Delphi Technologies, Inc.

Glenair, Inc.

Monish J Doshi

James T Hartley

Gregory Bruce Noll

Deniz K Armani

Israel V Castaneda

Mehrdad Ghara

Jonathon M Smith

Norbert Gibola

Ben S Huh

An expanded beam fiber optic connection system is disclosed which overcomes the problems associated with known expanded beam fiber optic connection systems. In particular, the expanded beam fiber optic connection system in accordance with the present invention includes a pair of mating fiber optic connectors. Each fiber optic connector includes a connector body and fiber optic termini. In accordance with an important aspect of the invention, the fiber optic termini utilize expanded beam technology and are configured with virtually the same form factor as existing physical contact fiber optic termini. The configuration of the expanded beam termini provides several benefits. First, existing physical contact fiber optic connection systems can be updated in the field by simply replacing the existing physical contact fiber optic termini with the new expanded beam fiber optic termini in accordance with the present invention and re-using the existing connector body, thus significantly reducing cost of upgrading existing physical contact type fiber optic connection systems. Secondly, since the same connector bodies are used for both the physical contact termini and the expanded beam termini, the number of components for the two types of fiber optic connection systems is reduced, thus reducing manufacturing costs.

Expanded beam fiber optic connection system

A cable connector comprises a housing having a terminus receiving cavity that receives a terminus assembly. The cavity has a rearward facing shoulder and an annular recess defining a forward facing shoulder. The terminus assembly includes a terminus which is attached to the end of a cable. The terminus has rearward and forward facing shoulders, an annular recess rearward of the forward facing shoulder and a second forward facing shoulder rearward of the recess. The terminus assembly also includes a forward stop ring and a rearward lock ring slidably mounted on the terminus, and a coil spring biasing the rearward lock ring toward the first forward facing shoulder. A retention ring that is slideably mounted on the terminus behind the rearward lock ring has a rearward end engageable with the second forward facing shoulder of the terminus and a plurality of circumferentially spaced, cantilevered, depressible fingers having outwardly projecting lock tangs. The depressible spring fingers are engagable with the rearward lock ring to hold the lock tangs against the forward facing shoulder of the housing to retain the terminus assembly in the cavity.

Cable connector

An attachment assembly and method for attaching closed loops of lanyards to dust covers. The attachment assembly and method eliminate the need for tools and enable plastic and other materials to be used in the construction of the lanyard. In one embodiment, the attachment assembly includes a groove and a flange with a slot in it. A closed loop can be attached to the dust cover using this attachment assembly by placing a section of the closed loop in the slot and then rotating the dust cover relative to the closed loop.

Attachment assembly for closed-loop attachments

Growing community of inventors

Irvine, CA, United States of America

Monish J Doshi