Optical Connector Boot Protrusions for Adhesive Leakage Control
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing optical connector ferrules face issues with adhesive leakage between the boot and the ferrule body, leading to gaps and blockage of guide pin insertion holes, which affects the connection efficiency and reliability of multifiber connectors.
Innovation Solution
The boot features protrusions that can be crushed to block adhesive leakage and an adhesive storage portion to collect excess adhesive, preventing it from entering guide pin holes, ensuring secure fixation and preventing adhesive intrusion into guide pin holes.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Strength
If a strong epoxy resinous adhesive is injected from the adhesive charging window portion into the ferrule body to fix the optical fiber tape, then the fixation strength is improved, but the adhesive excessively leaks from the gap between the insertion opening portion and the boot outer wall
Solution Approach 1:
The patent introduces an intermediary structure (the boot with protrusions) between the adhesive and the guide pin insertion holes. The protrusions act as a barrier that intercepts and contains the adhesive, preventing it from reaching and blocking the guide pin holes while still allowing the adhesive to provide fixation strength.
Solution Approach 2:
The boot protrusions are pre-positioned in the insertion opening portion before adhesive injection. This preliminary placement creates a barrier structure that proactively prevents adhesive leakage into the guide pin holes, rather than attempting to stop leakage after it occurs.
2Reliability
If the adhesive is injected to fix the optical fiber tape, then the connection reliability is improved, but the guide pin insertion holes are blocked by cured adhesive
Solution Approach 1:
The boot protrusions serve as an intermediary barrier that physically separates the adhesive injection path from the guide pin insertion holes. This intermediary structure allows the adhesive to be injected for reliable fixation while simultaneously protecting the guide pin holes from blockage.
Solution Approach 2:
The insertion opening portion is segmented by the boot protrusions into distinct regions: an adhesive-containing region and a guide pin insertion region. This segmentation prevents the adhesive from encroaching on the guide pin holes while maintaining fixation functionality.
3Strength
If the boot is inserted into the insertion opening portion to support the optical fiber tape, then the structural support is improved, but the gap between the boot and insertion opening portion allows adhesive leakage
Solution Approach 1:
The boot is designed with localized protrusions at specific positions where adhesive leakage is most likely to occur. These protrusions create local barriers that contain the adhesive without requiring the entire boot structure to be modified, maintaining structural support while preventing adhesive loss.
Solution Approach 2:
The gap between the boot and insertion opening portion, which initially causes adhesive leakage, is transformed into a useful feature by positioning the protrusions within this gap. The protrusions utilize the gap space to create an adhesive barrier, converting the harmful leakage path into a beneficial containment structure.
Data Source
Figure 1A~1B
Figure 2A~2E
Figure 3A~3B
AI summary
[Object] A boot for an optical connector ferrule is used to prevent an adhesive charged inside a ferrule body from leaking from a gap between the boot inserted into an insertion opening portion of a ferrule body and the insertion opening portion. [Solving Means] In a boot B for an optical connector ferrule including a rear opening portion 21 b used to insert an optical fiber tape T having an optical fiber at a front end thereinto and a front opening portion 21 a used to expose the optical fiber of the front end of the inserted optical fiber tape T to the outward front side, the boot is inserted into an insertion opening portion 14 formed at a rear end side of a ferrule body 10 and a surface of the boot B is provided with protrusions 22a, 22b, and 22c formed so as to be crushable when the protrusions are inserted into the insertion opening portion 14 of the ferrule body 10 in a direction orthogonal to the insertion direction of the boot B.