Patent ID: 9581769
Date: 2017-02-28
CPC Classifications: G02B,Y10T

Claim:
1. An adapter for a connector, the connector comprising (i) at least one insert, the insert comprising at least one cavity suitable for at least partially housing an optical contact element, the insert having a front face on which each cavity emerges, and (ii) a housing, the housing having an internal wall and being configured to house the insert, and the adapter comprising: at least one alveolus configured to house an alignment sleeve that is slotted; a front face of the adapter, the at least one alveolus extending from a rear face of the adapter to the front face of the adapter, the front face of the adapter being configured to bear against a front face of the insert such that the alignment sleeve housed in the at least one alveolus receives a ferrule of an optical contact element housed in a cavity; means for removably fastening the adapter to the connector at an inside of the housing of the connector, the means for removably fastening comprising two snap-fitting snugs, one snap-fitting snug being arranged on a first side face of the adapter, and another snap-fitting snug being arranged on a second side face of the adapter, the second side face being arranged opposite to the first side face, wherein each snap-fitting snug is suitable for snap-fitting in a snap-fitting notch arranged in an internal wall of the housing of a connector; and a clearance space that allows access for each of the noses of a sharp-nosed gripping tool, as an extraction tool, from the rear face of the adapter, which is opposite the front face of the adapter, and between (i) at least one of the first side face of the adapter and the second side face of the adapter, and (ii) the internal wall of the housing, in order to release the adapter from the housing, whereby the clearance space allows the noses of the sharp-nosed gripping tool to be inserted in a direction towards the front of the housing, between the side faces of the adapter and the internal wall of the housing, until the noses each abut against one of the snap-fitting snugs, and the adapter being configured so that such abutment causes the noses to move closer together and unclip the two snap-fitting snugs that were snap-fitted into the snap-fitting notches.