Fiber connector and adapter

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-9383524-B2
Application number	US-201414521226-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Oct 22, 2014
Priority date	May 20, 1997
Publication date	Jul 5, 2016
Grant date	Jul 5, 2016

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.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. A fiber optic connector and adapter assembly comprising:
a fiber optic connector having:
an outer connector housing having a longitudinal connector axis;
an optical fiber disposed within said connector housing and having a terminal end exposed through an opening in a leading end of said connector housing;
a cover carried on said connector housing and pivotally connected thereto to pivot between a cover open and a cover closed position, said cover in said cover closed position covering said opening, said cover in said cover open position exposing said opening;
said connector housing including a longitudinal connector guide aligned with said longitudinal connector axis, said connector housing including a retaining clip carried thereon;
said cover including a cam pin receiving slot;

an adapter having:
an adapter housing having a longitudinal adapter axis and having walls defining an interior and an open end sized to receive said leading end with said longitudinal connector axis aligned with said longitudinal adapter axis;
a fiber coupling mechanism contained within said interior to couple with said optical fiber when said connector housing is inserted into said adapter housing to a fully inserted position;
a longitudinal adapter guide disposed to cooperate with said longitudinal connector guide to direct said opening into axial alignment with said fiber coupling mechanism as said connector housing is inserted into said adapter housing to said fully inserted position;
a cam pin disposed within said interior to be received within said cam pin receiving slot and urge said cover from said cover closed position to said cover open position as said connector housing is inserted into said adapter housing to said fully inserted position, the cam pin is further disposed to urge said cover from said cover open position to said cover closed position as said connector housing is removed from said adapter housing.

2. A fiber optic connector comprising:
a connector housing having a longitudinal connector axis extending between a front end and an opposite rear end, the front end defining an opening, the connector housing being configured to receive an optical fiber so that a terminal end of the optical fiber is located forward of the opening; 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 closed position to an open position, the pivot axis of the cover being transverse and fixed relative to the longitudinal connector axis of the connector housing when the cover moves between the closed position and the open position, the cover having a covering portion located in line with the longitudinal connector axis and sufficiently forward of the opening when the cover is in the closed position to cover the terminal end of any optical fiber received at the connector housing, and the covering portion being located out of alignment with the longitudinal connector axis and rearward of the terminal end of the optical fiber when the cover is in the open position to expose the terminal end of the optical fiber, wherein the terminal end of the optical fiber defines a forward-most point on the fiber optic connector when the cover is in the open position.

3. The fiber optic connector of claim 2 , wherein the fiber optic connector is a ferruleless connector.

4. The fiber optic connector of claim 2 , wherein the connector housing carries an optical ferrule configured to receive the optical fiber.

5. The fiber optic connector of claim 4 , wherein the optical ferrule defines an end face at which the terminal end of the optical fiber is accessible, the end face being located forward of the opening defined in the connector housing and cooperates with the terminal end of the optical fiber to define the forward-most point on the fiber optic connector.

6. The fiber optic connector of claim 2 , wherein the structure of the cover includes pins that define the pivot axis, the pins being engaged with corresponding apertures formed in the connector housing to pivotally mount the cover to the connector housing.

7. The fiber optic connector of claim 2 , wherein the cover includes first and second slots formed in the structure that defines the pivot axis.

8. The fiber optic connector of claim 7 , wherein the first and second slots are constructed and oriented such that the slots first receive a pivot-actuating element and then release the pivot-actuating element when the cover is pivoted from the closed position to the open position.

9. The fiber optic connector of claim 7 , wherein each of the slots has an open end that receives and releases a pivot-actuating element, the open ends of the slots being oriented in a first direction when the cover is closed, and the open ends of the slots being oriented in a second different direction when the cover is opened.

10. The fiber optic connector of claim 2 , wherein the connector housing includes a cut-out portion that receives the cover when the cover is opened.

11. The fiber optic connector of claim 10 , wherein the cut-out portion is formed in a top edge of the connector housing.

12. The fiber optic connector of claim 2 , wherein the connector housing has a top side and a bottom side, the top and bottom sides extending between the front and rear ends, the covering portion of the cover being located adjacent to the top side of the connector housing when the cover is opened.

13. The fiber optic connector of claim 2 , further including a retaining clip having a moveable end and a fixed end, the fixed end being secured to the connector housing, the moveable end being located forward of the fixed end.

14. The fiber optic connector of claim 2 , wherein the connector housing includes a longitudinal connector guide aligned with the longitudinal connector axis.

15. The fiber optic connector of claim 2 , wherein the connector housing is a one-piece outer connector housing.

16. The fiber optic connector of claim 2 , wherein the terminal end of the optical fiber is biased outwardly through the opening defined by the connector housing.

17. The fiber optic connector of claim 16 , wherein a hub, a spring, and a mandrel are disposed within the connector housing, the spring being disposed between the hub and the mandrel to bias the terminal end of the optical fiber forward of the opening.

18. A fiber optic connector comprising:
a connector housing defining an opening at a leading end of the connector housing, the connector housing including a cantilevered clip to secure the connector to an adapter, the connector housing also being configured to receive an optical fiber having a terminal end disposed forward of the opening in the leading end of the connector housing; and
a cover mounted to the connector housing, the cover including two pin engagement sections located at opposite sides of the cover and spaced rearwardly from the leading end of the connector housing, wherein applying a force to the pin engagement sections of the cover causes the cover to pivot between an open position and a closed position, the cover also including arms extending from the pin engagement sections to a covering portion that inhibits access to the terminal end of the optical fiber when the cover is in the closed position and that allows access to the terminal end of the optical fiber when the cover is in the open position, the cover having a pivot axis that is fixed relative to the connector housing at a location spaced rearwardly from the leading end of the connector housi

Assignees

• Commscope Technologies Llc

Inventors

• Lu Liang-Ju

Classifications

• G02B6/3821

  with axial spring biasing or loading means (G02B6/3847 takes precedence) · CPC title

• Y10T29/49117

  Conductor or circuit manufacturing · CPC title

• G02B6/3874

  using tubes, sleeves to align ferrules · CPC title

• G02B6/3879

  Linking of individual connector plugs to an overconnector, e.g. using clamps, clips, common housings comprising several individual connector plugs · CPC title

• G02B6/245

  Removing protective coverings of light guides before coupling · CPC title