Fiber Optic Ferrule and A Guide Pin Clamp with Field Changeable Guide Pins

A fiber optic connector having field-changeable guide pins, comprising:

• at least one housing defining a passageway;
• a fiber optic ferrule disposed at least partially within the passageway of the at least one housing of the fiber optic connector, the fiber optic ferrule having guide pin openings extending through the fiber optic ferrule from a front face to a rear face thereof to receive a field-changeable guide pin therein;
• a pin clamp comprising a forward clamp portion, a rearward clamp portion and a guide pin retaining plate, wherein the forward clamp portion is configured to engage the rear face of the fiber optic ferrule, the forward clamp portion having two guide pin openings therethrough to receive a field-changeable guide pin in each of the two guide pin openings, and
• wherein the rearward clamp portion is configured to engage a spring for biasing the fiber optic ferrule in the fiber optic connector and has two guide pin cavities to receive at least a portion of one of the field-changeable guide pins, and
• wherein the guide pin retaining plate is disposed between the forward clamp portion and the rearward clamp portion, the guide pin retaining plate configured to engage a portion of each of the guide pins;
• the spring disposed within the at least one housing and rearwardly of the pin clamp;
• and
• a spring push engaging the spring and the connector housing to retain the spring and fiber optic ferrule within the connector housing.

A pin clamp for use with a fiber optic connector, the fiber optic connector having at least one housing, a fiber optic ferrule disposed at least partially within the at least one housing of the fiber optic connector, the fiber optic ferrule having guide pin openings extending from a front face to a rear face of the fiber optic ferrule to receive a guide pin therein, a spring, and a spring push, the pin clamp comprising:

• a forward clamp portion to engage the rear face of the fiber optic ferrule, the forward clamp portion having two guide pin openings therethrough to receive a guide pin in each of the two guide pin openings;
• a rearward clamp portion configured to engage the spring for biasing the fiber optic ferrule in the fiber optic connector and two guide pin receptacles to receive at least a portion of one of the guide pins;
• and
• at least one guide pin retaining plate at least partially disposed between the forward clamp portion and the rearward clamp portion, the forward clamp portion and the rearward clamp portion movable relative to one another between a first position and a second position and the guide pin retaining plate configured to engage a portion of each of the guide pins in the first position.