Small form factor connector and adapter
AssigneeUS Conec Ltd.
InventorsJason Higley, Darrell R. Childers
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
A two-piece fiber optic connector and a corresponding two-piece adapter allow for the tripling of the optical fibers that can be used with a standard fiber-optic cassette. The two-piece fiber optic connector has a fold-over latch to engage the adapter. The two-piece adapter has at least one latch to engage the standard fiber-optic cassette to retain the two-piece adapter and the fiber optic connectors in the adapter within the cassette. This allows for the retrofitting and/or continued use of the standard fiber-optic cassette.
Claims21
An adapter for mating fiber optic connectors comprising:
- a main body having a first end portion and a second end portion spaced apart along a longitudinal axis, the main body comprising a first side wall and a second side wall spaced apart along a lateral axis perpendicular to the longitudinal axis,
- wherein the main body has a width extending along the lateral axis from the first side wall to the second side wall,
- wherein the main body comprises an upper wall and a lower wall spaced apart along a transverse axis oriented perpendicular to the lateral axis and perpendicular to the longitudinal axis, each of the upper wall and the lower wall having an inner surface,
- wherein the main body defines a first plurality of channels spaced apart along the width, each of the first plurality of channels being configured to respectively receive an optical fiber connector having two ferrules from the first end portion into the main body,
- wherein the main body further comprises a second plurality of channels spaced apart along the width at the second end portion, each of the second plurality of channels being configured to respectively receive an additional optical fiber connector also having two ferrules from the second end portion into the main body,
- wherein the first plurality of channels and the second plurality of channels are aligned along the longitudinal axis;
- a central portion inside the main body between the first end portion and the second end portion along the longitudinal axis and comprising two ferrule openings for each of the first plurality of channels and the second plurality of channels;
- and
- at least one alignment feature between two channels of the first plurality of channels, the at least one alignment feature extending toward the central portion from the first end portion, the at least one alignment feature having at least one receptacle to receive a laterally extending projection of the optical fiber connector.
An adapter for mating fiber optic connectors comprising:
- a main body having a first end portion and a second end portion spaced apart along a longitudinal axis, the main body comprising a first side wall and a second side wall spaced apart along a lateral axis perpendicular to the longitudinal axis,
- wherein the main body has a width extending along the lateral axis from the first side wall to the second side wall,
- wherein the main body comprises an upper wall and a lower wall spaced apart along a transverse axis oriented perpendicular to the lateral axis and perpendicular to the longitudinal axis, each of the upper wall and the lower wall having an inner surface,
- wherein the main body defines a first plurality of channels spaced apart along the width, each of the first plurality of channels being configured to respectively receive an optical fiber connector having two ferrules from the first end portion into the main body,
- wherein the main body further comprises a second plurality of channels spaced apart along the width at the second end portion, each of the second plurality of channels being configured to respectively receive an additional optical fiber connector also having two ferrules from the second end portion into the main body,
- wherein the first plurality of channels and the second plurality of channels are aligned along the longitudinal axis, and
- wherein one of the upper wall or the lower wall contains a latch receptacle for each of the first plurality of channels and for each of the second plurality of channels to respectively receive a latch from the optical fiber connector and a latch from the additional optical fiber connector.
An adapter for mating fiber optic connectors comprising:
- a main body having a first end portion and a second end portion spaced apart along a longitudinal axis, the main body comprising a first side wall and a second side wall spaced apart along a lateral axis perpendicular to the longitudinal axis,
- wherein the main body has a width extending along the lateral axis from the first side wall to the second side wall,
- wherein the main body comprises an upper wall and a lower wall spaced apart along a transverse axis oriented perpendicular to the lateral axis and perpendicular to the longitudinal axis, each of the upper wall and the lower wall having an inner surface,
- wherein the main body defines a first plurality of channels spaced apart along the width, each of the first plurality of channels being configured to respectively receive an optical fiber connector having two ferrules from the first end portion into the main body,
- wherein the main body further comprises a second plurality of channels spaced apart along the width at the second end portion, each of the second plurality of channels being configured to respectively receive an additional optical fiber connector also having two ferrules from the second end portion into the main body,
- wherein the first plurality of channels and the second plurality of channels are aligned along the longitudinal axis;
- and
- at least one alignment feature between two channels of the first plurality of channels, the at least one alignment feature extending inward from the first end portion, the at least one alignment feature having at least one receptacle to receive a laterally extending projection of the optical fiber connector.
An adapter for mating fiber optic connectors comprising:
- a main body having a first end portion and a second end portion spaced apart along a longitudinal axis, the main body comprising a first side wall and a second side wall spaced apart along a lateral axis perpendicular to the longitudinal axis,
- wherein the main body has a width extending along the lateral axis from the first side wall to the second side wall,
- wherein the main body comprises an upper wall and a lower wall spaced apart along a transverse axis oriented perpendicular to the lateral axis and perpendicular to the longitudinal axis, each of the upper wall and the lower wall having an inner surface,
- wherein the main body defines a first plurality of channels spaced apart along the width, each of the first plurality of channels being configured to respectively receive an optical fiber connector having at least one ferrule from the first end portion into the main body,
- wherein the main body further comprises a second plurality of channels spaced apart along the width at the second end portion, each of the second plurality of channels being configured to respectively receive an additional optical fiber connector also having at least one ferrule from the second end portion into the main body,
- wherein the first plurality of channels and the second plurality of channels are aligned along the longitudinal axis;
- a central portion inside the main body between the first end portion and the second end portion along the longitudinal axis and comprising at least one ferrule opening for each of the first plurality of channels and the second plurality of channels;
- and
- at least one alignment feature between two channels of the first plurality of channels, the at least one alignment feature extending toward the central portion from the first end portion, the at least one alignment feature having at least one receptacle to receive a laterally extending projection of the optical fiber connector.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.