# US 12,001,061 B2 · Fiber optic adapter with integrally molded ferrule alignment structure > Agents: this data is available as JSON from the patentgrep API and MCP server — see https://patentgrep.com/llms.txt - Number: US 12,001,061 B2 - Document ID: US12001061B2 - Status: Granted - Kind: B2 - Application number: 18/160,562 - Filed: 2023-01-27 - Published: 2023-06-08 - Granted: 2024-06-04 - Earliest claimed: 2008-08-27 - Assignees: CommScope Technologies LLC - Applicants: CommScope Technologies LLC - Inventors: Keith Quinten Nelson - Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US12001061B2 ## CPC - G02B 6/3825: {with an intermediate part, e.g. adapter, receptacle, linking two plugs} - G02B 6/381: {of the ferrule type, e.g. fibre ends embedded in ferrules, connecting a pair of fibres} - G02B 6/3831: {comprising a keying element on the plug or adapter, e.g. to forbid wrong connection (keying element on the ferrule G02B6/3851; keying element for electrical coupling H01R13/64)} - G02B 6/3833: {Details of mounting fibres in ferrules; Assembly methods; Manufacture} - G02B 6/3834: {Means for centering or aligning the light guide within the ferrule} - G02B 6/3851: {Ferrules having keying or coding means} - G02B 6/3865: {fabricated by using moulding techniques (shaping techniques of plastic materials in general B29C; producing plastic optical fiber connectors B29D11/0075)} - G02B 6/3869: {Mounting ferrules to connector body, i.e. plugs} - G02B 6/3873: {Connectors using guide surfaces for aligning ferrule ends, e.g. tubes, sleeves, V-grooves, rods, pins, balls} - G02B 6/3874: {using tubes, sleeves to align ferrules} - G02B: OPTICAL ELEMENTS, SYSTEMS OR APPARATUS ## Abstract A fiber optic adapter is disclosed. The fiber optic adapter includes a main body configured to receive a first fiber optic connector through a first end and a second fiber optic connector through a second end for mating with the first fiber optic connector. The adapter includes a ferrule alignment structure located within an axial cavity of the main body, the ferrule alignment structure including a sleeve mount and a ferrule sleeve, the sleeve mount including an axial bore and at least one latching hook extending from a center portion of the sleeve mount toward the first end of the main body and at least one latching hook extending from the center portion toward the second end of the main body, the latching hooks configured to flex for releasably latching the first and second fiber optic connectors to the fiber optic adapter. The sleeve mount and the main body of the fiber optic adapter are unitarily molded as a single piece and the ferrule sleeve is separately placed within the axial bore of the sleeve mount. ## Claims ### Claim 1 A fiber optic adapter for interconnecting two fiber optic connectors in coaxial alignment, each connector including a generally cylindrical ferrule holding an end of an optical fiber, wherein the adapter defines a body that is configured for mating the two fiber optic connectors in coaxial alignment, wherein the body of the fiber optic adapter includes a main body portion with an axial cavity extending between a first opening defined at a first end of the main body portion and a second opening defined at a second end of the main body portion, the first end configured to receive a first fiber optic connector through the first opening and the second end configured to receive a second fiber optic connector through the second opening for mating with the first fiber optic connector; the adapter further including a ferrule alignment structure located within the axial cavity, the ferrule alignment structure including a sleeve mount defining a first end, a second end, and a center portion, wherein the first end of the sleeve mount is positioned toward the first end of the main body portion and the second end of the sleeve mount is positioned toward the second end of the main body portion; the sleeve mount further defining an axial bore that defines a longitudinal axis extending from the first end of the sleeve mount toward the second end of the sleeve mount, the axial bore configured to receive and coaxially align the ferrules of the first and second fiber optic connectors when the connectors are inserted into the adapter, wherein the entirety of the sleeve mount and a majority of the physical parts making up the body of the fiber optic adapter that includes the main body portion are unitarily molded as a single piece, wherein the sleeve mount includes a first portion extending from the center portion of the sleeve mount toward the first end of the sleeve mount and a second portion extending from the center portion of the sleeve mount toward the second end of the sleeve mount, wherein at least one of the first portion and the second portion of the sleeve mount defines an end with an inwardly extending portion for capturing a ferrule-alignment sleeve within the axial bore once the ferrule-alignment sleeve is received within the bore. ### Claim 2 (depends on 1) A fiber optic adapter according to claim 1, wherein each of the first and second portions of the sleeve mount defines an end with an inwardly extending portion for capturing the ferrule-alignment sleeve within the axial bore once the ferrule-alignment sleeve is received within the bore. ### Claim 3 (depends on 2) A fiber optic adapter according to claim 2, wherein the inwardly extending portion of the first portion is defined by an inwardly extending finger of the first portion that is positioned around the axial bore at a peripherally offset relationship along the longitudinal axis defined by the axial bore with respect to an inwardly extending finger of the second portion that defines the inwardly extending portion of the second portion. ### Claim 4 (depends on 3) A fiber optic adapter according to claim 3, wherein each of the first and second portions of the sleeve mount includes three inwardly extending fingers. ### Claim 5 (depends on 1) A fiber optic adapter according to claim 1, wherein at least one of the first portion and the second portion of the sleeve mount defines flexible arms around the axial bore of the sleeve mount for receiving the ferrule-alignment sleeve, the flexible arms configured to flex out radially when receiving the ferrule-alignment sleeve into the axial bore. ### Claim 6 (depends on 5) A fiber optic adapter according to claim 5, wherein the sleeve mount includes at least three of the flexible arms on at least one of the first portion and the second portion of the sleeve mount. ### Claim 7 (depends on 6) A fiber optic adapter according to claim 6, wherein the sleeve mount includes at least three of the flexible arms on each of the first portion and the second portion of the sleeve mount. ### Claim 8 (depends on 1) A fiber optic adapter according to claim 1, wherein the majority of the physical parts making up the body of the fiber optic adapter that includes the main body portion and the entirety of the sleeve mount are unitarily molded out of a polymer. ### Claim 9 (depends on 1) A fiber optic adapter according to claim 1, wherein the axial cavity is defined by a top side wall, a bottom side wall, a right side wall, and a left side wall of the main body portion of the adapter, wherein the fiber optic adapter includes a mounting feature on at least one of the top side wall, the bottom side wall, the right side wall, and the left side wall. ### Claim 10 (depends on 9) A fiber optic adapter according to claim 9, wherein the mounting feature is provided in the form of an outwardly protruding mounting tab unitarily molded with at least one of the top side wall, the bottom side wall, the right side wall, and the left side wall. ### Claim 11 (depends on 1) A fiber optic adapter according to claim 1, wherein the fiber optic adapter is configured for interconnecting two SC-type fiber connectors in coaxial alignment. ### Claim 12 (depends on 1) A fiber optic adapter according to claim 1, wherein the sleeve mount includes two latching hooks extending from the center portion of the sleeve mount toward the first end of the main body portion of the adapter body and two latching hooks extending from the center portion of the sleeve mount toward the second end of the main body portion of the adapter body, wherein the latching hooks extending toward the first end of the main body portion are positioned on opposite sides of the axial bore and are configured to flex toward and away from each other to releasably latch the first fiber optic connector to the adapter, and the latching hooks extending toward the second end of the main body portion are positioned on opposite sides of the axial bore and are configured to flex toward and away from each other to releasably latch the second fiber optic connector to the adapter. ### Claim 13 (depends on 1) A fiber optic adapter according to claim 1, wherein at least one of the first portion and the second portion of the sleeve mount is configured to flex out radially when receiving the ferrule-alignment sleeve into the axial bore from a respective end of the sleeve mount. ### Claim 14 (depends on 13) A fiber optic adapter according to claim 13, wherein both of the first and second portions of the sleeve mount are configured to flex out radially when receiving the ferrule-alignment sleeve into the axial bore from a respective end of the sleeve mount. ### Claim 15 A method of manufacturing a fiber optic adapter for interconnecting two fiber optic connectors in coaxial alignment, each connector including a generally cylindrical ferrule holding an end of an optical fiber, wherein the adapter defines a body that is configured for mating the two fiber optic connectors in coaxial alignment, wherein the body of the fiber optic adapter includes a main body portion with an axial cavity defined by a top side wall, a bottom side wall, a right side wall, and a left side wall, the axial cavity extending between a first opening defined at a first end of the main body portion and a second opening defined at a second end of the main body portion, the first end configured to receive a first fiber optic connector through the first opening, and the second end configured to receive a second fiber optic connector through the second opening for mating with the first fiber optic connector, wherein the adapter also includes a ferrule alignment structure including a sleeve mount for receiving a ferrule-alignment sleeve, the sleeve mount defining a first end, a second end, and a center portion, wherein the first end of the sleeve mount is positioned toward the first end of the main body portion and the second end of the sleeve mount is positioned toward the second end of the main body portion, the sleeve mount defining an axial bore that defines a longitudinal axis extending from the first end of the sleeve mount toward the second end of the sleeve mount, the axial bore configured to receive and coaxially align the ferrules of the fiber optic connectors when the fiber optic connectors are inserted into the adapter, wherein the sleeve mount includes a first portion extending from the center portion of the sleeve mount toward the first end of the sleeve mount and a second portion extending from the center portion of the sleeve mount toward the second end of the sleeve mount, wherein at least one of the first portion and the second portion of the sleeve mount defines an end with an inwardly extending portion for capturing the ferrule-alignment sleeve within the axial bore once the sleeve is received within the bore, the method comprising: molding a majority of the physical parts making up the body of the fiber optic adapter that includes the main body portion and the entirety of the sleeve mount as a unitary structure. ### Claim 16 (depends on 15) A method according to claim 15, further comprising using a molding tool for molding the body of the fiber optic adapter that includes the main body portion and the sleeve mount of the fiber optic adapter such that parts of the molding tool are pulled apart from the first and second ends of the main body portion along a direction of the longitudinal axis. ### Claim 17 (depends on 15) A method according to claim 15, further comprising inserting the ferrule-alignment sleeve into the axial bore of the sleeve mount from one of the first end and the second end of the sleeve mount. ### Claim 18 (depends on 17) A method according to claim 17, wherein the ferrule-alignment sleeve is inserted within the axial bore after the majority of the physical parts making up the body of the fiber optic adapter that includes the main body portion and the entirety of the sleeve mount have been unitarily molded. ### Claim 19 (depends on 15) A method according to claim 15, further comprising molding the sleeve mount such that at least one of the first portion and the second portion of the sleeve mount defines flexible arms defined around the axial bore of the sleeve mount for receiving the ferrule-alignment sleeve, the flexible arms configured to flex out radially to receive the ferrule-alignment sleeve into the axial bore after the sleeve mount and the body of the fiber optic adapter that includes the main body portion have been unitarily molded. ### Claim 20 (depends on 19) A method according to claim 19, wherein the sleeve mount includes at least three flexible arms. ### Claim 21 (depends on 15) A method according to claim 15, wherein the majority of the physical parts making up the body of the fiber optic adapter that includes the main body portion and the entirety of the sleeve mount are unitarily molded out of a polymer. ### Claim 22 (depends on 15) A method according to claim 15, wherein the adapter includes a mounting feature on at least one of the top side wall, the bottom side wall, the right side wall, and the left side wall. ### Claim 23 (depends on 22) A method according to claim 22, wherein the mounting feature is provided in the form of an outwardly protruding mounting tab unitarily molded with at least one of the top side wall, the bottom side wall, the right side wall, and the left side wall. ### Claim 24 (depends on 15) A method according to claim 15, further comprising molding the sleeve mount such that each of the first and second portions of the sleeve mount defines an end with an inwardly extending portion for capturing the ferrule-alignment sleeve within the axial bore once the ferrule-alignment sleeve is received within the bore. ### Claim 25 (depends on 24) A method according to claim 24, further comprising molding the sleeve mount such that the inwardly extending portion of the first portion is defined by an inwardly extending finger of the first portion that is positioned around the axial bore at a peripherally offset relationship along the longitudinal axis defined by the axial bore with respect to an inwardly extending finger of the second portion that defines the inwardly extending portion of the second portion. ### Claim 26 (depends on 25) A method according to claim 25, further comprising molding three inwardly extending fingers for each of the first portion and the second portion. ### Claim 27 (depends on 15) A method according to claim 15, wherein the manufactured fiber optic adapter is configured for interconnecting two SC type fiber connectors in coaxial alignment.