Optical connector with flexible shielding cover

• US 6,601,995 B1
• Filed: 06/02/2000
• Issued: 08/05/2003
• Est. Priority Date: 06/02/2000
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Cisco Technology, Inc. (Cisco Systems, Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Cisco Technology, Inc. (Cisco Systems, Inc.)
• Inventors: Hoyl, Bradley S., Smart, Denise L., Harrison, Carl G.
• Primary Examiner(s): Abrams, Neil
• Application Number:
  US09/586,581
• Time in Patent Office: 1,159 Days
• Field of Search: 385/76, 385/139, 385/77, 385/134, 439/138, 439/142, 439/144
• US Class Current: 385/77
• 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
• CPC Class Codes: G02B 6/3897 Connectors fixed to housings, casing, frames or circuit boards G02B6/44528 takes precedence

Abstract

A unitary-construction shielding system obstructs an energy source opening within a connector housing when no connector is present within the housing. The shield is at least as wide as the energy source opening and is configured to rest in a position, when no connector is present in the housing, that obstructs the laser source opening. When a connector is inserted into the connector housing, the connector supplies an obstruction force to the shielding device, causing the shielding device to remain in a deflected position. When the connector is removed from the connector housing, and the obstruction force is therefore removed from the shielding device, and the bias portion of the shielding device causes the device to return to a rest position that again obstructs the energy source opening. A method for providing a shielding system provides that the installation and removal of the shielding device may be accomplished without removing the connector from the connector housing.

Claims

1. A shielding system that obstructs an energy source opening in a connector housing, the connector housing being oriented to receive a connector, the shielding system comprising:

a flexible unitary-construction shielding device including;

a bias portion integrally coupled to a shield;

a ledge integrally coupled to the shield and oriented to be accessible to a user when a connector housing to which the shielding device is attached receives a connector, and;

a U-shaped fastening plate integrally coupled to the shielding device and having a plurality of outer edges defining a center portion and two side portions, wherein at least one of the two side portions includes a mounting notch;

the shielding device being configured to rest in a first position, wherein the shield obstructs the energy source opening when the shielding device is in the first position;

the shielding device being configured to deflect from the first position to a second position when a pressure force is applied to the ledge of the shielding device, wherein the shield does not obstruct the energy source opening when the shielding device is in the second position;

the shielding device being configured to a deflected position in response to an obstruction force; and

the shielding device being configured to return to a position in the vicinity of the first position when the obstruction force is removed from the shielding device.

2. The system recited in claim 1 wherein the energy source opening further comprises an opening oriented to provide a fiber optic laser source.

3. The system recited in claim 1 wherein the shielding device is further configured to bend along a plane perpendicular to the fastening plate.

4. The system recited in claim 1, further comprising a plurality of shielding devices.

5. The system recited in claim 4 further comprises a fastening plate, the fastening plate being integrally coupled to each of the plurality of shielding devices.

6. The system recited in claim 1 wherein the width of the shield is at least as wide as the energy source opening.

7. The system recited in claim 4 wherein the width of each of the plurality of shields is at least as wide as the energy source opening.

8. The system recited in claim 1 wherein the shielding device is a single-piece, integral device formed from metal.

9. The system recited in claim 1 wherein the shielding device is a single-piece, integral device formed from plastic.

10. The shielding system recited in claim 1 is a single-piece, integral system formed from metal.

11. The shielding system recited in claim 1 is a single-piece, integral system formed from plastic.

12. A system that obstructs an energy source, comprising:

a housing chassis;

at least one connector housing coupled to the housing chassis, the at least one connector housing having an energy source opening and being oriented to receive a connector; and

a unitary-construction shielding device having a U-shaped fastening plate including a plurality of outer edges defining a center portion and two side portions, wherein at least one of the two side portions includes a mounting notch, the shielding device further including;

a bias portion integrally coupled between the fastening plate and a shield;

a ledge integrally coupled to the shield and oriented to be accessible to a user when the at least one connector housing receives the connector, and;

the shielding device being configured to rest in a first position, wherein the shield obstructs the energy source opening when the shielding device is in the first position;

the shielding device being configured to deflect from the first position to a second position when a pressure force is applied to the ledge of the shielding device, wherein the shield does not obstruct the energy source opening when the shielding device is in the second position;

the shielding device being configured to maintain a deflected position in response to an obstruction force; and

the shielding device being configured to return to a position in the vicinity of the first position when the obstruction force and the pressure force are removed from the shielding device.

13. The system recited in claim 12 wherein the energy source opening further comprises an opening oriented to provide a fiber optic laser source.

14. The system recited in claim 12 wherein the shielding device is further configured to deflect along a plane perpendicular to the fastening plate.

15. The system recited in claim 12, further comprising a plurality of shielding devices.

16. The system recited in claim 15, the fastening plate being integrally coupled to each of the plurality of shielding devices.

17. The system recited in claim 12 wherein the width of the shield is at least as wide as the energy source opening.

18. The system recited in claim 15 wherein the width of each of the plurality of shields is at least as wide as the energy source opening.

19. The system recited in claim 12 wherein the shielding device is a single-piece, integral device formed from metal.

20. The system recited in claim 12 wherein the shielding device is a single-piece, integral device formed from plastic.

21. A method for providing a shielding system that obstructs an energy source, comprising:

providing a housing chassis;

providing at least one connector housing, the at least one connector housing having an energy source opening and being oriented to receive a connector;

coupling the at least one connector housing to the housing chassis;

providing a flexible shielding device having a U-shaped fastening plate including a plurality of outer edges defining a center portion and two side portions, wherein at least one of the two side portions includes a mounting notch;

coupling the fastening plate to the housing chassis while the connector is coupled to the connector housing;

the shielding device including a bias portion, the bias portion being coupled between the fastening plate and a shield, the shield being at least as wide as the energy source opening;

the shield device being configured to rest in a first position, wherein the shield obstructs the energy source opening when the device is in the first position;

the shielding device being configured to deflect from the first position to a second position when a pressure force is applied to the shielding device, wherein the shield does not obstruct the energy source opening when the shielding device is in the second position;

the shielding device being configured to maintain a deflected position in response to an obstruction force; and

the shielding device being configured to return to a position in the vicinity of the first position when the obstruction force is removed from the shielding device.

22. The method recited in 21, the energy source opening further comprising an opening oriented to provide a fiber optic laser source.

23. A shielding system that obstructs an energy source opening within a connector housing, the connector housing being coupled to a housing chassis, comprising:

a unitary-construction shielding device, the shielding device including;

a shield means for blocking the energy source opening;

a ledge means for receiving a pressure force, the ledge means being coupled to the shield means and oriented to be accessible to a user when the connector housing receives a connector, and;

a bias means for biasing the shielding device to deflect from a first position to a second position in response to the pressure force, the bias means further biasing the shielding device to remain in a deflected position in response to an obstruction force, the bias means further biasing the shielding device to return to a position in the vicinity of the first position when both the pressure force and the obstruction force are absent, where the shield means obstructs the energy source opening when the shielding device is in the first position, where the shield means does not obstruct the energy source opening when the shielding device is in the second position and where the shield means does not obstruct the energy source opening when the shielding device is in the deflected position; and

a U-shaped fastening means that provides a fastening surface that can be coupled to the housing chassis and includes a plurality of outer edges defining a center portion and two side portions, wherein at least one of the two side portions includes a mounting notch, the fastening means being integrally coupled to the shielding device.

24. The system recited in claim 23 wherein the'"'"'shield means is between the bias means and the ledge means.