Multiports and optical connectors with rotationally discrete locking and keying features

A multiport assembly comprising:

• a shell defining a cavity positioned within the shell;
• a plurality of optical adapters positioned within the cavity of the shell, the optical adapters structurally configured to receive, align, and optically couple dissimilar optical connectors;
• a plurality of optical connector ports comprising respective connection port passageways permitting external optical connectors to access the plurality of optical adapters positioned within the cavity of the shell, the connection port passageways comprising corresponding connector insertion paths;
• a plurality of rotationally discrete keying portions associated with respective ones of the connection port passageways, wherein each keying portion comprises at least one rotationally discrete contact surface in unobstructed line of sight with an open end of a respective connection port passageway and the at least one rotationally discrete contact surface is structurally configured to inhibit rotation of a connector housing residing in the respective connection port passageway;
• and
• a plurality of push-button securing members associated with respective ones of the connection port passageways, wherein
• each push-button securing member is biased in an engaged position, in which a rotationally discrete locking portion of the push-button securing member is positioned within the corresponding connector insertion path, and is selectively positionable into and out of a disengaged position, in which the rotationally discrete locking portion of the push-button securing member is positioned outside the corresponding connector insertion path,
• the rotationally discrete locking portion of each push-button securing member comprises a ramp oriented to progressively constrict the corresponding connector insertion path along an advancing direction of a fiber optic connector in the respective connection port passageway and an locking portion recess obstructed from the open end of the respective connection port passageway by a connector engagement face of the rotationally discrete locking portion of the push-button securing member, and
• the connector engagement face of the rotationally discrete locking portion is structurally configured to inhibit axial movement of a fiber optic connector in the connection port passageway along a retracting direction of a fiber optic connector in the respective connection port passageway.

A method for connecting a fiber optic connector to a multiport assembly, the method comprising:

• providing a fiber optic connector comprising a ferrule and a connector housing, wherein the ferrule comprises an optical fiber bore and the connector housing comprises
• a ferrule retaining portion structurally configured to engage and retain the ferrule at a front portion of the connector housing,
• a longitudinal axis extending from a leading edge plane of the front portion of the connector housing, through the ferrule retaining portion to a rear portion of the connector housing,
• a nominal housing portion defined on an outer surface of the connector housing,
• a rotationally discrete keying portion defined on the outer surface of the connector housing, and
• a rotationally discrete locking portion defined on the outer surface of the connector housing, wherein the nominal housing portion is interrupted by the rotationally discrete keying portion and the locking portion, the rotationally discrete keying portion comprises an unobstructed line of sight with the leading edge plane of the connector housing along an advancing direction of the fiber optic connector, the rotationally discrete keying portion comprising at least one rotationally discrete contact surface structurally configured to inhibit rotation of the connector housing about the longitudinal axis when engaged with a complementary keying portion of an optical connector port, the locking portion comprises a rearwardly facing port engagement face and a locking portion recess that is positioned rearward of the port engagement face, the locking portion recess is obstructed from the leading edge plane of the connector housing along the advancing direction of the fiber optic connector by the port engagement face, and the port engagement face of the locking portion is structurally configured to inhibit axial movement of the connector housing along a retracting direction of the fiber optic connector when engaged with a complementary locking portion of an optical connector port;
• advancing the fiber optic connector along the advancing direction into an optical connector port of a multiport assembly comprising a plurality of optical adapters, the optical adapters structurally configured to receive, align, and optically couple the fiber optic connector with a dissimilar optical connector within the multiport assembly;
• aligning the rotationally discrete keying portion of the connector housing with a complementary rotationally discrete keying portion associated with the optical connector port to permit the rotationally discrete locking portion of the connector housing to engage a rotationally discrete locking portion of a push-button securing member associated with the optical connector port;
• and
• engaging the rotationally discrete locking portion of the connector housing with the rotationally discrete locking portion of the push-button securing member associated with the optical connector port.