Patent ID: 6129865
Filing Date: 2000-10-10
Classification: B29C,B29D

Abstract:
A method of making ferrules for multicore ribbon optical cable connectors, each of the ferrules having a substantially flat bottom surface defining a reference plane and a substantially flat top surface defining a reverse-direction plane, the ferrules being connectable with one another when the reference plane of one of the ferrules is substantially aligned with the reverse-direction plane of another one of the ferrules, the method comprising the steps of:(a) providing a mold having an upper half-portion and lower half-portion, said upper and lower half-portions being configured to define a cavity having an external shape of ferrule;(b) aligning and spacing a plurality of core pins in a transverse direction of said mold at a preselected pitch for forming the plurality of fiber-receiving holes of the ferrule, said plurality of core pins being positioned at a height substantially equidistant from an inside surface of said lower half-portion for forming the substantially flat bottom surface of the ferrule and an inside surface of said upper half-portion for forming the substantially flat top surface of the ferrule;(c) filling the cavity with a molding material;(d) curing the molding material to form the ferrule; and(e) removing the ferrule from said mold and withdrawing said core pins from the plurality of fiber-receiving holes formed in the ferrule.