FIBER OPTIC CONNECTOR ASSEMBLY

• US 20160306122A1
• Filed: 09/02/2013
• Published: 10/20/2016
• Est. Priority Date: 09/28/2012
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Commscope Telecommunications (Shanghai) Co., Ltd. (CommScope Holding Company, Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Tyco Electronics Company Limited (TE Connectivity Limited)
• Inventors: LEI, Liu, TONG, Zhaoyang, LIN, Lin
• Granted Patent: US 10,107,968 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: G02B 6/3821 with axial spring biasing or loading means G02B6/3847 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: G02B 6/3825 with an intermediate part, e.g. adapter, receptacle, linking two plugs
• CPC Class Codes: G02B 6/3831 comprising a keying element on the plug or adapter, e.g. to forbid wrong connection keying element on the ferrule G02B6/3851; keying element for electrical coupling H01R13/64
• CPC Class Codes: G02B 6/3851 Ferrules having keying or coding means
• CPC Class Codes: G02B 6/389 characterised by the method of fastening connecting plugs and sockets, e.g. screw- or nut-lock, snap-in, bayonet type

Abstract

A fiber optic connector assembly comprising: a fiber optic connector (110) and a fiber optic adapter (120). The fiber optic connector comprises a ferrule assembly (110) and is simplified to not comprise a case and/or an insertion body of a standard fiber optic connector disposed outside the ferrule assembly. The fiber optic adapter comprises a simplified port (121) adapted to receive the ferrule assembly (110) therein and an elastic piece (130) for holding the ferrule assembly (110) in the simplified port. The elastic piece is disposed in a peripheral wall of the simplified port and clamped on the ferrule assembly to exert an axial elastic force on the ferrule assembly. The fiber optic connector and the fiber optic adapter of the present invention both can be shortened in length, and the fiber optic connector assembly has a simpler structure than that of a standard fiber optic connector assembly.

Claims

1. A fiber optic connector assembly comprising:

a fiber optic connector comprising a ferrule assembly and simplified to not comprise a case and/or an insertion body of a standard fiber optic connector disposed outside the ferrule assembly; and

a fiber optic adapter comprising;

a simplified port adapted to receive the ferrule assembly therein; and

an elastic piece for holding the ferrule assembly in the simplified port, wherein the elastic piece is disposed in a peripheral wall of the simplified port and clamped on the ferrule assembly to exert an axial elastic force on the ferrule assembly.

2. The fiber optic connector assembly according to claim 1, wherein the ferrule assembly comprising:

a fiber alignment ferrule having a through hole in which a fiber is received; and

a tail seat in which an end of the fiber alignment ferrule is fixed.

3. The fiber optic connector assembly according to claim 1, wherein a plurality of positioning slots are formed and evenly arranged in an outer peripheral wall of the tail seat;

wherein at least one positioning key is formed on an inner wall of a housing of the fiber optic adapter; and

wherein the positioning key is configured to mate with the positioning slot to adjust an orientation angle of the ferrule assembly.

4. The fiber optic connector assembly according to claim 2, wherein the tail seat comprising:

a first end portion adjacent to the fiber alignment ferrule;

a second end portion opposite to the first end portion; and

a middle portion between the first and second end portions, wherein the first end portion has a diameter larger than that of other portions of the tail seat,

the elastic piece is clamped on a joint of the middle portion and the first end portion, and

the elastic piece is elastically abutted against an end wall of the first end portion at an approximate end.

5. The fiber optic connector assembly according to claim 1, wherein the elastic piece exhibits a U-shape and comprises a pair of elastic arms and a connection part connecting the pair of elastic arms.

6. The fiber optic connector assembly according to claim 5, wherein the elastic piece is made of a thin sheet and adapted to be inserted into a slot formed in the peripheral wall of the simplified port.

7. The fiber optic connector assembly according to claim 6, wherein each of the elastic arms comprising:

a base end adjacent to the connection part;

a leg end opposite to the base end; and

a middle part between the base end and the leg end,

wherein the middle part of the elastic arm has an arc clamping surface adapted to be clamped on the middle portion of the tail seat.

8. The fiber optic connector assembly according to claim 7, wherein the middle part has a width less than that of other parts of the elastic arm to enhance the flexibility of the middle part.

9. The fiber optic connector assembly according to claim 7, wherein the base end of the elastic arm is formed with a shoulder extending outward so as to be engaged in the peripheral wall of the simplified port.

10. The fiber optic connector assembly according to claim 5, wherein the elastic piece further comprising:

a handle formed on the connection part to perform an operation of plugging the elastic piece into or out of the peripheral wall of the simplified port.

11. The fiber optic connector assembly according to claim 5, wherein the elastic arm of the elastic piece is formed with a through slot or notch therein to enhance the flexibility of the elastic arm.

12. The fiber optic connector assembly according to claim 5, wherein the elastic piece is formed by bending a round bar.

13. The fiber optic connector assembly according to claim 2,

wherein the fiber optic adapter further comprises a standard port adapted to receive the standard fiber optic connector therein;

and

the standard port is located at a side of the fiber optic adapter opposite to the simplified port.

14. The fiber optic connector assembly according to claim 13,

wherein the fiber optic adapter further comprises an alignment sleeve received in a housing of the fiber optic adapter;

wherein the fiber alignment ferrule of the simplified fiber optic connector is inserted into the alignment sleeve through the simplified port to be aligned with and abutted against a fiber alignment ferrule of the standard fiber optic connector inserted into the alignment sleeve through the standard port; and

wherein a holder is formed in the housing of the fiber optic adapter to hold the alignment sleeve in the housing.

15. The fiber optic connector assembly according to claim 14, wherein an end portion of the holder toward the standard port is formed in an expandable petal-like structure.

16. The fiber optic connector assembly according to claim 1, wherein the simplified port and the housing of the fiber optic adapter are formed into one piece.

17. The fiber optic connector assembly according to claim 1, wherein the simplified port of the fiber optic adapter is a separate component and removably mounted on the housing of the fiber optic adapter.

18. The fiber optic connector assembly according to claim 1, wherein the fiber optic connector assembly is a LC, a SC, or a FC fiber optic connector assembly.

19. A fiber optic adapter group comprising:

a housing;

a row of simplified ports located at one side of the housing and adapted to receive a row of ferrule assemblies of simplified fiber optic connectors therein; and

a row of standard ports located at the other side of the housing and adapted to receive a row of standard fiber optic connectors, wherein an elastic piece for clamping and holding the ferrule assembly in the simplified port is disposed in a peripheral wall of the simplified port.

20. A fiber optic adapter comprising:

a housing;

a simplified port adapted to receive a ferrule assembly of a simplified fiber optic connector therein; and

an elastic piece for holding the ferrule assembly in the simplified port, wherein the elastic piece is disposed in a peripheral wall of the simplified port and clamped on the ferrule assembly.

21. A fiber optic connector adapted to a fiber optic adapter according to claim 20, comprising a ferrule assembly

wherein the fiber optic connector is simplified to not comprise a case and/or an insertion body of a standard fiber optic connector disposed outside the ferrule assembly and does not include a spring element of the standard fiber optic connector for exerting an axial spring force on the ferrule assembly.