Hermaphroditic Fibre Optical Connector System

• US 20090279832A1
• Filed: 01/24/2006
• Published: 11/12/2009
• Est. Priority Date: 02/08/2005
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Molex Incorporated
• Original Assignee: Molex Incorporated
• Inventors: Grzegorzewska, Barbara, Makhlin, Ilya, Marrapode, Thomas, Schiltz, Thomas, Hodge, Malcolm, Andrei, Bogdan, Belenkiy, Yuriy
• Granted Patent: US 7,963,704 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 385/69
• CPC Class Codes: G02B 6/3821 with axial spring biasing or loading means G02B6/3847 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: G02B 6/383 Hermaphroditic connectors, i.e. two identical plugs mating with one another, each plug having both male and female diametrically opposed engaging parts; electric hermaphroditic coupling H01R24/84, H01R13/28
• 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 6/3897 Connectors fixed to housings, casing, frames or circuit boards G02B6/44528 takes precedence

Abstract

The connector system provides two identical hermaphroditic housings, which accomplish a reliable connection of standard optical fiber connectors without the use of an adaptor. The connector system includes a first housing mounted to a first printed wiring board and a second housing mounted to a second printed wiring board. Each housing supports an optical fiber connector therein. Each housing includes an inner member and an outer member Springs are provided between the inner and outer members to provide biasing of the housings in the mating direction of the optical connectors.

Claims

1. A connector system for mating first and second optical fiber connectors having optical fibers therein defining a mating axis, said connector system comprising:

a first housing including a first outer member capable of being secured to a printed wiring board, a first inner member engaged with said first outer member capable of receiving said first optical fiber connector, at least one spring mounted between said first outer member and said first inner member for biasing said first inner member from said first outer member;

a second housing including a second outer member capable of being secured to a printed wiring board, a second inner member engaged with said second outer member capable of receiving said second optical fiber connector, at least one spring mounted between said second outer member and said second inner member for biasing said second inner member from said second outer member; and

wherein said first housing directly mates with said second housing to provide a mating of said first and second optical fiber connectors along said mating axis.

2. The connector system of claim 1, wherein said first and second housings are identical.

3. The connector system of claim 1, wherein each said outer member includes a protrusion and each said inner member includes a rail for engagement with said protrusion to limit movement of said inner member relative to said outer member in the mating direction.

4. The connector system of claim 1, wherein each said outer member has an inner surface having a channel extending thereon, each said inner member has an outer surface having a rail extending therefrom, and said channel receives said rail when each said inner member is positioned within each said outer member.

5. The connector system of claim 1, wherein each said inner housing has a mating end which faces the other said inner housing, an aligmnent member extending outwardly from said mating end and an alignment aperture extending inwardly from said mating end, wherein when said housings are mated, said alignment member of said first housing is positioned within said alignment aperture of said second housing and said alignment member of said second housing is positioned within said alignment aperture of said first housing.

6. A connector system as defined in claim 1, wherein each said inner member includes a spring aperture for receiving an end of said at least one spring and each said outer member includes a spring aperture for receiving an opposite end of said at least one spring.

7. A connector system as defined in claim 1, wherein each of said housings further includes at least one mounting stud and at least one channel for receiving said mounting stud, and wherein said mounting stud is longer than said channel to permit movement of said mounting stud within said channel in a direction perpendicular to said mating axis.

8. A connector system as defined in claim 1, wherein each of said housings further includes at least one mounting stud and said outer member includes at least one channel for receiving said mounting stud and wherein the diameter of said mounting stud in a direction perpendicular to said mating axis is smaller than the diameter of said channel to permit movement of said outer member relative to said mounting stud.

9. A connector system as defined in claim 1, wherein each of said housings further includes at least one mounting stud and said outer member includes at least one channel for receiving said mounting stud and wherein the diameter of said mounting stud in the mating direction is approximately the same as the diameter of said channel in said mating direction to prevent movement of said outer member relative to said mounting stud.

10. A connector system as defined in claim 1, wherein each of said first and second optical fiber connectors includes a connector spring for biasing said optical fibers along said mating axis and wherein a force of each of said connector springs is smaller than the force of said at least one spring of each of said first and second housings.

11. A connector system in combination with first and second printed wiring board for mating first and second optical fiber connector having optical fibers therein defining a mating axis, the combination comprising:

a first printed wiring board having a first housing mounted thereon, said first housing including an outer member secured to said first printed wiring board wherein said outer member is capable of movement relative to said first printed wiring board, an inner member;

engaged with said outer member and capable of receiving said first optical fiber connector, at least one spring mounted between said outer member and said inner member for biasing said inner member from said outer member; and

a second printed wiring board having a second housing mounted thereon, said second housing including an outer member secured to said second printed wiring board wherein said outer member is capable of movement relative to said second printed wiring board, an inner member;

engaged with said outer member and capable of receiving said second optical fiber connector, at least one spring mounted between said outer member and said inner member for biasing said inner member from said outer member.

12. The combination of claim 11, said combination further including first and second mounting studs;

wherein said first outer member includes a mounting chaiuiel and said first mounting stud is positioned within said mounting channel and secured to said first printed wiring board; and

wherein said second outer member includes a mounting channel and said second mounting stud is positioned within said mounting channel and secured to said second printed wiring board.

13. The combination of claim 11, wherein said the diameter of each mounting stud in a direction perpendicular to said mating axis is smaller than the diameter of each said mounting channel to permit movement of each said outer member relative to said printed wiring board.

14. The combination of claim 11, wherein said diameter of each mounting stud is approximately the same as the dimension of each mounting channel in the mating direction to prevent movement of said outer members relative to said printed wiring board.

15. The combination of claim 11, further including a mounting bracket, attached to said outer member of said first housing and to said first printed wiring board;

and

wherein said first printed wiring board is positioned perpendicular to said second printed wiring board.

16. A connector system for mating first and second optical fiber connectors having optical fibers therein defining a mating axis, said connector system comprising:

a first housing;

a second housing;

wherein said first and second housing are identical; and

wherein said first housing directly mates with said second housing to provide a mating of said first and second optical fiber connectors along said mating axis.

17. The connector system of claim 16, wherein each said housing has a mating end which faces the other said housing, an alignment member extending outwardly from said mating end, and an alignment aperture extending inwardly from said mating end, wherein when said housings are mated, said alignment member of said first housing is positioned within said alignment aperture of said second housing and said alignment member of said second housing is positioned within said alignment aperture of said first housing.

18. The connector system of claim 16, wherein each housing includes an outer member, an inner member engaged with said outer member and capable of receiving one of said optical fiber connectors, and a spring between said inner and outer members for biasing said inner member from said outer member.

19. The connector system of claim 16, wherein each said outer member includes a protrusion and each said inner member includes a rail for engagement with said protrusion to limit movement of said inner member relative to said outer member in the mating direction.