Patent ID: 6302592
Filing Date: 2001-10-16
Classification: G02B

Abstract:
A connector for optical waveguides comprising:a socket part (10) including an exterior socket housing (11) defining a chamber and having at least one side with an opening into said chamber;a connector part connected to a waveguide and for insertion into said opening, said connector part including a ferrule;a socket (25) located in said chamber in said exterior socket housing (11) for receiving said ferrule;said socket (25) including an aperture (25a, 25b) located at one side of said socket;said aperture receiving said ferrule upon insertion said connector part into said opening;hinging means (31, 39, 41, 47, 57) located on said socket part (10), said hinging means in a first hinging position allowing unrestricted insertion of said connector part into said opening, said hinging means in a second hinging position sealing off said socket (25) to the surrounding socket part (10) to provide a dustproof seal;said hinging means (31, 39, 41, 47, 57) being located completely within said socket part (10);said socket part (10) further including an interior socket housing (15) slidable into said chamber in said exterior socket housing (11), said socket (25) being located in said interior socket housing, (15) said hinging means (31, 39, 41, 47, 57) being located within said interior socket housing (15);said hinging means including two wings (36, 41, 47) which in the region of said aperture (25a, 25b) of the socket (25) on facing sides of said interior socket housing (15) are located so as to be hingeable towards an inside of said interior socket housing, said wings in said first hinging position are essentially aligned parallel to walls of said interior socket housing (15) allowing unrestricted insertion of said connector part, said wings in said second hinging position are swiveled to a center and abut each other in a central plane of said socket part (10);said wings (36, 41, 47) being held in said second hinging position by spring means (38, 46, 50) such that when said connector is connected to said opening, said wings are hinged against a spring force of said spring means (38, 46, 50) into said first hinging position;said wings including a lower wing (36) and an upper wing (41), said center plane in which said wings (36, 41) abut in said second hinging position is a horizontal plane; anda sprung detent pawl (44) for disconnectable locking into plane of an inserted connector part;said detent pawl (44) being located in said interior said socket housing (15) on an exterior of said upper wing (41), said spring means (46) associated with said upper wing (41) at the same time causing said detent pawl (44) to be sprung.