Dust cover for protecting optical fiber sleeve housing

• US 6,188,825 B1
• Filed: 04/15/1999
• Issued: 02/13/2001
• Est. Priority Date: 04/15/1999
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Fitel USA Corporation
• Original Assignee: Lucent Technologies, Inc. (Nokia Corporation)
• Inventors: Lampert, Norman R., Bandy, James C., Sheldon, Steven E., Stephenson, Daniel L.
• Primary Examiner(s): HENRY, JON W
• Application Number:
  US09/292,145
• Time in Patent Office: 670 Days
• Field of Search: 385/134, 385/53, 359/507, 359/511, 359/513
• US Class Current: 385/134
• CPC Class Codes: G02B 6/3825 with an intermediate part, e.g. adapter, receptacle, linking two plugs
• CPC Class Codes: G02B 6/3849 using mechanical protective elements, e.g. caps, hoods, sealing membranes G02B6/3816 takes precedence; provisionally see H01R13/44

Abstract

A dust cover for protecting a sleeve housing of a fiber optic adapter having opposed interior sidewalls is provided, which includes an elongate member having first and second opposed ends wherein the elongate member has a multifaceted outer surface with at least one planar surface for engaging the opposed interior sidewalls of the fiber optic adapter. The first end of the elongate member is sized and shaped to align the elongate member within the fiber optic adapter and receive the sleeve housing. The first end of the elongate member also includes a longitudinally extending central bore for receiving the sleeve housing and a plurality of landings, which are contiguous the longitudinally extending bore, and which are tapered toward the second end. The landings securely hold the sleeve housing within the central bore of the elongate member. With this arrangement, the dust cover prevents contamination to the optical fiber, is self-aligning, is accessible in panels having deep recesses, and is easily removable from fiber optic adapters, thereby overcoming limitations found in conventional dust covers.

Claims

1. A dust cover for protecting a sleeve housing of a fiber optic adapter having opposed interior sidewalls, said dust cover comprising:

an elongate member having first and second opposed ends and defining a longitudinal axis, wherein said elongate member has a multifaceted outer surface having at least one planar surface for engaging the opposed interior sidewalls of the fiber optic adapter;

said first end of said elongate member sized and shaped to align said elongate member within the fiber optic adapter and receive the sleeve housing, said first end including;

a longitudinally extending central bore defined in said first end for receiving the sleeve housing, and

a plurality of landings contiguous said longitudinally extending bore and tapered toward said second end to securely hold the sleeve housing within said central bore.

2. A dust cover for protecting a sleeve housing of a fiber optic adapter as defined in claim 1, said dust cover further comprising a plurality of protrusions in said outer surface of said elongate member.

3. A dust cover for protecting a sleeve housing of a fiber optic adapter as defined in claim 1, further comprising a grip located adjacent said second end of said elongate member.

4. A dust cover for protecting a sleeve housing of a fiber optic adapter as defined in claim 1 wherein said outer surface of said elongate member is tapered from said second end toward said first end.

5. A dust cover for protecting a sleeve housing of a fiber optic adapter as defined in claim 1 wherein at least a portion of said elongate member is rectangular.

6. A dust cover for protecting a sleeve housing of a fiber optic adapter as defined in claim 1, further comprising a longitudinally extending central bore defined in said second end of said elongate member.

7. A dust cover for protecting a sleeve housing of a fiber optic adapter having opposed interior sidewalls, said dust cover comprising:

an elongate member having first and second opposed ends and defining a longitudinal axis, wherein said elongate member has a multifaceted outer surface having at least one planar surface for engaging the opposed interior sidewalls of the fiber optic adapter;

a plurality of protrusions in said outer surface of said elongate member; and

said first end of said elongate member sized and shaped to align said elongate member within the fiber optic adapter and receive the sleeve housing, said first end including a longitudinally extending central bore defined in said first end for receiving the sleeve housing.

8. A dust cover for protecting a sleeve housing of a fiber optic adapter as defined in claim 7 wherein said protrusions are molded from a resilient material.

9. A dust cover for protecting a sleeve housing of a fiber optic adapter as defined in claim 7, further comprising a grip located adjacent said second end of said elongate member.

10. A dust cover for protecting a sleeve housing of a fiber optic adapter as defined in claim 7 wherein said outer surface of said elongate member is tapered from said second end toward said first end.

11. A dust cover for protecting a sleeve housing of a fiber optic adapter as defined in claim 7 wherein at least a portion of said elongate member is rectangular.

12. A dust cover for protecting a sleeve housing of a fiber optic adapter as defined in claim 7, further comprising a longitudinally extending central bore defined in said second end of said elongate member.

13. A fiber optic adapter and dust cover assembly, said assembly comprising:

a fiber optic adapter base having opposed interior sidewalls;

a fiber optic adapter cap having opposed interior sidewalls and a sleeve housing, said adapter cap capable of being received into said adapter base;

a dust cover, said dust cover including,

an elongate member having first and second opposed ends and defining a longitudinal axis, wherein said elongate member has a multifaceted outer surface having at least one planar surface capable of engaging said opposed interior sidewalls of said fiber optic adapter base and said opposed interior sidewalls of said fiber optic adapter cap;

said first end of said elongate member sized and shaped to align said elongate member within the fiber optic adapter and receive the sleeve housing, said first end including;

a longitudinally extending central bore defined in said first end for receiving the sleeve housing, and

a plurality of landings contiguous said longitudinally extending bore and tapered toward said second end to securely hold the sleeve housing within said central bore.

14. A fiber optic adapter and dust cover assembly as defined in claim 13, said dust cover further comprising a plurality of protrusions in said outer surface of said elongate member.

15. A fiber optic adapter and dust cover assembly as defined in claim 13, said dust cover further comprising a grip located adjacent said second end of said elongate member.

16. A fiber optic adapter and dust cover assembly as defined in claim 13 wherein said outer surface of said elongate member is tapered from said second end toward said first end.

17. A fiber optic adapter and dust cover assembly as defined in claim 13 wherein at least a portion of said elongate member is rectangular.

18. A fiber optic adapter and dust cover assembly as defined in claim 13, said dust cover further comprising a longitudinally extending central bore defined in said second end of said elongate member.

19. A fiber optic adapter and dust cover assembly panel, said assembly panel comprising:

a panel base;

a plurality of fiber optic adapters secured within said panel base, each said fiber optic adapter having opposed interior sidewalls and at least one sleeve housing;

a plurality of dust covers, each said dust cover including,

an elongate member having first and second opposed ends and defining a longitudinal axis, wherein said elongate member has a multifaceted outer surface having at least one planar surface for engaging said opposed interior sidewalls of each said fiber optic adapter;

said first end of said elongate member sized and shaped to align said elongate member within the fiber optic adapter and receive the sleeve housing, said first end including;

a longitudinally extending central bore defined in said first end for receiving said sleeve housing, and

a plurality of landings contiguous said longitudinally extending bore and tapered toward said second end to securely hold said sleeve housing within said central bore.

20. A fiber optic adapter and dust cover assembly panel as defined in claim 19, each said dust cover further comprising a plurality of protrusions in said outer surface of said elongate member.

21. A fiber optic adapter and dust cover assembly panel as defined in claim 19, each said dust cover further comprising a grip located adjacent said second end of said elongate member.

22. A fiber optic adapter and dust cover assembly as defined in claim 19 wherein said outer surface of said elongate member is tapered from said second end toward said first end.

23. A fiber optic adapter and dust cover assembly panel as defined in claim 19 wherein at least a portion of said elongate member is rectangular.

24. A fiber optic adapter and dust cover assembly as defined in claim 19, each said dust cover further comprising a longitudinally extending central bore defined in said second end of said elongate member.