Alan John Malanowski
General Contractor at Fairway Dr, Startown, NC

5555332, Sep 10, 1996

Jun 8, 1995

8/487765

David L. Dean - Hickory NC
Alan J. Malanowski - Newton NC
James R. Merriken - Hudson NC
Otto I. Szentesi - Hickory NC

Siecor Corporation - Hickory NC

G02B 638

385 53

An applicator for inserting guide pins in the corresponding apertures of a fiber optic connector includes a carrier body defining a number of bores and a number of guide pins disposed at least partially within respective ones of the bores, the guide pins extending outwardly from a first surface of the carrier body. The outwardly extending ends of the guide pins are then inserted into and captured by the fiber optic connector and remain therein after removal of the carrier body. In order to further increase the numbers of guide pins that are simultaneously inserted, a plurality of fiber optic connectors can be maintained in a predetermined aligned relationship by an alignment shell having a releasably connected sidewall for receiving the fiber optic connectors.

5786002, Jul 28, 1998

Apr 4, 1996

8/627639

David L. Dean - Hickory NC
Alan J. Malanowski - Newton NC
Michael D. Domaille - Rochester MN

Siecor Corporation - Hickory NC

B29C 4526

425183

A guide block assembly is provided for retaining a plurality of fiber bore forming pins and at least one guide bore forming pin in precise relation to each other during molding of a multi-fiber ferrule used in a multi-fiber connector. The assembly includes an array of fiber bore blocks each with a fiber bore therethrough to retain a respective one of the fiber bore forming pins. At least one guide bore block that defines a guide bore for retaining a guide bore forming pin is assembled with the array of fiber bore blocks. Adjoining surfaces are defined between adjacent fiber bore blocks and between the guide bore blocks and the array fiber bore blocks. The use of bores more precisely retains the pins during the molding process, and the use of blocks with adjoining surfaces allows for the machining of such surfaces to precisely establish the relationships between successive fiber bore blocks and between the array of fiber bore blocks and the guide bore blocks.

6213750, Apr 10, 2001

Dec 1, 1999

9/452672

David L. Dean - Hickory NC
Alan J. Malanowski - Newton NC
Michael D. Domaille - Rochester MN

Siecor Corporation - Hickory NC

B29C 4526

425183

A guide block assembly and associated method are provided for retaining a plurality of fiber bore forming pins and at least one guide bore forming pin in precise relation to each other during molding of a multi-fiber ferrule used in a multi-fiber connector. The assembly comprises an array of fiber bore blocks each with a fiber bore therethrough to retain a respective one of the fiber bore forming pins. At least one guide block that defines a guide bore for retaining a guide bore forming pin is assembled with the array of fiber bore blocks. Adjoining surfaces are defined between adjacent fiber bore blocks and between the guide bore blocks and the array of fiber bore blocks. The use of bores more precisely retains the pins during the molding process, and the use of blocks with adjoining surfaces allows for the machining of such surfaces to precisely establish the relationships between successive fiber bore blocks and between the array of fiber bore blocks and the guide bore blocks.

7086847, Aug 8, 2006

Jun 15, 2004

10/868699

Nick A. Felkenes - West Carrollton OH, US
Alan J. Malanowski - Newton NC, US

Corning Cable Systems LLC - Hickory NC

B29C 33/76

425190, 425468, 425577, 249177

A guide block assembly for aligning and retaining fiber bore forming pins and guide pin bore forming pins in precise relation to each other during the molding of a multi-fiber ferrule includes a unitary member defining at least one fiber bore and at least one guide pin bore. Each fiber bore, and optionally each guide pin bore, is formed by creating a starter hole using a first electric discharge machining (EDM) wire and enlarging the starter hole using a second EDM wire. Each fiber bore has a length to diameter ratio of between approximately 3:1 to 10:1, more preferably between approximately 4:1 to 8:1, and most preferably approximately 6:1. The guide block assembly may further include a cavity behind the fiber bore and a front face that forms a non-rectilinear surface on the face of the ferrule. The unitary block assembly contains fewer parts and is less expensive to manufacture.

6663377, Dec 16, 2003

Jul 21, 2000

09/621226

Alan J. Malanowski - Newton NC

Corning Cable Systems LLC - Hickory NC

B29C 3376

425190, 425468, 425577

A guide block assembly is provided for retaining fiber bore forming pins and guide pin bore forming pins in precise relation to each other during the molding of a ferrule used in a multi-fiber connection. The assembly may include a top portion and a bottom portion with corresponding fiber and guide pin bore grooves formed on a surface of the top and bottom portions. When the top and bottom portions are assembled, the corresponding fiber and guide pin bore grooves form fiber and guide pin bores, respectively. The assembly may also include another portion that form additional bores with either the top or the bottom portion. A method of fabricating and aligning the guide block assembly is also disclosed.

6767199, Jul 27, 2004

May 24, 2001

09/864497

Alan J. Malanowski - Newton NC
Nick A. Felkenes - West Carrollton OH

Corning Cable Systems LLC - Hickory NC

B29C 3376

425192R, 425468, 425577, 249177

A guide block assembly for aligning and retaining fiber bore forming pins and guide pin bore fanning pins in precise relation to each other during the molding of a multi-fiber ferrule includes a unitary member defining at least one fiber bore and at least one guide pin bore. Each fiber bore, and optionally each guide pin bore, is formed by creating a starter hole using a first electric discharge machining (EDM) wire and enlarging the starter hale using a second EDM wire. Each fiber bore has a length to diameter ratio of between approximately 3::1 to 10::1, more preferably between approximately 4::1 to 8::1, and most preferably approximately 6::1. The guide block assembly may further include a cavity behind the fiber bore and a front face that forms a non-rectilinear surface on the face of the female. The unitary block assembly contains fewer parts and is less expensive to manufacture.

6761489, Jul 13, 2004

Dec 14, 1999

09/460552

Alan J. Malanowski - Newton NC

Corning Cable Systems LLC - Hickory NC

G02B 636

385 78, 385 60, 385 72

A ferrule is provided that has an exterior surface that can be defined with sufficient precision to serve as a datum during subsequent polishing operations. The ferrule includes first and second ferrule body portions that are joined along a parting line. The first ferrule body portion has a first width and the second ferrule body portion has a second width that is less than the first width, such as by at least 50 microns. In addition, the width of the first ferrule body portion is defined to be within a first tolerance, while the width of the second ferrule body is defined to be within a second tolerance that is larger than the first tolerance. As such, the first ferrule body portion is not only larger than the second ferrule body portion, but the first ferrule body portion is also more precisely defined. Thus, only one portion of the ferrule of the present invention needs to be precisely defined. A mold for forming the ferrule and a method of fabricating the ferrule are also provided.

6071442, Jun 6, 2000

Jun 12, 1998

9/096971

David L. Dean - Hickory NC
Alan J. Malanowski - Newton NC
Michael D. Domaille - Rochester MN

Siecor Corporation - Hickory NC

B29C 3338

264 125

A guide block assembly and associated method are provided for retaining a plurality of fiber bore forming pins and at least one guide bore forming pin in precise relation to each other during molding of a multi-fiber ferrule used in a multi-fiber connector. The assembly comprises an array of fiber bore blocks each with a fiber bore therethrough to retain a respective one of the fiber bore forming pins. At least one guide block that defines a guide bore for retaining a guide bore forming pin is assembled with the array of fiber bore blocks. Adjoining surfaces are defined between adjacent fiber bore blocks and between the guide bore blocks and the array of fiber bore blocks. The use of bores more precisely retains the pins during the molding process, and the use of blocks with adjoining surfaces allows for the machining of such surfaces to precisely establish the relationships between successive fiber bore blocks and between the array of fiber bore blocks and the guide bore blocks.

8337095, Dec 25, 2012

Sep 30, 2009

12/570999

Alan J. Malanowski - Newton NC, US
Jetta M. Pyatt - Hickory NC, US

Corning Cable Systems LLC - Hickory NC

G02B 6/36

385 84, 385 78

Ferrules having at least one tapered fiber channel that supports at least one optical fiber are disclosed. The at least one tapered fiber channel is defined by at least one channel wall. The material making up the channel wall is at least one of deformable and removable by forcible contact by the at least one optical fiber when the optical fiber is inserted into the fiber channel. This results in the formation of an interference fit between the front channel end and the optical fiber end when the diameter of the optical fiber end exceeds the diameter of the channel front end. The fiber channel wall may optionally include at least one deformable and/or removable-by-contact protrusion, with the at least one protrusion preferably being located in the channel section adjacent the narrow front channel end. Methods of forming the ferrules are also disclosed. Single-fiber and multi-fiber optical fiber connectors that employ the ferrules are also disclosed.

6971803, Dec 6, 2005

Mar 12, 2004

10/799499

Ronald L. Mudd - Grapevine TX, US
Alan J. Malanowski - Newton NC, US
Joseph T. Cody - Hickory NC, US

Corning Cable Systems LLC - Hickory NC

G02B006/38

385 71, 385 72, 385 78

A multi-fiber ferrule is configured to accept coated optical fibers and an optical fiber ribbon. The multi-fiber ferrule includes an optical fiber receiving portion, a lead-in portion, and an alignment portion. The alignment portion includes a buffered fiber alignment portion to orient and separate buffered optical fibers. The alignment portion may also include a ribbon alignment portion to orient and align the optical fibers of an optical fiber ribbon. As a result, the stripped optical fibers of both the coated optical fibers and the optical fiber ribbon are guided and aligned with the optical fiber bores provided in the optical fiber receiving portion of the multi-fiber ferrule.