Expanded beam fibre optic connectors for harsh environments

Lane Electronics now offers the new FIBERFOX Expanded Beam Fibre Optic Connectors from NEUTRIK. Created to meet the requirements of MILDTL-83526 specifications, these connectors are developed to operate in harsh environments and use non-physical contact fibre optic termini that are IP68 sealed behind an anti-reflective coated ball lens. The connector is capable of front- and rear-mounting, the connector removes the requirement for adaptors and female and male mating halves. The system is available in two-channel and four-channel variants, with either configuration compatible with the other configuration and other MIL-DTL-83526 specified systems.

This lens expands the beam to many times its original size assisting optical alignment and minimising the effects of dust, debris and other environmental conditions. The expanded beam fibre optic connectivity is exceptional in wet, dirty, dusty, high and low-temperature environments.

Effectively maintenance-free with a theoretical unlimited lifetime, it can withstand more than 10,000 mating cycles without maintenance or insertion loss and can be cleaned with only clean water and a lint-free cloth. IP68 compliant certified waterproof up to a depth of 6m, the connectors provide a screwed locking mechanism. The chassis-mounted connector version fits into an industry-standard cut-out, and standard LC patch cables can be plugged into the rear.

The device is a hermaphroditic connector allowing multiple plug-to-plug cable assemblies to be combined to extend the length of the system, and connectors are available with two or four-channel multimode lenses. In addition to standard plugs, FIBERFOX briDge receptacles are ideal with standard LC Patch Cables and act as a unique LC to Expanded Beam converter.

Applications for the connectors include defence, industrial, mining, medical, security, railway, sensing applications, communications in the oil and gas industries, lighting, networks, public address systems, video, broadcast, and AV.