Fiber optic adapter shutter door assembly

• US 6,206,577 B1
• Filed: 02/04/1999
• Issued: 03/27/2001
• Est. Priority Date: 02/05/1998
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: AFL Telecommunications LLC (Fujikura Limited)
• Original Assignee: Alcoa Fujikura Ltd. (Howmet Aerospace, Inc.)
• Inventors: Hall, Thomas A. III, King, Richard T., Henderson, Craig S.
• Primary Examiner(s): Spyrou, Cassandra
• Assistant Examiner(s): Curtis, Craig
• Application Number:
  US09/244,450
• Time in Patent Office: 782 Days
• Field of Search: 385/53, 385/55, 385/56, 385/58, 385/60, 385/70, 385/71, 385/73, 385/78, 385/77-93, 139/138, 139/135
• US Class Current: 385/53
• CPC Class Codes: G02B 2006/4297 having protection means, e.g. protecting humans against accidental exposure to harmful laser radiation
• 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 new and unique connector adapter shutter door assembly retrofitable to many existing connector adapters or receptacles which becomes a part of the same by connectedly fitting or snapping into place. The shutter door assembly can be used as a safety device to prevent laser light from escaping when a connector is removed from an adapter or receptacle. Because of the ease with which the shutter door assembly can be retrofitted to existing adapters, it is possible to selectively install the shutter door assembly only when a safety hazard is present. Also the shutter door assembly can be used to shield a connector end to prevent foreign matter, such as dust and dirt, from entering the connector. The shutter door assembly is a molded one-piece structure and has inwardly hinged doors permitting one hand connector insertion and withdrawal. The streamline design of the shutter door assembly takes very little space when in use making it desirable for typical space constrained applications.

Claims

1. A shutter door housing assembly for a fiber optic connector adapter for receivably accepting a fiber optic connector providing an adapter and connector combination comprising:

(a) a housing with means to connectedly fit to said adapter to provide a substantially enclosed area for receiving said connector; and

(b) a pair of shutter doors, each said door being pivotally connected to an opposing side of said housing for receivably accepting said connector such that said doors are configured to overlap each other thereby deterring substantially all light therewithin from communicating outside said housing.

2. The assembly of claim 1 wherein said doors remain entirely contained within said housing when said adapter is receiving said connector.

3. The assembly of claim 1 wherein said assembly is a single molded part.

4. The assembly of claim 1 wherein said connector pushes said doors inwardly to said housing as said adapter is receiving said connector such that said doors require no space outside said housing to permit entry of said connector into said adapter.

5. A shutter door assembly for a fiber optic connector adapter used to receive a fiber optic connector, said assembly comprising:

(a) a housing sized to connectedly fit over said adapter;

(b) a pair of shutter doors, each said shutter door being pivotally connected to an opposing side of said housing such that when said housing is mated with said adapter, said doors overlap each other and prevent light from escaping said housing and such that when a connector is received by said adapter, said doors fold into said housing.

6. The assembly of claim 5 wherein said assembly is a single molded part.

7. The assembly of claim 6 wherein said assembly is made by injection molding.

8. The assembly of claim 5 wherein said connector pushes said folded doors inwardly to said housing as said adapter is receiving said connector such that said doors require no space outside said housing to permit entry of said connector into said adapter.

9. The assembly of claim 5 wherein said doors remain entirely contained within said housing when said adapter is receiving said connector.

10. The assembly of claim 5 wherein said doors are made of molded plastic material.

11. The assembly of claim 5 wherein said doors are made out of a molded metal material.

12. The assembly of claim 5 wherein said doors automatically block light from exiting said adapter when said connector is unplugged.

13. The assembly of claim 5 wherein said doors when in a closed position overlap to create a hazardous path to prevent light from escaping.

14. The assembly of claim 5 wherein said housing has an outer surface having grips for aiding in removal of said assembly from said adapter.

15. The assembly of claim 5 wherein said housing has a keying means for aiding with alignment of said adapter and said connector.

16. The assembly of claim 5 wherein the face of said fiber carried by said connector is protected when placed into said adapter by said doors being angled inwardly such that said fiber face does not contact said doors.

17. The assembly of claim 5 wherein said doors are pivotally connected to said housing via a living hinge.

18. The assembly of claim 5 wherein said doors are pivotally connected to said housing via a leaf spring.

19. A shutter door assembly for a fiber optic connector adapter used to receive a fiber optic connector, said assembly comprising:

(a) a housing sized to connectedly fit over said adapter;

(b) a pair of shutter doors, said shutter doors integrally formed with said housing on opposing sides of said housing such that when said housing is mated with said adapter, said doors overlap each other to prevent light from escaping said housing.

20. A shutter door assembly for a fiber optic connector adapter used to receive a fiber optic connector, wherein said assembly is retrofittable to existing fiber optic adapters, said assembly comprising:

(a) a housing sized to connectedly fit over said adapter;

(b) a pair of shutter doors, said shutter doors integrally formed with said housing on opposing sides of said housing such that when said housing is mated with said adapter, said doors overlap each other to prevent light from escaping said housing.