Connector push release
AssigneeCommScope Technologies LLC
InventorsAdam Verne BROUGHTON, Michael Lawrence GURRERI
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
A release member is mounted at the port of a plug receptacle to enable removal of a plug connector from the port. The plug connector is devoid of releasing structure to enable removal of the plug. The release member moves parallel to or coaxial with a plug insertion axis of the port. The release member is biased to a non-actuated position separately from a plug lock being biased to a locking position. The release member can carry a polarity indicator for the port; various shaped actuation sections; and/or a biasing member for the release member.
Claims26
A plug receptacle configured to receive a plug connector, the plug receptacle comprising:
- a receptacle body including a port having an insertion axis along which the plug connector can be inserted within the port;
- a releasable plug lock coupled to the receptacle body even when the plug connector is not received at the port, the plug lock being movable relative to the receptacle body between a locking position in which the plug lock is configured to hold the plug connector at the port and a releasing position in which the plug lock enables the plug connector to be removed from the port, the plug lock being biased to the locking position;
- and
- a release member coupled to the receptacle body even when the plug connector is not received at the port, the release member being movable along an actuation axis between a non-actuated position and an actuated position, the release member including an actuation surface that moves the plug lock from the locking position to the releasing position when the release member is moved from the non-actuated position to the actuated position, the release member being biased to the non-actuated position by a biasing member separate from the plug lock.
An optical adapter configured to receive and align at least first and second optical plug connectors, the optical adapter comprising:
- a main body holding an alignment member, the main body having a first opening defining a connector insertion axis extending towards the alignment member;
- a latch arm carried with the main body, the latch arm being deflectable towards and away from the connector insertion axis;
- and
- a release sleeve coupled to the main body at the first opening, the release sleeve defining a through-passage aligned with the alignment member so that the connector insertion axis extends through the through-passage, the release sleeve being slideable relative to the main body along the connector insertion axis between a lock position and a release position, the release sleeve deflecting the latch arm away from the connector insertion axis when disposed in the release position, the release sleeve being disengaged from the latch arm when disposed in the lock position, the release sleeve being biased to the lock position.
A method of disconnecting a plug connector from an optical adapter using a release sleeve, the plug connector having a catch surface engaged with a lock of the optical adapter, the method comprising:
- pushing a release member along a connection insertion axis relative to the optical adapter and relative to the plug connector so that the plug connector passes through a through-passage defined by the release sleeve;
- translating axial movement of the release member into lateral movement of the lock away from the catch surface of the plug connector to disengage the lock from the catch surface;
- and
- pulling the plug connector out of the adapter through the port along the connection insertion axis.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.