Patent ID: 6523241
Filing Date: 2003-02-25
Classification: G02B,Y10T

Abstract:
A method for manufacturing a fibre optic male contact comprising a tubular body made of plastic material, a cable adaptor having a first end portion fastened into a rear end portion of said body and a second end portion extending out of said rear end portion of the body, an elongated floating ferrule extending through a front end portion of said body to house an end portion of a fibre optic core, said ferrule assembled to a tubular ferrule holder movably housed in said body and having abutment means adapted to rest against shoulder means arranged in said body between the front and rear end portions thereof, and a coil spring biased between said first end portion of the cable adaptor and said abutment means of the ferrule holder to urge said abutment means of the ferrule holder against the shoulder means of the body, the method characterized by the steps of:molding said rear end portion of the tubular body on said first end portion of the cable adaptor, said rear end portion being molded with substantially square windows which define said shoulder means and said rear end portion having a diameter comparable to that of the cable adaptor so as to minimize the size of the contact; inserting said coil spring and ferrule holder through said front end portion of said tubular body; momentarily at least partly expanding radially said front end portion and shoulder means of the tubular body by forcible passage of the abutment means of said ferrule holder therethrough; urging said coil spring between said first end portion of the cable adaptor and said abutment means of the ferrule holder; allowing said front end portion and shoulder means of the body to radially re-contract contract after passage of said abutment means; allowing said abutment means to catch said shoulder means; and, releasing said ferrule holder whereby the abutment means thereof may rest against said shoulder means under the bias of the coil spring.