Fiber Optic Contacts With Spring Retention For Electrical Connector Tools
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing optical fiber contacts require specialized designs and assembly methods, often necessitating epoxy or glue for securing optical fibers, which is time-consuming and requires trained personnel, and they do not easily integrate with existing electrical connector tools and systems.
Innovation Solution
Designing fiber optic socket and pin contacts that match the dimensions and functionality of electrical contacts, allowing them to be used with existing electrical connectors and tools, featuring a spring and retention clip configuration for secure fiber grasping without adhesives, enabling easy assembly and integration into standard connector systems.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If typical optical fiber contacts use specialized designs with springs and adhesives to ensure reliable connection, then connection reliability is improved, but assembly complexity and time increase
Solution Approach 1:
The fiber optic contact is divided into separate functional components: a ferrule for alignment, a gripping section for cable attachment, and a spring mechanism for contact force. This segmentation allows each component to be optimized independently and assembled using standard electrical connector tools, reducing overall assembly complexity while maintaining connection reliability
Solution Approach 2:
The invention extracts and eliminates the adhesive bonding step from the assembly process. The spring mechanism provides mechanical retention and contact force without requiring epoxy or glue, thereby simplifying assembly procedures and reducing assembly time while maintaining reliable connections
2Reliability
If typical optical fiber contacts use epoxy or glue to secure optical fibers, then fiber retention is improved, but assembly time and training requirements increase
Solution Approach 1:
The invention replaces the chemical bonding mechanism (epoxy/glue) with a mechanical retention system consisting of a spring and gripping section. This mechanical system provides fiber retention through physical contact and elastic force, eliminating the need for adhesive application and curing time, thereby significantly reducing assembly time and training requirements
3Reliability
If fiber optic contacts are designed with different form factors from electrical contacts, then optical connection performance is improved, but compatibility with existing electrical connector tools decreases
Solution Approach 1:
The fiber optic contact is designed with universal dimensions and features that allow it to be used in existing electrical connector housings and tools. The outer dimensions, gripping section geometry, and spring mechanism are standardized to match electrical contacts, enabling technicians to use familiar tools and procedures while maintaining optimized optical connection performance through the specialized ferrule and alignment features
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
Facilitates the use of fiber optic contacts in existing electrical connector systems, simplifying installation and reducing assembly time, while maintaining secure connections and compatibility with standard tools and components.
Implementation Method 1
a capped sleeve containing a spring and a retention clip
Implementation Method 2
a gripping section configured to deform inwardly onto a portion of a fiber optic cable to grasp the fiber optic cable
Data Source
AI summary
A fiber optic socket contact includes a socket contact body and a capped sleeve containing a spring and a retention clip that engages a socket contact body. A fiber optic pin contact includes a pin contact body. One optical fiber is gripped by the socket contact body and another optical fiber is gripped by the pin contact body. When connector housings holding the fiber optic socket contact and the fiber optic pin contact are connected together, the fiber optic pin contact enters the capped sleeve which aligns the fiber optic pin contact with the fiber optic socket contact. The spring applies a force to keep the optical fibers pressed together. In preferred arrangements the fiber optic socket contact and the fiber optic pin contact have outer dimensions that substantially match outer dimensions specified for electrical socket and pin contacts.