Fiber Optic Connector with Gel-Protected Shutter
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing fiber optic connectors lack effective protection and cleaning mechanisms for the polished end faces of optical fibers, leading to potential damage and contamination.
Innovation Solution
The use of a fiber optic connector with a heat-recoverable sleeve and a gel-based cleaning material that protects and cleans the ferrule-less end portions of optical fibers, ensuring they remain contamination-free and damage-resistant.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If a dust cap or shutter is used to protect the fiber end, then protection from damage and contamination is improved, but device complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent uses a heat-recoverable sleeve that acts as a flexible protective shell covering the fiber end. This sleeve can be heat-shrunk to fit tightly over the fiber, providing protection without requiring complex mechanical structures like shutters or dust caps with moving parts.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent introduces gel as an intermediary substance between the protective sleeve and the fiber end. The gel serves multiple functions: it cushions the fiber end, provides additional contamination barrier, and can be used to clean the fiber end face, thereby enhancing protection while keeping the overall structure relatively simple.
2Reliability
If gel is added to clean and protect the fiber end, then cleaning capability and protection are improved, but device complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The gel serves multiple functions simultaneously: it acts as a cleaning agent for the fiber end face, provides cushioning protection, creates a contamination barrier, and can help align the fiber during termination. This multi-functionality allows the patent to improve cleaning and protection capabilities without adding separate complex systems for each function.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent combines the protective function and cleaning function into a single integrated system. The gel is placed inside the heat-recoverable sleeve, merging the protection mechanism and cleaning mechanism into one compact assembly that works together rather than as separate components.
3Ease of manufacture
If ferrule-less design is used, then ease of manufacture is improved, but protection and alignment precision worsen
Solution Approach 1:
The heat-recoverable sleeve acts as a flexible protective shell that can be easily applied to ferrule-less fiber ends. This sleeve provides the necessary protection and structural support that would otherwise require a ferrule, while maintaining the ease of manufacture advantage by allowing direct termination of the fiber without complex ferrule assembly processes.
Solution Approach 2:
The gel serves as an intermediary material that compensates for the lack of ferrule precision. It provides cushioning and alignment assistance during termination, and creates a protective interface that replaces some of the protective and alignment functions traditionally performed by ferrules, thereby maintaining reliability while preserving ease of manufacture.
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 solution effectively secures and aligns optical fibers, preventing contamination and damage while maintaining optical integrity through the use of a heat-recoverable sleeve and a gel that cleans and protects the fiber ends, enhancing the reliability of fiber optic connections.
Implementation Method 1
a heat-recoverable sleeve that protects and secures the ferrule-less end portions of optical fibers
Implementation Method 2
a gel-based cleaning material that protects and cleans the ferrule-less end portions of optical fibers
Data Source
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AI summary
The present disclosure relates to a fiber optic connector including a connector body (122) having a front end and a rear end. A shutter (74) is mounted at the front end of the connector body (122). The shutter (74) is moveable relative to the connector body (122) between an open position and a closed position. The fiber optic connector (69) includes an optical fiber (100) having an end face that is accessible at the front end of the connector body (122) when the shutter (74) is in the open position. The fiber optic connector (69) also includes a cleaning material (501) provided at an inner side of the shutter (74) that covers the end face of the optical fiber (100) when the shutter (74) is in the closed position.