Optical fiber socket with an integral switch

Details Optical fiber socket with an integral switch Optical fiber socket with an integral switch

2000-09-21

2002-07-23

Abrams, Neil (Department: 2839)

Optical waveguides

With optical coupler

Switch

C439S911000

Reexamination Certificate

active

06424758

ABSTRACT:

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
1. Field of the Invention
The present invention is related to an optical fiber socket, and more particularly to such a socket with an integral switch.
2. Description of Related Art
With continuing advances in information technology, more than one medium input socket may be required. That is, an optical fiber input in addition to an auxiliary socket such as an A/V input is now necessary for many workstations. Conventional workstations may have two or more inputs, and a user has to manually operate a separate switch to turn on or off the desired input. The separate switch inevitably results in a high cost, complicated assembly, loss of space, high chance of failure, and general inconvenience.
As shown in
FIG. 5
, a conventional fiber socket (
50
) for receiving signals via an optical fiber cable plug (
60
) includes a recess (
51
) configured to receive a tip (
61
) of the plug (
60
). The recess (
51
) has a flap (
59
) which is pivoted into a housing by a hinge (
590
). The flap (
59
) provides a seal against foreign matter which would otherwise impair the quality of fit of the plug (
60
) in the socket (
50
) and subsequently impair the quality of the received signals delivered by the cable. Such a socket has the aforementioned drawback of requiring an additional switch by which a user can actuate this socket.
Additionally, the tip (
61
) of the optical fiber plug (
60
) is often damaged as it brushes against the flap (
59
) when the plug (
60
) is being inserted in the recess (
51
), whereby signals travelling along the cable may not be transmitted efficiently between the plug and the socket.
Furthermore, the recess (
51
) has a configuration such that the plug (
60
) can only be received therein in one position. That is, the plug (
60
) has two ridges (
63
) extending from opposed side faces thereof, and another side face with two beveled corners. The recess (
51
) of the socket (
50
) is configured to matingly receive the plug (
60
) and so the ridges (
63
) and beveled corners limit the alignment between plug (
60
) and socket (
50
) to one position only. Such a positional limitation is not only inconvenient for a user trying to insert the plug (
60
) in the socket (
50
), which is often in poorly-accessible situation, it also may lead to excessive stress on the cable due to twisting of the optical fiber cable.
Therefore, it is an objective of the invention to provide an optical fiber socket with an integral switch to mitigate and/or obviate the aforementioned problems.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
The main objective of the present invention is to provide an optical fiber socket with an integral switch.
An optical fiber socket in accordance with the present invention includes a housing with a flap at one end covering a recess to receive an optical fiber plug, and a cartridge mounted to a bottom of the housing. The cartridge receives therein a switch device which is moved between an isolated status and a conductive status by a user raising or lowering the flap of the housing, whereby the socket is automatically actuated or isolated.
More specifically, an optical fiber socket containing an integral switch to select between an electrically isolated mode and an actuated mode includes a housing having a recess configured to receive therein an optical fiber plug and defined at one end thereof, a flange extending along three sides of the one end, a flap pivotally attached thereto and receivable in an area defined by the flange, an under face, and at least one passage extending between the area defined by the flange and the under face.
The socket further includes a cartridge having a top face configured to mate with the under face of the housing and retained with the housing by a clip, and a switch device received between the top face of the cartridge and the under face of the housing and partly extendable through the at least one passage of the housing to protrude into the area defined by the flange when the socket is in the actuated mode with the flap raised away from the flange. When the flap is received within the flange the switch device is urged back by the flap from the area defined by the flange when the socket is in the electrically isolated mode.
In further developments, the switch device advantageously includes a first electrical conductor, a second electrical conductor, and an isolator sandwiched between the first and second conductors and movable between a first position to achieve the isolated mode wherein the first and second conductors are electrically isolated from each other, and a second position to achieve the actuated mode wherein the first and second conductors are in electrical contact with each other and complete a circuit between an optical fiber plug received in the recess and the outgoing connections.
The first electrical conductor advantageously includes a top portion shaped as a U and including two side bars and a middle bar integrally extending between the side bars, and a bottom portion extending downward from the middle bar of the top portion, the middle bar further including a raised central section from which the bottom portion extends. The second electrical conductor is substantially shaped as an F and includes an upright bar with a cross bar formed at a top end thereof, two downwardly-inclined resilient fingers formed on the upright bar and extending in a direction opposite the direction of the cross bar, each of the fingers having a distal tip formed horizontal to a respective one of the inclined parts, and each distal tip of the fingers having an upwardly-inclined tab extending in a direction of the upright bar. Furthermore, the isolator is shaped substantially as a U and is movably retained between the first and electrical conductors, and includes two opposed side strips each with a first end and a second end, and a central strip integrally extending between the two side strips and near the first ends thereof, each first end having a beveled front face configured to mate with a respective one of the tabs of the second electrical conductor. In the isolated mode the second ends of the isolator extend respectively through two of the passages of the housing to abut an inner face of the flap, and the tabs of the second electrical conductor and the side bars of the first electrical conductor are separated from each other by the beveled front faces of the isolator urging against the tabs of the second electrical conductor, and in the actuated mode the second ends of the isolator extend respectively through and protrude from the passages of the housing, the tabs of the second electrical conductor contact the side bars of the first electrical conductor and complete a circuit between an optical fiber plug received in the recess and the outgoing connections.
The flap advantageously includes two opposed stubs respectively engageable with two orifices defined in opposed sides of the flange, when the socket is in the isolated mode.
The flap may also advantageously include a window element, and the window element advantageously is tinted to reduce intensity of light passing therethrough. In a further development, a surface of the window element is contoured to reduce intensity of light passing therethrough.
Other objects, advantages and novel features of the invention will become more apparent from the following detailed description when taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawings.


REFERENCES:
patent: 2595949 (1952-05-01), Karlsson
patent: 4017771 (1977-04-01), Baumann
patent: 5212744 (1993-05-01), Ohnuki
patent: 5418872 (1995-05-01), Osaka et al.
patent: 5909525 (1999-06-01), Miller et al.
patent: 5926588 (1999-07-01), Murakami et al.
patent: 5930416 (1999-07-01), Worn et al.
patent: 5930417 (1999-07-01), Wolfe et al.
patent: 6011883 (2000-01-01), Davis et al.
patent: 6201905 (2001-03-01), Talbert
patent: 6275624 (2001-08-01), Seddon

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