Optical fiber shutter adapter with protective door

• US 6,715,930 B2
• Filed: 03/21/2002
• Issued: 04/06/2004
• Est. Priority Date: 03/21/2002
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: RPX Corporation
• Original Assignee: Lucent Technologies, Inc. (Nokia Corporation)
• Inventors: McBride, Christopher J.
• Primary Examiner(s): HYEON, HAE M
• Application Number:
  US10/103,419
• Publication Number:
  US 20030180005A1
• Time in Patent Office: 747 Days
• Field of Search: 385/73, 385/72, 385/60, 385/77
• US Class Current: 385/73
• 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
• CPC Class Codes: G02B 6/3893 Push-pull type, e.g. snap-in, push-on
• CPC Class Codes: G02B 6/4246 Bidirectionally operating package structures

Abstract

An optical fiber shutter adapter including a housing having a bay and a bay opening for receiving a second connector. The optical fiber shutter adapter further includes a door disposed near the bay opening and having a blocking portion for blocking laser radiation from being emitted from the bay opening when the door is in a closed position. The door is connected to the housing for movement from the closed position to an open position for allowing the second connector to be received into the bay for connection to the shutter adapter. The blocking portion of the door moves into the adapter housing when the door is moved from the closed position towards the open position.

Claims

1. An optical fiber shutter adapter comprising:

a housing having a bay and a bay opening disposed at a fist end of the shutter adapter for receiving a second connector;

a door having a blocking portion, said door connected to said housing for movement between a closed position for blocking at least some of said bay opening with said blocking portion and an open position for allowing said connector to be received into said bay for connection to the shutter adapter, wherein said blocking portion moves into said housing when said door is moved from said closed position towards said open position

a first connector disposed at a second end of the shutter adapter, said first connector having a first end for connecting to a third connector; and

an optical fiber extending from said first end of said first connector to said bay.

2. The optical fiber shutter adapter defined in claim 1 wherein said door is connected to said housing at a pivot connection for pivoting movement along a pivot axis and said blocking portion swings into said bay when said door is moved towards said open position.

3. The optical fiber shutter adapter defined in claim 2 wherein said pivot connection is disposed adjacent an edge of said door.

4. The optical fiber shutter adapter defined in claim 3 wherein said pivot connection is disposed adjacent the bottom edge of said door.

5. The optical fiber shutter adapter defined in claim 2 further comprising a recess formed in said bay for receiving said blocking portion when said door is in said open position.

6. The optical fiber shutter adapter defined in claim 1 further comprising a retainer disposed on said first connector for releasably securing the shutter adapter to said third connector.

7. The optical fiber shutter adapter defined in claim 1 further comprising a shroud covering said optical fiber and extending along the length of said optical fiber.

8. The optical fiber shutter adapter defined in claim 6 wherein said first connector is a male connector for connecting the shutter adapter to an optical transceiver and said door blocks laser radiation emitted by said optical transceiver when in said closed position.

9. An optical fiber shutter adapter comprising:

a housing having a bay and a bay opening disposed at a first end of the shutter adapter for receiving a second connector into said bay for connection to the shutter adapter;

a first connector disposed at a second end of the shutter adapter, said first connector having a first end for connecting to a third connector;

an optical fiber extending from said first end of said connector to said bay; and

a door having a blocking portion, said door connected to the first end of the shutter adapter for movement between a closed position for blocking at least some of said bay opening with said blocking portion and an open position for allowing said second connector to be received into said bay for connection to the shutter adapter, wherein said blocking portion moves into said bay when said door is moved from said closed position towards said open position.

10. The optical fiber shutter adapter defined in claim 9 wherein said first connector is a male connector for connecting the shutter adapter to a component and said blocking portion of said door blocks laser radiation from said component when said door is in said closed position.

11. The optical fiber shutter adapter defined in claim 10 wherein said component is an optical transceiver.