Optical waveguides – With disengagable mechanical connector – Structure surrounding optical fiber-to-fiber connection
Reexamination Certificate
1998-06-02
2001-02-13
Lee, John D. (Department: 2874)
Optical waveguides
With disengagable mechanical connector
Structure surrounding optical fiber-to-fiber connection
C385S060000, C385S072000, C385S078000, C385S092000
Reexamination Certificate
active
06186670
ABSTRACT:
FIELD OF THE INVENTION
The present invention relates to optical fiber connector assemblies, and more particularly, to an optical fiber connector module which can retain an optical fiber connector, eases cleaning of and protects the end face of the optical fiber of the retained connector and can receive and engage an optical adapter to provide for mating of the retained connector with another fiber connector.
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
Optical fiber interconnection links usually include a pair of optical fiber connectors that are mated by installation on an optical fiber adapter. For example, a fiber connector can be snapped or screwed into the adapter so that the connector mates with another connector which can also be snapped or screwed into the adapter. The adapter is constructed to mate respective connectors which are installed on the adapter in precise registered alignment, such that the end faces of the fibers of the respective connectors face each other, are coaxial and are in precisely spaced relationship, to ensure relatively lossless optical energy transfer between the fibers.
It is well known that the optical signal transmission level and quality between optical fibers of mated fiber connectors can become degraded if microscopic particles, dust or debris, which may be present in the air to which the connectors are exposed, accumulates on the end face of an optical fiber of one of the connectors and the end face is not cleaned before the connector holding such fiber is mated with the fiber connector holding the other optical fiber to form an optical fiber interconnection link. Therefore, it is common practice to clean the exposed end face of the fiber in each of the connectors to be mated before the connectors are installed on an adapter.
Currently known optical fiber adapters, however, do not protect the end face of the fiber of a connector which has been installed on the adapter from accumulating microscopic particles, dust or debris when only that connector is installed on the adapter. Oftentimes, a fiber connector which has been mated to another fiber connector using an optical adapter will be removed from the adapter and the connector that remains installed on the adapter will not be immediately mated with another fiber connector. The end face of the fiber of the connector remaining installed on the adapter in this circumstance is, therefore, unprotected. If particles, dust or debris which may be present in the air to which the remaining connector is exposed accumulates on the end face of the fiber, optical signal transmission between the fiber of the remaining connector and a fiber of another connector to which the remaining connector is subsequently mated can be adversely affected.
Although the end face of a fiber of a single connector that has been installed on an adapter, but is not mated to another connector, can be cleaned, for example, by inserting a thin swab into the area of the adapter which is unoccupied, because only the single connector is installed thereon, and by wiping the end face of the fiber with the swab, such a procedure can be time consuming, tedious, painstaking and ineffective. It has been found that the end face of the fiber of the single, unmated connector which has been installed on the adapter can become so dirty that cleaning by wiping the end face of the fiber with a swab or a wipe is ineffective. In such circumstances, the connector must be removed from the adapter, or the adapter including the connector must be removed from the front panel or backplane of optical instrumentation equipment to which the adapter typically has been mounted by screws and then further disassembled, to allow for proper cleaning of the end face of the fiber of the connector. It is well known, however, that after an optical adapter is mounted to the panel of optical instrumentation equipment, the adapter is not easily removed from the equipment because of the construction of the equipment or because obstructions near or surrounding the equipment can make removal of the adapter cumbersome, difficult and time consuming.
Therefore, there is a need for an optical fiber connector assembly which allows for ease of and adequate cleaning of the end face of an optical fiber of a connector which has been installed in the assembly without removing the assembly from equipment to which it has been mounted or without disassembling part of or the entire assembly or removing the connector from the assembly; which protects against the accumulation of particles, dust or debris on the end face of the fiber of a connector which has been installed in the assembly while the connector is not mated to another connector; and which can receive an optical adapter to provide for precise registered mating within the assembly between a connector installed in the assembly and another fiber connector, where each of the connectors can be selected from a plurality of fiber connector styles.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
In accordance with the present invention, an optical fiber connector module is constructed to retain an optical fiber connector, to receive and engage an optical adapter which provides for precise registered mating of the end face of the fiber of the connector which the module can retain and the end face of a fiber of another optical fiber connector which is installed on the adapter and to provide that, upon removal of the adapter from the module with the another fiber connector, the end face of the fiber of the connector which has been retained in the module is easily cleaned and protected against the accumulation of particles, dust or debris thereon.
In a preferred embodiment, the optical fiber connector module includes a cover which, when an optical adapter is not received and engaged within the module, can be disposed in a closed position to protect against the accumulation of particles, dust or debris on the end face of a fiber of a connector which the module can retain. The cover also can be disposed in a plurality of open positions to allow for ease of cleaning of the end face of the fiber of a retained connector and installation of an optical adapter within the module to allow for mating of another fiber connector to the retained connector. In a preferred embodiment, the cover includes a locking feature that can be engaged with the optical adapter to retain the adapter securely in the module.
In one of the preferred embodiments, the module includes a rotatable door which constitutes a cover that can be rotated to the closed position and to the plurality of open positions about a pivot pin which couples the door to the module.
In a further embodiment, the module includes a locking flange that provides ease of mounting of the module in a cutout of a panel of optical instrumentation equipment.
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Austin David
Calanni Dan
Brooks L. P.
Lee John D.
Norris, Mc Laughlin and Marcus
Pirelli Cable Corporation
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