Connector and receptacle containing a physical security feature

A connector system for providing discriminating mating among a family of optical fiber plugs and receptacles, said system comprising:

• at least first and second optical fiber plugs and first and second receptacles, each optical fiber plug comprising a housing and a ferrule disposed in said housing, said housing of each optical fiber plug defining a slot and two or more secondary slots, the slot of said first optical fiber plug being a first slot in a first position, the slot of said second optical fiber plug being a second slot in a second position, said first and second positions being different, said first and second optical fiber plugs being physically the same except for the position of their respective slot, each receptacle comprising a tub defining a cavity, said tub having a key and two or more ribs extending inwardly from said tub into said cavity, the key of said first receptacle being a first key in a first position, the key of said second receptacle being a second key in a second position, said first and second positions being different, said first and second receptacles being physically the same except for the position of their respective key;
• wherein said first optical fiber plug is configured to mate with said first receptacle, said first slot adapted to receive said first key and the secondary slots of said first optical fiber plug adapted to receive the ribs of said first receptacle to allow said first optical fiber plug to mate with said first receptacle, said first key and the ribs of said first receptacle serving to prealign the ferrule of said first optical plug during mating, said second key interfering with said first optical fiber plug to prevent said first optical fiber plug from mating with said second receptacle;
• and
• wherein said second optical fiber plug is configured to mate with said second receptacle, said second slot being adapted to receive said second key and the secondary slots of said second optical fiber plug adapted to receive the ribs of said second receptacle to allow said second optical fiber plug to mate with said second receptacle, said second key and the ribs of said second receptacle serving to prealign the ferrule of said second optical plug during mating, said first key interfering with said second optical fiber plug to prevent said second optical fiber plug from mating with said first receptacle.

A connector system for providing discriminating mating among a family of optical fiber plugs and receptacles, said system comprising:

• at least a first MT-RJ plug and a second MT-RJ plug, said first MT-RJ plug comprising a first housing containing a first ferrule, said first housing defining a first slot in a first position, said second MT-RJ plug comprising a second housing containing a second ferrule, said second housing defining a second slot in a second position, said first and second MT-RJ plugs being physically the same except for the position of their respective slot, each MT-RJ plug comprising two or more secondary slots;
• wherein said first MT-RJ plug is configured to mate with a first receptacle, said first receptacle comprising a tub defining a cavity for receiving said first MT-RJ plug, said tub having a first key and two or more ribs extending into said cavity, said first slot and the secondary slots adapted to receive said first key and the ribs of said first receptacle, respectively, to allow said first MT-RJ plug to mate with said first receptacle, said first key and said ribs of said first receptacle being immediately adjacent the ferrule of said first MT-RJ plug during mating, thereby aligning said ferrule relative to the tub of the first receptacle prior to mating, said second key interfering with said first MT-RJ plug to prevent said first MT-RJ plug from mating with said second receptacle;
• and
• wherein said second MT-RJ plug is configured to mate with said second receptacle, said second receptacle comprising a tub defining a cavity for receiving said second MT-RJ plug, said tub having a second key and two or more ribs extending into said cavity, said second slot and the secondary slots adapted to receive said second key and the ribs of said second receptacle, respectively, to allow said second MT-RJ plug to mate with said second receptacle, said second key and said ribs of said second receptacle being immediately adjacent the ferrule of said second MT-RJ plug during mating, thereby aligning said ferrule relative to the tub of the second receptacle prior to mating said first key interfering with said second MT-RJ plug to prevent said second MT-RJ plug from mating with said first receptacle.