Fiber optic connector holder and method

• US 7,198,409 B2
• Filed: 06/30/2003
• Issued: 04/03/2007
• Est. Priority Date: 06/30/2003
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Commscope Emea Limited (CommScope Holding Company, Inc.), CommScope Technologies, LLC (CommScope Holding Company, Inc.)
• Original Assignee: ADC Telecommunications Incorporated (TE Connectivity Limited)
• Inventors: Douglas, Joel B., Walters, Cindy S., Smith, Trevor D., Holmquist, Marlon E., Tinucci, Thomas C., Barnes, Kathleen M., Conroy, James W.
• Primary Examiner(s): Nasri; Javaid H.
• Application Number:
  US10/610,325
• Publication Number:
  US 20040264873A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,373 Days
• Field of Search: 385/53, 385/58, 385/70
• US Class Current: 385/53
• CPC Class Codes: G02B 6/381 of the ferrule type, e.g. fibre ends embedded in ferrules, connecting a pair of fibres
• 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
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 29/49826 Assembling or joining

Abstract

The present invention relates to a fiber optic connector holder sized to fit within an opening for mounting a fiber optic adapter. The fiber optic connector holder is configured to permit a fiber optic connector with a dust cap positioned about a ferrule and a polished end face of an optical fiber held by the ferrule to be inserted within and releasably held by the connector holder. The present invention further relates to a system for holding fiber optic connectors including a fiber optic connector holder mounted within an opening in a bulkhead for mounting a fiber optic adapter. The fiber optic connector holder is configured to receive a fiber optic connector with a dust cap mounted about a ferrule and polished end face of an optical fiber held by the ferrule. The present invention also relates to a method of holding an optical fiber connector to a bulkhead, when the fiber optic connector includes a dust cap mounted about a ferrule and a polished end face of an optical fiber held by the ferrule.

Claims

1. A fiber optic connector holder for holding a fiber optic connector with a dust cap mounted about a ferrule holding a polished end face of an optical fiber, the connector holder comprising:

a main housing defining a cavity with an open end sized to receive the fiber optic connector and the dust cap, a top, a bottom and a pair of opposing sides;

an inner housing disposed within the main housing and including a dust cap opening sized to receive the dust cap when the fiber optic connector is received in the open end of the main housing;

the inner housing including at least one retaining clip which releasably latches onto the fiber optic connector and releasably holds the fiber optic connector within the open end of the main housing.

2. The fiber optic connector holder of claim 1, wherein the main housing is sized to fit within an opening in a bulkhead having the same footprint as an adapter for receiving and optically connecting a pair of the fiber optic connectors.

3. The fiber optic connector holder of claim 2, wherein an outer clip is fitted about the main housing and includes at least one releasable catch positioned along one of the sides of the main housing for engaging the opening in the bulkhead.

4. The fiber optic connector holder of claim 2, wherein the main housing includes a flange extending from at least one of the sides.

5. The fiber optic connector holder of claim 1, wherein the inner housing includes a pair of retaining clips which releasably engage recesses along the sides of the fiber optic connector when the fiber optic connector is received in the opening.

6. The fiber optic connector holder of claim 1, wherein the main housing includes an open top sized to permit the inner housing to be inserted within the cavity and a cover sized to fit within and close off the open top.

7. The fiber optic connector holder of claim 1, wherein the cover is a separate piece from the main housing and is attached to the main housing within the open top to hold the inner housing within the cavity.

8. The fiber optic connector holder of claim 1, wherein the dust cap extends outside of the main housing when the fiber optic connector is held by the retaining clips of the inner housing.

9. The fiber optic connector holder of claim 1, wherein the main housing does not include a second open end for receiving a second fiber optic connector.

10. A system for holding fiber optic connectors comprising:

a bulkhead including a plurality of adapter openings sized to receive adapters configured to optically connect optical fiber cables within fiber optic connectors;

at least one adapter mounted within one of the adapter openings in the bulkhead;

at least one fiber optic connector holder mounted within one of the adapter openings in the bulkhead, the fiber optic connector holder including a housing with a central cavity having an open end sized to receive a fiber optic connector with a dust cap positioned about a ferrule holding a polished end face of an optical fiber, and retaining clips within the cavity to releasably hold the fiber optic connector and the dust cap within the cavity; and

at least one fiber optic connector within the cavity of the fiber optic connector holder, the fiber optic connector having a dust cap positioned about the ferrule;

wherein the fiber optic connector holder may be removed from the adapter opening and an adapter mounted within the same adapter opening.

11. The system of claim 10, wherein the fiber optic connector holder includes an outer clip positioned about the housing including at least one releasable catch to engage at least one side of the adapter opening in the bulkhead and releasably hold the connector holder within the adapter opening.

12. A method of holding a fiber optic connector comprising:

providing a bulkhead with a plurality of adapter openings and a fiber optic connector holder mounted within one of the adapter openings, the fiber optic connector including a housing with a central cavity having an open end sized to receive a fiber optic connector with a dust cap and retaining clips within the cavity to releasably hold the fiber optic connector and the dust cap within the cavity;

positioning a fiber optic cable terminated with a fiber optic connector including a ferrule and polished end face, and a dust cap releasably mounted about the polished end face and the ferrule so that the fiber optic connector is proximate the bulkhead; and

inserting the fiber optic connector with the dust cap about the ferrule within the fiber optic connector holder so that the fiber optic connector engages the retaining clips within the cavity of the holder.

13. A fiber optic connector holder for holding a fiber optic connector with a dust cap mounted about a ferrule holding a polished end face of an optical fiber, the dust cap including a closed end that opposes the polished end face of the optical fiber when the dust cap is mounted about the ferrule, the connector holder comprising:

a main housing defining a cavity with an open end sized to receive the fiber optic connector and the dust cap;

an inner housing disposed within the main housing and including a dust cap opening sized to receive the dust cap when the fiber optic connector is received in the open end of the main housing;

the inner housing including at least one retaining arrangement which releasably holds the fiber optic connector within the open end of the main housing.

14. The fiber optic connector holder of claim 13, wherein the main housing is sized to fit within an opening in a bulkhead having the same footprint as an adapter for receiving and optically connecting a pair of the fiber optic connectors.

15. The fiber optic connector holder of claim 14, wherein an outer clip is fitted about the main housing and includes at least one releasable catch positioned along one of the sides of the main housing for engaging the opening in the bulkhead.

16. The fiber optic connector holder of claim 14, wherein the main housing includes a flange extending from at least one of the sides.

17. The fiber optic connector holder of claim 13, wherein the retaining arrangement of the inner housing includes a pair of retaining clips which releasably engage recesses along the sides of the fiber optic connector when the fiber optic connector is received in the opening.

18. The fiber optic connector holder of claim 13, wherein the dust cap extends outside of the main housing when the fiber optic connector is held by the retaining clips of the inner housing.

19. The fiber optic connector holder of claim 13, wherein the main housing does not include a second open end for receiving a second fiber optic connector.

20. A system for holding fiber optic connectors comprising:

a bulkhead including a plurality of openings;

a plurality of fiber optic connector holders each mounted within one of the openings in the bulkhead, the fiber optic connector holder including a housing with a central cavity having an open end sized to receive a fiber optic connector with a dust cap positioned about a ferrule holding a polished end face of an optical fiber, and a retaining arrangement within the cavity to releasably hold the fiber optic connector and the dust cap within the cavity; and

at least one fiber optic connector within the cavity of the fiber optic connector holders, the fiber optic connector having a dust cap positioned about the ferrule;

the ferrule holding an optical fiber having a polished end face, the dust cap including an open end for receiving the ferrule and a closed end for protecting the polished end face of the optical fiber;

wherein the fiber optic connector holder may be removed from the adapter opening and an adapter mounted within the same adapter opening.

21. The system of claim 20, wherein the retaining arrangement includes a retaining clip.

22. A method of holding a fiber optic connector comprising:

providing a bulkhead with a plurality of fiber optic connector holders, the fiber optic connectors each including a housing with a central cavity having an open end sized to receive a fiber optic connector with a dust cap and a retaining arrangement within the cavity to releasably hold the fiber optic connector and the dust cap within the cavity;

positioning a fiber optic cable terminated with a fiber optic connector so that the fiber optic connector is proximate the bulkhead, the fiber optic connector including a ferrule holding an optical fiber having a polished end face, and a dust cap releasably mounted about the polished end face and the ferrule, the dust cap including and open end for receiving the polished end face and the ferrule, the dust cap also including a closed end for protecting the polished end face and the ferrule; and

inserting the fiber optic connector with the dust cap about the ferrule within one of the fiber optic connector holders so that the fiber optic connector engages the retaining arrangement within the cavity of the holder.

23. The method of claim 22, wherein the retaining arrangement includes a retaining clip.

24. A fiber optic connector holder and connector assembly comprising:

a fiber optic connector including a ferrule and a dust cap mounted about the ferrule, the ferrule holding an optical fiber having a polished end, and the dust cap having a closed end covering the polished end of the optical fiber; and

a connector holder including a main housing defining a cavity with an open end sized to receive the fiber optic connector and the dust cap, the connector holder further including an inner housing disposed within the main housing and including a dust cap opening sized to receive the dust cap when the fiber optic connector is received in the open end of the main housing, the inner housing including at least one retaining arrangement which releasably holds the fiber optic connector within the open end of the main housing;

wherein the fiber optic connector is positioned within the main housing with the ferrule, the polished end of the optical fiber and the dust cap mounted about the ferrule positioned within the cavity.

25. A fiber optic connector holder and connector assembly comprising:

a connector holder including a housing defining a cavity with an open end, a longitudinal axis of the housing, the ferrule holding and optical fiber having a polished end face, the connector including a dust cap positioned about the ferrule, a closed end of the dust cap covering the polished end face of the optical fiber, the ferrule and the dust cap positioned in the cavity, the connector removable from the cavity in a direction parallel to the longitudinal axis of the ferrule.

26. A fiber optic connector holder and connector assembly comprising:

a fiber optic connector including a connector body having a first and a second end, the fiber optic connector also including a ferrule positioned at the first end of the connector body, the ferrule having a side surface and an end surface, the ferrule holding an optical fiber having a polished end face positioned at the end surface of the ferrule;

a dust cap having an open end positioned opposite from a closed end, the dust cap including an inner surface defining a central opening that extends from the open end to the closed end of the dust cap, the dust cap being mounted on the ferrule of the fiber optic connector with the inner surface of the dust cap engaging the side surface of the ferrule and the closed end of the dust cap opposing the polished end face of the optical fiber; and

a connector holder for holding the fiber optic connector without requiring the dust cap to be removed from the ferrule, the connector holder having a front side and a back side, the connector holder being sized and shaped to receive the first end of the connector body through the front side of the connector holder while the dust cap is mounted on the ferrule, wherein when the fiber optic optic connector is held by the connector holder, the connector holder blocks access to the first end of the connector body from the front side of the connector holder.

27. The fiber optic connector holder and connector assembly of claim 26, wherein when the fiber optic connector is held by the connector holder, the second end of the connector body projects outwardly from the connector holder in a forward direction.

28. The fiber optic connector holder and connector assembly of claim 26, wherein the ferrule of the fiber optic connector defines a longitudinal axis, and wherein the longitudinal axis is generally horizontal when the fiber optic connector is held by the connector holder.

29. A telecommunications assembly comprising:

a fiber optic connector including a connector body having a first end and a second end, the fiber optic connector also including a ferrule positioned at the first end of the connector body, the ferrule having a side surface and an end surface, the ferrule holding an optical fiber having a polished end face positioned at the end surface of the ferrule, the fiber optic connector also including a boot positioned at the second end of the connector body;

a dust cap having an open end positioned opposite from a closed end, the dust cap including an inner surface defining a central opening that extends from the open end to the closed end of the dust cap, the dust cap being mounted on the ferrule of the fiber optic connector with the inner surface of the dust cap engaging the side surface of the ferrule and the closed end of the dust cap opposing the polished end face of the optical fiber;

a bulkhead having a front side and a back side;

a connector holder mounted to the bulkhead for holding the fiber optic connector with the dust cap mounted on the ferrule, wherein when the fiber optic connector is held by the connector holder, the connector holder blocks access to the first end of the connector body from the front side of the bulkhead and the second end of the connector body projects outwardly from the connector holder in a forward direction so as to be accessible from the front side of the bulkhead.

30. The telecommunications assembly of claim 29, wherein the ferrule of the fiber optic connector defines a longitudinal axis, and wherein the longitudinal axis is generally perpendicular relative to the bulkhead when the fiber optic connector is held by the connector holder.

31. The telecommunications assembly of claim 29, wherein the ferrule of the fiber optic connector defines a longitudinal axis, and wherein the longitudinal axis is generally horizontal when the fiber optic connector is held by the connector holder.