Abstract:
A clip holds a plurality of optical fibers in an array to be inserted into a fiber optic ferrule. The clip has a base member and a lid to hold the optical fibers therebetween. A stacker block assists in making the array by aligning them in a single plane. The optical fibers are then held in alignment for stripping, cleaving and inserting into the fiber optic ferrule.

Description:
REFERENCE TO RELATED CASE 
       [0001]    This application claims priority under 35 U.S.C. §119 (e) to provisional application No. 61/139,535, filed on Dec. 19, 2008, which is hereby incorporated by reference in its entirety. 
     
    
     BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
     Field of the Invention 
       [0002]    The field installable MT ferrule requires fibers be inserted into the back of the ferrule that have been cleaved and stripped. To hold the loose fibers in position for cleaving and stripping, a clamping device was desired that could fit into both a cleaver and stripper and also fit into a field install ferrule assembly tool. 
       SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
       [0003]    The present invention is directed to a clip that includes a base and a lid that is rotatably connected to one another to capture optical fibers therebetween, a stacker block having a slot therein to accept loose optical fibers, a stacker tool to compress the optical fibers in the slot, and an elastic member disposed on the lid to secure the optical fibers in the clip for further processing. By aligning the optical fibers in the clip to form a temporary ribbon, the optical fibers can be fed into a ferrule. Due to the ability of the clip to maintain the location of the optical fibers, the process of ribbonizing the fiber with either tape and/or adhesive is avoided. 
         [0004]    In some embodiments, the stacker block is removably attached to the base. 
         [0005]    In some embodiments, the lid and base are configured to fit into a stripping and cleaving device. 
         [0006]    In another aspect, the invention is directed to a method of installing loose optical fibers into an MT ferrule without ribbonizing the optical fibers first that includes the steps of disposing a connector spring over the optical fibers, placing the optical fibers and spring into a clip base, arranging ends of the optical fibers into a slot in a stacker block attached to the clip base, compressing the optical fibers in the slot, securing a lid to the base and closing the lid over the optical fibers and spring, removing the stacker block from the base, stripping the optical fibers while in the clip, cleaving the optical fibers, and securing the optical fibers into an optical ferrule. 
         [0007]    Additional features and advantages of the invention will be set forth in the detailed description which follows, and in part will be readily apparent to those skilled in the art from that description or recognized by practicing the invention as described herein, including the detailed description which follows, the claims, as well as the appended drawings. 
         [0008]    It is to be understood that both the foregoing general description and the following detailed description of the present embodiments of the invention, and are intended to provide an overview or framework for understanding the nature and character of the invention as it is claimed. The accompanying drawings are included to provide a further understanding of the invention, and are incorporated into and constitute a part of this specification. The drawings illustrate various embodiments of the invention, and together with the description serve to explain the principles and operations of the invention. 
     
    
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
         [0009]      FIG. 1  is a top perspective view of a prior art ribbonizing tool; 
           [0010]      FIG. 2  is a side perspective view of a fiber clip according to one embodiment of the present invention; 
           [0011]      FIG. 3  is a side perspective view of the fiber clip of  FIG. 1  after it has been rotated 90 degrees and a lid having been attached; 
           [0012]      FIG. 4  is a top perspective view of the fiber clip in a closed position and separated from the stacker block; 
           [0013]      FIG. 5  is a top perspective view of a fiber clip according to a second embodiment of the present invention; 
           [0014]      FIG. 6  illustrates a a portion of jacketed fiber optic cable positioned in the base, the optical fibers in the slot of the stacker block and pressed together with the stacker tool; 
           [0015]      FIG. 7  illustrates the lid being disposed on the base; and 
           [0016]      FIG. 8  illustrates that the stacker tool is removed and the base separated from the stacker block after the lid is closed and locks the optical fibers in place. 
       
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS 
       [0017]    Reference will now be made in detail to the present preferred embodiment(s) of the invention, examples of which are illustrated in the accompanying drawings. Whenever possible, the same reference numerals will be used throughout the drawings to refer to the same or like parts. 
         [0018]    Referring to  FIG. 1 , a prior art ribbonizer  10  is illustrated. The ribbonizer  10  is used to group loose optical fibers (whether all optical fibers are loose or they are in a jacketed fiber optic cable) in a ribbon format so the optical fibers can be installed in an optical ferrule. In the prior art ribbonization tool, the fibers are temporarily held together in a slot. While the fibers are held together in the tool, tape or adhesive is applied to the fibers to create a ribbon. However, once the optical fibers are ribbonized, they need to be transferred to other devices for stripping and cleaving. All of this handling can affect the optical fibers, their integrity and the quality of the ribbonizing. 
         [0019]      FIG. 2  illustrates a fiber clip  20  according to a first embodiment of the present invention. The fiber clip  20  has a base member  22 , a stacker block  24 , a stacker tool  26 , and a lid  28  ( FIG. 3 ). The base member  22  has a groove  30  into which optical fibers  32  are disposed. As noted above, the optical fibers  32  may generally be in any configuration. The optical fibers  32  preferably have a connector spring for the connector into which the optical fibers  32  are to be installed (an MTP connector spring is illustrated in  FIG. 2 ). Ends of the optical fibers  32  are disposed into a precision slot  34  in the stacker block  24 , which is attached to a first end  36  of the base member  22 . Preferably, there are pins  38  extending from the stacker block  24  that frictionally engage openings  40  in the base member  22 . See  FIG. 4 . With the optical fibers  32  in the slot  34 , the stacker tool  26  is inserted into the slot to push the ends of the optical fibers  32  together. The bottom of the precision slot  34  is in alignment with the slot  30  of the base member  22  to ensure that the ends of the optical fibers  32  are in alignment with the rest of the optical fibers  32  so that there is no kinking or bending of the optical fibers  32  and that they are straight. 
         [0020]    With the stacker tool  26  still compressing the optical fibers  32 , the lid  28  is attached to the base member  22 , as illustrated in  FIG. 3 . The lid  28  is rotatably disposed on the base member  22  and has an elastic pad  41  that compresses and holds the optical fibers  32  against the base member  22  and prevents them from moving relative to one another. The lid  28  may have latches  42  that engage corresponding structures on the base member  22 . The lid  28  may also have a groove  44  corresponding to the optical fibers  32 . It should be noted that while a groove  44  is shown in both the base member  22  and the lid  28 , the groove may be in only one of the two and still fall within the scope of the present invention. Once the lid  28  has been secured to the base member  22 , the optical fibers  32  cannot move relative to one another and the stacker tool  26  can be removed and the stacker block  24  can be separated from the base member  22  as shown in  FIG. 4 . The clip  20  can then be used to finalize the optical fibers  32  as described in more detail below. 
         [0021]      FIG. 5  illustrates another embodiment of a clip  50  according to the present invention. The clip  50  has a base member  52  and a lid  54  rotatably attached along one side  56 . The base member  52  and the lid  54  both have a groove  58  for the optical fibers  60 . Lid  54  has a precision slot  62  to align the optical fibers  60 . The optical fibers  60  are disposed in the slot  62  and the stacker tool  64  compresses the optical fibers  60  against one another in the slot  62 . The lid  54  is then closed and secured against the base member  52  and pad  66  with the latch  68 . The stacker tool  64  is then removed and the clip  50  can be used to further process the optical fibers  60 . 
         [0022]    The method of preparing the optical fibers for insertion into an optical connector/ferrule will now be described in conjunction with  FIGS. 6-11 . In  FIGS. 6-8 , a clip is used that is the same as that described in detail above and illustrated in  FIGS. 2-4 . For clarity, the element numerals have not been included in this discussion. 
         [0023]    As illustrated in  FIG. 6 , the optical fibers are in a jacketed fiber optic cable and the jacket and excess kevlar has been removed to expose the optical fibers. The loose optical fibers have been inserted into the precision slot and the optical fibers and cable placed in the groove in the base member. The stacker tool has been inserted into the precision slot to compress the optical fibers against one another and align them. 
         [0024]      FIG. 7  illustrates the attaching of the lid onto the base member with a pin at the front of the base member engaging corresponding openings on the lid. The lid is then secured to the base and the stacking tool is removed. 
         [0025]      FIG. 8  shows the stacking block being removed from the base (and the pins that engage openings on the base member to hold the two members together are visible). The aligned optical fibers are shown extending from the front of the clip. 
         [0026]    The clip and optical fibers are then placed into a fiber optic stripper to strip the covering from the optical fibers as is known in the art. It is important that the optical fibers do not move relative to one another during this process and the elastic pad in the lid of the clip secures the optical fibers in the clip—using about 3 pounds of force. 
         [0027]    The clip and optical fibers can be inserted into a cleaving device that cleaves the optical fibers at the correct location for insertion into a fiber optic ferrule connector. In fact, after cleaving the optical fibers, the clip and optical fibers can be inserted into another device to insert the optical fibers into a ferrule, all without having to ribbonize the optical fibers. 
         [0028]    It will be apparent to those skilled in the art that various modifications and variations can be made to the present invention without departing from the spirit and scope of the invention. Thus it is intended that the present invention cover the modifications and variations of this invention provided they come within the scope of the appended claims and their equivalents.