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US 10,473,868 B2Granted
Optical connector plug having a removable and replaceable mating interface
AssigneeCorning Optical Communications LLC
InventorsBrandon Duvall Compton, Tory Allen Klavuhn, Hieu Vinh Tran
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
Disclosed are optical plug connectors that can be converted from a first mating interface to a second mating interface that is different than the first mating interface. The optical plug connector comprises a plug body, a shroud, a ferrule and a first coupling member for securing the optical plug connector. The shroud comprises a first mating interface configuration that may be removed and replaced with a shroud having a second mating interface configuration.
Claims26
An optical plug connector, comprising:
- a connector body positioned at a front end of the optical plug connector;
- a ferrule positioned at least partially within the connector body;
- a body extending around and spaced radially apart from the connector body, the body comprising a front end and a rear end, and the front end comprising at least one retention feature, wherein the at least one retention feature of the body comprises one or more latch arms;
- a shroud extending around and spaced radially apart from the ferrule, the shroud comprising:
- a first mating interface configuration at a front end;
- at least one attachment feature at a rear end that cooperates with the at least one retention feature of the body so that the shroud is removably attached to the body, optical plug connector;
- and
- at least one opening extending from the front end of the shroud to a medial portion of the shroud in an axial direction, the at least one opening extending around a discrete portion of a perimeter of the shroud, wherein the ferrule is accessible through the at least one opening;
- and
- a first coupling member for securing the optical plug connector during mating.
7 more elements
An optical plug connector, comprising:
- a connector assembly comprising a connector housing, a spring, and a ferrule comprising a front face;
- a body extending around and spaced radially apart from the connector housing, the body comprising a front end and a rear end, the front end comprising at least one retention feature, wherein the at least one retention feature of the body comprises one or more latch arms;
- a shroud extending around and spaced radially apart from the ferrule, the shroud comprising:
- a first mating interface configuration at a front end;
- at least one attachment feature at a rear end that cooperates with the at least one retention feature of the body so that the shroud removably attaches to the body, the optical plug connector, wherein the front end of the shroud extends beyond the front face of the ferrule;
- and
- at least one opening extending from the front end of the shroud to a medial portion of the shroud in an axial direction, and extending around a discrete portion of a perimeter of the shroud, wherein the ferrule is accessible through the at least one opening;
- and
- a first coupling member for securing the optical plug connector during mating.
6 more elements
An optical plug connector, comprising:
- a connector assembly comprising a connector housing, a spring, and a ferrule comprising a front face;
- a body extending around and spaced radially apart from the connector housing, the body comprising a front end and a rear end, the front end comprising at least one retention feature, wherein the at least one retention feature of the body comprises a first latch arm and a second latch arm, wherein the first latch arm has a different configuration than the second latch arm;
- a shroud extending around and spaced radially apart from the ferrule, the shroud comprising:
- a first mating interface configuration at a front end;
- at least one attachment feature at a rear end that cooperates with the at least one retention feature of the body so that the shroud removably attaches to the optical plug connector, wherein the at least one attachment feature of the shroud comprises a first window and a second window, and the first window has a different configuration than the second window so the shroud attaches to the body in only one orientation, and wherein the front end of the shroud extends beyond the front face of the ferrule;
- and
- at least one opening extending from the front end of the shroud to a medial portion of the shroud in an axial direction, and extending around a discrete portion of a perimeter of the shroud, wherein the ferrule is accessible through the at least one opening;
- and
- a first coupling member for securing the optical plug connector during mating.
6 more elements
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.