Fiber connector and adapter

• US 8,186,890 B2
• Filed: 01/17/2011
• Issued: 05/29/2012
• Est. Priority Date: 05/20/1997
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: CommScope Technologies, LLC (CommScope Holding Company, Inc.)
• Original Assignee: ADC Telecommunications Incorporated (TE Connectivity Limited)
• Inventors: Lu, Liang-Ju
• Primary Examiner(s): Healy, Brian
• Application Number:
  US12/930,835
• Publication Number:
  US 20110235976A1
• Time in Patent Office: 498 Days
• Field of Search: 385/53, 385/55, 385/58, 385/59, 385/60, 385/64, 385/65, 385/70, 385/75, 385/76, 385/77, 385/78, 385/82, 385/83, 385/139
• US Class Current: 385/60
• CPC Class Codes: G02B 6/245 Removing protective coverings of light guides before coupling
• CPC Class Codes: G02B 6/3807 Dismountable connectors, i.e. comprising plugs
• 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 6/3821 with axial spring biasing or loading means G02B6/3847 takes precedence
• 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 6/3874 using tubes, sleeves to align ferrules
• CPC Class Codes: G02B 6/3878 comprising a plurality of ferrules, branching and break-out means
• CPC Class Codes: G02B 6/3879 Linking of individual connector plugs to an overconnector, e.g. using clamps, clips, common housings comprising several individual connector plugs
• CPC Class Codes: G02B 6/3888 Protection from over-extension or over-compression
• CPC Class Codes: G02B 6/3893 Push-pull type, e.g. snap-in, push-on
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 29/49117 Conductor or circuit manufacturing

Abstract

Fiberoptic connector and adapter assembly includes a fiberoptic connector received within an adapter. The connector has a cover on the connector housing. The cover pivots between open and closed positions to expose or cover, respectively, a optical fiber contained within the connector. Longitudinal guides of the connector are received cooperating with longitudinal guides of the adapter to direct the connector into the adapter in a prescribed alignment. A cam pin is carried on the adapter to engage a cam pin receiving slot on the cover to urge the cover to the open position as the connector is inserted into the adapter.

Claims

1. A fiber optic connector and adapter assembly comprising:

a fiber optic connector having;

a connector housing having a longitudinal connector axis extending between a front end and an opposite rear end, the front end defining an opening;

an optical fiber disposed within the connector housing, the fiber having a terminal end exposed through the opening in the front end of the connector housing; and

a cover mounted to the connector housing, the cover having structure that defines a pivot axis, the cover pivoting rearward about the pivot axis from a cover closed position to a cover open position, the pivot axis of the cover being transverse and fixed relative to the longitudinal connector axis of the connector housing;

the connector housing including a longitudinal connector guide aligned with the longitudinal connector axis,

wherein a covering portion of the cover is located forward of the terminal end of the fiber when the cover is closed to cover the terminal end of the fiber exposed through the opening, and wherein the covering portion of the cover is located rearward of the terminal end of the fiber when the cover is opened to expose the terminal end of the fiber; and

a connector cam surface carried on the connector housing;

an adapter having;

an adapter housing having a longitudinal adapter axis and having walls defining an exterior, an interior, and an open end sized to receive the front end of the fiber optic connector with the longitudinal connector axis aligned with the longitudinal adapter axis;

a fiber coupling mechanism contained within the interior to couple with the optical fiber when the connector housing is inserted into the adapter housing to a fully inserted position;

a longitudinal adapter guide disposed to cooperate with the longitudinal connector guide to direct the opening of the fiber optic connector into axial alignment with the fiber coupling mechanism as the connector housing is inserted into the adapter housing to the fully inserted position;

the adapter housing includes an internal door disposed within the interior and movable between a door open position and a door closed position, in the door open position the fiber coupling mechanism exposed through the open end of the adapter, in the door closed position the door covering the fiber coupling mechanism;

an adaptor cam surface carried on the adapter housing and positioned to urge the cover from the cover closed to the cover open position as the connector housing is inserted into the adapter housing to the fully inserted position; and

the connector cam surface carried on the connector housing is positioned to urge the door from the door closed to the door open position as the connector housing is inserted into the adapter housing to the fully inserted position.

2. The assembly of claim 1 wherein:

the adapter housing has a substantially rectangular cross-section perpendicular to the longitudinal adapter axis, the cross-section including a major transverse axis and a minor transverse axis; and

the adapter housing including an internal wall extending parallel to the minor transverse axis and dividing the interior into first and second connector receiving chambers each sized to receive individual ones of the connector housings and each having respective ones of the fiber coupling mechanism, the longitudinal adapter guide, the internal door, and the adaptor cam surface.

3. The assembly of claim 2, wherein the exterior of the adapter housing defines an SC adapter footprint.

4. The assembly of claim 2, wherein the open end of each of the first and second connector receiving chambers defines two side-by-side chambers each coextending with the longitudinal connector axis, each sized to selectively receive the front end of the fiber optic connector, and each having respective ones of the fiber coupling mechanism, the longitudinal adapter guide, the internal door, and the adaptor cam surface.

5. The assembly of claim 4, further comprising four of the fiber optic connectors each coupled to the adapter housing and received in each of the side-by-side chambers of the first and second connector receiving chambers.

6. The assembly of claim 5, wherein the exterior of the adapter housing defines an SC adapter footprint.

7. The assembly of claim 2 wherein:

the connector housing includes a retaining clip carried thereon for releasably connecting with the adapter housing; and

the retaining clip including a movable end and a clip body having a fixed end secured to the connector housing, the clip body spaced from the connector housing to define a volume;

the retaining clip disposed for the movable end to be positioned between the opening of the fiber optic connector and the fixed end.

8. The assembly of claim 7, wherein the movable end is spaced from opposing surfaces of the connector housing by a distance less than a thickness of a fiber optic cable secured to the connector housing.

9. The assembly of claim 1, wherein the structure of the cover includes pins that define the pivot axis, the pins being engaged with corresponding detents formed in the connector housing to pivotally mount the cover to the connector housing.

10. The assembly of claim 1, wherein the connector cam surface carried on the connector housing is at least one of the cover and a forwardly protruding surface from a top edge.

11. The assembly of claim 1, wherein the adaptor cam surface carried on the adapter housing is at least one cam pin.

12. The assembly of claim 1, wherein the connector housing further includes a cut-out portion that receives the cover when the cover is opened.

13. The assembly of claim 12, wherein the cut-out portion is formed in a top edge of the connector housing.

14. The assembly of claim 1, wherein the connector housing has a top side and a bottom side, the top side and the bottom side extending between the front end and the opposite rear end, the covering portion of the cover being located adjacent to the top side of the connector housing when the cover is opened.

15. The assembly of claim 1, wherein the internal door is spring loaded to bias the internal door into the door closed position.