Optical connector receptacle having switching capability

• US 20020081076A1
• Filed: 12/27/2000
• Published: 06/27/2002
• Est. Priority Date: 12/27/2000
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Furukawa Electric North America Incorporated (Furukawa Electric Company Limited)
• Original Assignee: Fitel USA Corporation (Furukawa Electric Company Limited)
• Inventors: Mock, Joel L., Lampert, Norman R.
• Granted Patent: US 6,554,484 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 385/70
• CPC Class Codes: G02B 2006/4297 having protection means, e.g. protecting humans against accidental exposure to harmful laser radiation
• CPC Class Codes: G02B 6/3825 with an intermediate part, e.g. adapter, receptacle, linking two plugs
• CPC Class Codes: G02B 6/3893 Push-pull type, e.g. snap-in, push-on
• CPC Class Codes: G02B 6/3895 identification of connection, e.g. right plug to the right socket or full engagement of the mating parts keying element on the plug or adapter G02B6/3831; keying element on the ferrule G02B6/3851; keying element for electrical connection H01R13/64
• CPC Class Codes: G02B 6/3897 Connectors fixed to housings, casing, frames or circuit boards G02B6/44528 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: G02B 6/4296 coupling with sources of high radiant energy, e.g. high power lasers, high temperature light sources

Abstract

An optical fiber connector adapter has a sensing mechanism for determining when the adapter has a connector plug therein and when the adapter is vacant or empty. The sensing mechanism creates an indication of the state of the adapter which is transmitted to a control circuit. The control circuit responds to the indication by activating or deactivating a laser, for example, which applies optical energy to the adapter. The laser is deactivated when the adapter has no connector plug therein and is activated when there is a connector plug in place in the adapter. In two of the embodiments of the invention, the sensing mechanism signals the impending insertion or withdrawal of the connector plug relative to the adapter.

Claims

1. An optical fiber coupling adapter assembly comprising:

an adapter housing having an open receptacle therein for receiving a connector plug having a ferrule extending from its front end, said housing having a rear wall and first and second side walls;

a cylindrical member extending from said rear wall into said receptacle for receiving the ferrule of the connector plug; and

a sensing mechanism for sensing the particular condition signifying the presence or absence of a connector plug within said receptacle and producing an indication of the particular condition.

2. The coupling adapter as claimed in claim 1 wherein said sensing mechanism comprises a first spring member adjacent said rear wall and a second spring member overlying said first spring member and spaced therefrom in the path of the front end of the connector plug, said second spring member being adapted to be compressed by the connector plug into contact with said first spring member.

3. The coupling adapter as claimed in claim 2 wherein said first and second spring members are located within the receptacle between the cylindrical member and one of the side walls of the receptacle.

4. The coupling adapter as claimed in claim 1 wherein said sensing mechanism comprises a light emitting device in the first sidewall of the adapter housing and a light detection device in the second sidewall of the housing opposite said light emitting device, said light emitting device and said light detecting device being so positioned in said sidewalls that light from said light emitting device is prevented from reaching said light detecting device when a connector plug is located within the receptacle.

5. The coupling adapter as claimed in claim 4 wherein said light emitting device is adapted to project a beam of light across the receptacle to said light detecting device.

6. The coupling adapter as claimed in claim 1 wherein said sensing mechanism is a magnetic field detecting device within the adapter housing.

8. The coupling adapter as claimed in claim 6 wherein said sensing mechanism is mounted in one of the side walls of the adapter housing.

9. The coupling adapter as claimed in claim 6 wherein said sensing mechanism is mounted within the adapter housing adjacent the rear wall thereof.

10. The coupling adapter as claimed in claim 9 wherein said sensing mechanism is mounted on a circuit board extending into the receptacle in said housing.

11. The coupling adapter as claimed in claim 1 and further comprising pivotable shutter member having a front wall for covering the open receptacle and first and second sides, each being pivotably connected to said adapter;

said adapter housing having a lower surface;

an arm depending from each of said sides and having a distal end extending below said lower surface when said shutter is in a closed position covering said open receptacle;

said sensing mechanism comprising a light emitting device in the distal end of one of said arms and a light detecting device in the distal end of the other of said arms for detecting light emitted by said light emitting device when said shutter is in the closed position.

13. An optical fiber connector assembly as claimed in claim 12 and further comprising a control circuit to which said sensing mechanism is connected for generating a signal indicative of the sensed condition for application to the light source.

14. An optical fiber connector assembly as claimed in claim 13 wherein the signal is applied to a switch for activating and deactivating said light source.

15. An optical fiber connector assembly as claimed in claim 14 wherein said light source is a laser.

16. An optical fiber connector assembly as claimed in claim 13 wherein said sensing mechanism comprises a normally open leaf spring switch connected in circuit with said control circuit.

17. An optical fiber assembly as claimed in claim 16 wherein said normally open leaf spring switch is positioned to be closed upon insertion of a connector plug into the receptacle.

18. An optical fiber connector assembly as claimed in claim 13 wherein said sensing mechanism comprises a magnetic field detecting device within the adapter housing.

19. An optical fiber connector assembly as claimed in claim 18 and further comprising a connector plug having a front end for insertion into the first connector adapter, said connector plug having a magnetic member for creating a magnetic field sufficient to be detected by said magnetic field detecting device.

20. An optical fiber connector assembly as claimed in claim 19 wherein said magnetic field detecting device is mounted within the first connector adapter adjacent the rear wall thereof;

and

said magnetic member is mounted at the front end of said connector plug.

21. An optical fiber connector assembly as claimed in claim 19 wherein said magnetic field detecting device is mounted in one of said side walls of one of the adapters;

and

said connector plug has a latching arm to which said magnetic member is mounted, said magnetic member being positioned, when said first connector plug is latched in position within the first adapter, adjacent said magnetic field detecting device.

22. An optical fiber connector assembly as claimed in claim 13 wherein said sensing mechanism comprises a light emitting device in the first sidewall of said first connector adapter and a light detection device in the second sidewall of said first connector adapter opposite said light emitting device, said light emitting device and said light detecting device being so positioned in said sidewalls that light from said light emitting device is prevented from reaching said light detecting device when a connector plug is located in the receptacle.

23. An optical fiber connector assembly as claimed in claim 22 wherein said control circuit is connected to said light emitting device for supplying electrical power thereto.

24. An optical fiber connector assembly as claimed in claim 13 wherein said first coupling adapter receptacle has a front opening and a lower surface;

a pivotable shutter member having a front wall for covering said opening and first and second sides, each being pivotably connected to said first adapter;

an arm depending from each of said sides, each of said arms having a distal end extending below said lower surface when said shutter member is in a closed position covering said opening;

said sensing mechanism comprising a light emitting device in the distal end of one of said arms and a light detecting device in the distal end of the other of said arms for detecting light emitted by said light emitting device when said shutter is in the closed position.

25. An optical fiber connector assembly as claimed in claim 24 wherein said control circuit is connected to said light emitting device for supplying electrical power thereto.

7. The coupling adapter as claimed in claim 7 wherein said magnetic field detecting device is a Hall Effect device.

12. An optical fiber connector assembly wherein first and second connector adapters are joined together, each of the adapters comprising first and second side walls and a rear wall forming a connector plug receptacle for receiving first and second connector plugs respectively, and a light source for applying optical energy to at least the second plug, said assembly further comprising:

a sensing mechanism in the first connector adapter for sensing the particular condition signifying the presence or absence of a connector plug within the receptacle and producing a signal indicative of at least one of said conditions to produce a deactivation of the light source when the condition sensed is that of the absence of a first connector plug.