Duplex fiber optic components suitable for polarity reversal

• US 10,139,572 B2
• Filed: 04/06/2017
• Issued: 11/27/2018
• Est. Priority Date: 04/11/2016
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Leviton Manufacturing Company Incorporated
• Original Assignee: Leviton Manufacturing Company Incorporated
• Inventors: Hopper, Scott Richard, Gustafson, Evan
• Primary Examiner(s): Radkowski, Peter
• Application Number:
  US15/481,039
• Publication Number:
  US 20170293090A1
• Time in Patent Office: 600 Days
• CPC Class Codes: G02B 6/3821 with axial spring biasing or loading means G02B6/3847 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: G02B 6/387 Connector plugs comprising two complementary members, e.g. shells, caps, covers, locked together
• CPC Class Codes: G02B 6/3871 Ferrule rotatable with respect to plug body, e.g. for setting rotational position adjusting fibre within the ferrule, G02B6/3843; Fixation of ferrules after rotation
• CPC Class Codes: G02B 6/3878 comprising a plurality of ferrules, branching and break-out means
• CPC Class Codes: G02B 6/3879 Linking of individual connector plugs to an overconnector, e.g. using clamps, clips, common housings comprising several individual connector plugs
• CPC Class Codes: G02B 6/3885 Multicore or multichannel optical connectors, i.e. one single ferrule containing more than one fibre, e.g. ribbon type optical ribbon cable G02B6/4403, G02B6/448
• CPC Class Codes: G02B 6/3893 Push-pull type, e.g. snap-in, push-on

Abstract

Embodiments of the present disclosure provide techniques for a fiber optic connector assembly configured for polarity reversal in accordance with some embodiments. An assembly may include a housing to receive a fiber optic cable, at least one back post connected with the housing, a ferrule including at least an optical fiber of the fiber optic cable, insertable into the back post, and a connector component comprising a front housing. The front housing may hold at least a portion of the ferrule and detachably couple with the back post. The back post may include a retaining element to provide rotatable coupling of the front housing relative to the ferrule, the back post and the housing. Other embodiments may be described and/or claimed.

Claims

1. A fiber optic connector assembly, comprising:

a housing configured to receive a fiber optic cable via a first end, wherein the housing comprises a cylindrical back post that extends from a second end of the housing, the cylindrical back post is configured to receive and hold a ferrule, and the cylindrical back post comprises an engagement feature that traverses a circumference of the cylindrical back post; and

a front housing configured to fit over the cylindrical back post, to engage with the engagement feature, and to allow a portion of the ferrule to protrude through a front of the front housing while coupled to the cylindrical back post,

wherein the front housing is rotatable about the cylindrical back post independently of the ferrule.

2. The fiber optic connector assembly of claim 1, wherein the cylindrical back post is a continuous extension of the housing.

3. The fiber optic connector assembly of claim 1, wherein the cylindrical back post comprises a lug configured to hold the front housing on the cylindrical back post, and wherein the front housing comprises a window mateable with the lug.

4. The fiber optic connector assembly of claim 3, wherein the front housing further comprises at least one slit disposed at least partially along a side of the front housing.

5. The fiber optic connector assembly of claim 1, further comprising a spring configured to reside inside the cylindrical back post and to receive an end of the ferrule, wherein an end of the spring abuts an end of the cylindrical back post while installed inside the cylindrical back post.

6. The fiber optic connector assembly of claim 1, wherein the engagement feature is an annular ring, and wherein the front housing is configured to engage with the annular ring in response to application of a pressing force to the front housing in a direction of the cylindrical back post.

7. The fiber optic connector assembly of claim 6, wherein an inner profile of the front housing comprises a groove mateable with the annular ring, and wherein the annular ring is configured to interact with the groove to guide a rotation of the front housing about the cylindrical back post.

8. The fiber optic connector assembly of claim 7, wherein the cylindrical back post comprises an extension component configured to retain the ferrule and to prevent rotation of the ferrule during the rotation of the front housing.

9. The fiber optic connector assembly of claim 2, wherein the cylindrical back post is a first cylindrical back post, the ferrule is a first ferrule, the engagement feature is a first engagement feature, and the front housing is a first front housing, and the fiber optic connector assembly further comprises:

a second cylindrical back post that extends from the second end of the housing, wherein the second cylindrical back post is configured to receive and hold a second ferrule, and the second cylindrical back post comprises a second engagement feature that traverses a circumference of the second cylindrical back post; and

a second front housing configured to fit over the second cylindrical back post, to engage with the second engagement feature, and to allow a portion of the second ferrule to protrude through a front of the second front housing while coupled to the second cylindrical back post,

wherein the second front housing is rotatable about the second cylindrical back post independently of the second ferrule.

10. The fiber optic connector assembly of claim 9, wherein the second cylindrical back post is a continuous extension of the housing.

11. The fiber optic connector assembly of claim 10, wherein the housing comprises a unibody housing.

12. The fiber optic connector assembly of claim 9, further comprising a duplex clip comprising first and second retaining components configured to affixably retain the first cylindrical back post and the second cylindrical back post, respectively.

13. The fiber optic connector assembly of claim 12, wherein the first retaining component comprises first and second hooks, and the second retaining component comprises third and fourth hooks.

14. The fiber optic connector assembly of claim 12, wherein the first cylindrical back post and the second cylindrical back post are configured to receive a first fiber of the fiber optic cable and a second fiber of the fiber optic cable, respectively.

15. The fiber optic connector assembly of claim 1, wherein the cylindrical back post comprises a keying element configured to engage with a corresponding key disposed on the ferrule.

16. The fiber optic connector assembly of claim 1, wherein the cylindrical back post is reversibly couplable with the housing.

17. The fiber optic connector assembly of claim 1, wherein the engagement feature is a step feature.

18. The fiber optic connector of claim 17, wherein the cylindrical back post further comprises a lug that interacts with the front housing to locate the front housing at one or more angular positions about the cylindrical back post.

19. The fiber optic connector assembly of claim 1, wherein the front housing comprises a connector latch that mechanically latches the fiber optic connector assembly to an optical adapter.

20. The fiber optic connector assembly of claim 19, further comprising a puller comprising a hammer head element with opposing lateral extensions, wherein one of the opposing lateral extensions is configured to engage with the latch.