Ingress protected, outdoor rated connector with integrated optical connector plug frame

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-11307359-B2
Application number	US-202016782828-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Feb 5, 2020
Priority date	Feb 7, 2019
Publication date	Apr 19, 2022
Grant date	Apr 19, 2022

Abstract

An outdoor rated ingress protected ruggedize connector with molded inner body configured with a plug frame to accept a ferrule. A ferrule assembly has a flange that accepts one or more alignment members formed as part of the inner body. The alignment members and align the ferrule assembly under the force of a bias spring supported by a spring push integrated into a back body.

First claim

The invention claimed is:

1. An ingress protected outdoor connector comprising:
a connector outer body having a front end, a rear end configured to receive a fiber optic cable, an inner surface defining an interior cavity and comprising key on the inner surface and a threaded coupling on the inner surface spaced apart rearward of the key;
a ferrule assembly configured for reception into the cavity of the connector outer body, the ferrule assembly comprising a ferrule and a front flange projecting outwardly from the ferrule, the front flange defining a notch configured to receive the key for orienting the ferrule assembly within the connector outer body and preventing the ferrule assembly from rotating with respect to the connector outer body, the ferrule assembly further comprising a back flange, the back flange having a forward facing surface, the forward facing surface configured to engage the key to limit forward longitudinal movement of the ferrule assembly with respect to the connector outer body;
a connector back body threadably connected to the connector outer body by the threaded coupling on the inner surface;
a coupling nut free to float over the connector outer body and configured to secure the ingress protected connector to a mating element.

2. The ingress protected outdoor connector according to claim 1 wherein the key comprises a plurality of keys and the notch comprises a plurality of notches configured to receive the plurality of keys.

3. The ingress protected outdoor connector according to claim 2 wherein the keys are formed as one piece of material with the connector outer body.

4. The ingress protected outdoor connector according to claim 2 further comprising a spring biasing the notches of the ferrule assembly into engagement with the keys of the connector outer body.

5. The ingress protected outdoor connector according to claim 4 further comprising a spring push engaging the spring and providing a reaction surface for the spring to push the ferrule assembly.

6. The ingress protected outdoor connector according to claim 5 wherein the spring push is formed as one piece of material with the connector back body.

7. The ingress protected outdoor connector according to claim 6 wherein the spring push comprises a cup-shaped member at a proximal end of the connector back body.

8. The ingress protected connector according to claim 4 , wherein the connector outer body comprises an alignment flat on the front end to mate the ingress protected connector within the mating element.

9. The ingress protected connector according to claim 1 , further comprising a proximal seal and a distal seal to prevent environmental ingress of water, debris and other foreign substances.

10. The ingress protected connector according to claim 1 , wherein the connector outer body further comprises a directional indicator for orienting the ingress protected connector into the adapter.

11. The ingress protected connector according to claim 1 , further comprising a strain relief boot.

12. A dual flanged ferrule assembly comprising a body having a first end and a second end and a longitudinal passage extending from the first end to the second end, the longitudinal passage being configured to receive a ferrule therein such that the ferrule extends from the first end in a forward longitudinal direction, and the longitudinal passage being configured to receive at least one optical fiber therethrough passing into the ferrule, the body including a front flange and a back flange, the front flange being located closer to the first end of the body than the back flange, the front flange being formed to accept an alignment member such that the alignment member is passable longitudinally through the front flange, and the back flange having a forward facing surface, the forward facing surface is disposed to engage the alignment member to limit longitudinal movement between the ferrule assembly and a connector component.

13. The dual flanged ferrule assembly according to claim 12 , wherein the back flange is configured to engage a spring for biasing the ferrule assembly in a forward direction thereby securing the alignment member with the first front flange.

14. The dual flanged ferrule assembly according to claim 12 , wherein the body further comprises an alignment tube sized and shaped to accept an epoxy therein to seal the optical fiber with the alignment tube.

15. The dual flanged ferrule assembly according to claim 12 , wherein the body further comprises a gap between the front flange and the back flange to accept a lengthwise portion of the alignment member.

16. The ingress protected connector according to claim 15 , wherein the spring push has a shaft that accepts the bias spring.

17. An ingress protected outdoor connector, comprising:
a connector outer body having a front end, a rear end configured to receive a fiber optic cable, an inner surface defining an interior cavity and comprising a first alignment member on the inner surface, the front end of the connector body including a plug frame and a shroud around the plug frame, wherein the connector outer body is a single integrally molded piece of material;
a ferrule assembly configured for reception into the cavity of the connector outer body, the ferrule assembly comprising a ferrule and a flange projecting outwardly from the ferrule the alignment member engaging the ferrule assembly within the connector outer body and preventing the ferrule assembly from rotating with respect to the connector outer body;
a connector back body connected to the connector outer body; and
a coupling nut movable with respect to the connector outer body and configured to threadably mate with a mating element to secure the ingress protected connector to the mating element.

Assignees

• Senko Advanced Components Inc

Inventors

• Takano Kazuyoshi
• Gniadek Jeffrey
• Wakileh George

Classifications

• G02B6/3871 Primary

  Ferrule rotatable with respect to plug body, e.g. for setting rotational position (adjusting fibre within the ferrule, G02B6/3843); Fixation of ferrules after rotation · CPC title

• G02B6/3849 Primary

  using mechanical protective elements, e.g. caps, hoods, sealing membranes (G02B6/3816 takes precedence; provisionally see H01R13/44) · CPC title

• G02B6/3889

  using encapsulation for protection, e.g. adhesive, molding or casting resin · CPC title

• G02B6/3888

  Protection from over-extension or over-compression · CPC title

• G02B6/3894

  Screw-lock type · CPC title