# US 2014/0153879 A1 · Optical communication connector > Agents: this data is available as JSON from the patentgrep API and MCP server — see https://patentgrep.com/llms.txt - Number: US 2014/0153879 A1 - Document ID: US20140153879A1 - Status: Published application - Kind: A1 - Application number: 14/165,028 - Filed: 2014-01-27 - Published: 2014-06-05 - Earliest claimed: 2010-10-22 - Assignees: Panduit Corp. - Applicants: Panduit Corp. - Inventors: Gregory L. Kuffel; Joel D. Kwasny - Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US20140153879A1 ## CPC - G02B 6/3882: {using rods, pins or balls to align a pair of ferrule ends} - G02B 6/381: {of the ferrule type, e.g. fibre ends embedded in ferrules, connecting a pair of fibres} - G02B 6/383: {Hermaphroditic connectors, i.e. two identical plugs mating with one another, each plug having both male and female diametrically opposed engaging parts; (electric hermaphroditic coupling H01R24/84, H01R13/28)} - 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 6/387: {Connector plugs comprising two complementary members, e.g. shells, caps, covers, locked together} - G02B 6/3893: {Push-pull type, e.g. snap-in, push-on} - G02B 6/3898: {Tools, e.g. handheld; Tuning wrenches; Jigs used with connectors, e.g. for extracting, removing or inserting in a panel, for engaging or coupling connectors, for assembling or disassembling components within the connector, for applying clips to hold two connectors together or for crimping (tools for cleaning, G02B6/3866; tools in general B25B)} - G02B 6/3825: {with an intermediate part, e.g. adapter, receptacle, linking two plugs} - 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: OPTICAL ELEMENTS, SYSTEMS OR APPARATUS ## Abstract In accordance with the following description, an optical communication connector includes a ferrule having retractable alignment pins that are actuable between an extended position and a retracted position. For example, the connector may include an inner housing assembly having optical fibers and an outer housing positioned over the inner housing assembly. The outer housing is shaped to be removable from the inner housing assembly, which has a movable pin clamp mechanically coupled to alignment pins for aligning the connector with another connector. The pin clamp may be slid from a first position (corresponding to a male gender) to a second position (corresponding to a female gender). Separately or in combination with changing gender, the polarity of a communication connector may be changed due to its inclusion of an asymmetric polarity-changing feature that is actuable by an installer to change a polarity of the communication connector. Such a feature may actuated by being moved from a first position to a second position relative to the communication connector. ## Claims ### Claim 1 An optical communication connector, comprising a ferrule having retractable alignment pins that are actuable between an extended position and a retracted position. ### Claim 2 (depends on 1) The optical communication connector of claim 1, wherein in the extended position, the alignment pins are extended a first displacement from a front face of the ferrule, thereby causing the connector to be in a male gender configuration, and wherein in the retracted position, the alignment pins are retracted into alignment pin cavities in the ferrule by a distance greater than or equal to the first displacement, thereby causing the connector to be in a female gender configuration. ### Claim 3 (depends on 1) The optical communication connector of claim 1, wherein actuation of the alignment pins between the extended position and the retracted position is effected using a pin clamp that is mechanically coupled to the alignment pins. ### Claim 4 (depends on 3) The optical communication connector of claim 3, wherein the pin clamp is fixedly attached to the alignment pins. ### Claim 5 (depends on 3) The optical communication connector of claim 3, wherein the pin clamp is coupled to the alignment pins through a mechanical linkage that causes the alignment pins to move by a larger displacement than that of the pin clamp, when the pin clamp is displaced. ### Claim 6 (depends on 3) The optical communication connector of claim 3, wherein the pin clamp includes at least one feature that may be engaged by a tool to effect actuation of the alignment pins between the extended position and the retracted position. ### Claim 7 (depends on 6) The optical communication connector of claim 6, wherein the pin clamp includes at least one tab, and wherein the at least one feature comprises at least one hole located on the tab. ### Claim 8 (depends on 3) The optical communication connector of claim 3, wherein the pin clamp includes at least one tab comprising a post for manual engagement by a user. ### Claim 9 (depends on 3) The optical communication connector of claim 3, further comprising at least one spacer having at least one stop surface, wherein the pin clamp is slidable between a first position and second position corresponding respectively to the extended position and the retracted position, and wherein the first and second positions are defined by the at least one stop surface on the at least one spacer. ### Claim 10 (depends on 3) The optical communication connector of claim 3, further comprising at least one spacer having a stop surface, wherein the pin clamp comprises a tab that, upon being deflected, allows the pin clamp to move below the stop surface. ### Claim 11 (depends on 3) The optical communication connector of claim 3, wherein the pin clamp comprises two pin clamps, wherein each pin clamp comprises at least one tab that can be deflected to allow the pin clamp to move below a stop surface on a spacer located on the connector. ### Claim 12 (depends on 1) The optical communication connector of claim 1, further comprising a polarity key having a configuration that can be altered to change a polarity of the connector. ### Claim 13 (depends on 12) The optical communication connector of claim 12, wherein the configuration of the polarity key is altered by rotating the polarity key in relation to the connector. ### Claim 14 (depends on 12) The optical communication connector of claim 12, wherein the polarity key is located on an outer housing of the connector, and wherein the outer housing can be rotated around an axial length of the connector to effect the change in polarity. ### Claim 15 (depends on 14) The optical communication connector of claim 14, wherein the polarity key includes a polarity key tab and a blank tab 180-degrees opposite the polarity key tab on the outer housing, wherein the polarity key tab and the blank tab mechanically interface with features on the connector, and wherein rotation of the housing relative to the axial length effects the change in polarity. ### Claim 16 (depends on 1) The optical communication connector of claim 1, wherein the connector is an MPO connector. ### Claim 17 An optical communication connector, comprising: an inner housing assembly having optical fibers disposed therein; and an outer housing disposed over the inner housing assembly, the outer housing shaped to be removable from the inner housing assembly; wherein the inner housing assembly comprises a movable pin clamp mechanically coupled to alignment pins for aligning the connector with another connector, wherein the pin clamp may be slid from a first position to a second position, and wherein the first position corresponds to a male gender and the second position corresponds to a female gender. ### Claim 18 (depends on 17) The optical communication connector of claim 17, further comprising a ferrule through which the optical fibers and alignment pins pass, wherein in the first position, the alignment pins are extended a first displacement along a z-axis orthogonal to a front face of the ferrule, and wherein in the second position, the alignment pins are retracted into alignment pin cavities in the ferrule by a distance greater than or equal to the first displacement along the z-axis orthogonal to the front face of the ferrule. ### Claim 19 (depends on 17) The optical communication connector of claim 17, wherein the pin clamp is fixedly attached to the alignment pins. ### Claim 20 (depends on 17) The optical communication connector of claim 17, wherein the pin clamp is coupled to the alignment pins through a mechanical linkage that causes the alignment pins to move by a larger displacement than that of the pin clamp, when the pin clamp is displaced. ### Claim 21 (depends on 17) The optical communication connector of claim 17, wherein the pin clamp includes at least one feature that may be engaged by a tool to effect actuation of the alignment pins between the first position and the second position. ### Claim 22 (depends on 17) The optical communication connector of claim 17, wherein the inner housing assembly comprises at least two stop surfaces to limit movement of the pin clamp to a length between the first and second positions. ### Claim 23 (depends on 22) The optical communication connector of claim 22, wherein the at least two stop surfaces are located on one or more spacers on the inner housing assembly. ### Claim 24 (depends on 22) The optical communication connector of claim 22, wherein the pin clamp comprises a tab that, upon being deflected, allows the pin clamp to move past one of the at least two stop surfaces. ### Claim 25 (depends on 17) The optical communication connector of claim 17, wherein the inner housing assembly comprises a plurality of spacers having stop surfaces to constrain sliding movement of the pin clamp to a length bound by the first position and the second position. ### Claim 26 (depends on 17) The optical communication connector of claim 17, wherein the pin clamp is designed to be slid only when the outer housing is removed. ### Claim 27 (depends on 17) The optical communication connector of claim 17, wherein the pin clamp comprises two pin clamps located on opposite sides of the inner housing assembly, wherein each pin clamp comprises at least one tab that can be deflected to allow the pin clamp to move below a stop surface on a spacer located on the inner housing assembly. ### Claim 28 (depends on 17) The optical communication connector of claim 17, wherein the outer housing comprises a polarity key configured so that a polarity of the connector is defined based on how the outer housing is installed. ### Claim 29 (depends on 18) The optical communication connector of claim 18, wherein the outer housing comprises a polarity key tab and a blank tab located opposite the polarity key tab, wherein the polarity key tab has a polarity key formed thereon to define a polarity of the connector, wherein the polarity key tab and the blank tab are shaped to fit in respective first and second recessed features located on opposite sides of the inner housing assembly, and wherein the polarity of the connector can be changed by rotating the outer housing around the z-axis so that the polarity key tab fits in the second recessed feature and the blank key tab fits in the first recessed feature. ### Claim 30 (depends on 29) The optical communication connector of claim 29, wherein the first and second recessed features include guides along which the polarity key tab and the blank tab of the outer housing may slide along the z-axis as the outer housing is installed onto the inner housing assembly. ### Claim 31 (depends on 30) The optical communication connector of claim 30, wherein the polarity key tab and the blank tab each have planar protrusions spanning outward from their centers, and wherein the recessed features of the inner housing assembly each have protrusion retainers. ### Claim 32 (depends on 30) The optical communication connector of claim 30, further comprising a latch mechanism to secure the outer housing to the inner housing assembly. ### Claim 33 (depends on 17) The optical communication connector of claim 17, wherein the connector is an MPO connector. ### Claim 34 An optical communication connector, comprising: an inner housing assembly that houses a plurality of optical fibers disposed in a ferrule, wherein the inner housing assembly has a stop surface that defines a first position corresponding to a male gender and a second position corresponding to a female gender, and a movable pin clamp disposed in the inner housing assembly, wherein the pin clamp has a deflectable tab that may be slid relative to the stop surface from the first position to the second position to change the gender of the connector. ### Claim 35 (depends on 34) The optical communication connector of claim 34, further comprising an outer housing for installation over the inner housing assembly, wherein the outer housing covers the movable pin clamp. ### Claim 36 (depends on 35) The optical communication connector of claim 35, wherein the outer housing comprises a polarity key disposed on one of a plurality of outside edges of the outer housing to define a polarity of the connector, wherein the polarity is defined based on which of two installation modes the outer housing is installed, wherein the first installation mode differs from the second installation mode in how the outer housing is rotated relative to the inner housing assembly during installation of the outer housing onto the inner housing assembly. ### Claim 37 (depends on 36) The optical communication connector of claim 36, wherein in the first installation mode, the outer housing is rotated 180 degrees opposite from in the second installation mode, thereby causing the polarity key to correspondingly be rotated 180 degrees relative to the inner housing assembly. ### Claim 38 A fiber adapter panel having a plurality of optical communication connectors, at least one of which comprises: an inner housing assembly having optical fibers disposed therein; and an outer housing disposed over the inner housing assembly, the outer housing shaped to be removable from the inner housing assembly; wherein the inner housing assembly comprises a movable pin clamp mechanically coupled to alignment pins for aligning the connector with another connector, wherein the pin clamp may be slid from a first position to a second position, and wherein the first position corresponds to a male gender and the second position corresponds to a female gender. ### Claim 39 An optical communication cable comprising at least one end terminated at an optical communication connector, the optical communication connector comprising: an inner housing assembly having optical fibers disposed therein; and an outer housing disposed over the inner housing assembly, the outer housing shaped to be removable from the inner housing assembly, wherein the inner housing assembly comprises a movable pin clamp mechanically coupled to alignment pins for aligning the connector with another connector, wherein the pin clamp may be slid from a first position to a second position, and wherein the first position corresponds to a male gender and the second position corresponds to a female gender.