Dual inner diameter ferrule device and method

Abstract

A fiber optic ferrule includes a body extending from a first end to a second opposite end, with the body including an axial passage extending between the first and second ends. The axial passage includes a first diameter portion having a diameter of at least 125 microns, and a second diameter portion having a diameter of at least 250 microns and less than a diameter of the buffer, the second diameter portion positioned between the first diameter and the second end. The axial passage further defines a tapered shape at the second end extending inward from the second end to the second diameter portion. A hub holds the ferrule. A method of assembling a terminated fiber optic cable is also provided.

1 . A fiber optic ferrule and cable comprising:
 a ferrule body extending from a first end to an opposite second end, the ferrule body having an outer cylindrical shape, the ferrule body including an axial passage extending between the first and the second ends of the ferrule body, the axial passage of the ferrule body including:
 a first diameter portion generally cylindrical in shape adjacent the first end of the ferrule body; 
 a second diameter portion generally cylindrical in shape positioned between the first diameter portion and the second end of the ferrule body; and 
 a transition area between the first and the second diameter portions; 
   an optical fiber cable including an inner fiber, an outer coating, and a buffer layer, the outer coating positioned around the inner fiber and the buffer layer positioned around the outer coating, a portion of the outer coating and inner fiber extending beyond an end of the buffer layer and a portion of the inner fiber extending beyond an end of the outer coating;   a hub mounted around the second end of the ferrule body, the hub including an axial passage; and   an adhesive material within the axial passage of the ferrule body holding the optical fiber cable to the ferrule body;   wherein the first diameter portion of the axial passage of the ferrule body receives the inner fiber of the optical fiber cable;   wherein the second diameter portion of the axial passage of the ferrule body receives the outer coating of the optical fiber cable; and   wherein the end of the buffer layer of the optical fiber cable is positioned in the axial passage of the hub.   
     
     
         2 . The fiber optic ferrule and cable of  claim 1 , wherein the transition area is conically shaped. 
     
     
         3 . The fiber optic ferrule and cable of  claim 1 , wherein the outer coating of the optical fiber cable is received in the transition area between the first and the second diameter portions of the axial passage of the ferrule body. 
     
     
         4 . The fiber optic ferrule and cable of  claim 2 , wherein the outer coating of the optical fiber cable is received in the transition area between the first and the second diameter portions of the axial passage of the ferrule body. 
     
     
         5 . The fiber optic ferrule and cable of  claim 1 , wherein the outer coating of the optical fiber cable is spaced from the transition area between the first and the second diameter portions of the axial passage of the ferrule body. 
     
     
         6 . The fiber optic ferrule and cable of  claim 2 , wherein the outer coating of the optical fiber cable is spaced from the transition area between the first and the second diameter portions of the axial passage of the ferrule body. 
     
     
         7 . The fiber optic ferrule and cable of  claim 1 , wherein the adhesive material is an epoxy. 
     
     
         8 . The fiber optic ferrule and cable of  claim 4 , wherein the adhesive material is an epoxy. 
     
     
         9 . The fiber optic ferrule and cable of  claim 6 , wherein the adhesive material is an epoxy. 
     
     
         10 . The fiber optic ferrule and cable of  claim 1 , wherein the ferrule body is a ceramic ferrule body. 
     
     
         11 . The fiber optic ferrule and cable of  claim 4 , wherein the ferrule body is a ceramic ferrule body. 
     
     
         12 . The fiber optic ferrule and cable of  claim 6 , wherein the ferrule body is a ceramic ferrule body. 
     
     
         13 . The fiber optic ferrule and cable of  claim 8 , wherein the ferrule body is a ceramic ferrule body. 
     
     
         14 . The fiber optic ferrule and cable of  claim 9 , wherein the ferrule body is a ceramic ferrule body. 
     
     
         15 . The fiber optic ferrule and cable of  claim 1 , wherein the first diameter portion of the axial passage of the ferrule body has a diameter of at least 125.5 microns and less than or equal to 127 microns. 
     
     
         16 . The fiber optic ferrule and cable of  claim 11 , wherein the first diameter portion of the axial passage of the ferrule body has a diameter of at least 125.5 microns and less than or equal to 127 microns. 
     
     
         17 . The fiber optic ferrule and cable of  claim 12 , wherein the first diameter portion of the axial passage of the ferrule body has a diameter of at least 125.5 microns and less than or equal to 127 microns. 
     
     
         18 . The fiber optic ferrule and cable of  claim 1 , wherein the second diameter portion of the axial passage of the ferrule body has a diameter of greater than 250 microns and less than or equal to 300 microns. 
     
     
         19 . The fiber optic ferrule and cable of  claim 11 , wherein the second diameter portion of the axial passage of the ferrule body has a diameter of at least 250 microns and less than or equal to 270 microns. 
     
     
         20 . The fiber optic ferrule and cable of  claim 12 , wherein the second diameter portion of the axial passage of the ferrule body has a diameter of at least 250 microns and less than or equal to 270 microns. 
     
     
         21 . The fiber optic ferrule and cable of  claim 15 , wherein the second diameter portion of the axial passage of the ferrule body has a diameter of at least 250 microns and less than or equal to 270 microns. 
     
     
         22 . A method of assembling a ferrule terminated cable comprising:
 providing a cable with an inner fiber, an outer coating around the inner fiber, and a buffer layer around the outer coating;   stripping a portion of the buffer layer from an end of the cable to expose a portion of the outer coating;   stripping a portion of the exposed outer coating from the end of the cable to expose a portion of the inner fiber, thereby creating a new end of the exposed outer coating;   inserting the exposed portion of the inner fiber and the remaining exposed portion of the outer coating into an axial passage of a ferrule body having an outer cylindrical shape, the axial passage of the ferrule body having first and second inner diameters and a transition area between the first and the second inner diameters, wherein the first inner diameter only receives the inner fiber and no outer coating and the second inner diameter receives at least a portion of the outer coating and no buffer layer, wherein the ferrule body is mounted to a hub adjacent to an end of the ferrule body, the hub including an axial passage, and wherein an end of the buffer layer is positioned in the axial passage of the hub; and   adhesively holding the cable to the ferrule body.   
     
     
         23 . The method of  claim 22 , wherein the transition area between the first and the second inner diameters of the axial passage of the ferrule body is conically shaped. 
     
     
         24 . The method of  claim 23 , wherein the new end of the exposed outer coating of the cable is received in the transition area between the first and the second inner diameters of the axial passage of the ferrule body. 
     
     
         25 . The method of  claim 23 , wherein the new end of the exposed outer coating of the cable is spaced from the transition area between the first and the second inner diameters of the axial passage of the ferrule body. 
     
     
         26 . The method of  claim 24 , wherein epoxy is used within the axial passage of the ferrule body to adhesively hold the exposed portion of the inner fiber to the axial passage. 
     
     
         27 . The method of  claim 25 , wherein epoxy is used within the axial passage of the ferrule body to adhesively hold the exposed portion of the inner fiber to the axial passage.