ADAPTER PLATE FOR SECURING AN ADAPTER TO A SURFACE

• US 20120252244A1
• Filed: 04/17/2012
• Published: 10/04/2012
• Est. Priority Date: 10/21/2009
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Corning Optical Communications LLC (Corning Incorporated)
• Original Assignee: Corning Optical Communications LLC (Corning Incorporated)
• Inventors: Elkins, Robert Bruce II, Theuerkorn, Thomas, Filipiak, Barton Pierce
• Granted Patent: US 8,622,627 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 439/215
• CPC Class Codes: G02B 6/3825 with an intermediate part, e.g. adapter, receptacle, linking two plugs

Abstract

An adapter plate assembly includes an adapter for mating two connectors and an adapter plate. The adapter includes a first end and a second end and a passage therethrough. The adapter further includes an adapter footprint and an adapter flange. The first end has an external threaded portion and the second end has an external threaded portion. The adapter is adapted to receive a ruggedized connector in the first and a multi-fiber connector in the second end. The adapter plate includes an aperture for receiving at least a portion of the adapter, a footprint receiving portion for receiving at least a portion of the adapter footprint, a flange receiving portion for receiving the adapter flange, and an attachment feature. A method of assembling the adapter plate and mounting the adapter plate to a non-standard wall is described.

Claims

1. An adapter plate assembly, comprising:

an adapter for mating two connectors, the adapter including a first end and a second end and a passage therethrough, the first end having an external threaded portion and the second end having an external threaded portion, the first end adapted to receive a ruggedized connector and the second end adapted to receive an MT connector, the adapter further including an adapter footprint and an adapter flange; and

an adapter plate, the adapter plate including an aperture for receiving at least a portion of the adapter therethrough, a footprint receiving portion for receiving at least a portion of the adapter footprint, a flange receiving portion for receiving the adapter flange, the adapter plate further including an attachment feature.

2. The assembly of claim 1, the footprint receiving portion including at least one curved side, at least one flat side, and at least one key slot.

3. The assembly of claim 1, the adapter including at least one side-loading force reducing structure.

4. The assembly of claim 1, the adapter plate assembly being secured to a wall.

5. The assembly of claim 4, the wall being part of an electronics equipment housing.

6. The assembly of claim 4, the wall being part of a remote radio head.

7. The assembly of claim 1, the first end of the adapter threadably engaging with a coupling nut of the ruggedized connector.

8. An adapter plate for attaching a standard adapter to a non-standard wall, the adapter plate comprising:

a front and a back and an aperture therethrough for receiving at least a portion of a standard adapter;

a footprint receiving portion for receiving at least a portion of an adapter footprint;

a flange receiving portion for receiving an adapter flange; and

an attachment feature for attaching the adapter plate to a non-standard wall.

9. The assembly of claim 8, the footprint receiving portion including at least one curved side, at least one flat side, and at least one key slot.

10. A method of mounting a standard adapter to a non-standard wall, the method comprising:

providing a standard adapter;

providing an adapter plate, the adapter plate having a footprint configured to receive the standard adapter;

providing a non-standard wall, the non-standard wall being unsuitable to directly receive the standard adapter;

providing a drill template, the drill template having a pattern indicated to match a hole pattern for the adapter plate;

providing a drilling tool;

placing the drill template on the non-standard wall;

drilling the appropriate holes in the appropriate locations with the drilling tool using the drill template as a guide;

securing the adapter to the adapter plate; and

mounting the adapter plate to the non-standard wall.