Optical connector assembly apparatus

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-9874702-B2
Application number	US-201415324167-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Oct 29, 2014
Priority date	Oct 29, 2014
Publication date	Jan 23, 2018
Grant date	Jan 23, 2018

Abstract

Example implementations relate to an optical connector assembly apparatus. For example, an optical connector assembly apparatus can include a lead-in nose disposed at a proximal end of the apparatus for insertion into a sleeve housing, where the sleeve housing has a shutter flap to cover an opening in the sleeve. Also, the optical connector assembly apparatus can include a plurality of beams transverse to the lead-in nose to provide a force to hold the shutter flap in an open position, and a tab disposed at a distal end of the apparatus to receive an end cap of an optical blind-mate connector adapter.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. An optical connector assembly apparatus comprising:
a lead-in nose disposed at a proximal end of the apparatus for insertion into a sleeve housing, the sleeve housing having a shutter flap to cover an opening in the sleeve;
a plurality of beams transverse to the lead-in nose, the plurality of beams to provide a force to hold the shutter flap in an open position upon insertion of the apparatus into the sleeve housing;
a tab disposed at a distal end of the apparatus to receive a first end cap of an optical blind-mate connector adapter; and
the plurality of beams to receive a second end cap of the optical blind-mate connector adapter.

2. The apparatus of claim 1 , wherein each of the plurality of beams has an angled tip distal to the lead-in nose to receive the second end cap of the optical blind-mate connector adapter.

3. The apparatus of claim 1 , wherein the angled tip of each of the plurality of beams has a plane parallel to a plane of the lead-in nose to apply a stopping force against the sleeve housing in response to insertion of the apparatus in the sleeve housing.

4. The apparatus of claim 1 , wherein each of the plurality of beams has an angled tip distal to the lead-in nose to receive a mid-plane.

5. The apparatus of claim 1 , wherein:
a first beam of the plurality of beams is parallel to a second beam of the plurality of beams; and
the first beam and the second beam are arranged to collapse toward a center of the apparatus in response to receiving the end cap of the optical blind-mate connector adapter.

6. An optical connector assembly apparatus comprising:
a beveled surface disposed at a proximal end of the apparatus for insertion into a sleeve housing, the sleeve housing having a shutter flap to cover an opening in the sleeve;
a plurality of beams transverse to the beveled surface to receive an indent on each side surface of the sleeve housing upon insertion of the optical connector assembly apparatus into the sleeve housing;
the beveled surface disposed at the proximal end of the apparatus to receive a first end cap of an optical blind-mate connector adapter; and
the plurality of beams to receive a second end cap of the optical blind-mate connector adapter, wherein the plurality of beams collapses upon receipt of the second end cap of the optical blind-mate connector adapter.

7. The apparatus of claim 6 , further including a tab disposed at a distal end of the assembly apparatus, wherein the tab extends away from the sleeve housing.

8. The apparatus of claim 7 , wherein each of the plurality of beams and the tab include a hollow core.

9. A system to assemble optical blind-mate connector adapters, the system comprising:
a sleeve having a shutter flap to cover an opening in the sleeve;
an optical connector assembly apparatus to provide a force to hold the shutter flap of the sleeve in an open position, wherein insertion of the assembly apparatus into the first sleeve moves the shutter flap into the open position;
a first end cap to receive the sleeve and the removable optical connector assembly;
a stationary plane having an opening to receive the sleeve and the optical connector assembly apparatus;
a second end cap installable over the end of the optical connector assembly apparatus opposite the first end cap, wherein installation of the second end cap collapses a beam of the optical connector assembly apparatus; and
a cantilever spring coupled to the shutter flap of the sleeve to close the shutter flap in response to removal of the assembly apparatus by an opposing force after installation of the second end cap.

10. The system of claim 9 , wherein:
the shutter flap is a first shutter flap to cover a first opening disposed at a first distal end of the sleeve;
each sleeve includes a second shutter flap to cover a second opening disposed at a second distal end of the sleeve; and
the apparatus disposed in each of the sleeve to provide a force to hold the first shutter flap and the second shutter flap in an open position.

11. The system of claim 9 , wherein the apparatus disposed in each of the sleeves guides alignment of the plurality of sleeves into the plurality of openings in the second stationary plane.

12. The system of claim 11 , wherein the second stationary plane is an electrical mid-plane circuit board.

13. The system of claim 9 , wherein the apparatus facilitates the shutter flap to move from the open position to a closed position responsive to removal of the apparatus from the sleeves.

14. The system of claim 9 , including a tab disposed at a distal end of the apparatus, the tab extending away from the sleeve.

15. The system of claim 14 , wherein the tab has a ribbed surface.

Assignees

• Hewlett Packard Entpr Dev Lp

Inventors

• Megason George D
• Leigh Kevin B

Classifications

• G02B6/3874

  using tubes, sleeves to align ferrules · CPC title

• G02B6/3849

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

• G02B6/3893

  Push-pull type, e.g. snap-in, push-on · CPC title

• G02B6/3897

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

• G02B6/3825 Primary

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