Keying element for fiber connector
First Claim
1. A keying element for a connector comprising:
- a generally planar block member, said block member having an upper surface, said upper surface having two channels therein, and said block member further having means for indicating a keying format based on the orientation of said block member with respect to the connector, said indicating means including at least one arrow located on said upper surface of said block member; and
means for releasably attaching said block member to the connector.
1 Assignment
0 Petitions
Accused Products
Abstract
A fiber optic connector for a fiber distributed data interface (FDDI) has a keying element located along the centerline of the plug which may be rotated to provide different polarizations for the plug. The plug has a cable entering one end, and breaking out into two fibers which terminate in ferrules at the other end of the plug. The keying element has a post which is slidably received in a hole through the plug, the hole positioned in a groove located along the centerline of the plug; an annular flange is formed at the distal end of the post to retain it within the hole. The post is molded with a square keyway block which has two channels in its upper surface. The channels are orthogonal, and one is located along the centerline of the block while the other is located along one side of the block. The plug mates with a receptacle having a spline on its inner surface, located in one of four possible configurations near the centerline of the receptacle. The width of the spline is equal to the width of the channels in the keyway block. By pushing the distal end of the post of the keying element, the element clears the upper surface of the plug and may be rotated to one of three positions, whereby one of the channels is located at a position corresponding to the position or keying format of the spline in the receptacle. Indicia may be provided on the keying element and/or plug to designate the particular format corresponding to each orientation of the element.
-
Citations
16 Claims
-
1. A keying element for a connector comprising:
-
a generally planar block member, said block member having an upper surface, said upper surface having two channels therein, and said block member further having means for indicating a keying format based on the orientation of said block member with respect to the connector, said indicating means including at least one arrow located on said upper surface of said block member; and means for releasably attaching said block member to the connector. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7)
-
-
8. A connector plug comprising:
-
a body having an upper surface; a groove formed in said upper surface of said body, said body having a hole therethrough, located in said groove; and a keying element attached to said body, along said groove, having means for selectively polarizing the plug, and further having means for releasably attaching said keying element to the plug, said attaching means including a post member inserted into said hole, said post member having a distal end, and an annular flange proximate said distal end. - View Dependent Claims (9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15)
-
-
16. A fiber optic connector comprising:
- a plug having
a body, said body having a first end, a second end, an upper surface, a groove in said upper surface along a centerline of said body, a recess in said upper surface along a portion of said groove, and a hole through said body, said hole centered in said recess, a cable entering said body at said first end, said cable having two optical fibers therein, each fiber having a terminal end, and two ferrules attached to said second end of said body, said terminal ends of said two fibers being located in said two ferrules, respectively; a keying element having a post slidably inserted in said hole of said plug body, said post having proximate and distal ends, and an annular flange located at said distal end, and a generally planar, square keyway block attached to said proximate end of said post and perpendicular to said post, said block having an upper surface, there being first and second channels in said upper surface, said first channel located along a centerline of said block, and said second channel being orthogonal to said first channel and located proximate a side of said block, said first and second channels having approximately the same width; and a receptacle having a housing, said housing having an opening whose size and shape generally corresponds to a size and shape of said second end of said plug body, said opening defining an inner surface, a spline on said inner surface of said housing, located near a centerline of said housing, said spline having a width which is approximately equal to said widths of said channels, and means for mounting said housing.
- a plug having
Specification