Molex Corporation

Other

Jeffrey A Matasek

Igor Grois

Wenzong Chen

Thomas R Marrapode

Byung Kim

B Daniel Szilagyi

Hilary Farnsworth

Mark Margolin

Scot A Ernst

Robert Razdolsky

A fiber optic connector module includes a ferrule terminated to at least one optical fiber. The ferrule includes a front mating end and a rear end. A pin keeper is engaged with the rear end of the ferrule. At least one alignment pin extends from the pin keeper through the ferrule and projects beyond the front mating end of the ferrule for operative association with a complementary connecting device. A pusher member is spaced behind the pin keeper. A spring is sandwiched between the pusher member and the pin keeper. The spring has opposite ends compressible between the pusher member and the pin keeper. The fiber optic connector module also includes a housing having a forwardly facing abutment surface for engaging a rearwardly facing abutment surface on the ferrule. The forwardly facing abutment surface on the housing is convexly rounded so that the ferrule can tilt relative to the housing.

Self-contained fiber optic connector module

A fiber optic connector module includes a ferrule terminated to at least one optical fiber. The ferrule includes a front mating end and a rear end. A pin keeper is engaged with the rear end of the ferrule. At least one alignment pin extends from the pin keeper through the ferrule and projects beyond the front mating end of the ferrule for operative association with a complementary connecting device. A pusher member is spaced behind the pin keeper. A spring is sandwiched between the pusher member and the pin keeper. The spring has opposite ends fixed to the pusher member and the pin keeper to hold the entire module together as a self-contained unit.

An adapter assembly is provided for mounting in an opening in a panel. The assembly includes a housing mountable in the opening and including a pair of housing halves. A first housing half projects from one side of the panel and has a first receptacle for receiving a connector. The first housing half is fabricated of plastic material to withstand repeated insertions of the connector into the receptacle. A second housing half projects from an opposite side of the panel and has a second receptacle for receiving a complementary connecting device for mating with the connector within the adapter assembly. The second housing half is fabricated of metal material to provide EMI protection at the opening in the panel.

Connector panel mount system

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 cable management system is provided for a fiber optic connector assembly. The system includes a receptacle and a plurality of fiber optic connector modules received by the receptacle. The modules terminate a plurality of fiber optic cables with lengths of the cables extending away from the rear ends of the modules. A cable management member has an angled cavity within which the cables extend angularly from the rear ends of the modules. Latches are provided between the cable management member and each of the plurality of modules for holding the cable management member in position at the rear ends of the modules.

Cable management system for fiber optic connector assemblies

A system is provided for mounting a connecting device to a substrate with relative floating movement therebetween. The system includes a connector housing adapted for mounting on the substrate and including at least one elongated channel in a side of the housing. The channel extends generally perpendicular to the substrate and has an elongated restricted mouth opening at a side thereof. An elongated fastening post is snap-fit into the channel past the restricted mouth thereof to a preload position. A cross-dimension of the channel is larger than a cross-dimension of the fastening post so that the post can float relative to the housing. A fastener engages with the substrate and is operatively associated with the fastening post for tightening the post against the substrate, leaving the connector housing with floating movement relative to the substrate in a direction generally parallel to the substrate. The post may be longer than the channel to provide for floating movement of the housing relative to the substrate in a direction generally perpendicular to the substrate. In an alternative embodiment, at least a pair of connector housings are stacked on the substrate one on top of another. The elongated fastening post is long enough to snap-fit into the channels of both housings.

Connector assembly floating mount

A connector panel mount system includes a panel having an opening defined at least in part by a first edge and a second edge remote from the first edge. A connector housing includes a recess for rigidly embracing the first edge of the opening in the panel, and a flexible latch for engaging the second edge of the opening in the panel.

An adapter assembly is provided for mating a fiber optic connector along an optic axis with a complementary connecting device. The assembly includes a pair of adapter halves secured together at an interface by means of a securing post projecting from one adapter half generally parallel to the optic axis and into a securing hole in the other adapter half. The securing post has a retaining hole extending transversely of the optic axis. The other adapter half has a passage extending from an outside wall into registry with the retaining hole in the securing post of the one adapter half when the post is inserted into the securing hole in the other adapter half. A securement pin is insertable through the passage in the other adapter half into the retaining hole in the securing post of the one adapter half to, thereby, secure the adapter halves in assembly.

Adapter system for fiber optic connectors

A universal panel mount system is provided for mounting any one of a plurality of differently configured fiber optic adapters in a singularly configured common opening in a panel. A universal receptacle housing is mounted in the opening in the panel. A set of differently configured fiber optic adapters each is mountable in the universal receptacle housing. Each adapter includes coupling means for mating with one of a plurality of differently configured fiber optic connectors.

Universal panel mount system for fiber optic connecting devices

A system is provided for mounting a connecting device to a substrate with relative floating movement therebetween. The system includes a connector housing adapted for mounting on the substrate and including at least one elongated channel in a side of the housing. The channel extends generally perpendicular to the substrate and has an elongated restricted mouth opening at a side thereof. An elongated fastening post is snap-fit into the channel past the restricted mouth thereof to a preload position. A cross-dimension of the channel is larger than a cross-dimension of the fastening post so that the post can float relative to the housing. A fastener engages with the substrate and is operatively associated with the fastening post for tightening the post against the substrate, leaving the connector housing with floating movement relative to the substrate in a direction generally parallel to the substrate. The post may be longer than the channel to provide for floating movement of the housing relative to the substrate in a direction generally perpendicular to the substrate.

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.

A fiber optic connector module is provided for terminating a fiber optic cable which includes at least one inner optical fiber surrounded by an outer jacket. A ferrule is terminated to an end of the optical fiber stripped of the jacket. A fixing body is fixed to the jacket rearwardly of the ferrule. A housing includes a front portion within which the ferrule is mounted and a rear portion within which the fixing body is mounted. The front portion has an open front end through which a mating end of the ferrule is exposed. The rear portion has an open rear end through which the fiber optic cable extends.

Fiber optic connector module

A system is disclosed for mounting a connecting device to a substrate with relative floating movement therebetween. The system includes a connector housing. A fastening nut is captured by the housing with relative floating movement therebetween. The nut includes a shank portion extending toward the substrate through an opening in a wall portion of the housing. The shank portion of the nut is longer than the thickness of the wall portion of the housing. A fastener is engaged with the substrate and is operatively associated with the fastening nut for tightening the nut against the substrate, leaving the connector housing with floating movement relative to the substrate.

Growing community of inventors

Cedarburg, WI, United States of America

Jeffrey A Matasek