Tyco Electronics Corporation

The Whitaker Corporation

Daniel Erlin Wertman

Soren Grinderslev

Michael Aaron Kadar-Kallen

Matthew A Peterson

Stephen James Miller

Thomas L Christner

A communication connector includes a housing having a panel flange configured to abut against a rear of a panel and a mating end configured to be positioned forward of the panel. The housing has panel nut threads and a panel nut is threadably coupled thereto. The panel nut has a tether extending therefrom with a first tether loop secured to the panel nut and a second tether loop at a second end. A protective cap is removably coupled to the mating end of the housing. The protective cap has a lanyard extending therefrom having a first lanyard loop removably coupled to the second tether loop. When the protective cap is coupled to the mating end, access to the at least one conductor is restricted, and when the protective cap is removed from the mating end, access to the at least one conductor is allowed.

Communication connectors having tethered protective caps

An optical connector for operation within a temperature range, comprising: (a) a ferrule comprising a first material having a coefficient of thermal expansion COE-1, and a diameter no greater than a diameter d1 below a transition temperature Ts within the temperature range and no less than a diameter d2 above Ts; (b) a spring disposed behind and in contact with the ferrule to apply a forward force to the ferrule; and (c) a housing comprising a second material having a coefficient of thermal expansion COE-2 and defining a bore hole having a diameter greater than d2, and an interface having a restricted bore hole having a diameter no greater than a diameter d3 below Ts, and no less than a diameter d4 above Ts, wherein connector configuration is COE-2&#x3e;COE-1 with d&#x3e;d3 and d2&#x3c;d4 or COE-2&#x3c;COE-1 with d1&#x3c;d3 and d2&#x3e;d4.

Optical connector with ferrule interference fit

An optical connector having a front and back orientation, the connector comprising: (a) a ferrule comprising a first material having a first coefficient of thermal expansion (COE), and having a first diameter at a first temperature, and a second diameter at a second temperature, the ferrule also comprising an endface; (b) a housing comprising a second material having a second COE, the housing having a restricted borehole having a third diameter at the first temperature, and a fourth diameter at the second temperature; (c) a resilient member disposed in the housing and in contact with the ferrule to apply a forward urging force to the ferrule; (d) wherein the connector has a first and second configuration, in the first configuration, the second COE is greater than the first COE, the first diameter is greater than the third diameter such that the connector is in an interference state at the first temperature, and the second diameter is less than the fourth diameter such that the connector is in a clearance state at the second temperature, in the second configuration, the second COE is less than the first COE, the first diameter is less than the third diameter such that the connector is in the clearance state at the first temperature, and the second diameter is greater than the fourth diameter such that the connector is in the interference state at the second temperature; and (e) wherein clearance between the ferrule and the housing is less than 0.5 &#x3bc;m at room temperature.

An optical connector having a front and back orientation and suitable for operating with a temperature range, the connector comprising: (a) a ferrule comprising a first material having a first coefficient of thermal expansion (COE), and having no greater than a first diameter below a transition temperature with the temperature range, and no less than a second diameter above the transition temperature; (b) a spring disposed behind the ferrule and in contact with the ferrule to apply a forward urging force to the ferrule; and (c) a housing comprising a second material having a second COE, the housing defining a bore hole having a diameter greater than the second diameter, and an interface portion having a restricted bore hole having no greater than a third diameter below the transition temperature, and no less than a fourth diameter above the transition temperature.

An optical connector having a front and back orientation and suitable for operating with a temperature range, the connector comprising: (a) a ferrule comprising a first material having a first coefficient of thermal expansion (COE), and having no greater than a first diameter below a transition temperature with the temperature range, and no less than a second diameter above the transition temperature, the ferrule also comprising an endface, and containing at least one fiber having a fiber end presented at the endface; (b) a spring disposed behind the ferrule and in contact with the ferrule to apply a forward urging force to the ferrule; and (c) a housing comprising a second material having a second COE, the housing defining a bore hole having a diameter greater than the second diameter, and an interface portion having a restricted bore hole having no greater than a third diameter below the transition temperature, and no less than a fourth diameter above the transition temperature; wherein the connector is configured in one of two ways, in a first configuration, the second COE is greater than the first COE, and in the second configuration, the second COE is less than the first COE; wherein, in the first configuration, the first diameter is greater than the third diameter and the second diameter is less than the fourth diameter; and wherein, in the second configuration, the first diameter is less than the third diameter, and the second diameter is greater than the fourth diameter.

Optical fibers (7) within alignment ferrules (6) are aligned by a connector body (1) that is supported by a resilient member (17) in floating suspension within a wall (23) of a connector (20), and a mating end (2) of the connector body (1) is sealed by the resilient member (17) and by seals (16) encircling the alignment ferrules (6).

Floating optical connector body and an optical connector

A strain relief boot (10) in combination with a connector (15). The strain relief boot (10) has a body (11) having a rigid portion (12) and a flexible portion (13). A center bore (14) extends through the body (11) and the connector (15) is slidingly disposed in the center bore (14). The body (11) has an inner wall (20) surrounding the center bore (14). A plurality of spaced-apart ribs (21) are formed on the inner wall (20) of the rigid portion (12). Each rib (21) has a top surface (22) and a pair of adjoining sidewalls (23). The ribs (21) extend inwardly into the center bore (14) and grip the connector (15) with a friction fit, retaining the strain relief boot (10) on the connector (15).

Growing community of inventors

Mechanicsburg, PA, United States of America

Daniel Erlin Wertman