Patent Abstract:
Exemplary embodiments include a tracing clip for a fiber optic cable including: a clip body including an inner and an outer surface; a metal clip disposed on the outer surface; a metal tooth disposed on the inner surface, wherein the metal clip tooth connects to a metal element extending substantially axially along the entire length of fiber optic cable and to the metal clip.

Full Description:
CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS 
     This application is a continuation of U.S. patent application Ser. No. 11/260,590 filed Oct. 27, 2005, now U.S. Pat. No. 7,376,320, the contents of which are incorporated herein by reference in their entirety. 
    
    
     BACKGROUND 
     It is known that fiber optic cables are used for high-speed communication and data transmission and “piping” or carrying light from a light source. It is also known that these fiber optic cables are typically connected with fiber optic connectors, which may be easily coupled and uncoupled. As used herein, the term “connector” means an article that allows connection, disconnection and reconnection of a fiber optic cable to a light source, as opposed to a permanent connection between the cable and light source. As used herein, the term “light source” may be another fiber optic cable or a light source such as an arc discharge lamp, laser, light emitting diode (LED), filament bulb, etc. 
     Fiber optic cables are commonly used for the transfer of data within large buildings and between adjacent buildings. In a building complex having extensive telecommunications and data transfer requirements many fiber optic cables will be laid. Initially, the cables are laid in cable ducts, in roof voids, below suspended floors, etc. by a cabling contractor. That same contractor, or another contractor will subsequently terminate the cables to provide the necessary input and output connections. 
     Many of the fiber optic cables used are wholly non-metallic and typically comprise a glass fiber core surrounded by a plastic sheath. With such cables, unless care is taken in marking the cables at the time of installation it can be difficult for the contractor effecting termination of the cables to identify which of a bundle of cables at one location corresponds to a particular cable at another location, for example in a different building or several floors removed in the same building. Conventional techniques for tracing metal cables cannot be used with fiber optic cables because they do not include any metal member to which a tracing signal can be applied. 
     SUMMARY 
     Exemplary embodiments include a tracing clip for a fiber optic cable to a light source including: a clip body including an inner and an outer surface; a metal clip disposed on the outer surface; a metal tooth disposed on the inner surface, wherein the metal clip tooth connects to a metal element extending substantially axially along the entire length of fiber optic cable and to the metal clip. 
     Exemplary embodiments also include a fiber optic connector for connecting a fiber optic cable to a light source including: a light source housing for connection to a light source; a coupling for connection to a fiber optic cable, wherein the fiber optic cable includes a metal element and the coupling includes a cage for locking the light source housing to the coupling to connect the fiber optic cable to the light source housing; and a metal clip for connecting a tone generator, wherein the metal clip is connected to the metal element. 
     Further exemplary embodiments include a method of tracing a fiber optic cable including attaching a first tracing clip to a fiber optic cable that includes a metal element axially disposed along substantially the entire length of the cable, said first tracing clip including a metal clip and a metal tooth which form an electrical connection to said metal element and applying a tracing signal to the first tracing clip. 
     Other systems, methods, and/or computer program products according to exemplary embodiments will be or become apparent to one with skill in the art upon review of the following drawings and detailed description. It is intended that all such additional systems, methods, and/or computer program products be included within this description, be within the scope of the present invention, and be protected by the accompanying claims. 
    
    
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
       Referring now to the drawings wherein like elements are numbered alike in the several Figures: 
         FIG. 1  is a fragmentary view of a fiber optic cable and connector, illustrated in operational relationship with fiber optic cables in an exemplary embodiment; 
         FIG. 2  is an exploded fragmentary view of the fiber optic cable and connector of  FIG. 1  according to an exemplary embodiment; and 
         FIG. 3  is a cross sectional view of a fiber optic cable and a tracing clip according to an exemplary embodiment. 
     
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION 
     Referring to  FIG. 1 , a fiber optic connector  10  is illustrated in operational relationship with a light source such as a first fiber optic cable  12 . The fiber optic cables  12  may be a single cable or a plurality of cables bundled together to form a single cable. The fiber optic cables  12  may be made of glass fibers and may split into branches after leaving a fiber optic connector  10 . The fiber optic cable  12  includes a metal element  14 . The metal element  14  may be in the form of a fine wire, a foil strip, or a metallic layer and extends axially along the entire length of the fiber optic cable. The metal element  14  will be located beneath the outermost covering layer of the fiber optic cable  12  so as to avoid short-circuiting between adjacent fiber optic cables. In exemplary embodiments, the metal element  14  is in the form of a foil ribbon, which is incorporated within the sheath of the fiber optic cable  12 . 
     Referring now to  FIGS. 1 and 2 , the fiber optic connector  10  includes a female fitting or light source housing  16  connected to one end of the fiber optic cable  12 . The light source housing  16  includes an end portion  18  that is generally cylindrical and slightly enlarged from a diameter of the light source housing  16  to form a cavity  20 . The light source housing  16  also includes a circumferential flange  22  at a terminal end of the end portion  18 . The light source housing  16  includes a transition portion  24  extending between the end portion  18  and a remainder of the light source housing  16 . The light source housing  16  is made of a rigid material such as metal. The light source housing  16  is secured to the fiber optic cable  12  by suitable means such as a press-fit. 
     The fiber optic connector  10  also includes a male fitting or coupling, generally indicated at  26 , connected to one end of the fiber optic cable  12  and cooperating with the light source housing  16 . The coupling  26  includes a ferrule  28  extending axially to a shoulder  29  extending radially. The ferrule  28  has an end portion  30  generally cylindrical and slightly enlarged from a diameter of the ferrule  28  and extending axially from the shoulder  29  to form a cavity  32 . The ferrule  28  also has a passageway  34  extending axially therethrough and communicating with the cavity  32 . The fiber optic cable  12  extends through the cavity  32  and passageway  34  and preferably terminates at the end of the passageway  34 . The ferrule  28  also has a flange  36  extending radially outwardly near one end thereof. The ferrule  28  is made of a rigid material such as metal. The ferrule  28  is secured to the fiber optic cable  12  by suitable means such as a press-fit. It should be appreciated that the ferrule  28  is a monolithic structure being integral, unitary and formed as one-piece. 
     The coupling  26  also includes a spud  38  disposed about a portion of the ferrule  28 . The spud  38  extends axially and is generally cylindrical in shape. The spud  38  has a passageway  40  extending axially therethrough and the passageway  40  has an enlarged opening  42  at one end thereof. The spud  38  also includes at least one first grooves  44  in an outer surface  46  thereof. The first grooves  44  may be annular and have a generally rectangular cross-sectional shape. The spud  38  also includes a second groove  48  in the outer surface  46  at the end with the enlarged opening  42 . The second groove  48  may be annular and generally rectangular in cross-sectional shape. The spud  38  may be made of a rigid material such as metal. The spud  38  is disposed about the ferrule  28  and mechanically locked or secured in place to the ferrule  28  between the shoulder  29  and flange  36  of the ferrule  28 , providing a metal-to-metal environmental seal. 
     The coupling  26  includes a cage  50  connected to one end of the spud  38 . The cage  50  has a base portion  52  extending radially and disposed in the second groove  48 . The cage  50  is attached at the base portion  52  to the spud  38  by a crimped flange  53  on the spud  38  forming a portion of the second groove  48  to mechanically lock the cage  50  to the spud  38 . It should be appreciated that other types of connection are also possible, such as welding, soldering, etc. 
     The cage  50  also has a curved wall portion  54  and a circular flange portion  56 . The curved wall portion  54  is connected to the base portion  52 . The circular flange portion  56  is connected to the curved wall portion  54  and is angularly inclined toward a terminal end  57  of the spud  38 . The circular flange portion  56  ends at such a point that there is an access opening  58 , which allows a portion of the light source housing  16  to be extended therein. The cage  50  defines an annular space  60  around the end of the spud  38 . The curved wall portion  54  defines the largest diameter location of the annular space  60 . The cage  50  also includes a spring  62  located inside the annular space  60  and normally disposed on the outer surface  46  of the spud  38 , which is capable of holding the light source housing  16  to the coupling  26 . 
     The coupling  26  includes at least one first seal  64  disposed in the first grooves  44 . The first seal  64  may be an O-ring made of an elastomeric material. The first seal  64  is disposed in one first groove  44  for a function to be described. The coupling  26  may also include a second seal  66  disposed between the spud  38  and ferrule  28 . The second seal  66  may be an O-ring made of an elastomeric material. The second seal  66  is disposed about the ferrule  28  in the enlarged opening  42  of the passageway  40  between the ferrule  28  and spud  38  to act as an o-ring seal for enhanced environmental sealing. 
     In operation of the fiber optic connector  10 , the light source housing  16  is connected to the first fiber optic cable  12 . The coupling  26  is connected to the fiber optic cable  12  as illustrated in  FIG. 2 . The end portion  18  of the light source housing  16  is moved axially toward the spud  38  such that the spud  38  and ferrule  28  are disposed in the cavity  20 . The end portion  18  is moved over the spud  38  to compress the first seals  64  and the flange  22  enters the access opening  58  in the cage  50 . The flange  22  deflects the spring  62  radially and moves axially past the spring  62 . The spring  62  returns radially and is disposed between the flange  22  and flange portion  56  to secure the end portion  18  in place on the spud  38  as illustrated in  FIG. 1 . The fiber optic connector  10  retains the fiber optic cable  12  from moving axially to ensure light transmission efficiency. The fiber optic connector  10  also seals a joint between the coupling  26  and light source housing  16  with the first seals  64  to keep environmental contaminants out of the light source housing  16 . The first seals  64  are used to minimize the lateral movement as well as providing a seal. A service tool (not shown) is used to disconnect the coupling  26  and light source housing  16 . It should be appreciated that the service tool is conventional and known in the art. It should be appreciated that the fiber optic connector  10  serves as an attachment for connecting two fiber optic cables  12  together. 
     In exemplary embodiments, the fiber optic cable  12  also includes a metal clip  68  disposed near the fiber optic connector  10 . The metal clip  68  is connected to the metal element  14  and may be used for connecting a tone generator (not shown) to the fiber optic cable  12 . The tone generator may be used to trace the fiber optic cable  12  by applying a tracing signal to the metal element  14  disposed on one end of the fiber optic cable  12 , and detecting the tracing signal at the other end of fiber optic cable  12 . 
     Referring now to  FIG. 3 , a tracing clip  70  may be used to trace the fiber optic cable  12 . The tracing clip  70  includes a metal clip  74 , a clip body  78  and one or more metal teeth  76 . The metal teeth  76  are electrically connected to the metal clip  74 . The metal teeth  76  are disposed on an inner surface of the clip body  78  and the metal clip  74  is disposed on the outer surface of the clip body  78 . The metal teeth  76  are designed such that when the tracing clip  70  is attached to the fiber optic cable the metal teeth make an electrical connection with the metal element  14  without disrupting the normal operation of the fiber optic cable  12 . In exemplary embodiments, the tracing clip  70  may be generally toroidal or cylindrical in shape. The tracing clip  70  may also include a hinge portion  80  that facilitates securing the tracing clip  70  to the fiber optic cable  12 . 
     In exemplary embodiments, the fiber optic cable  12  may include a cover  72  that may be made of any suitable insulating material including, but not limited to, rubber or plastic. Additionally, the metal teeth  76  may penetrate the cover  72  of the fiber optic cable  12 . The metal teeth  76  are designed such that when the tracing clip  70  is attached to the fiber optic cable the metal teeth penetrate the cover  72  and make an electrical connection with the metal element  14  without disrupting the normal operation of the fiber optic cable  12 . 
     In exemplary embodiments a fiber optic cable  12  may be traced by using a plurality of tracing clips  70 . The fiber optic cable  12  to be traced will be identified and a first tracing clip  70  will be attached to the fiber optic cable  12  and a tone generator will be attached to the first tracing clip  70 . Additionally, a plurality of tracing clips  70  will be attached to a plurality of fiber optic cables  70  and a plurality of speakers will be attached to the tracing clips  70 . A second tracing clip  70  is attached to the same fiber optic cable  12  as the first tracing clip  70 . Once the tone generator is activated the corresponding speaker will emit a tone and thereby identify the desired fiber optic cable  12 . 
     While the invention has been described with reference to exemplary embodiments, it will be understood by those skilled in the art that various changes may be made and equivalents may be substituted for elements thereof without departing from the scope of the invention. In addition, many modifications may be made to adapt a particular situation or material to the teachings of the invention without departing from the essential scope thereof. Therefore, it is intended that the invention not be limited to the particular embodiments disclosed for carrying out this invention, but that the invention will include all embodiments falling within the scope of the claims.

Technology Classification (CPC): 6