Optical fiber cable connector
Inventors
Altshuler, Gregory • Gaal, Christopher • Kozlov, Valery
Assignees
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Publication Number
US-10663677-B2
Publication Date
2020-05-26
Expiration Date
Abstract
A delivery system extends from a laser radiation source for connecting to a medical device that utilizes the laser radiation for medical treatment. The delivery system comprises an optical fiber connecting to a male launch connecter. The male launch connector having a body portion with the optical fiber fixed or constrained therein and the optical fiber terminating at a male ferrule with a forward directed fiber facet, the male ferrule may be cantilevered within the body portion by the optical fiber line providing freedom of movement of the male ferrule. The launch connector engages a receiving connector on the medical device first with mechanical connection portions and then more finely aligning optical connection portions by the male ferrule self aligning in a female ferrule with cooperating tapered surfaces. The male portion may fully seat in the female portion with cooperating cylindrical surfaces.
Core Innovation
The invention relates to an optical fiber connector coupling for connecting a laser radiation source to a device, including a launch connector and a receiving connector. The launch connector has an optical connection portion comprising a male ferrule connected to an optical fiber, where the male ferrule has a cylindrical outer surface and is resiliently supported within a body portion of the launch connector by elastomeric material positioned rearwardly of the male ferrule.
The receiving connector includes an optical connection portion comprising a female ferrule having an internal cylindrical surface that slidingly engages the cylindrical outer surface of the male ferrule. The female ferrule does not have an internal stop surface limiting the insertion distance of the male ferrule into the female ferrule, and a tapered lead-in and cylindrical seating surfaces are described for the cooperating engagement, enabling self-alignment during mating.
The coupling further supports connection integrity through sensing and lockout, and it specifies relative geometry for alignment tolerance. A distance between the male ferrule and an anchor position of the optical fiber is defined as 4 to 15 mm, and embodiments also describe compliant elastomeric structures positioned rearwardly of the male ferrule, including diaphragms, disks, webs, and structural variants such as an hourglass-shaped throughhole in the female ferrule.
Claims Coverage
The independent claims are clm-00001, clm-00007, and clm-00011, each directed to an optical fiber connector coupling with a resiliently supported male ferrule and a sliding female ferrule engagement without an internal stop surface limiting insertion. Across the independent claims, the inventive features include the elastomer-supported ferrule arrangement, the stop-free sliding cylindrical interface engagement geometry, and in one independent claim a quantified anchor-to-ferrule distance, with additional optional receiving-connector sensing features and elastomeric positioning/sleeve protrusion geometry in other independent claim formulations.
Elastomer-supported male ferrule with optical fiber resilient connection
A launch connector has a male ferrule connected to an optical fiber, where the male ferrule is resiliently supported within a body portion of the launch connector by elastomeric material positioned rearwardly of the male ferrule, and the optical fiber is resiliently connected to the body portion through the elastomeric material.
Sliding female ferrule cylindrical engagement without internal stop surface
A receiving connector includes a female ferrule with an internal cylindrical surface that slidingly engages the cylindrical outer surface of the male ferrule, where the female ferrule not having an internal stop surface limiting the insertion distance of the male ferrule into the female ferrule.
Anchor-to-ferrule distance of 4 to 15 mm
A distance between the male ferrule and an anchor position of the optical fiber is 4 to 15 mm.
Compliant elastomeric positioning of male ferrule within body using sleeve protrusion
The launch connector includes a male ferrule positioned in and connecting to a sleeve, with a forward edge of the sleeve displaced rearwardly from the forward face of the male ferrule providing a protruding portion extending forwardly, and a compliant elastomeric material engaging a rearward portion of the sleeve and extending to an inwardly facing wall surface of the body portion wherein the male ferrule is compliantly positioned within the body portion of the launch connector.
Overall, the independent claims cover a launch connector with an elastomerically supported male ferrule connected to an optical fiber, and a receiving connector with a female ferrule that slidingly engages the male ferrule using an internal cylindrical surface while lacking an internal stop surface limiting insertion distance. One independent claim further fixes the distance between the male ferrule and the optical-fiber anchor as 4 to 15 mm, and another independent claim specifies sleeve protrusion and compliant elastomeric engagement that compliantly positions the male ferrule within the launch connector body.
Stated Advantages
Documented Applications
No documented applications found
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