Optical connector with rotatable boot and related methods
AssigneeCorning Research & Development Corporation
InventorsLarry Todd McKinney, Louis Edward Parkman, III
Life of this patent
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Abstract
An optical connector includes a connector sub-assembly, an inner housing that receives a rear portion of the connector sub-assembly, a boot extending from the inner housing, and an outer housing coupled to the boot. The outer housing and the boot are configured to allow relative rotation about a longitudinal axis of the optical connector but can move together along the longitudinal axis. The boot can be rotated relative to the inner housing between a locked position in which the outer housing is prevented from moving axially and depressing the end portion of a latch arm of the connector sub-assembly, and an unlocked position in which the outer housing can move axially to depress the end portion of the latch arm.
Claims20
A cable assembly, comprising:
- a cable including at least one optical fiber;
- and
- an optical connector secured to an end of the cable, the optical connector comprising:
- a connector sub-assembly including:
- a ferrule configured to support at least one optical fiber;
- a connector body surrounding at least a portion of the ferrule;
- and
- a latch arm extending outwardly and rearwardly from a front portion of the connector body, wherein an end portion of the latch arm can be depressed toward the connector body;
- an inner housing having a front side in which a rear portion of the connector sub-assembly is received;
- a boot extending from a rear side of the inner housing;
- and
- an outer housing coupled to the boot and extending over at least the end portion of the latch arm of the connector sub-assembly, wherein the outer housing and the boot are configured to rotate relative to each other about a longitudinal axis of the optical connector but move together along the longitudinal axis;
- wherein:
- the boot is rotatable relative to the inner housing about the longitudinal axis between a first rotational position and at least one other rotational position;
- in the first rotational position, relative movement between the boot and the inner housing along the longitudinal axis is limited so that the outer housing is not configured to move axially rearward with the boot to depress the end portion of the latch arm;
- and
- in the at least one other rotational position, relative movement between the boot and the inner housing along the longitudinal axis is permitted so that the outer housing is configured to move axially rearward with the boot to depress the end portion of the latch arm.
A cable assembly, comprising:
- a cable including at least one optical fiber;
- and
- an optical connector secured to an end of the cable, the optical connector comprising:
- a connector sub-assembly including:
- a ferrule configured to support at least one optical fiber;
- a connector body surrounding at least a portion of the ferrule;
- and
- a latch arm extending outwardly and rearwardly from a front portion of the connector body, wherein an end portion of the latch arm can be depressed toward the connector body;
- an inner housing having a front side in which a rear portion of the connector sub-assembly is received;
- a boot extending from a rear side of the inner housing;
- and
- an outer housing coupled to the boot and extending over at least the end portion of the latch arm of the connector sub-assembly, wherein a portion of the boot extends through an opening in a rear wall of the outer housing and defines a flange, wherein the rear wall of the outer housing is positioned between the flange of the substrate and the strain relief component, and wherein the outer housing and the boot are configured to rotate relative to each other about a longitudinal axis of the optical connector but move together along the longitudinal axis;
- wherein:
- the boot is rotatable relative to the inner housing about the longitudinal axis between a first rotational position and a second rotational position;
- in the first rotational position, relative movement between the boot and the inner housing along the longitudinal axis is limited so that the outer housing is not configured to move axially rearward with the boot to depress the end portion of the latch arm;
- and
- in the second position, relative movement between the boot and the inner housing along the longitudinal axis is permitted so that the outer housing is configured to move axially rearward with the boot to depress the end portion of the latch arm.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.