Optical adaptor for mounting to a receptacle to optically couple connectorized optical cables

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-10317627-B2
Application number	US-201715591687-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	May 10, 2017
Priority date	Nov 14, 2014
Publication date	Jun 11, 2019
Grant date	Jun 11, 2019

Abstract

An optical adaptor for mounting to a receptacle to optically couple connectorized optical cables comprises a coupling element to provide a passageway for inserting a respective ferrule of a first and a second optical connector terminating a first and a second optical cable. The optical adaptor further comprises a mounting element to mount the first optical connector to the receptacle, the mounting element being configured to be insertable in the receptacle, and a fixing element to fix the mounting element to the receptacle. The mounting element is formed as a hollow body to receive the coupling element and configured to fix the coupling element to the receptacle.

First claim

The invention claimed is:

1. An optical adaptor for mounting to a receptacle to optically couple connectorized optical cables, the optical adaptor comprising:
a coupling element to provide a passageway for inserting a ferrule of a first optical connector terminating a first one of the connectorized optical cables and a ferrule of a second optical connector terminating a second one of the connectorized optical cables to optically couple the first and the second connectorized optical cables, the coupling element being configured to be insertable in the receptacle and comprising:
a first side; and
a second side positioned opposite the first side to insert the second optical connector into the coupling element to mechanically couple the second optical connector to the coupling element such that the ferrule of the second optical connector intrudes in the passageway;

a mounting element to mount the first optical connector to the receptacle, the mounting element being configured to be insertable in the receptacle and wherein:
the mounting element is formed as a hollow body to receive the coupling element to fix the coupling element to the receptacle when the coupling element is inserted in the receptacle and the mounting element is fixed to the receptacle;
the mounting element is configured to mechanically couple the first optical connector to the mounting element so that the ferrule of the first optical connector intrudes in the passageway of the coupling element at the first side of the coupling element; and
the mounting element comprises a fixing edge positioned on an outer surface of the mounting element, the fixing edge having an outer diameter;
the outer surface of the mounting element defines a taper positioned adjacent to the fixing edge and wherein an outer diameter of the mounting element changes moving along the taper in an axial direction away from the fixing edge; and

a fixing element to fix the mounting element to the receptacle, the fixing element comprising a hollow screw, wherein the hollow screw is slideable on the mounting element and is rotatable on the mounting element, the hollow screw comprising flexible sections being configured to be pressed to the mounting element when the optical adaptor is mounted to the receptacle, and wherein the flexible sections of the fixing element are repositionable to reduce an inner diameter of the fixing element to be less than the outer diameter of the fixing edge of the mounting element when the optical adaptor is mounted to the receptacle.

2. The optical adaptor as claimed in claim 1 , wherein the hollow body of the mounting element has a first side with an opening to receive the first optical connector in the hollow body and a second side to receive the coupling element, and wherein the mounting element comprises a first alignment element extending from the opening at the first side of the mounting element into the hollow body of the mounting element,
wherein the first alignment element of the mounting element is configured to engage in an alignment element of the first optical connector to direct the insertion of the first optical connector to the mounting element.

3. The optical adaptor of claim 2 , wherein the mounting element comprises a second alignment element disposed on an outer surface of the mounting element, and wherein the second alignment element is configured to direct the insertion of the mounting element to the receptacle.

4. The optical adaptor of claim 2 , wherein the coupling element comprises a hollow body to insert the second optical connector, and wherein the passageway is formed as tube extending from the first side of the coupling element in the hollow body of the coupling element and extending from the first side of the coupling element into the hollow body of the mounting element, when the mounting element fixes the coupling element to the receptacle.

5. The optical adaptor of claim 1 , wherein the mounting element comprises a securing member being configured to mechanically couple the first optical connector to the mounting element.

6. The optical adaptor of claim 1 , comprising:
a sealing element to provide a sealing between the mounting element and the receptacle, wherein the mounting element comprises at least one notch to dispose the sealing element.

7. The optical adaptor of claim 1 , wherein the coupling element comprises an alignment element to direct the insertion of the coupling element into the receptacle.

8. The optical adaptor of claim 1 , wherein the coupling element comprises an engagement element to engage the second optical connector to the coupling element.

9. An optical assembly to optically couple connectorized optical cables, comprising: an optical adaptor for mounting to a receptacle to optically couple connectorized optical cables of claim 1 , wherein the receptacle comprises a fixture to fix the receptacle in a hole of a housing and to insert the coupling element of the optical adaptor, and wherein the receptacle comprises a fixation adaptor being configured to be inserted into the fixture and being formed as a hollow body to insert the mounting element and to fix the fixing element of the optical adaptor.

10. The optical assembly of claim 9 , wherein the fixture comprises an alignment element being formed with a complementary shape related to an alignment element of the coupling element of the optical adaptor to direct the insertion of the coupling element into the fixture, and wherein the fixation adaptor comprises an alignment element being formed with a complementary shape related to a second alignment element of the mounting element of the optical adaptor to direct the insertion of the mounting element into the fixation adaptor.

11. The optical assembly of claim 9 , wherein the receptacle comprises a spring element being configured to push the coupling element of the optical adaptor against the fixation adaptor and the mounting element of the optical adaptor, when the fixation adaptor and the mounting element are fixed to the fixture.

12. The optical assembly of claim 9 , wherein the hollow screw of the fixing element is configured to be screwed to the fixation adapter to fix the mounting element of the optical adaptor to the fixture.

13. The optical assembly of claim 9 , wherein the fixation adapter comprises at least one snap hook to fix the fixation adapter to the fixture, and wherein the mounting element of the optical adaptor comprises an abutment element arranged on the outer surface of the mounting element and being configured to engage the at least one snap hook to the fixture to fix the fixation adapter to the fixture, when inserting the mounting element in the fixation adapter being inserted in the fixture.

14. An optical adaptor for mounting to a receptacle to optically couple connectorized optical cables, the optical adaptor comprising:
a coupling element to provide a passageway for inserting a ferrule of a first optical connector terminating a first one of the connectorized optical cables and a ferrule of a second optical connector terminating a second one of the connectorized optical cables to optically couple the first and the second connectorized optical cables, the coupling element being configured to be insertable in the receptacle and comprising:
a first side; and
a second side positioned opposite the first side to insert the second optical connector into the coupling element to mechanically couple the second optical connector to the coupling element such that the ferrule of the second optical connector intrudes in the passageway;

a mounting element to mount the first optical connector to the receptacle, the m

Assignees

• Ccs Technology Inc
• Corning Optical Communications LLC

Inventors

• Beier Joachim Rudolf
• Kluwe Wolf Peter
• Matthies Jürgen
• Mueller-Schlomka Gordon
• Schulte Martin
• Wimmer Michael

Classifications

• G02B6/3869

  Mounting ferrules to connector body, i.e. plugs · CPC title

• G02B6/3825 Primary

  with an intermediate part, e.g. adapter, receptacle, linking two plugs · CPC title

• G02B6/3831

  comprising a keying element on the plug or adapter, e.g. to forbid wrong connection (keying element on the ferrule G02B6/3851; keying element for electrical coupling H01R13/64) · CPC title

• G02B6/3897

  Connectors fixed to housings, casing, frames or circuit boards (G02B6/44528 takes precedence) · CPC title