# US 12,111,501 B2 · Dust-proof device and optical connector module thereof > Agents: this data is available as JSON from the patentgrep API and MCP server — see https://patentgrep.com/llms.txt - Number: US 12,111,501 B2 - Document ID: US12111501B2 - Status: Granted - Kind: B2 - Application number: 17/346,249 - Filed: 2021-06-13 - Published: 2022-01-13 - Granted: 2024-10-08 - Earliest claimed: 2020-07-07 - Assignees: Acsuper Technologies Inc. - Applicants: Chung-Ming Tseng - Inventors: Chung-Ming Tseng - Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US12111501B2 ## CPC - G02B 6/3849: {using mechanical protective elements, e.g. caps, hoods, sealing membranes (G02B6/3816 takes precedence; provisionally see H01R13/44)} - G02B 6/3825: {with an intermediate part, e.g. adapter, receptacle, linking two plugs} - G02B: OPTICAL ELEMENTS, SYSTEMS OR APPARATUS ## Abstract The present invention provides a dust-proof device for protecting insertion interfaces arranged in the optical receptacle. The dust-proof device comprises a coupling portion and a flexible arm connected to the coupling portion, wherein the flexible arm may swing or scroll at a location where the coupling portion is connected to the flexible arm. Alternatively, in another embodiment, the present invention further provides an optical receptacle having a plurality of coupling structures respectively having a first insertion interface at a first side and a second insertion interface at a second side, each first insertion interface or second insertion interface may couple to the dust-proof device so as to form an optical connector module for preventing the optical receptacle from being contaminated. ## Claims ### Claim 1 A dust-proof device, for protecting an insertion interface of an optical receptacle, comprising: a coupling portion, having a positioning structure disposed on a side of the coupling portion; and a flexible arm, an end of the flexible arm connected to the coupling portion, wherein the flexible arm swings or scrolls at a connecting portion where the coupling portion is connected to the flexible arm, wherein the coupling portion has a hollow area, a beam structure is disposed above the hollow area, and a supporting structure is disposed in the hollow area, and one end of the supporting structure is fixed with the beam structure to support the beam structure and prevent the beam structure from being broken when the beam structure is deformed, wherein the optical receptacle has a coupling base, and the coupling portion is inserted into the coupling base to prevent the coupling base from being contaminated in the optical receptacle, wherein the coupling portion has a notch, which allows the coupling base to insert and is disposed at an opposite side of the flexible arm. ### Claim 2 (depends on 1) The dust-proof device of claim 1, further comprising a fixing arm connected to the coupling portion, wherein the flexible arm has a sliding portion slidably disposed on the fixing arm. ### Claim 3 (depends on 2) The dust-proof device of claim 2, wherein a stopping structure is disposed on an end of the fixing arm. ### Claim 4 (depends on 2) The dust-proof device of claim 2, wherein the sliding portion comprises: a sliding sleeve, slidably disposed on the fixing arm; and a pressing plate, connected to the sliding sleeve, wherein a position of the pressing plate is changed as the sliding sleeve slides. ### Claim 5 (depends on 1) The dust-proof device of claim 1, wherein the flexible arm has the connecting portion and a swing structure, the connecting portion is connected to the coupling portion, the swing structure is connected to the connecting portion, and the swing structure is swung by an action force. ### Claim 6 (depends on 5) The dust-proof device of claim 5, wherein a grab handle is disposed on a free end of the swing structure, and a stopping plate is disposed on two sides of the grab handle. ### Claim 7 (depends on 6) The dust-proof device of claim 6, wherein the stopping plates disposed on two sides of the grab handle are staggered. ### Claim 8 (depends on 5) The dust-proof device of claim 5, wherein a buckle groove is disposed on two sides of the coupling portion. ### Claim 9 (depends on 1) The dust-proof device of claim 1, wherein a positioning structure is disposed on the beam structure. ### Claim 10 An optical connector module, comprising: an optical receptacle, having a plurality of coupling bases, a first insertion interface disposed on a first side of the each coupling base, and a second insertion interface disposed on a second side of the each coupling base; and a plurality of dust-proof devices, inserted into the optical receptacle through the first insertion interface or the second insertion interface and coupled to the corresponding coupling base, the each dust-proof device having a coupling portion and a flexible arm, the coupling portion coupled to the coupling base, a positioning structure disposed on a side of the coupling portion, and an end of the flexible arm connected to the coupling portion, wherein the flexible arm swings or scrolls at a connecting portion where the coupling portion is connected to the flexible arm to generate an operation space to the adjacent dust-proof device. ### Claim 11 (depends on 10) The optical connector module of claim 10, further comprising a fixing arm connected to the coupling portion, wherein the flexible arm has a sliding portion slidably disposed in the fixing arm. ### Claim 12 (depends on 11) The optical connector module of claim 11, wherein a stopping structure is disposed on an end of the fixing arm. ### Claim 13 (depends on 10) The optical connector module of claim 10, wherein the sliding portion comprises: a sliding sleeve, slidably disposed on the fixing arm; and a pressing plate, connected to the sliding sleeve, wherein a position of the pressing plate is changed as the sliding sleeve slides. ### Claim 14 (depends on 10) The optical connector module of claim 10, wherein the optical receptacle has a housing, which has a first buckle structure corresponding to the each first insertion interface or the each second insertion interface, and the first buckle structure combines with the positioning structure when the corresponding dust-proof device is inserted into the optical receptacle. ### Claim 15 (depends on 10) The optical connector module of claim 10, wherein the optical receptacle has a receptacle body, a first housing, and a second housing, the first housing is disposed on an outer surface of the receptacle body corresponding to the first insertion interface, the second housing is disposed on the other outer surface of the receptacle body corresponding to the second insertion interface, and the first housing has a first buckle structure corresponding to the positioning structure. ### Claim 16 (depends on 10) The optical connector module of claim 10, wherein the coupling base has a parallel rods, one of the rods has a second buckle structure, which is combined with a buckle groove on the coupling portion when the corresponding dust-proof device is inserted into the optical receptacle. ### Claim 17 (depends on 10) The optical connector module of claim 10, wherein the flexible arm has the connecting portion and a swing structure, the connecting portion is connected to the coupling portion, the swing structure is connected to the connecting portion, and the swing structure is swung by an action force. ### Claim 18 (depends on 17) The optical connector module of claim 17, wherein a grab handle is disposed on a free end of the swing structure, and a stopping plate is disposed on two sides of the grab handle. ### Claim 19 (depends on 10) The optical connector module of claim 10, wherein the stopping plates disposed on two sides of the grab handle are staggered. ### Claim 20 (depends on 19) The optical connector module of claim 19, wherein the coupling portion has a hollow area, a beam structure is disposed above the hollow area, and a positioning structure is disposed on the beam structure. ### Claim 21 (depends on 20) The optical connector module of claim 20, wherein the hollow area has a supporting structure for supporting the beam structure when the beam structure is deformed.