Optical fiber connector with easy changeable verification element

• US 5,265,181 A
• Filed: 09/30/1992
• Issued: 11/23/1993
• Est. Priority Date: 09/30/1992
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Hon Hai Precision Industry Co., Ltd.
• Original Assignee: Foxconn International, Inc (Hon Hai Precision Industry Co., Ltd.)
• Inventors: Chang, Peter
• Primary Examiner(s): Healy, Brian
• Application Number:
  US07/953,899
• Time in Patent Office: 419 Days
• Field of Search: 385/70, 385/72, 385/73, 385/75, 385/76, 385/77, 385/78, 385/60, 385/66, 385/52, 385/27, 385/28, 385/29, 385/53, 385/139, 439/681
• US Class Current: 385/75
• 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 6/387 Connector plugs comprising two complementary members, e.g. shells, caps, covers, locked together
• CPC Class Codes: G02B 6/3878 comprising a plurality of ferrules, branching and break-out means
• CPC Class Codes: G02B 6/3888 Protection from over-extension or over-compression
• CPC Class Codes: G02B 6/3893 Push-pull type, e.g. snap-in, push-on

Abstract

An optical fiber connector assembly (10) comprises an insulating housing (100) formed from two complementary upper cover (101) and lower base (102) suitably locked together to form the hollow housing (100). Within the housing (100) is formed at least one ferrule-receiving trough (103) adapted to receive a ferrule (400) for securing an optical fiber cable to the housing (100). Formed in the housing (100) is a passageway (105) for receiving a hollow retention bolt (200) through which the optical fiber cable enters the housing (100). A multi-faceted mode-marking key element (300) is provided independently nested with an interference fit in an appropriate recess, i.e. cavities (104, 104'"'"'), within the housing (100) between the cover (101) and the base (102). The key element (300) is of a parallelepiped form having four different structural surfaces (A, B, M, S) which surround a horizontal axis which is perpendicular to the rest two side surfaces (301). These four different surfaces (A, B, M, S) define four different keyways (311, 312, 313, -) to accommodate four different key projections of other four receptacle connectors under the condition of one-to-one at a time.

Claims

1. An optical fiber connector assembly comprising:

an insulating housing formed from two complementary upper cover and lower base suitably self-locked together;

at least one ferrule receiving trough adapted to receive a ferrule for securing an optical fiber cable to the housing;

a passageway formed within the housing for receiving a hollow retention bolt through which the optical fiber cable enters the housing;

a channel positioned in the housing;

the improvement comprising;

a multi-faceted mode-marking key element provided independently nested in an interference fit in an appropriate recess formed within the housing between the upper cover and the lower base wherein said key element has four different orientation planes surrounding an horizontal axis therein and each orientation plane may have at least one block in an exclusive position defining an exclusive keyway thereon so that by rotation of the key element about the axis, the blocks of the selected orientation plane block a portion of the channel with therein the keyway allowing passage of a desired key projection of a complementary receptacle connector.

2. The optical fiber connector assembly as described in claim 1, wherein the key element further includes a side plane having a polarization section thereon to cooperate with a groove about the recess in the housing for polarization of the key element.

3. The optical fiber connector assembly as described in claim 1, wherein the recess is formed by an upper cavity in the cover and an aligned communicating lower cavity in the base, a pair of opposite engagement bars positioned in the lower cavity to cooperate with the block of the orientation plane at a bottom side of the key element for correctly exposing the opposite operative orientation plane within the channel.

4. The optical fiber connector assembly as described in claim 1, wherein the key element has a parallelepiped shape including said four orientation planes and two side planes, said four orientation planes being composed of two set of two parallel opposite planes of which one set has a fist plane having a pair of parallel raising blocks on two opposite sides and a keyway defined therebetween and a third planes having no raising block thereon, and the other set has a second plane having a large block on a right side with a left side keyway and a fourth plane having a large block on a left side with a right side keyway.

5. The optical fiber connector assembly as described in claim 4, wherein the second plane further comprises a blade opposite to the block thereon thereby to form the left side keyway therebetween, and the fourth plane further comprises a blade opposite to the block thereon thereby to form the right side keyway therebetween.

6. The optical fiber connector assembly as described in claim 3 wherein the upper cavity extends through the cover and the lower cavity generally is closed at the bottom except a pin aperture.

7. An optical fiber connector assembly comprising a housing enclosing a pair of ferrules at a first end for receiving an optical fiber cable therein, a passageway defined at an opposite second end incorporating retention means to fasten said optical fiber cable to the housing, at least one latch of the housing cooperating with one detent within the housing for self-locking the housing, a recess formed within the housing for receiving a multi-faceted mode-marking key element therein wherein said key element has at least three orientation planes positioned around a horizontal axis about which the key element can be repositioned within the recess by rotation, each orientation plane defining a mutually exclusive keyway thereon for receiving a projection key of a complementary receptacle connector, and wherein a pair of opposite engagement bars are positioned at the bottom of the recess for engagement with the key element

8. The optical fiber connector assembly as described in claim 7, wherein said key element further comprises a side plane perpendicular to said horizontal axis, said side plane having a polarization section for engagement with a groove positioned about the recess.

9. A multi-faceted mode-marking key element for reception within an optical fiber connector assembly being of a parallelepiped shape having four orientation planes peripherally enclosing an axis, a first orientation plane having a pair of parallel raising blocks on two opposite sides and a keyway defined therebetween, a second orientation plane having a block on a right side with a left side keyway, a third orientation plane opposite to the first orientation plane having no raising block thereon, and a fourth orientation plane opposite to the second orientation plane having a block on a left side with a right side keyway.

10. The key element described in claim 9, wherein said key element further comprises a side plane perpendicular to the axis, said side plane having a polarization section thereon.

11. The key element described in claim 10, wherein the second plane further comprises a blade opposite to the block thereon thereby to define the left side keyway therebetween, and the fourth plane further comprises a blade opposite to the block thereon thereby to define the right side keyway therebetween.