# US 12,181,717 B2 · Reversible polarity MPO fiber optic connector > Agents: this data is available as JSON from the patentgrep API and MCP server — see https://patentgrep.com/llms.txt - Number: US 12,181,717 B2 - Document ID: US12181717B2 - Status: Granted - Kind: B2 - Application number: 18/202,994 - Filed: 2023-05-29 - Published: 2023-10-05 - Granted: 2024-12-31 - Earliest claimed: 2014-06-30 - Assignees: US Conec Ltd. - Applicants: US Conec, Ltd. - Inventors: Paul Michael Good; William E. Ayres, III; Greg Heffner - Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US12181717B2 ## CPC - 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 6/3851: {Ferrules having keying or coding means} - G02B 6/3883: {using rods, pins or balls to align a plurality of pairs of ferrule ends} - G02B 6/3885: {Multicore or multichannel optical connectors, i.e. one single ferrule containing more than one fibre, e.g. ribbon type (optical ribbon cable G02B6/4403, G02B6/448)} - G02B 6/3882: {using rods, pins or balls to align a pair of ferrule ends} - G02B: OPTICAL ELEMENTS, SYSTEMS OR APPARATUS ## Abstract A fiber-optic connector includes a connector body including a housing with a top surface and a bottom surface, the top surface and the bottom surface being joined together by two opposing side surfaces of the housing. The housing has a top slot and a bottom slot thereupon along a longitudinal axis, the top slot and the bottom slot being provided on the top surface and the bottom surface, respectively. A first key structure is slidably positioned within the top slot, and a second key structure is slidably positioned within a bottom. ## Claims ### Claim 1 A fiber-optic connector comprising: a connector body including a housing with a top surface and a bottom surface, the top surface and the bottom surface being joined together by two opposing side surfaces of the housing; the housing having a top slot and a bottom slot thereupon along a longitudinal axis, the top slot and the bottom slot being provided on the top surface and the bottom surface, respectively; a first polarity change element slidably positioned within the top slot; and a second polarity change element slidably positioned within the bottom slot; wherein the first polarity change element is slideable relative to the top slot on the housing and configured to remain within the top slot between a first forward facing surface and a first rearward facing surface on the top surface of the housing, the first forward facing surface and the first rearward facing surface configured to prevent removal of the first polarity change element from the connector housing, wherein the second polarity change element is slideable relative to the bottom slot on the housing and configured to remain within the bottom slot between a second forward facing surface and a second rearward facing surface on the bottom surface of the housing, the second forward facing surface and the second rearward facing surface configured to prevent removal of the second polarity change element from the connector housing, wherein, in operation, a polarity change of the fiber-optic connector is carried out by sliding the first polarity change element within the top slot toward the first forward facing surface of the housing and retracting the second polarity change element within the bottom slot away from the second forward facing surface of the housing. ### Claim 2 (depends on 1) The fiber-optic connector of claim 1, wherein each of the top slot and the bottom slot is an elongate structure. ### Claim 3 (depends on 1) The fiber-optic connector of claim 1, wherein the first polarity change element and the second polarity change element each respectively include an exposed key portion and a hidden tongue portion when positioned inside the top slot and the bottom slot, respectively. ### Claim 4 (depends on 1) The fiber-optic connector of claim 1, wherein the housing includes a slidable portion having a top passageway to receive at least a portion of the first polarity change element and a bottom passageway to receive at least a portion of the second polarity change element. ### Claim 5 (depends on 1) The fiber-optic connector of claim 1, wherein the first polarity change element and the second polarity change element each have a range of motion limited respectively by the first forward facing surface and the first rearward facing surface, and the second forward facing surface and the second rearward facing surface for retention with the connector housing. ### Claim 6 (depends on 1) The fiber-optic connector of claim 1, wherein the fiber-optic connector includes two or more optical fibers supported therein. ### Claim 7 (depends on 6) The fiber-optic connector of claim 6, wherein in use, the fiber-optic connector includes two optical fibers supported therein, a first of the two optical fibers carrying a transmission signal and a second of the two optical fibers carrying a receiver signal, thereby setting a polarity of the fiber-optic connector. ### Claim 8 (depends on 1) The fiber-optic connector of claim 1, wherein the fiber-optic connector is a multi-fiber fiber optic-connector. ### Claim 9 (depends on 1) The fiber-optic connector of claim 1, wherein the fiber-optic connector is mateable in a Method A or a Method B polarity configuration. ### Claim 10 (depends on 9) The fiber-optic connector of claim 9, wherein the polarity configuration is reversible from the Method A polarity configuration to the Method B polarity configuration or vice versa without removal of the first polarity change element and without removal of the second polarity change element from the connector housing.