Fiber connector and adapter
AssigneeADC Telecommunications, Inc.
InventorLiang-Ju Lu
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
Fiberoptic connector and adapter assembly includes a fiberoptic connector received within an adapter. The connector has a cover on the connector housing. The cover pivots between open and closed positions to expose or cover, respectively, a optical fiber contained within the connector. Longitudinal guides of the connector are received cooperating with longitudinal guides of the adapter to direct the connector into the adapter in a prescribed alignment. A cam pin is carried on the adapter to engage a cam pin receiving slot on the cover to urge the cover to the open position as the connector is inserted into the adapter.
Claims21
A fiber optic connector and adapter assembly comprising:
- a fiber optic connector having;
- an outer connector housing having a longitudinal connector axis;
- an optical fiber disposed within said connector housing and having a terminal end exposed through an opening in a leading end of said connector housing;
- a cover carried on said connector housing and pivotally connected thereto to pivot between a cover open and a cover closed position, said cover in said cover closed position covering said opening, said cover in said cover open position exposing said opening;
- said connector housing including a longitudinal connector guide aligned with said longitudinal connector axis;
- said cover including a cam pin receiving slot;
- an adapter having:
- an adapter housing having a longitudinal adapter axis and having walls defining an interior and an open end sized to receive said leading end with said longitudinal connector axis aligned with said longitudinal adapter axis;
- a fiber coupling mechanism contained within said interior to couple with said optical fiber when said connector housing is inserted into said adapter housing to a fully inserted position;
- a longitudinal adapter guide disposed to cooperate with said longitudinal connector guide to direct said connector opening into axial alignment with said fiber coupling mechanism as said connector housing is inserted into said adapter housing to said fully inserted position;
- a cam pin disposed within said interior to be received within said cam pin receiving slot and urge said cover from said cover closed position to said cover open position as said connector housing is inserted into said adapter housing to said fully inserted position.
A fiber optic connector for mating with an adapter having an adapter housing having a longitudinal adapter axis and having walls defining an interior and an open end, a fiber coupling mechanism contained within said interior to couple with an aligned optical fiber, a longitudinal adapter guide aligned with said longitudinal adapter axis, a cam pin disposed within said interior, said connector comprising:
- an outer connector housing having a longitudinal connector axis and sized for a leading end of said connector housing to be received within said adapter open end and with said longitudinal connector axis aligned with said longitudinal adapter axis;
- an optical fiber disposed within said connector housing and having a terminal end exposed through a connector opening in a leading end of said connector housing, said fiber disposed for said terminal end to be coupled with said fiber coupling mechanism when said connector housing is inserted into said adapter housing to a fully inserted position;
- a cover carried on said connector housing and pivotally connected thereto to pivot between a cover open and a cover closed position, said cover in said cover closed position covering said opening, said cover in said cover open position exposing said opening;
- a longitudinal connector guide disposed to cooperate with said longitudinal adapter guide to direct said connector opening into axial alignment with said fiber coupling mechanism as said connector housing is inserted into said adapter housing to said fully inserted position;
- a cam pin receiving slot on said cover and disposed to receive said cam pin for said cam pin to urge said cover from said cover closed position to said cover open position as said connector housing is inserted into said adapter housing to said fully inserted position.
A fiberoptic adapter for mating with a connector having an outer connector housing having a longitudinal connector axis, an optical fiber disposed within said connector housing and having a terminal end exposed through an opening in a leading end of said connector housing, a cover carried on said connector housing and pivotally connected thereto to pivot between a cover open and a cover closed position, said cover in said cover closed position covering said opening, said cover in said cover open position exposing said opening, said connector housing including a longitudinal connector guide aligned with said longitudinal connector axis, and said cover including a cam pin receiving slot, said adapter comprising:
- an adapter housing having a longitudinal adapter axis and having walls defining an interior and an open end sized to receive said leading end with said longitudinal connector axis aligned with said longitudinal adapter axis;
- a fiber coupling mechanism contained within said interior to couple with said optical fiber when said connector housing is inserted into said adapter housing to a fully inserted position;
- a longitudinal adapter guide disposed to cooperate with said longitudinal connector guide to direct said connector opening into axial alignment with said fiber coupling mechanism as said connector housing is inserted into said adapter housing to said fully inserted position;
- a cam pin disposed within said interior to be received within said cam pin receiving slot and urge said cover from said cover closed position to said cover open position as said connector housing is inserted into said adapter housing to said fully inserted position.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.