US 11,307,369 B2 · Ultra-small form factor optical connectors used as part of a reconfigurable outer housing

Abstract

An optical connector holding one or more optical ferrule assembly is provided. The optical connector includes an outer body, an inner front body accommodating the one or more optical ferrule assembly, ferrule springs for urging the optical ferrules towards a mating receptacle, and a back body for supporting the ferrule springs. The outer body and the inner front body are configured such that four optical ferrule assembly are accommodated in a small form-factor pluggable (SFP) transceiver footprint or eight optical ferrule assembly are accommodated in a quad small form-factor pluggable (QSFP) transceiver footprint. A receptacle can hold one or more connector inner bodies forming a single boot for all the optical fibers of the inner bodies.

Claims40

Dependent claims

An optical fiber connector comprising:

first and second optical fiber ferrules;
a connector housing having a front end portion and a rear end portion spaced apart along a longitudinal axis, the connector housing comprising a top portion and a bottom portion spaced apart along a transverse axis perpendicular to the longitudinal axis, the connector housing holding the first and second optical fiber ferrules such that the first and second optical fiber ferrules are exposed through the front end portion for making an optical connection and the first and second optical fiber ferrules are spaced apart from one another along the transverse axis,
a depressible latch above the top portion of the connector housing;
and
an elongate arm connected to the connector housing above the top portion and configured to be pulled to actuate the depressible latch;
wherein the connector housing comprises a guide connecting the elongate arm to the optical fiber connector.

3 more elements

An optical fiber connector comprising:

first and second optical fiber ferrules;
a connector housing having a front end portion and a rear end portion spaced apart along a longitudinal axis, the connector housing comprising a top portion and a bottom portion spaced apart along a transverse axis perpendicular to the longitudinal axis, the connector housing holding the first and second optical fiber ferrules such that the first and second optical fiber ferrules are exposed through the front end portion for making an optical connection and the first and second optical fiber ferrules are spaced apart from one another along the transverse axis,
a depressible latch above the top portion of the connector housing;
and
an elongate arm connected to the connector housing above the top portion and configured to be pulled to actuate the depressible latch;
wherein the elongate arm comprises a front end portion and a rear end portion spaced apart along the longitudinal axis;
wherein the front end portion of the elongate arm defines an opening;
wherein the depressible latch is received in the opening;
wherein the depressible latch has a front end portion and rear end portion spaced apart along the longitudinal axis and wherein the depressible latch extends upward along the transverse axis as the depressible latch extends along the longitudinal axis from the front end portion to the rear end portion of the depressible latch;
wherein the rear end portion of the depressible latch is spaced apart above the top portion of the connector housing along the transverse axis;
wherein the front end portion of the elongate arm includes an edge defining a front end of the opening;
wherein the depressible latch has an upper surface, the edge opposing the upper surface;
wherein the elongate arm is configured to be pulled rearward along the longitudinal axis with respect to the connector housing whereby the edge slides longitudinally along the upper surface to depress the depressible latch.

10 more elements

An optical fiber connector comprising:

a multi-fiber ferrule configured to terminate a plurality of optical fibers;
a connector housing having a front end portion and a rear end portion spaced apart along a longitudinal axis, the connector housing comprising a top portion and a bottom portion spaced apart along a transverse axis perpendicular to the longitudinal axis, the connector housing being configured to hold the multi-fiber ferrule such that the multi-fiber ferrule is exposed through the front end portion for making an optical connection and the plurality of optical fibers are spaced apart from one another in a row extending parallel to the transverse axis,
a depressible latch above the top portion of the connector housing;
and
an elongate arm connected to the connector housing above the top portion and configured to be pulled to actuate the depressible latch;
wherein the elongate arm comprises a front end portion and a rear end portion spaced apart along the longitudinal axis;
wherein the front end portion of the elongate arm defines an opening;
wherein the depressible latch is received in the opening;
wherein the depressible latch has a front end portion and rear end portion spaced apart along the longitudinal axis and wherein the depressible latch extends upward along the transverse axis as the depressible latch extends along the longitudinal axis from the front end portion to the rear end portion of the depressible latch;
wherein the rear end portion of the depressible latch is spaced apart above the top portion of the connector housing along the transverse axis;
wherein the front end portion of the elongate arm includes an edge defining a front end of the opening;
wherein the depressible latch has an upper surface, the edge opposing the upper surface:
wherein the elongate arm is configured to be pulled rearward along the longitudinal axis with respect to the connector housing whereby the edge slides longitudinally along the upper surface to depress the depressible latch.

10 more elements

Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.

Facts

Application

17/370,057Filed 8 Jul 2021 · continuation

Priority

14 Jul 2017

Published

US 2021/0080663 A12 Dec 2021

Granted

19 Apr 2022

Term ends

Not estimatedThe source records don’t support an estimate.

Classification9 codes

G02B 6/4292
Coupling light guides with opto-electronic elements: the light guide being disconnectable from the opto-electronic element, e.g. mutually self…
G02B 6/3825
Of the ferrule type, e.g. fibre ends embedded in ferrules, connecting a pair of fibres: with an intermediate part, e.g. adapter, receptacle,…
G02B 6/387
Mounting ferrules to connector body, i.e. plugs: connector plugs comprising two complementary members, e.g. shells, caps, covers, locked together
G02B 6/3879
Comprising a plurality of ferrules, branching and break-out means: linking of individual connector plugs to an overconnector, e.g. using clamps,…

Family

Application62/532,710Us provisional application · filed 14 Jul 2017

Application62/549,655Us provisional application · filed 24 Aug 2017

Application62/588,276Us provisional application · filed 17 Nov 2017

Application16/035,691Parent of this continuation · filed 15 Jul 2018

Application16/388,053Parent of this continuation · filed 18 Apr 2019

US 10,281,668 B2Parent of this continuation · filed 7 May 2019

Application16/414,546Parent of this continuation · filed 16 May 2019

Application17/090,855Parent of this continuation · filed 5 Nov 2020

US 10,859,778 B2Parent of this continuation · filed 8 Dec 2020

Application17/327,197Parent of this continuation · filed 21 May 2021

US 2021/0373262 A1Pre-grant publication · published 2 Dec 2021

US 11,169,338 B2Parent of this continuation

US 11,340,413 B2Related patent

US 11,487,067 B2Related patent

US 2019/0018201 A1Published application

US 2019/0250344 A1Published application

US 2019/0302383 A1Published application

US 2021/0080663 A1Published application

US 2021/0311272 A1Published application

US 11,307,369 B2This patent

From the US filing history. Foreign family members aren’t listed.

Ultra-small form factor optical connectors used as part of a reconfigurable outer housing

Life of this patent

Ultra-small form factor optical connectors used as part of a reconfigurable outer housing

Life of this patent

Abstract

Claims40