Optical Fiber Connector Waterproofing via Nested Sealing
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Solution Overview
Problem
Standard SC type optical fiber connectors lack protection against environmental factors such as water and dust, limiting their application to outdoor and aerial environments due to their lack of waterproofing and dustproofing capabilities.
Innovation Solution
An optical fiber connector design incorporating a guide protective sleeve, snap joints, heat-shrinkable bush, coupling nut, and sheath, which provide waterproofing and dustproofing functions, allowing the connector to be used in changeable environments by preventing damage to the optical fiber and ensuring secure connections.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Object-affected harmful factors
If standard SC type connectors are used, then the structure is simple and size is small, but waterproofing and dustproofing protection is lacking
Solution Approach 1:
The patent implements nested protection by placing the optical fiber connector inside a protective housing that contains multiple sealing layers. The connector body is nested within the housing, which includes an outer shell and inner sealing structures, creating concentric protective barriers against water and dust while maintaining a compact overall form factor.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent employs flexible sealing elements including rubber O-rings and elastomeric seals that conform to the connector interfaces. These flexible薄膜-like sealing components create waterproof and dustproof barriers at critical junctions without adding rigid structural complexity, allowing the connector to maintain simplicity while achieving environmental protection.
2Object-affected harmful factors
If protective structures are added for outdoor use, then environmental protection is improved, but connector size increases
Solution Approach 1:
The protective structure is segmented into functional zones: a sealing section with O-rings at the interface, a reinforcement section with strain relief features, and a mounting section with attachment points. This segmentation allows each component to provide protection only where needed, minimizing overall volume while ensuring comprehensive environmental protection across all critical areas.
Solution Approach 2:
The protective housing serves multiple functions simultaneously: it provides waterproofing, dustproofing, mechanical strength, strain relief, and mounting capability. By integrating these functions into a single multi-functional structure rather than adding separate components for each function, the connector achieves comprehensive environmental protection without proportional increases in size.
Applied Scientific Principles
This section explains which scientific principles are used to turn an abstract innovation direction into a practical engineering solution.
Function Achieved in This Case
The optical fiber connector effectively protects the optical fiber from environmental hazards, enabling its use in outdoor and aerial settings by maintaining a secure and sealed connection, thus expanding its applicable scenarios.
Implementation Method 1
a protective heat-shrinkable bush wrapping the at least two snap joints and extending to a portion of the optical cable
Data Source
Figure 1~2
Figure 3A~3B
Figure 3C
AI summary
An optical fiber connector is described. The optical fiber connector includes a guide protective sleeve, a snap joint, a heat-shrinkable bush, a coupling nut and a sheath, wherein the guide protective sleeve is sleeved on an optical fiber body of the optical fiber connector, and is arranged to guide alignment between the optical fiber body and an optical fiber adaptor, and protect a pin component of the optical fiber body; the snap joint is arranged on an outer wall of the optical fiber body, and is arranged to fix an optical cable connected with the optical fiber body; the protective heat-shrinkable bush wraps the optical cable and the snap joint and extends to a portion of the waterproof optical cable; the coupling nut is sleeved on the optical fiber body connected with the guide protective sleeve, and is arranged to be fixed on the optical fiber adaptor; and the sheath is sleeved on another region of the optical fiber connector not wrapped by the coupling nut, and extends to a portion of the protective heat-shrinkable bush.