US 6,632,102 B1 · Fiber optic connector with unlatching and partial disassembly

Abstract

An optical fiber connector assembly includes a body (22) with passages (26) that hold optical fibers and a backshell (24) that can be removed and slid along the optical fiber cable to provide access to the fibers so a selected fiber can be removed while the rest of the fibers continue to carry signals. The removable backshell carries a mechanism (150) that can be manually operated to unlatch the connector from a housing (12), despite removeability of the backshell. The mechanism includes a cam (152) rotatable about the cable-receiving aperture (32) in the backshell and a cam follower (142) that is pushed forwardly by rotation of the cam. The cam follower presses forwardly against a pair of release elements (130) in the body to cause them to deflect a pair of latch arms (120) out of engagement with shoulders (124) of the body so the body can be pulled rearwardly out of the housing.

Claims8

Dependent claims

An optical fiber connector assembly which includes a housing that has a front end for attachment to another mating connector assembly and a rear end, and a connector that includes a body that has front and rear end and a plurality of fiber-holding passages extending in front and rear directions, said body being insertable forwardly into said housing and said assembly forming a latch mechanism that retains said body in said housing, wherein:

said connector includes a backshell lying at the rear of said body, said backshell having a cable passage for passing an optic cable that has an optic fiber lying in one of said fiber-holding passages;
said connector includes at least one fastener that detachably mounts said backshell to a rear end of said body, whereby to provide access to an optical fiber while said body remains in said housing.

An optical fiber connector assembly which includes a connector that holds an optical fiber cable, wherein:

said connector has an axis extending in front and rear directions, said connector includes a body with a front portion forming a plurality of fiber-holding passages and a rear portion forming a chamber that leads to all of said passages, said connector also including a backshell detachably mounted on a rear end of said body, said backshell having a fiber optic cable-passing aperture lying on said axis;
a plurality of fasteners that are spaced about said aperture and that detachably mount said backshell on said body rear portion, said backshell having a fiber optic cable guide that completely surrounds said cable, whereby said backshell can be detached from the body and slid rearward along the cable to provide access to the chamber for removal of only a single selected fiber from one of said passages.

Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.

Fiber optic connector with unlatching and partial disassembly

Life of this patent

Fiber optic connector with unlatching and partial disassembly

Life of this patent

Abstract

Claims8