Keying for connector systems

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-12153273-B2
Application number	US-202117522531-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Nov 9, 2021
Priority date	Mar 1, 2012
Publication date	Nov 26, 2024
Grant date	Nov 26, 2024

Abstract

Keying may be used to indicate various features of cables, cable connectors, and/or equipment. The keying mechanisms of the connectors systems disclosed herein identifies whether each plug is a pinned plug or a pinless plug. The keying mechanisms disclosed herein identify the number of optical fibers terminated at each plug. For example, one type of keying mechanism may indicate a cable plug manufactured under a 40 Gb/sec standard and another type of keying mechanism may indicate a cable plug manufactured under a 100 Gb/sec standard. The keying mechanisms may indicate a cabling/wiring pattern to be used (e.g., indicates a polarity of the cable). The cables and/or plugs may be color coded based on the keying mechanism. Accordingly, the keying may alert a user to the features of the cable that are not readily apparent upon a cursory inspection.

First claim

The invention claimed is:

1. A fiber plug connector configured to be inserted into a receptacle, the fiber plug connector and the receptacle cooperating to define a keying mechanism, the fiber plug connector comprising:
a body extending along a length between a front and a rear, along a width between opposite first and second sides, and along a height between a top and a bottom;
a pin alignment system including either a pair of pins or a pair of holes to receive pins, the pin alignment system recessed inwardly from an exterior of the body;
a ferrule disposed at the front of the body, the ferrule being configured to hold a number of optical fibers;
an exterior key positioned at the exterior of the body, the exterior key being asymmetrically disposed at the top of the body between the first and second sides, the exterior key having a keying geometry identifying the number of the optical fibers held by the ferrule, the exterior key being disposed at a location offset along the width from a central longitudinal axis, the location also being offset along the width from both the first side of the body and the second side of the body; and
tactile indicia that correspond to the keying geometry of the exterior key, wherein the tactile indicia is disposed at the rear of the body to enable a user to determine the number of fibers terminated by the fiber plug connector even when the fiber plug connector is received in the receptacle.

2. The fiber plug connector as claimed in claim 1 , wherein the exterior key also indicates a rotational alignment of the fiber plug connector.

3. The fiber plug connector as claimed in claim 1 , wherein the fiber plug connector is color coded based on the keying geometry of the exterior key.

4. The fiber plug connector as claimed in claim 1 , wherein the fiber plug connector terminates a patchcord.

5. The fiber plug connector as claimed in claim 1 , wherein the exterior key is disposed at the front of the body.

6. The fiber plug connector as claimed in claim 1 , wherein the fiber plug connector is an MPO-type connector.

7. The fiber plug connector as claimed in claim 1 , wherein the exterior key extends rearwardly from the front of the body.

8. The fiber plug connector as claimed in claim 1 , wherein the exterior key is a modification to a conventional rotational alignment key of the fiber plug connector.

9. A connection system comprising:
a first receptacle defining a first port having opposing flat sides interconnected by opposing curved sides to define an interior of the first port, a first of the flat sides defining a first slot recessed therein, the first slot being disposed symmetrically between the opposing curved sides;
a first MPO plug connector configured to be inserted into the first port of the first receptacle, the first MPO plug connector including a first key configured to fit within the first slot of the first receptacle when the first MPO plug connector is inserted into the first port of the first receptacle, the first MPO plug connector terminating a first number of optical fibers, the first key identifying the first number of optical fibers terminated by the first MPO plug connector;
a second receptacle defining a second port having opposing flat sides interconnected by opposing curved sides to define an interior of the second port, a first of the flat sides of the second port defining a second slot recessed therein, the second slot being disposed asymmetrically between the opposing curved sides; and
a second MPO plug connector configured to be inserted into the second port of the second receptacle, the second MPO plug connector including a second key configured to fit within the second slot of the second receptacle when the second MPO plug connector is inserted into the second port of the second receptacle, wherein the second slot would inhibit insertion of the first MPO plug connector by interaction between the first key and the first flat side of the second port, the second MPO plug connector terminating a second number of optical fibers, the second number of optical fibers being different from the first number of optical fibers, the second key identifying the second number of optical fibers terminated by the second MPO plug connector.

10. The connection system of claim 9 , wherein the first MPO plug connector is one of a plurality of identical first MPO plug connectors that each terminate the first number of optical fibers; and wherein the second MPO plug connector is one of a plurality of identical second MPO plug connectors that each terminate the second number of optical fibers.

11. The connection system of claim 9 , wherein the second MPO plug connector includes a third key disposed at an opposite side of the second MPO plug connector from the second key.

12. The connection system of claim 9 , wherein the second key of the second MPO plug connector serves as a rotational alignment key.

13. The connection system of claim 9 , wherein the second slot cooperates with a larger slot to define a keyway for the second key of the second MPO plug connector.

14. The connection system of claim 9 , wherein the second key of the second MPO plug connector is disposed at a top of the second MPO plug connector and asymmetrically located between opposite sides of the second MPO plug connector extending away from the top.

15. The connection system of claim 9 , wherein the second key extends rearwardly from a front of the second MPO plug connector.

Assignees

• Commscope Technologies Llc
• Commscope Asia Holdings Bv

Inventors

• Eberle Jr James Joseph
• Van Geijn Franciscus Karel Maria

Classifications

• G02B6/4471 Primary

  Terminating devices (demountable connectors G02B6/3807); Cable clamps · CPC title

• G02B6/44528

  Patch-cords; Connector arrangements in the system or in the box (routing arrangements H04Q1/00) · CPC title

• G02B6/3831 Primary

  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

• G02B6/3885

  Multicore or multichannel optical connectors, i.e. one single ferrule containing more than one fibre, e.g. ribbon type (optical ribbon cable G02B6/4403, G02B6/448) · CPC title

• G02B6/3882

  using rods, pins or balls to align a pair of ferrule ends · CPC title