Patent ID: 8992095
Filing Date: 2015-03-31
Classification: G02B

Abstract:
1. A method of manufacturing a fiber optic adapter for interconnecting two fiber connectors in coaxial alignment, each connector including a generally cylindrical ferrule holding an end of an optical fiber, wherein the adapter includes a main body with an axial cavity defined by a top side-wall, a bottom side-wall, a right side-wall, and a left side-wall, the axial cavity extending between a first opening defined at a first end of the main body and a second opening defined at a second end of the main body, the first end configured to receive a first fiber optic connector through the first opening and the second end configured to receive a second fiber optic connector through the second opening for mating with the first fiber optic connector, wherein the adapter also includes a ferrule alignment structure including a sleeve mount and a ferrule sleeve, the sleeve mount defining a first end, a second end, and a center portion, wherein the first end of the sleeve mount is positioned toward the first end of the main body and the second end of the sleeve mount is positioned toward the second end of the main body, the sleeve mount defining an axial bore that defines a longitudinal axis extending from the first end of the sleeve mount toward the second end of the sleeve mount, the axial bore configured to receive and coaxially align the ferrules of the fiber connectors when the fiber connectors are inserted into the adapter, wherein the sleeve mount includes a first portion extending from the center portion of the sleeve mount toward the first end of the sleeve mount and a second portion extending from the center portion of the sleeve mount toward the second end of the sleeve mount, each of the first and second portions defines an inwardly extending finger for capturing the ferrule sleeve within the axial bore once the sleeve is received within the bore, the method comprising: molding the main body of the fiber optic adapter and the sleeve mount as a unitary structure using a molding tool wherein parts of the molding tool are pulled apart from the first and second ends of the main body along a direction of the longitudinal axis; and inserting a ferrule sleeve into the axial bore of the sleeve mount from one of the first end and the second end of the sleeve mount.