Crimp tool for strain relief connector and method of forming a strain relief connector

Abstract

Crimp tool is for and a method forms a strain relief connector including an optical fiber, a cover enclosing the optical fiber. The cover has an inner surface, an outer surface, a first end and a second end, the first end having a tapered portion that extends radially outwardly. A sleeve surrounds the cover and has a first inner volume and a first interior shoulder, a portion of the outer surface of the tapered portion abuts the first interior shoulder. The sleeve and the cover are simultaneously compressed forming a compressed portion. The cover and the sleeve are deformed such that the cover substantially fills the first inner volume of the sleeve.

1 . A method of forming a strain relief connector, comprising the steps of 
 extending a fiber optic cable through a deformable sleeve, the fiber optic cable having a cover with a first end and a second end, said first end having a radially outwardly extending tapered portion, the sleeve having a first internal shoulder,    abutting a portion of said tapered portion against said first internal shoulder, and    compressing the sleeve to crimp the sleeve to the cover to form a compressed portion, with said cover substantially filling an inner volume of the sleeve.    
   
   
       2 . A method according to  claim 1 , wherein 
 said abutting step includes abutting said second end of said cover against a second internal shoulder of said sleeve.    
   
   
       3 . A method according to  claim 1 , wherein 
 said compressing step includes compressing the sleeve so that the sleeve width is greater than the sleeve height.    
   
   
       4 . A method according to  claim 1 , wherein 
 said compressing step includes compressing said cover so that substantially all of said cover extends in a direction substantially perpendicular to a length of said sleeve in said compressed portion.    
   
   
       5 . A method according to  claim 1 , further comprising the step of 
 inserting said strain relief connector in a crimping device.    
   
   
       6 . A method according to  claim 1 , further comprising the step of 
 coupling said strain relief connector to an alignment ferrule.    
   
   
       7 . A method of crimping a strain relief connector, the strain relief device having first and second outwardly extending radial shoulders, comprising the steps of 
 positioning the strain relief connector between first and second crimp portions of a crimp device,    positioning the first and second shoulders in respective recesses in the first and second crimp portions,    moving the first and second crimp portions toward each other, and    compressing the strain relief connector between the first and second crimp portions, to form a strain relief connector having a width greater than its height.    
   
   
       8 . A method of crimping a strain relief connector according to  claim 7 , further comprising the step of 
 aligning the respective recesses in the first and second crimp portions.    
   
   
       9 . A method of crimping a strain relief connector according to  claim 7 , wherein 
 the moving step includes moving the first and second crimp portions toward each other, so that a first surface on the first crimp portion is substantially parallel to a second surface on the second portion.