(19) United States
`(12) Patent Application Publication (10) Pub. No.: US 2013/0094816A1
`(43) Pub. Date:
`Apr. 18, 2013
`LIN et al.
`
`US 2013 0094816A1
`
`(54) FLEXIBLY BENDED BOOT FOR OPTICAL
`FIBER CONNECTOR
`
`(75) Inventors: I En LIN, New Taipei City (TW);
`Tomoyuki MAMIYA, Marlboro, MA
`(US); Jeffery GNLADEK, Marlboro,
`MA (US)
`(73) Assignees: SENKO ADVANCED
`COMPONENTS, INC., Marlboro, MA
`(US); PROTAI PHOTONIC CO.,
`LTD., Sinhuang City (TW)
`
`(21) Appl. No.: 13/275,656
`
`(22) Filed:
`
`Oct. 18, 2011
`
`
`
`Publication Classification
`
`(51) Int. Cl.
`GO2B 6/36
`HOIR 43/00
`(52) U.S. Cl.
`USPC ............................................... 385/86; 29/874
`
`(2006.01)
`(2006.01)
`
`ABSTRACT
`(57)
`A boot for an optical fiber connector according to the present
`invention is provided. The boot includes a hollow cylindrical
`body defining an axial direction, a protrusion portion formed
`on the cylindrical body, and a member with the property of
`plasticity disposed in the protrusion portion, wherein the
`member has at least one protrusion formed thereon The at
`least one protrusion sticks in the protrusion portion formed on
`the cylindrical body.
`
`Senko EX1017
`PGR2024-00037
`U.S. Publication No. 2013/0094816
`
`

`

`
`
`FIG.1 (PRIOR ART)
`FIG.1 (PRIOR ART)
`
`FIG. 2 (PRIOR ART)
`FIG. 2 (PRIOR ART)
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`

`

`ent Application Publication
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`FIG. 3 (PRIOR ART)
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`

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`Patent Application Publication
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`Apr. 18, 2013 Sheet 3 of 4
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`US 2013/009481.6 A1
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`
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`430
`440
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`410
`
`FIG. 5
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`

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`Patent Application Publication
`
`Apr. 18, 2013 Sheet 4 of 4
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`US 2013/009481.6 A1
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`FIG. 6
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`

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`US 2013/009481.6 A1
`
`Apr. 18, 2013
`
`FLEXBLY BENDED BOOT FOR OPTICAL
`FIBER CONNECTOR
`
`BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
`1. Field of the Invention
`0001
`0002 The invention relates to an optical fiber connector,
`and more particularly, to a boot for an optical fiber connector.
`0003 2. Description of the Related Art
`0004. The application of fiber optics to the telecommuni
`cation and data storage industries is expanding ever day. Fiber
`optics enables the high-speed transmission of communica
`tions and data. Connectors for optical fibers can be found in
`the back of instrumentation, telecommunication, routing, and
`Switching cabinets. These cabinets accept a large number of
`fiber optical connectors. The optical fibers project away from
`the connector and tend to bend toward the ground due to the
`effect of gravity or the optical fibers are bent in a different
`direction due to an externally applied force. An optical signal
`passing through an optical fiber can experience a power loss
`if the bend radius of the optical fiber is too great. In order to
`prevent the optical fiber from being bent beyond a minimum
`bend radius, strain relief boots can be attached to the optical
`fiber in a region adjacent to the connector. The strain relief
`boot provides for a gentle, Smooth, non-abrupt transition of
`the optical fiber from the connector to some other environ
`ment so as to maintain the optical signal at an acceptable
`power level.
`0005 Typically, strain relief boots have a straight, unbent
`shape when they are not subject to an externally applied force.
`Such a strain relief boot is disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 5,781,
`681. FIG. 1 is taken from U.S. Pat. No. 5,781,681 showing a
`prior art connector 100. The prior art connector 100 includes
`the prior art optical fiber 110 which is surrounded, adjacent to
`the connector 100, by the prior art strain reliefboot 120. When
`the prior art optical fiber 110 is subjected to a side load, such
`as the gravity, the strain relief boot 120 will bend. If the side
`load is too heavy, the boot 120 will bend greatly to cause a
`micro-bending loss of the fiber 110. Moreover, when a great
`number of fibers 110 are arranged in the above-mentioned
`cabinets, it is usually required to bundle these fiber 110
`together. This will also cause the boot 120 to bend.
`0006. In order to solve the above problem, referring to
`FIG. 2, U.S. Pat. No. 6,695,486 discloses an angled optical
`fiber connector 200. However, the connector 200 is difficult to
`be angled.
`0007. In addition, referring to FIG.3, U.S. Pat. No. 6,634,
`801 discloses an adjustable strain relief boot 300 for an opti
`cal fiber connector. The strain relief boot 300 includes a
`stationary portion 320 and a moving portion 330 slidably
`connected to the stationary portion320. The bending angle of
`the boot 300 can be adjusted by moving the moving portion
`330.
`0008. However, the bending angle of the boot 300 is
`adjusted throughteeth. The teeth will cause the bending angle
`not to be adjusted arbitrarily. Furthermore, the mechanism of
`the moving portion 330 is a little bit complicated and the boot
`300 can be angled only in a direction.
`0009. Accordingly, there exists a need to provide a flexibly
`bended boot to solve the above-mentioned problems.
`
`SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
`0010. The present invention provides a flexibly bended
`boot for an optical fiber connector.
`
`0011. In one embodiment, the boot of the present inven
`tion includes a hollow cylindrical body defining an axial
`direction, a protrusion portion formed on the cylindrical body,
`and a member with the property of plasticity disposed in the
`protrusion portion, wherein the member has at least one pro
`trusion formed thereon. The at least one protrusion Sticks in
`the protrusion portion formed on the cylindrical body.
`0012. The present invention further provides a method of
`manufacturing the above boot.
`0013. In one embodiment, the method of manufacturing a
`boot according to the present invention comprises: forming a
`protrusion portion on a hollow cylindrical body, wherein the
`cylindrical body defines an axial direction; providing a mem
`ber with the property of plasticity; deforming a portion of the
`member so as to form at least one protrusion on the member;
`and disposing the member in the protrusion portion formed
`on the cylindrical body such that the at least one protrusion of
`the member sticks in the protrusion portion formed on the
`cylindrical body.
`0014. The foregoing, as well as additional objects, fea
`tures and advantages of the invention will be more readily
`apparent from the following detailed description, which pro
`ceeds with reference to the accompanying drawings.
`
`BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
`0015 FIG. 1 illustrates a conventional boot for an optical
`fiber connector.
`0016 FIG. 2 illustrates a conventional angled optical fiber
`connector.
`0017 FIG. 3 illustrates a conventional adjustable boot for
`an optical fiber connector.
`(0018 FIG. 4 is an elevated perspective view of the flexibly
`bended boot for an optical fiber connector according to the
`present invention.
`(0019 FIG. 5 is a cross-sectional view of the flexibly
`bended boot for an optical fiber connector according to the
`present invention.
`0020 FIG. 6 illustrates that a protrusion is formed on the
`member.
`0021
`FIG. 7 illustrates that the protrusion on the member
`Sticks in the protrusion portion formed on the cylindrical
`body.
`
`DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED
`EMBODIMENT
`(0022 Referring to FIGS.4 and 5, the flexibly bended boot
`400 of the present invention is for an optical fiber connector.
`The boot 400 is adjacent to an optical fiber connector and
`surrounds an optical fiber (not shown in the figures). The boot
`400 includes an elastic hollow body 410 which is cylindrical
`and defines an axial direction 420. A protrusion portion 430 is
`integrally formed on the outer surface of the body 410 along
`the axial direction 420. In addition, a member 440 with the
`property of plasticity is axially embedded in the protrusion
`portion 430. The member 440 can be integrally formed and is
`a metal wire, Such as an iron wire
`0023. According to the present invention, the boot 400 can
`be bent to a desired shape in subjection to an external force.
`When the boot 400 is bent, the member 440 will also be bent
`accordingly. Since the member 440 has the property of plas
`ticity, the boot 400 can still be kept in the desired shape even
`though when the external force vanishes. Similarly, the boot
`400 can be bent to an original shape with an appropriate force.
`
`

`

`US 2013/009481.6 A1
`
`Apr. 18, 2013
`
`It is to be noted that the member 440 with the property of
`plasticity according to the present invention is one that can be
`bent to a desired shape in Subjection to an external force and
`still be kept in the desired shape even though the external
`force vanishes. The member 440 can be bent to an original
`shape with an appropriate force.
`0024. Referring to FIGS. 6 and 7, to prevent the member
`440 from movement or rotation in the protrusion portion 430
`when the boot 400 is bent, it is preferable that the member 440
`has at least one protrusion 442 formed on a lateral side thereof
`Such that the protrusion 442 Sticks in the protrusion portion
`430. The protrusion 442 may be formed by deforming a
`portion of the member 440. For example, the protrusion 442
`may be formed by pressing a portion of the member 440.
`0025. It will be appreciated that the boot of the present
`invention can be used in any type of optical fiber connector,
`such as FC, SC or LC type connector.
`0026. Although the preferred embodiments of the inven
`tion have been disclosed for illustrative purposes, those
`skilled in the art will appreciate that various modifications,
`additions and Substitutions are possible, without departing
`from the scope and spirit of the invention as disclosed in the
`accompanying claims.
`1. A boot for an optical fiber connector, comprising:
`a hollow cylindrical body defining an axial direction;
`a protrusion portion formed on the cylindrical body; and
`a member having plasticity, and disposed in the protrusion
`portion, wherein
`the member has at least one protrusion formed thereon,
`the at least one protrusion Sticks in the protrusion portion
`formed on the cylindrical body, and
`the at least one protrusion protrudes in only one direction
`transverse to the axial direction.
`2. The boot as claimed in claim 1, wherein the member and
`the at least one protrusion are integrally formed.
`3. The boot as claimed in claim 1, wherein the member
`includes a metal wire.
`4. The boot as claimed in claim 1, wherein the protrusion
`portion is integrally formed with the cylindrical body.
`5. The boot as claimed in claim 1, wherein the member is
`disposed along the axial direction.
`6. The boot as claimed in claim 1, wherein the at least one
`protrusion is formed on a lateral side of the member.
`
`7. The boot as claimed in claim 1, wherein the member
`includes an iron wire.
`8. A method of manufacturing a boot for an optical fiber
`connector, the method comprising:
`forming a protrusion portion on a hollow cylindrical body,
`wherein the cylindrical body defines an axial direction;
`providing a member having plasticity;
`deforming a portion of the member so as to form at least
`one protrusion on the member; and
`disposing the member in the protrusion portion formed on
`the cylindrical body such that the at least one protrusion
`of the member sticks in the protrusion portion formed on
`the cylindrical body, wherein
`the at least one protrusion protrudes in only one direction
`transverse to the axial direction.
`9. The method as claimed in claim 8, wherein the deform
`ing includes pressing the portion of the member in the only
`one direction transverse to the axial direction.
`10. The method as claimed in claim 8, wherein the at least
`one protrusion is formed on a lateral side of the member.
`11. The method as claimed in claim 9, wherein the at least
`one protrusion is formed on a lateral side of the member.
`12. The method as claimed in claim8, wherein the member
`and the at least one protrusion are integrally formed.
`13. The method as claimed in claim8, wherein the member
`includes a metal wire.
`14. The method as claimed in claim 8, wherein the protru
`sion portion is integrally formed with the cylindrical body.
`15. The method as claimed in claim 8, wherein the member
`is disposed along the axial direction.
`16. The method as claimed in claim8, wherein the member
`includes an iron wire.
`17. The boot as claimed in claim 1, wherein the at least one
`protrusion includes a portion of the member deformed by
`pressing the portion of the member in the only one direction
`transverse to the axial direction.
`18. The boot as claimed in claim 1, wherein the only one
`direction is perpendicular to the axial direction.
`19. The method as claimed in claim 8, wherein the only one
`direction is perpendicular to the axial direction.
`
`