Connecting set for optical fiber cable

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Patent Center

Netherlands © 2000738 © C PATENT²⁰ © Application number: 2000738 © Submitted: 09.07.2007

Int.CI .:

G02B6 / 44 (2006.01)

<td>(ή) Registered:</td><td>(73) Patent holder (s):</td>

<td> 12.01.2009</td><td>Zweva Engineering BV in The Hague.</td>

<td>(47) Granted:</td><td>(72) Inventor (s):</td>

<td> 12.01.2009</td><td>Pieter van 't Veer in The Hague.</td>

<td>65) Issued:</td><td>(74) Authorized representative:</td>

<td> 02.03.2009</td><td>Ir. A. van Westenbrugge et al. 2502 LS</td>

<td></td><td>The Hague.</td>

© Connection set for fiber optic cable.

© A connection set (1) for a fiber optic cable (2) comprises a housing consisting of several assemblable housing parts (3, 4) which are provided with opposite cable passages (15, 16), a carrier (8) in the housing, as well as a connecting unit (9) for interconnecting glass fibers (14), which connecting unit (9) is supported by the support (8). The support (8) can be connected to the cable passages (15, 16) at both opposite ends (11, 12), to ensure a stable position of the fiber optic cable (2).

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NL C 2000738

This patent has been granted regardless of the enclosed result of the prior art research and written opinion. The patent deviates from the documents originally filed. All submitted documents can be viewed at the Netherlands Patent Office.

The Netherlands Patent Center is an agency of the Ministry of Economic Affairs.

Connection set for fiber optic cable

The invention relates to a connection set for a fiber optic cable, comprising a housing of a plurality of assemblable housing parts, which are provided with opposite cable passages, a carrier extending through the housing, and a connection unit for interconnecting glass fibers, which connection unit is supported by the carrier which is connected to the cable passages at both opposite ends.

Such a connection set is known from EP-A-232.147. This known connection set has a support which is built up from a plate on both ends of which plugs are attached. The parts of the fiber optic cable to be connected run through these plugs. Such a construction is complicated and leaves much to be desired in firmness. It is not easy to pass the parts of the fiber optic cable to be joined together through the plugs. The object of the invention is therefore to provide a connection set of the type mentioned in the preamble which is sturdy and which allows a relatively simple connection of the fiber optic cable.

This object is achieved in that the ends of the carrier and the cable passages of the housing parts are pipe-shaped. A particularly simple embodiment is thus obtained in which the tubular ends of the carrier can function as guide means for the glass fiber cables. With the aid of these cable guiding means, a single fiber optic cable can be connected in a simple and reliable manner, the carrier guiding the cable and also protecting it against tensile loads.

According to a preferred embodiment, the cable passages of the housing parts and the ends of the carrier have corresponding shapes. A good sealing of the connecting set is promoted by means of these corresponding shapes. In particular, the cable passages of the housing parts and the ends of the carrier can be accommodated for this purpose. In that case, the ends of the carrier can efficiently extend through the cable passages of the housing parts.

The pick-up and guiding of the glass fiber cables preferably takes place in that the carrier comprises a pipe which has wall openings which extend between the pipe-shaped ends, through which wall glass fibers are led out of the pipe.

In addition, the fragile glass fibers are well protected from the wall openings guided to and attached to the connecting unit. In that case, the strength element, if any, which is present in a glass fiber cable, which must ensure that the interconnected glass fibers are not subjected to tensile stress, can be attached to that carrier.

The connecting set can be assembled in a simple manner if the tubular ends of the carrier have an external screw thread, which tubular ends protrude from the cable passages and are provided with fixing nuts that support against the cable passages. In connection with the waterproofing of the connection set, a shrink sleeve is preferably provided, which extends over the cable passages as well as over the pipe-like ends of the carrier. If then a wash with rubber seals is used.

In a particularly simple embodiment, two and only two housing parts are provided, each of which has one of the cable passages, which housing parts are watertightly attached to each other at their end remote from the cable passages. In connection with the waterproof connection of the housing parts, they are preferably rotationally symmetrical. In particular, it may have circular ends which can be reliably sealed to one another by means of an O-ring.

The invention further relates to a connecting construction for a fiber optic cable, comprising a connecting set as described above, as well as fiber optic cables connected to the cable passages. In order to protect such a connecting construction against penetrating moisture, shrink sleeves can be provided at the opposite ends of the connection set, which shrink sleeves each extend over a cable passage, the cable guides protruding from the cable passages and the glass fiber cables protruding from the cable guides.

The invention will be explained in more detail below with reference to an illustrative embodiment shown in the figures.

Figure 1 shows a perspective view of the connecting construction according to the invention, in assembled condition.

Figure 2 shows the connecting construction in open position.

Figure 3 shows the connecting construction in disassembled state.

Figure 4 shows another view of the disassembled connecting structure.

The connecting construction shown in Figures 1 and 2 comprises the connecting set 1 according to the invention, as well as the glass fiber cables 2. The connecting set 1 consists of the housing parts 3 and 4 which have mutually connectable ends 5 and 6. The end 6 of the housing part 4 is designed in the form of a sleeve, in which an O-ring 7 is also included. The end 5 of the other housing part 3 is placed in the sleeve 6 inside or against the O-ring 7, and then the housing parts 3 and 4 are pressed together as described below, thereby ensuring a watertight connection.

As shown in Figures 3 and 4, the connecting set 1 further consists of the carrier 8 as well as of the connecting unit 9 which is mounted on the carrier 8. The carrier 8 essentially consists of a pipe, the ends of which 11,12 are closed and have external screw thread 12. Between the ends 11,12 of the pipe 8 it is provided with wall openings 13. The glass fiber cables 2 are passed through the circumferentially closed ends 11, 12 of the pipe 8, while the glass fibers 14 thereof are led out through the wall openings 13 and are diverted via a relatively large radius arc to the connecting unit 9. There the glass fibers 14 are connected in a manner known per se, which will not be further explained here, such that light from one glass fiber 14 can be transmitted to the other glass fiber 14.

The reinforcement 21, 22, if any, present in the glass fiber cables 2 has also been led out through the wall openings 13 and then attached to the support 8, such that tensile forces can be transmitted in the glass fiber cables 2 without the glass fibers 14 suffering.

The housing parts 3, 4 are provided at their remote ends with cable passages 15, 16, through which the circumferentially closed ends 11, 12 of the pipe 8 extend. These cable passages 15, 16 and ends 11, 12 are correspondingly shaped such that they are stably incorporated. With the help of the nuts 17, 18, which are screwed on the screw thread 10 of the ends 11, 12, and which support against the end faces of the cable passages 15, 16, the housing parts 3, 4 can be clamped tightly together with the O -ring 7 ensures a watertight seal.

Finally, the cable passages 15, 16, the projecting parts of the ends 11, 12 of the support 8, and the adjacent parts of the fiber optic cables 2, the shrink sleeves 19, 20 can be slid. After they have been crimped, a watertight entry of the fiber optic cables 2 into the connection set 1 is ensured (no shrink sleeves are shown in figure 1).

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