Positioning means for a fibre optic connector assembly, a fibre optic connector assembly and fibre termination unit

Abstract

The present invention relates to a positioning means for a fibre optic connector assembly, a fibre optic connector assembly and a fibre termination unit comprising the positioning means through which manufacturing tolerances can be absorbed to provide an improved optical interconnection with a high signal transmission rate. The positioning means comprises a receiving means for receiving one of a jack assembly or plug assembly and a stationary support supporting said receiving means, wherein the receiving means is displaceable to a certain extent relative to the stationary support at least along one direction other than a connection direction for optically interconnecting the optical fibers allowing an alignment of the receivable jack or plug assembly along the direction transversal to the connection direction. A spring loaded element resiliently urges said receiving means away from the support in one embodiment.

1 .- 15 . (canceled) 
     
     
         16 . A positioning means for a fibre optic connector assembly which comprises a plug assembly receiving a plug ferrule and a jack assembly receiving a jack ferrule connectable to the plug ferrule such that said plug ferrule and said jack ferrule are positionable coaxially with respect to each other for optically interconnecting optical fibers supported by said ferrules; the positioning means comprises a receiving means to receive one of the jack assembly or plug assembly and a stationary support supporting said receiving means, wherein said receiving means is displaceable to a certain extent relative to the stationary support at least along one direction other than a connection direction for optically interconnecting the optical fibers to allow an alignment of the receivable jack or plug assembly along the direction transversal to the connection direction. 
     
     
         17 . A method of connecting a plug assembly of an optical fiber cable to a jack assembly, the method comprising:
 providing a first base with a stationary support fixedly mounted to the first base, a displaceable member supported by the stationary support, and key and slot structures of the stationary support and the displaceable member engaged to each other thereby engaging the stationary support and the displaceable member to each other;   holding the plug assembly of the optical fiber cable with a plug holder of the displaceable member of the first base;   providing a second base with a jack receiver;   holding the jack assembly with the jack receiver of the second base; and   pushing the first base and the second base together and thereby connecting the plug assembly of the optical fiber cable with the jack assembly.   
     
     
         18 . The method of  claim 17 , wherein the first base is included in a fiber termination unit that is between a provider side and a customer side of a broadband network. 
     
     
         19 . The method of  claim 17 , further comprising absorbing manufacturing tolerances by displacing the displaceable member. 
     
     
         20 . The method of  claim 17 , further comprising absorbing manufacturing tolerances by displacing the displaceable member transverse to a connection direction of the plug assembly. 
     
     
         21 . The method of  claim 17 , further comprising absorbing manufacturing tolerances by displacing the displaceable member along a connection direction of the plug assembly. 
     
     
         22 . A method of connecting a plug assembly receiving a plug ferrule to a jack assembly receiving a jack ferrule for interconnecting optical fibers supported by the plug ferrule and the jack ferrule, the method comprising:
 providing a first base with a stationary support fixedly mounted to the first base;   holding the plug assembly with a plug holder of the first base;   providing a second base with a receiving means that is displaceable relative to the stationary support at least along a direction transverse to a connection direction for optically interconnecting the optical fibers to allow an alignment of the jack assembly and the plug assembly along the direction transverse to the connection direction, said receiving means being translatable relative to the stationary support in the direction transverse to the connection direction;   holding the jack assembly with the jack receiver of the second base; and   pushing the first base and the second base together and thereby connecting the plug assembly with the jack assembly.   
     
     
         23 . The method of  claim 23 , wherein the first base is included in a fiber termination unit that is between a provider side and a customer side of a broadband network. 
     
     
         24 . The method of  claim 24 , further comprising absorbing manufacturing tolerances by displacing the receiving means.