Optical waveguides – With disengagable mechanical connector
Reexamination Certificate
1999-12-07
2001-12-18
Chang, Audrey (Department: 2872)
Optical waveguides
With disengagable mechanical connector
C385S062000, C385S060000, C385S055000, C385S092000, C439S567000
Reexamination Certificate
active
06331079
ABSTRACT:
FIELD OF THE INVENTION
This invention generally relates to the art of connector assemblies, such as electrical connectors, fiber optic connectors and the like, and particularly to a system for mounting a connector assembly to a substrate, such as a printed circuit board.
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
Fiber optic connectors of a wide variety of designs have been employed to terminate optical fiber cables and to facilitate connection of the cables to other cables or other optical fiber transmission devices. A typical fiber optic connector includes a ferrule which mounts and centers an optical fiber or fibers within the connector. The ferrule may be fabricated of such material as ceramic. A ferrule holder or other housing component of the connector embraces the ferrule and may be fabricated of such material as molded plastic. A spring may be disposed within the housing or ferrule holder such that the ferrule is yieldably biased forwardly for engaging another fiber-mounting ferrule of a mating connecting device.
A pair of fiber optic connectors or a connector and another optical fiber transmission device often are mated in an adapter which centers the fibers to provide low insertion losses. The adapter couples the connectors together so that their encapsulated fibers connect end-to-end. The adapter may be an in-line component, or the adapter can be designed for mounting in an opening in a panel, backplane, circuit board or the like.
Various problems continue to be encountered in designing fiber optic connector assemblies or other connector assemblies, including applications involving backplanes, motherboards, daughterboards and the like. Such problems include properly and precisely placing a connector assembly on a substrate, such as a printed circuit board, accommodating misalignment of the connectors during mating, allowing relative floating movement between various components of the system and similar positional-type problems. Other problems simply involve efforts to simplify the design of connector assemblies. The present invention is directed to solving these problems and to providing various improvements in such connector assemblies.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
An object, therefore, of the invention is to provide a new and improved system for mounting a connector assembly to a substrate, such as a panel, a printed circuit board or the like.
In the exemplary embodiment of the invention, the system includes a substrate having at least one pre-placement hole and at least one positioning hole. A connector housing includes a pre-placement peg for insertion into the pre-placement hole in the substrate with substantially zero insertion forces to generally place the housing on the substrate. The housing also includes a positioning peg for insertion into the positioning hole in the substrate by a press-fit to precisely fix the housing on the substrate.
The invention contemplates the provision of a recessed area about at least a portion of the positioning peg for receiving any material shaved off of the positioning peg as it is press-fit into the positioning hole.
As disclosed herein, the housing is fabricated of molded plastic material, with the positioning peg being molded integrally therewith. The positioning peg includes at least one crushable rib on the exterior thereof. The pre-placement peg is longer than the positioning peg and, in the preferred embodiment, is solid. The positioning peg is hollow, and there may be provided a plurality of the positioning pegs spaced from each other and from the pre-placement peg.
Other objects, features and advantages of the invention will be apparent from the following detailed description taken in connection with the accompanying drawings.
REFERENCES:
patent: 4550362 (1985-10-01), Reimer
patent: 4767179 (1988-08-01), Sampson et al.
patent: 5121454 (1992-06-01), Iwano et al.
patent: 5257947 (1993-11-01), Scheer et al.
patent: 5542015 (1996-07-01), Hultermans
patent: 5764834 (1998-06-01), Hultermans
patent: 6050845 (2000-04-01), Smalley et al.
Diamond Fiber Optic Components product bulletin, undated.
Chen Wenzong
Grois Igor
Matasek Jeffrey A.
Chang Audrey
Molex Incorporated
Tirva A. A.
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