Hybrid fiber/copper connector system and method

A hybrid fiber/copper connector comprising:

• a first outer housing with a mating end and a cable entry end and a first inner housing removably mounted within the first outer housing, the first outer housing removably mounted to an opening in a panel, the first inner housing formed from two inner housing halves removably mounted together,
• at least one fiber optic connector removably mounted within one of the first inner housing halves adjacent the mating end;
• at least one electrical pin carried by a conductor mount that is removably mounted within the other of the first inner housing halves adjacent the mating end, the electrical pin of the removable conductor mount configured to make electrical contact with an electrical pin stationarily mounted within one of the first inner housing halves;
• and
• a removable keying member mounted to the first inner housing.

A hybrid fiber/copper connector assembly comprising:

• a first hybrid fiber/copper connector including a first outer housing with a mating end and a cable entry end and a first inner housing removably mounted within the first outer housing, the first inner housing formed from two inner housing halves removably mounted together;
• and
• a second hybrid fiber/copper connector including a second outer housing with a mating end that is adapted to mate with the mating end of the first hybrid fiber/copper connector and a cable entry end, the second hybrid fiber/copper connector including a second inner housing removably mounted within the second outer housing, the second inner housing formed from two inner housing halves removably mounted together;
• wherein the first hybrid fiber/copper connector includes at least one fiber optic adapter removably mounted within one of the first inner housing halves adjacent the mating end and at least one electrical pin carried by a conductor mount that is removably mounted within the other of the first inner housing halves adjacent the mating end, the electrical pin of the removable conductor mount configured to make electrical contact with an electrical pin stationarily mounted within one of the first inner housing halves;
• wherein the second hybrid fiber/copper connector includes at least one fiber optic connector removably mounted within one of the second inner housing halves adjacent the mating end and at least one electrical pin conductor carried by a conductor mount that is removably mounted within the other of the second inner housing halves adjacent the mating end, the electrical pin of the removable conductor mount configured to make electrical contact with an electrical pin stationarily mounted within one of the second inner housing halves;
• wherein the first hybrid fiber/copper connector includes a removable keying member mounted to the first inner housing;
• wherein the second hybrid fiber/copper connector includes a removable keying member mounted to the second inner housing, the keying member of the first hybrid fiber/copper connector configured to mate with the keying member of the second hybrid fiber/copper connector when the first and the second hybrid fiber/copper connectors mate;
• wherein the fiber optic connector of the second hybrid fiber/copper connector configured to mate with the fiber optic adapter of the first hybrid fiber/copper connector and the electrical pin conductor carried by the removably mounted conductor mount of the second hybrid fiber/copper connector adapted to electrically mate with the electrical pin conductor carried by the removably mounted conductor mount of the first hybrid fiber/copper connector.

A fiber connector assembly comprising:

• a first fiber connector including a first outer housing with a mating end and a cable entry end and a first inner housing removably mounted within the first outer housing, the first inner housing formed from two inner housing halves removably mounted together, the first fiber connector including a removable keying member mounted to the first inner housing;
• and
• a second fiber connector including a second outer housing with a mating end that is adapted to mate with the mating end of the first fiber connector and a cable entry end, the second fiber connector including a second inner housing removably mounted within the second outer housing, the second inner housing formed from two inner housing halves removably mounted together, the second fiber connector including a removable keying member mounted to the second inner housing;
• wherein the first fiber connector includes at least one fiber optic adapter removably mounted within each one of the first inner housing halves adjacent the mating end;
• wherein the second fiber connector includes at least one fiber optic connector removably mounted within each one of the second inner housing halves adjacent the mating end;
• wherein the fiber optic connectors of the second fiber connector are configured to mate with the fiber optic adapters of the first fiber connector, wherein the keying member of the first fiber connector mates with the keying member of the second fiber connector when the first fiber connector and the second fiber connector mate.