Receptacle and associated method for permitting the selective withdrawal of a ferrule
First Claim
Patent Images
1. A receptacle for receiving a fiber optic connector assembly, the receptacle comprising:
- a receptacle body adapted to be mounted in a fixed position, said receptacle body extending lengthwise between opposed forward and rear ends;
a ferrule holder disposed at least partially within said receptacle body, said ferrule holder defining a plurality of openings defining respective lengthwise extending axes;
a plurality of ferrules engaged within respective ones of the openings defined by said ferrule holder such that said ferrules are exposed through the forward end of said receptacle body for mating with corresponding ferrules of the fiber optic connector assembly; and
means for withdrawing one of said plurality of ferrules in a rearward direction along the respective lengthwise extending axis from the respective opening defined by said ferrule holder without disassembling the receptacle such that said withdrawn ferrule can be disconnected from the corresponding ferrule of the fiber optic connector assembly without disconnecting the other ferrules from the corresponding ferrules of the fiber optic connector assembly.
3 Assignments
0 Petitions
Accused Products
Abstract
The receptacle permits selected ones of the ferrules to be withdrawn from the receptacle without disconnecting the fiber optic connector from the receptacle and without disassembling the receptacle. As such, the ferrule that is withdrawn from the receptacle can be disconnected from the corresponding ferrule of the fiber optic connector assembly without disconnecting the other ferrules from the corresponding ferrules of the fiber optic connector assembly.
25 Citations
20 Claims
-
1. A receptacle for receiving a fiber optic connector assembly, the receptacle comprising:
-
a receptacle body adapted to be mounted in a fixed position, said receptacle body extending lengthwise between opposed forward and rear ends; a ferrule holder disposed at least partially within said receptacle body, said ferrule holder defining a plurality of openings defining respective lengthwise extending axes; a plurality of ferrules engaged within respective ones of the openings defined by said ferrule holder such that said ferrules are exposed through the forward end of said receptacle body for mating with corresponding ferrules of the fiber optic connector assembly; and means for withdrawing one of said plurality of ferrules in a rearward direction along the respective lengthwise extending axis from the respective opening defined by said ferrule holder without disassembling the receptacle such that said withdrawn ferrule can be disconnected from the corresponding ferrule of the fiber optic connector assembly without disconnecting the other ferrules from the corresponding ferrules of the fiber optic connector assembly. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8)
-
-
9. A receptacle for receiving a fiber optic connector assembly, the receptacle comprising:
-
a cylindrical ferrule holder extending lengthwise between opposed forward and rear ends, said ferrule holder defining a plurality of circumferentially spaced openings for receiving and holding a plurality of ferrules that mate with corresponding ferrules of the fiber optic connector assembly; and a selector adapted to rotate relative to said ferrule holder for selecting one of the plurality of openings defined by said ferrule holder from which a ferrule is to be withdrawn, wherein said rotatable selector permits the ferrule to be withdrawn in a rearward direction from the selected opening without disassembling the receptacle such that the withdrawn ferrule can be disconnected from a corresponding ferrule of the fiber optic connector assembly without disconnecting the other ferrules from the corresponding ferrules of the fiber optic connector assembly. - View Dependent Claims (10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15)
-
-
16. A method for selectively withdrawing a ferrule from a receptacle that is mated with a fiber optic connector assembly, the method comprising the steps of:
-
inserting a plurality of ferrules into respective ones of the openings defined by a ferrule holder such that said ferrules are exposed through a forward end of the receptacle; mating the fiber optic connector assembly with the receptacle such that the plurality of ferrules exposed through the forward end of the receptacle are mated with corresponding ferrules of the fiber optic connector assembly; and withdrawing one of the plurality of ferrules in a rearward direction from the respective opening defined by the ferrule holder without disassembling the receptacle, wherein said withdrawing step comprises disconnecting the withdrawn ferrule from the corresponding ferrule of the fiber optic connector assembly without disconnecting the other ferrules from the corresponding ferrules of the fiber optic connector assembly. - View Dependent Claims (17, 18, 19, 20)
-
Specification