Ferrule Assembly Guide Element for Duct Installation
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Solution Overview
Problem
The installation of optical fiber connectors is hindered by the complexity and fragility of components, requiring skilled labor and time, especially when dealing with pre-terminated fibers and narrow ducts, where biasing members are difficult to accommodate due to size constraints and risk of getting stuck.
Innovation Solution
A method and assembly that utilize a ferrule assembly with a guide element and a biasing member, allowing the ferrule assembly to be passed through a tubular section without the biasing member, using a ferrule back body holder to maintain orientation and prevent back passage, enabling easier assembly and use of larger biasing members, and incorporating housing members for secure connection.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Productivity
If pre-terminated fibers are used to reduce installation time, then productivity is improved, but device complexity increases due to complicated assembly requirements and multiple small parts
Solution Approach 1:
The patent combines the ferrule, ferrule back body, and biasing member into a single pre-assembled unit at the factory. This merging of components simplifies field installation to merely pushing the integrated unit through the duct, eliminating the need to assemble multiple small parts on-site while maintaining pre-terminated fiber benefits
Solution Approach 2:
The ferrule back body holder is pre-assembled onto the ferrule back body at the factory before the field installation. This preliminary action ensures proper orientation and secure attachment of components before the unit is pushed through the duct, reducing on-site assembly complexity while maintaining productivity gains
2Reliability
If biasing members are installed during field assembly, then reliability is improved, but ease of operation deteriorates due to difficulty of handling and risk of getting stuck in narrow ducts
Solution Approach 1:
The biasing member is pre-installed onto the ferrule back body at the factory before field installation. This preliminary action eliminates the need for field technicians to handle and install the biasing member through narrow ducts, avoiding the operational difficulties and risks while ensuring the reliability component is properly in place
Solution Approach 2:
The biasing member is integrated with the ferrule back body as part of the pre-assembled unit. This merging allows the biasing member to be installed once at the factory along with other components, rather than requiring separate field installation that would compromise ease of operation
3Ease of operation
If smaller ferrule assemblies are used to pass through narrow ducts, then ease of operation is improved, but device complexity increases due to space constraints on component integration
Solution Approach 1:
The ferrule is nested within the ferrule back body, which is in turn nested with the biasing member and ferrule back body holder. This nested arrangement allows all components to be integrated in a compact, space-efficient manner that enables passage through narrow ducts while maintaining proper component relationships
Data Source
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Figure 8
AI summary
A ferrule back body has an opening for insertion of a ferrule along an axial direction. The ferrule back body has a guide element, wherein the guide element is a first recess extending in the axial direction along an exterior surface of the ferrule holder. The ferrule back body further comprises a second, annular recess.