Optical connector having a one-piece housing

A connector for terminating an optical fiber, the connector comprising:

• a ferrule assembly, the ferrule assembly having a first end, a second end and an axial passageway extending from the first end to the second end, the second end of the ferrule assembly adapted to maintain an end of an optical fiber in a substantially fixed position with respect to the second end of the ferrule assembly, the optical fiber passing through the axial passageway of the ferrule assembly;
• a housing having walls having exterior surfaces and internal surfaces that define a cavity adapted to receive the ferrule assembly, the housing including a first opening for receiving the ferrule assembly and a second opening through which the second end of the ferrule assembly protrudes, the first and second openings of the housing being located at opposite ends of the housing, the first opening in the housing having a substantially rectangular shape having a first transverse dimension, said housing being made of a material sufficiently flexible to enable the housing to be flexed outwardly in the directions transverse to the length of the housing, the housing having a keying mechanism;
• and
• an insert having a first opening formed in a first end thereof, a second opening formed in a second end thereof, and a passageway for allowing an optical fiber to pass through the insert, the second end of the insert adapted to engage the first end of the ferrule assembly, the insert comprising a keying mechanism having a second transverse dimension greater than said first transverse dimension, the insert being adapted to be secured to the housing by pressing the first into the housing by pressing the insert into the housing and flexing the housing outwardly until the keying mechanism of the insert interlocks with the keying mechanism of the housing, the keying mechanism preventing the insert from being inadvertently removed from the housing or rated within the housing when the keying mechanism of the insert is interlocked with the keying mechanism of the housing;
• wherein the keying mechanism of the insert comprises a flange integrally formed about the insert, flange having a substantially rectangular cross-section, the flange comprising two oppositely located flat sides and two oppositely located keys, said keys defining said second transverse dimension, the keys corresponding to the keying mechanism of the housing, each of the keys having a chamfered surface, each key being separated from the other key by one of the flat sides of the flange, the keys and flat surfaces forming a configuration that defines the substantially rectangular cross-section, and wherein the keying mechanism of the housing comprises first and second keyways formed in said walls of the housing, the surfaces of the housing in which the keyways are formed being opposite each other, wherein when the insert is pressed into the first opening of the housing a predetermined distance, the chamfered surfaces of keys of the flange cause the surfaces of the housing in which they keyways are formed to be deflected away from each other, the keys of the flange locking into the keyways when the insert has been pressed a predetermined distance into the first opening of the housing, the cooperation of the keys and the corresponding keyways locking the insert in a substantially fixed position with respect to the housing;
• and
• the insert has a first cylindrical portion extending from the first cylindrical portion extending from the first end of the insert to a circumferential stop integrally formed on the exterior surface of the insert, a second cylindrical portion extending from the stop to the flange, and a third cylindrical portion extending from the flange to the second end of the insert, and wherein when the insert is locked into position within the housing by the interlocking of the keys of the flange with the keyways of the housing, the stop abuts the first opening in the housing, the stop being larger in size than the first opening such that the first opening prevents the stop from entering the housing.

A connector for terminating an optical fiber, the connector comprising:

• a ferrule assembly, the ferrule assembly having a first end, a second end and an axial passageway extending from the first end to the second end, the second end of the ferrule assembly adapted to maintain an end of an optical fiber in a substantially fixed position with respect to the second end of the ferrule assembly, the optical fiber passing through the axial passageway of the ferrule assembly;
• a housing having walls having exterior surfaces and internal surfaces that define a cavity adapted to receive the ferrule assembly, the housing including a first opening for receiving the ferrule assembly and a second opening through which the second end of the ferrule assembly protrudes, the first and second openings of the housing being located at opposite ends of the housing, the first opening in the housing having a substantially rectangular shape having a first transverse dimension, said housing being made of a material sufficiently flexible to enable the housing to be flexed outwardly in directions transverse to the length of the housing, the housing having a keying mechanism;
• and
• an insert having a first opening formed in a first end thereof, a second opening formed in a second end thereof, and a passageway for allowing an optical fiber to pass through the insert, the second end of the insert adapted to engage the first end of the ferrule assembly, the insert comprising a keying mechanism having a second transverse dimension greater than said first transverse dimension, the insert being adapted to be secured to the housing by pressing the insert into the housing and flexing the housing outwardly until the keying mechanism of the insert interlocks with the keying mechanism of the housing, the keying mechanism preventing the insert from being inadvertently removed from the housing or rotated within the housing when the keying mechanism of the insert is interlocked with the keying mechanism of the housing;
• wherein the ferrule assembly comprises:
• a barrel portion having a first end and a second end and an axial passageway formed therein, the second end of the barrel having a hexagonal cross-section;
• a ferrule having a first end and a second end, the first end of the ferrule being fixedly secured to the second end of the barrel, the ferrule having an axial passageway formed therein for receiving said end of the optical fiber, said end of the optical fiber passing through the axial passageway of the barrel and through the axial passageway of the ferrule such that said end of the optical fiber is disposed in the second end of the ferrule;
• and
• a flexible tube having a first end and a second end and an axial passageway formed therein, the second end of the tube being fixedly secured to the first end of the barrel, the optical fiber passing through the axial passageway of the tube.

For use in an optical fiber connector having a ferrule assembly and a cylindrical insert member having a flange thereon having keys defining a first transverse dimension, the flange having at least one flat portion thereon, a housing member for receiving the ferrule assembly and the insert member, said housing member comprising:

• a one piece elongated member having a central bore extending therethrough, at least a portion of said bore having a polygonal cross-section for orienting the flat portion of the flange on the insert member;
• said portion of said bore having a maximum transverse dimension less than the first transverse dimension of the flange on said insert whereby the flange distorts said housing when the insert is inserted therein;
• and
• said housing member being made of a material sufficiently flexible to withstand the distortion.