Patent ID: 6253017
Filing Date: 2001-06-26
Classification: G02B

Abstract:
A fiber optic connector with an optical attenuator comprising:a first end assembly with a first bushing holding a first optical fiber of a first fiber optic cable;a second end assembly with a second bushing holding a second optical fiber of a second optical fiber cable;an alignment sleeve that receives the first bushing and the second bushing and axially aligns an end of said first optical fiber with an end of said second optical fiber;an optical attenuator disc having a selected optical density mounted inside said alignment sleeve and positioned between an end of said first optical fiber and an end of said second optical fiber;a connector housing assembly having a pin insert that holds the first end assembly releasably, and a socket insert that holds the second end assembly releasably with the alignment sleeve being releasably held in the socket insert by the second end assembly, wherein an outside surface of the second end assembly interacts with an inside surface of the alignment sleeve to releasably hold the alignment sleeve in the socket insert; andat least one spring that acts on the connector housing assembly and the first end assembly and biases an end of said first optical fiber toward the optical attenuator disc and biases the optical attenuator disc toward an end of said second optical fiber.