# US 2021/0278600 A1 · Optical connection system, optical connector, and optical adapter for use with optical cable assembly and receptacle > Agents: this data is available as JSON from the patentgrep API and MCP server — see https://patentgrep.com/llms.txt - Number: US 2021/0278600 A1 - Document ID: US20210278600A1 - Status: Published application - Kind: A1 - Application number: 17/190,096 - Filed: 2021-03-02 - Published: 2021-09-09 - Earliest claimed: 2020-03-03 - Assignees: Senko Advanced Components, Inc. - Applicants: Senko Advanced Components, Inc. - Inventors: Jeffrey Gniadek; Yim Wong - Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US20210278600A1 ## CPC - G02B 6/3879: {Linking of individual connector plugs to an overconnector, e.g. using clamps, clips, common housings comprising several individual connector plugs} - G02B 6/3825: {with an intermediate part, e.g. adapter, receptacle, linking two plugs} - 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 6/3887: {Anchoring optical cables to connector housings, e.g. strain relief features} - G02B 6/44775: {Cable seals e.g. feed-through (cable seals integrated to the box seals G02B6/4444; pulling eyes G02B6/44465)} - G02B 6/3821: {with axial spring biasing or loading means (G02B6/3847 takes precedence)} - G02B: OPTICAL ELEMENTS, SYSTEMS OR APPARATUS ## Abstract An optical connection system for use with a receptacle and an optical cable assembly includes an adapter and connector. The adapter has an adapter latch element, and the connector has a connector latch element. A delatch actuator with a delatch arm is disposed on the connector housing for movement from a locking position to an unlocking position. One of the adapter latch element and connector latch element is a bendable latch hook and the other is a locking channel. When the connector housing is mated with the adapter, the delatch arm allows the bendable latch hook to latch with the locking channel in the locking position and unlatches the bendable latch hook from the locking channel as it moves to the unlocking position. An actuator lock movably supports a blocking member on the connector for selectively blocking the delatch actuator from moving to the unlocking position. ## Claims ### Claim 1 An optical connection system for a receptacle and an optical cable assembly comprising an optical cable terminated by an optical plug configured to mate with the receptacle, the optical connection system comprising: an adapter comprising a plug opening and an adapter latch element, the adapter configured to be supported adjacent to the receptacle such that at least a portion of the optical plug is passable through the plug opening to mate with the receptacle; and a connector configured to releasably couple to the adapter, the connector comprising: a connector housing having an adapter interface end portion and a cable end portion, the connector housing defining an interior passage extending longitudinally through the connector housing from the cable end portion through the adapter interface end portion, the adapter interface end portion of the connector housing being configured to mate with the adapter, the connector housing being configured to receive the optical cable assembly in the interior passage such that the optical cable extends from the cable end portion of the connector housing in a cable direction and the optical plug is exposed through the adapter interface end portion in an opposite direction for mating with the receptacle, the connector housing further comprising a connector latch element configured to latch with the adapter latch element to secure the connector to the adapter when the connector housing is mated with the adapter; and a delatch actuator disposed on the connector housing for movement with respect to the connector housing from a locking position to an unlocking position, the delatch actuator comprising a delatch arm; wherein one of the adapter latch element and connector latch element comprises a bendable latch hook and the other of the adapter latch element and connector latch element comprises a locking channel; wherein when the connector housing is mated with the adapter, the delatch arm is configured to: (i) allow the bendable latch hook to latch with the locking channel when the delatch actuator is in the locking position; and (ii) unlatch the bendable latch hook from the locking channel as the delatch actuator moves from the locking position to the unlocking position. ### Claim 2 (depends on 1) The optical connection system as set forth in claim 1, wherein the adapter latch element comprises the bendable latch hook and the connector latch element comprises the locking channel. ### Claim 3 (depends on 2) The optical connection system as set forth in claim 2, wherein the delatch arm is slidably received in the locking channel. ### Claim 4 (depends on 3) The optical connection system as set forth in claim 3, wherein the locking channel comprises an adapter interface end portion, a cable end portion and a locking surface facing in the cable direction, the locking surface being longitudinally spaced apart between the adapter interface end portion and the cable end portion, the locking surface having a transverse dimension along a transverse axis. ### Claim 5 (depends on 4) The optical connection system as set forth in claim 4, wherein the delatch arm comprises a wedge surface facing in the cable direction and having a transverse dimension along the transverse axis that is greater than the transverse dimension of the locking surface. ### Claim 6 (depends on 5) The optical connection system as set forth in claim 5, wherein the locking surface extends generally in a plane, wherein when the delatch actuator is in the locking position the wedge surface is spaced apart in a mating direction from the plane and wherein the wedge surface crosses the plane as the delatch actuator moves from the locking position to the unlocking position. ### Claim 7 (depends on 6) The optical connection system as set forth in claim 6, wherein as the wedge surface crosses the plane, the bendable latch hook slides along the wedge surface as a cam such that the wedge surface displaces the bendable latch hook transversely to clear the locking surface. ### Claim 8 (depends on 2) The optical connection system as set forth in claim 2, wherein the connector housing comprises a central enclosure which defines the interior passage. ### Claim 9 (depends on 8) The optical connection system as set forth in claim 8, wherein the locking channel comprises a first locking channel and a second locking channel on opposite sides of the central enclosure, the first and second locking channels being spaced apart along a transverse axis. ### Claim 10 (depends on 9) The optical connection system as set forth in claim 9, wherein the delatch arm comprises a first delatch arm slidably received in the first locking channel and a second delatch arm slidably received in the second locking channel. ### Claim 11 (depends on 10) The optical connection system as set forth in claim 10, wherein the bendable latch hook comprises a first bendable latch hook and a second bendable latch hook, the first and second delatch arms being configured to (i) allow the first and second bendable latch hooks to latch with the locking channel when the delatch actuator is in the locking position; and (ii) unlatch the first and second bendable latch hooks from the locking channel as the delatch actuator moves from the locking position to the unlocking position. ### Claim 12 (depends on 11) The optical connection system as set forth in claim 11, wherein the first and second delatch arms comprise inward facing wedge surfaces configured to bend the first and second bendable latch hooks inward toward one another as the delatch actuator moves from the locking position to the unlocking position. ### Claim 13 (depends on 8) The optical connection system as set forth in claim 8, wherein the central enclosure comprises an adapter interface end portion configured to be received in the plug opening when the connector housing is mated with the adapter, the optical connection system further comprising a seal configured to seal an interface between the adapter and the adapter interface end portion of the central enclosure when the adapter interface end portion is received in the plug opening. ### Claim 14 (depends on 8) The optical connection system as set forth in claim 8, wherein the central enclosure comprises a cable end portion, the optical connection system further comprising a cable seal configured to couple to the cable end portion of the central enclosure and seal an interface between the cable end portion of the central enclosure and the optical cable. ### Claim 15 (depends on 1) The optical connection system as set forth in claim 1, wherein the connector housing is configured to hold the optical plug in the interior passage. ### Claim 16 (depends on 1) The optical connection system as set forth in claim 1, wherein the connector housing is configured to be movable longitudinally along the cable in relation to the plug. ### Claim 17 (depends on 1) The optical connection system as set forth in claim 1, wherein the adapter latch element comprises the locking channel and the connector latch element comprises the bendable latch hook. ### Claim 18 (depends on 17) The optical connection system as set forth in claim 17, wherein the delatch actuator comprises a wall defining a recess for receiving the bendable latch hook. ### Claim 19 (depends on 18) The optical connection system as set forth in claim 18, wherein delatch arm is located at a leading end portion of the recess. ### Claim 20 (depends on 19) The optical connection system as set forth in claim 19, wherein the delatch arm comprises first and second delatch arms protruding laterally inward toward one another at the leading end portion of the recess. ### Claim 21 (depends on 20) The optical connection system as set forth in claim 20, wherein each of the first and second delatch arms has a free end and the free ends of the first and second delatch arms are spaced apart from one another to define a laterally extending gap therebetween. ### Claim 22 (depends on 21) The optical connection system as set forth in claim 21, wherein the adapter comprises a fitting which defines the plug opening and a catch overhang in opposing, spaced apart relationship with the fitting such that the catch overhang and the fitting together form the locking channel. ### Claim 23 (depends on 22) The optical connection system as set forth in claim 22, wherein the catch overhang includes an inwardly protruding finger configured to pass through the laterally extending gap and latch with the bendable latch hook. ### Claim 24 (depends on 23) The optical connection system as set forth in claim 23, wherein the first and second delatch arms are configured to depress the bendable latch hook inwardly to clear the inwardly protruding finger as the delatch actuator moves from the locking position to the unlocking position. ### Claim 25 (depends on 22) The optical connection system as set forth in claim 22, wherein the connector housing comprises a perimeter wall configured to receive the fitting therein such that a portion of the perimeter wall is located in the channel between the fitting and the catch overhang. ### Claim 26 (depends on 1) The optical connection system as set forth in claim 1, wherein the adapter is configured to mount on a panel such that the plug opening is aligned with an opening through the panel, the adapter comprising a panel engagement wall configured to engage the panel in face-to-face relationship therewith, the connection system further comprising a seal configured to seal an interface between the panel engagement wall and the panel about the plug opening and the opening through the panel. ### Claim at position 27 27-32. (canceled) ### Claim 33 An optical connector configured to releasably couple to an optical adapter comprising an adapter latch element, the optical connector comprising: a connector housing having an adapter interface end portion and a cable end portion, the adapter interface end portion of the connector housing being configured to mate with the adapter, the connector housing being configured to receive an optical cable assembly in the interior passage such that an optical cable of the optical cable assembly extends in a cable direction from the cable end portion of the connector housing and an optical plug of the optical cable assembly is exposed in an opposite direction toward the adapter, the connector housing further comprising a connector latch element configured to latch with the adapter latch element to secure the connector to the adapter when the connector housing is mated with the adapter; and a delatch actuator disposed on the connector housing for movement with respect to the connector housing from a locking position to an unlocking position, the delatch actuator comprising a delatch arm; wherein the connector latch element comprises one of a bendable latch hook and a locking channel and the adapter latch element comprises the other of the bendable latch hook and the locking channel; wherein when the connector housing is mated with the adapter, the delatch arm is configured to: (i) allow the bendable latch hook to latch with the locking channel when the delatch actuator is in the locking position; and (ii) unlatch the bendable latch hook from the locking channel as the delatch actuator moves from the locking position to the unlocking position. ### Claim 34 An optical adapter configured to releasably couple to an optical connector comprising first and second connector latch elements, the optical adapter comprising: a panel engagement wall configured to be coupled to a panel in face-to-face relationship therewith when the adapter is mounted on the panel; a fitting extending longitudinally from the panel engagement wall and defining a connector opening therethrough, the panel engagement wall configured to be positioned on the panel such that the connector opening aligns with an opening in the panel; and first and second adapter latch elements extending longitudinally from the panel engagement wall on opposite sides of the fitting; wherein the first and second adapter latch elements each comprise one of a bendable latch hook and a locking channel; wherein the optical adapter is configured such that the bendable latch hooks can latch with the locking channels to retain the optical connector in mated relationship with the optical adapter.