Molex Corporation

Byung Kim

Igor Grois

Thomas R Marrapode

Jeffrey A Matasek

A fanout connector is provided for a fiber optic cable including a plurality of optical fibers. The connector includes a housing means having a passage for receiving the fiber optic cable transversely along an axis. A fanout member in the housing spreads the individual optical fibers of the cable transversely of the axis. At least one frangible mounting member is provided on the housing means for mounting the connector on an appropriate support structure. The mounting member is readily breakable from the housing when the connector is to be used as a stand-alone unit. The housing includes a base and a cover with complementary interengaging polarizing members between the base and the fanout member. The cover has a transparent window to afford visual inspection of at least a portion of the cable within the housing.

Fiber optic connector

A connector is provided for a fiber optic cable which includes a plurality of optical fibers. The connector includes a base housing having a through passage for receiving the cable and fibers along an axis. A receptacle in the housing communicates with the passage and is open-sided transversely of the axis. A fanout insert is positionable into the receptacle and receives and spreads the individual fibers of the cable transversely of the axis. A cover is slidably mounted on the base housing in a direction generally parallel to the axis. Guide ribs and guide rails are provided between the base housing and the cover to guide the cover to a closed position. Complementary interengaging strain relief members are provided on the base housing and cover for embracing the fiber optic cable automatically in response to slidably mounting the cover onto the base housing.

A fanout connector assembly is provided for fiber optic cables each including a plurality of optical fibers. The assembly includes at least two fanout connectors each having a housing with a passage for receiving a fiber optic cable along an axis. A fanout member in the housing spreads the individual optical fibers of the cable transversely of the axis. Complementary interengaging stacking members on the housings of the two connectors align and hold the connectors in stacked relationship with one connector on top of the other connector. An individual connector includes a base housing and a cover with complementary interengaging strain relief members and complementary interengaging latch members therebetween. The strain relief members and the latch members are respectively interengaged automatically in response to mounting the cover on the base housing, but the strain relief members are at least partially interengaged prior to interengagement of the latch members.

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Chicago, IL, United States of America

Byung Kim