 614 includes a plurality of finger-shaped portions 620 extending from a tubular wall 622 of the rear portion 614 in a rearward direction away from the threaded portion 616 and the front portion 612.

[0041] exist Figures 6 to 10 In the illustrated embodiment, the plurality of fingers 620 are defined by V-shaped cutouts 628 at the rear of the rear portion 614 of the body 610. Figure 6-10 The embodiment includes a rear portion 614 having three fingers 620, but it should be understood that in some embodiments, the rear portion 614 may include two fingers or more than three fingers. One or more of the fingers 620 may include an annularly extending ridge 624 that protrudes radially inward from an inner surface 626 of the one or more fingers 620. Fig. 7E As shown, one or more of the plurality of fingers 620 can include axial ribs 625 extending radially inward from an inner surface 626. In some embodiments, the ribs 625 can be arranged in a non-axial direction, such as in a helical configuration.

[0042] Reference now Figures 8A-8D , the cap 640 includes a front portion 642 and a rear portion 644. The front portion 642 includes an internal thread 646 ( Figure 8C ) and an outer surface that may include one or more gripping features 648, such as ribs, grooves, knurling, and / or the like. The rear portion 644 may include an outer surface 658 having one or more barbs 660 configured to receive and help retain the cover 692, as shown below Fig. 9 and Fig.10 The internal threads 646 are sized and configured to threadably couple with the threads 630 on the outer surface 632 of the body 610 .

[0043] Reference again Figure 7C , the tubular wall 622 of the rear portion 614 of the body 610 includes a first inner diameter d1' adjacent to the finger-shaped portion 620. The body 610 includes a flange portion 636 that extends radially inward from the inner surface of the tubular wall 622 of the rear portion 614 and the threaded portion 616. That is, the flange portion 636 extends axially from the rear portion 614 into the threaded portion 616. The flange portion 636 has a second inner diameter d2' that is smaller than the first inner diameter d1'. The rear end of the flange portion 636 defines a stopper 638 that is configured to prevent the jacket 196 of the optical fiber cable 190 from moving through the flange portion 636 of the body 610 in a direction from rear to front. The threaded portion 616 of the body 610 includes a fourth inner diameter d4' behind the inner flange 636. The fourth inner diameter d4' is larger than the second inner diameter d2' and may be equal to, larger than, or smaller than the first inner diameter d1'.

[0044] Reference now Figure 8C , the rear portion 644 of the cap 640 includes a tapered inner diameter portion 650 that tapers radially inwardly from the internal threads 646 to the middle region 652 of the rear portion 644 in the rearward direction. The inner diameter of the cap portion from the middle region 652 of the rear portion to the rear end 654 remains substantially constant, allowing for manufacturing tolerances that may result in a small taper of, for example, approximately 1°. The middle region 652 may include a rounded transition 656 between the tapered inner diameter portion 650 and the substantially constant diameter portion. As shown, the inner diameter of the portion of the cap 640 extending from the middle region 652 of the rear portion 644 to the rear end 654 is less than the outer diameter of the finger-shaped portion 620, so that when the cap 640 is threadedly coupled to the body 610, the cap 640 is configured to compress the finger-shaped portion 620 radially inwardly.

[0045] In use, to attach the connector 600 to the fiber optic cable 190, the hood 692 is slid over the outer jacket 196 and the optical fibers 194 at the end 198 of the fiber optic cable 190 and moved on the fiber optic cable 190 in a direction away from the end 198. Next, the cap 640 is slid over the outer jacket 196 and the optical fibers 194 at the end 198 of the fiber optic cable 190, the rear portion 644 of the cap 640 is closer to the hood 692, and the cap 640 is moved on the fiber optic cable 190 in a direction away from the end 198. The optical fibers 194 and the jacket 196 of the fiber optic cable 190 are then fed into the rear portion 614 of the body 610. The optical fibers 194 are fed out of the front portion 612 of the body 610 so that the optical fibers 194 can be terminated with the fiber optic connector subassembly 182.

[0046] The end 198 of the outer jacket 196 of the optical fiber cable 190 is inserted into the rear portion 614 of the body 610 to an axial position such that the axial groove 199' of the outer jacket 196 of the optical fiber cable 190 closest to the end 198 is aligned with one or more ridges 624 of the finger-shaped portion 620 of the body 610. It should be understood that the one or more ridges 624 can be spaced apart from the stop 638 by a distance that is substantially the same as the distance between consecutive grooves 199 in the outer jacket 196, so that the end 198 can be defined by the grooves 199, and the one or more ridges 624 are aligned with the axial groove 199' closest to the end 198.

[0047] It should also be understood that the rear portion 614 of the main body 610 may have a certain length, the size of which is determined so that the inner surface of the rear portion 614 may have a second annular ridge (not shown), which extends radially inward and is spaced apart from the one or more ridges 624 mentioned above, so that the second annular ridge and the one or more ridges 624 mentioned above can engage two continuous grooves 199 in the outer sheath 196 of the cable 190.

[0048] Next, the cap 640 is moved along the fiber optic cable 190 in a forward direction toward the body 610 until the internal threads 646 of the cap 640 begin to engage the external threads 630 of the body 610. The cap 640 is then rotated relative to the body 610 to threadably couple the cap 640 to the body 610. As the cap 640 is rotated relative to the body 610, the tapered inner diameter portion 650 of the cap 640 engages the finger portions 620 of the body 610 and radially compresses the finger portions 620 of the body 610 onto the outer jacket 196 adjacent the end 198 of the fiber optic cable 190. The one or more ridges 624 of the finger portions 620 are configured to be received by the circumferential grooves 199' in the cable 190, as shown in FIG. Fig. 9 and Fig.10 As shown, relative axial movement between the fiber optic cable 190 and the connector 600 is prevented, for example, under load conditions.

[0049] If the fiber optic cable 190 is not a grooved cable, or if the annularly extending ribs 624 on the finger-shaped portion 620 are not aligned with the grooves 199, the annularly extending ribs 624 can still dig into the outer jacket 196 to help retain the fiber optic cable 190 in the connector 600 under load conditions. The cap 640 is rotated relative to the body 610 until the cap 640 and the body 610 are tightened to each other by threading. After the cap 640 and the body 610 are tightened to each other, the cover 692 moves along the cable 190 in a forward direction on the rear portion 644 of the cap 640 and engages with one or more barbs 660 on the outer surface of the cap 640 so that the cover 692 is retained by the cap 640.

[0050] The optical fiber 194 that is delivered from the front portion 612 of the body 610 is cut and terminated with the fiber optic connector subassembly 182, as will be understood by those skilled in the art. Such cutting and termination can occur in the field, thereby producing a field-terminated fiber optic connector. The fiber optic connector subassembly 182 is coupled to a housing 184 that is configured to couple with a fiber optic port, such as a bulkhead adapter, splitter, or the like. The housing 184 can be configured as an SC connector, an LC connector, an ST connector, or the like. For example, the housing can be configured as SC connector, LC connector, ST connector, or the like.

[0051] It should be understood that the fiber optic connector subassembly 182 can be coupled to one end of the front portion 112, 612 of the body 110, 610 of the connector 100, 600 by any known or conventional means. Fig. 9 As shown, the front end 112, 612 may include a forwardly extending flange configured to be received between a pair of flange walls of the subassembly 182. The forwardly extending flange may include a front end having an enlarged transverse dimension such that a recess of the forwardly extending flange receives the flange wall of the subassembly 182 to prevent relative axial movement between the body 112, 612 and the subassembly 182. The body 112, 612 may also include one or more openings in the front portion configured to receive corresponding protrusions extending outwardly from the subassembly. The front portion 112, 612 may also include a structure to prevent relative rotation between the body 110, 610 and the housing 184.

[0052] Although illustrative embodiments of the present invention have been described herein with reference to the accompanying drawings, it will be understood that the invention is not limited to those precise embodiments and that various other changes and modifications may be implemented therein by those skilled in the art without departing from the scope or spirit of the invention.

[0053] Various modifications to the structures described and illustrated above will now be apparent to those skilled in the art. Accordingly, the specific disclosed scope of the present invention is set forth in the following claims.

Claims

1. An optical fiber connector, comprising: main body; a crimp sleeve configured to be insertably received by the body; a cap configured to be threadably coupled to the main body; wherein the body and the crimp sleeve are configured to receive an outer jacket of an optical fiber cable between the body and the crimp sleeve; and The cap is configured to engage a portion of the body when the cap is threadedly coupled to the body and radially compress the portion of the body onto an outer jacket of the optical fiber cable to clamp the outer jacket between the body and the crimping sleeve.

2. The optical fiber connector according to claim 1, wherein: The body includes a front portion and a rear portion, a threaded portion between the front portion and the rear portion; wherein the rear portion of the body is configured to include a plurality of fingers extending from a tubular wall of the rear portion in a rearward direction away from the threaded portion and the front portion; and Wherein, the front portion of the cap comprises an internal thread, and the internal thread is sized and configured to be threadedly coupled to the threaded portion of the main body.

3. The optical fiber connector according to claim 1, wherein: The crimping sleeve comprises an elongated tubular member terminating at a front flanged head, and the flanged head comprises a first flange portion rearward of a second flange portion, each of the first flange portion and the second flange portion comprising an annular flange, the second flange portion having a larger outer dimension than the first flange portion, the first flange portion comprising at least one flat area on an outer surface thereof, and Wherein, the tubular wall at the rear of the main body includes an annular recess, which is configured to receive the first flange portion of the crimping sleeve, and the recess includes one or more flat areas, which are sized and arranged to receive the one or more flat areas of the first flange portion of the crimping sleeve, so that when the first flange portion is received by the recess, the crimping sleeve does not rotate relative to the main body.

4. The optical fiber connector according to claim 1, wherein: The rear portion of the cap includes an outer surface having barbs configured to receive a retaining shield.

5. The optical fiber connector according to claim 1, wherein: The body is configured to couple with a subassembly of a fiber optic connector.

6. The optical fiber connector according to claim 5, wherein: The subassembly is configured to couple with a fiber optic connector housing.

7. The optical fiber connector according to claim 6, wherein: The fiber optic connector housing is configured as an SC connector, an LC connector, or an ST connector.

8. An optical fiber connector assembly, comprising: a fiber optic cable having a circumferential groove; The optical fiber connector according to claim 1, wherein the optical fiber connector is configured to be coupled to an optical fiber cable; in, The inner surface of the body includes an annularly extending ridge protruding radially inward; as well as Wherein, the annularly extending rib is configured to engage a circumferential groove in the fiber optic cable to prevent relative axial movement between the fiber optic cable and the fiber optic connector.

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