Flexible Push-Pull Boot for Dense Fiber Connector Handling
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Solution Overview
Problem
Fiber optic connectors in high-density applications face challenges with manual insertion and removal due to proximity issues, tangling of optical fibers and cables, and lack of polarity indication, especially with push-pull tabs and traditional boots.
Innovation Solution
A boot design for fiber optic connectors featuring a center portion with grasping portions, a front extension with latches, and a ribbed back portion for easy insertion and removal, along with polarity determination by side attachment, and engagement members for secure attachment to the crimp body.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Ease of operation
If push-pull tabs are added to fiber optic connectors for easier insertion and removal, then ease of operation is improved, but the optical fibers and optical cables get tangled around the tabs
Solution Approach 1:
The patent extracts the push-pull function from traditional tabs and relocates it to a dedicated front extension portion with latches. This separates the insertion/removal mechanism from the optical fiber path, preventing tangling while maintaining ease of operation.
Solution Approach 2:
The front extension portion with latches acts as an intermediary mechanism between the user's manual operation and the connector insertion/removal. The latches provide a controlled interface that guides the connector through the receptacle without allowing optical fibers to become entangled.
2Reliability
If traditional boots are used for strain relief of optical fibers, then protection of optical fibers is improved, but the boot cannot be used to remove the fiber optic connector
Solution Approach 1:
The boot is designed with multi-functionality: it provides strain relief for optical fibers while also incorporating a front extension portion with latches that enables the user to push and pull the connector for insertion and removal operations.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent merges the strain relief function (traditional boot) with the insertion/removal function (front extension with latches) into a single integrated component, allowing both protective and operational capabilities to coexist.
3Volume of moving object
If fiber optic connectors are reduced in size for high density applications, then space utilization is improved, but manual grasping and installation becomes difficult
Solution Approach 1:
The front extension portion extends forward beyond the main connector body in a dimensional extension, providing additional grasping surface area. This allows users to apply force for insertion and removal without increasing the footprint of the connector itself.
Solution Approach 2:
The connector is segmented into a compact main body (for high density) and a separate front extension portion (for manual operation). This segmentation allows the operational interface to be larger while the connector body remains small for high-density installation.
4Adaptability or versatility
If the boot is made detachable and reconfigurable to indicate polarity, then adaptability is improved, but device complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The boot incorporates color-coded or visually distinct features that indicate polarity when attached to different sides of the connector. This provides adaptability for polarity identification without requiring complex mechanical reconfiguration.
Solution Approach 2:
The boot or its attachment mechanism incorporates asymmetric features that only fit or function correctly when attached in the proper orientation. This provides inherent polarity indication through the asymmetric design rather than through complex reconfigurable mechanisms.
Data Source
AI summary
A new boot for a fiber optic connector has a ribbed back portion, a center portion, and a forward extending portion that can be used to insert and remove the fiber optic connector to receptacle. The ribbed back portion has grasping elements and is connected to the center portion. The center portion is removably connected to a crimp body that is in turn connected to the connector housing. The front extension is connected to the fiber optic connector and also provides a keying feature depending on the side of the fiber optic connector on which it is installed.