Abstract:
An apparatus for receiving a plurality of connector devices and for disposing the plurality of connector devices to facilitate communication among the plurality of connector devices the apparatus comprising: a first end including a first opening for receiving the connector devices; a second end disposed opposite the first end, the second end including a second opening for receiving the connector devices; an exterior surface connecting the first end and the second end; an interior surface connecting the first end and the second end; a plurality of protuberances disposed on the interior surface; a plurality of keyways disposed on the interior surface at the first end; and a latch assembly comprising a movable or a fixed member disposed on the exterior surface at the first end, capable of a first position concealing one of the plurality of keyways and a second position exposing the one of the plurality of keyways.

Description:
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
     The present invention relates generally to fiber optic connection assemblies and particularly to a fiber optic adapter with reversible polarity. 
     As is commonly known in the art, the polarity of fibers in a fiber optical connection must be maintained to ensure proper transmission of an optical signal. Improperly mated fibers in which the polarity is reversed terminates the propagated optical signal. 
     FIG. 1 depicts an exploded perspective view of a fiber optic connector assembly  10  common in the art. The connector assembly  10  includes a connector  12  and an adapter  14 . The connector  12  has a mating end  16  and a termination end  18 . The termination end  18  includes a cable (not shown) terminated thereupon via a termination method common in the art. The mating end  16  of the connector  12  includes a latch  22 . The adapter  14  includes a first receiving end  24  and a second receiving end  26 . The first receiving end  24  includes an opening  28  for receiving the mating end of the connector  12  when creating the connection assembly  10 . The second receiving end  26  includes an opening (not shown) for receiving a second connector (not shown). The first receiving end  24  further includes a keyway  30  for receiving the latch  22  when mating the adapter  14  with the connector  12 . The adapter  14  will only receive the connector  12  when the latch  22  is in alignment with and received by the keyway  30 . This allows fibers in the connector assembly  10  to be mated in a prescribed disposition thus establishing and maintaining the polarity of the optical connection as is required for effective propagation of the optical signal. 
     Prior to assembling the connector assembly  10  of FIG. 1, the cable containing the optical fibers is terminated upon the termination end  18  of the connector  12 . The mating of the adapter  14  and the connector  12  utilizing the keyway/latch arrangement described herein above allows for proper polarity of the connector assembly  10  only in so far as the termination of the cable is preformed correctly. Improper termination will result in fiber misalignment when the connector  12  is mated with a second connector (not shown) of a second cable (not shown) within the adapter  14 , thus preventing the polarity necessary to transmit an optical signal through the connector assembly  10 . 
     One remedy available to the installer in an instance of improper termination of a polarized fiber optical connector, as described herein above, is for the installer to disconnect the cable from the connector  12  and re-terminate the fibers at the termination end  18  of the connector  12 . This remedy, however, requires a laborer skilled in the art to perform a costly, time consuming technical reparation. 
     FIG. 2 depicts a prior art fiber optic adapter  50  that offers dual polarity at a first end  52  such that, in the case of an improperly terminated cable, the adapter  50  may be rotated one-half turn, i.e. one-hundred and eighty degrees, and fitted onto the connector thus reversing the optical connection to restore proper polarity. The dual polarity of the adapter  50  is achieved by a dual keyway system comprising a first keyway  54  and a second keyway  56 . The keyways  54  and  56  are disposed on the adapter  50  such that the latch  22  of the connector  10  of FIG. 1 may be received in two opposing directions thus allowing the reversal of the polarity of the optical connection. However, the adapter  50  does not prevent a mis-alignment of the fibers of the connection nor does it indicate the proper positioning of the connector to maintain polarity of the connection. The adapter  50  simply allows proper polarization to be achieved through a trial and error approach involving connecting, disconnecting, and reconnecting the adapter  50  to a connector and testing the connection for proper polarization. This approach is time consuming and highly inefficient in large optical systems common to modem commercial and industrial applications. 
     SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
     An apparatus for receiving a plurality of connector devices and for disposing the plurality of connector devices to facilitate communication among the plurality of connector devices, the apparatus comprising: a first end including a first open for receiving the connector devices; a second end disposed opposite the first end, the second end including a second opening for receiving the connector devices; an exterior surface connecting the first end and the second end; an interior surface connecting the first end and the second end; a plurality of protuberances disposed on the interior surface; a plurality of keyways disposed on the interior surface at the first end; and a latch assembly comprising a movable or a fixed member disposed on the exterior surface at the first end, capable of a first position concealing one of the plurality of keyways and a second position exposing the one of the plurality of keyways. 
    
    
     BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
     Referring now to the drawings wherein like elements are numbered alike in the several FIGURES: 
     FIG. 1 is a Perspective exploded view of a connector assembly common in the art; 
     FIG. 2 is a Perspective view of a dual polarity fiber optic adapter of the prior art; 
     FIG. 3 is Perspective view a dual polarity fiber optic adapter in one embodiment of the present invention; 
     FIG. 4A is a Perspective view of a top member of the fiber optic adapter of FIG. 3; 
     FIG. 4B is side elevation view of the fiber optic adapter of FIG. 3; 
     FIG. 5 is a Perspective view of a dual polarity fiber optic adapter in another embodiment of the present invention; 
     FIG. 6 is a front elevation view of the fiber optic adapter of FIG. 3; 
     FIG. 7A is a bottom elevation view of the fiber optic adapter of FIG. 3; 
     FIG. 7B is a front elevation view of the fiber optic adapter of FIG. 3; 
     FIG. 8 is a Perspective view of a dual polarity fiber optic adapter in another embodiment of the present invention; 
     FIG. 9A is a Perspective view of a removable latch member of the fiber optic adapter of FIG. 8; 
     FIG. 9B is a side elevation view of another embodiment of the removable latch member of the fiber optic adapter of FIG. 8; 
     FIG. 9C is a side elevation view of another embodiment of the removable latch member of the fiber optic adapter of FIG. 8; and 
     FIG. 10 is a Perspective view of a dual polarity fiber optic adapter in another embodiment of the present invention. 
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS 
     FIG. 3 shows a perspective view of a preferred embodiment of a dual polarity fiber optic adapter  100  in accordance with the present invention. The adapter  100  includes a first receiving end  102  and a second receiving end  104 . The adapter  100  further includes a top member  106 , a bottom member  108 , a first side member  110 , and a second side member  112 . 
     The top member  106 , the bottom member  108 , the first side member  110 , and the second side member  112  may each, in a preferred embodiment, be planar in description and may be substantially rectangular in shape. The top member  106 , the bottom member  108 , the first side member  110 , and the second side member  112  may be rigidly mounted to each other so as to form a rectilinear solid shaped adapter  100 . The first side member  110  may be mounted to an edge of the top member  106  such that the first side member  110  is substantially perpendicular relative to the top member  106 . The bottom member  108  may be rigidly mounted to an edge of the first side member  110  opposite the mounting of the top member  106  such that the bottom member  108  is perpendicular to the first side member  110  and parallel and appositional to the top member  106 . The second side member  112  may be rigidly mounted to the top member  106  and the bottom member  108  such that the second side member  112  is parallel and appositional to the first side member  110 . 
     The top member  106 , the bottom member  108 , the first side member  110 , and the second side member  112  may each be of sufficient thickness to create a hollow  114  in the adapter  100  when the members  106 ,  108 ,  110 , and  112  are disposed as described herein above. 
     FIG. 4A provides a perspective view of the top member  106  of the dual polarity fiber optic adapter  100  in accordance with the present invention. The top member  106  includes an exterior surface  116  and an interior surface  118 . The exterior surface  116  includes a latch assembly  120 , a latch housing  122 , a plurality of angled flanges  124 , a plurality of protuberances  126 , and a latch port  128 . 
     The latch assembly  120  includes a mounting portion  130  and a latching portion  132 . The latch housing  122  includes a latch cut-out  134  which may be disposed substantially perpendicular to the longitudinal axis of the top member  106 . The mounting portion  130  of the latch assembly  120  is mounted on the latch housing  122  adjacent the latch cut-out  134 . In a preferred embodiment, the mounting portion  130  of the latch assembly  120  may be mounted to the latch housing  122  by a hinge element  123  that permits the latching portion  132  of the latch assembly  120  to rotate about the axis of mounting such that the latching portion  132  of the latch assembly  120  may engage the latch port  128 . The hinge element  123  may be any of a plurality of elements that allow rotation about an axis including, but not limited to, a living hinge. FIG. 4B shows a side elevation view of the adapter  100  depicting the first side member  110  and a side view of the latch assembly  120  and the mounting on the top member  106  thereof. 
     Alternatively, the mounting portion  130  of the latch assembly  120  may be rigidly mounted at the latch housing  122  as is depicted in FIG.  5 . The latch assembly  120  may be mounted on the latch housing  122  with the assembly  120  angled toward the first receiving end  102  of the adapter  100 . The latch assembly  120  may be elongated and may be of a sufficiently pliable composition to allow the latching portion  132  to move relative to the mounting portion  130  such that the latching portion  130  may engage the latch port  128  to effect the polarization of the adapter  100 , as is described further herein below. 
     Referring again to FIG. 4A, the latch assembly  120  may be moved into a first position engaging the latch port  128  or the latch assembly  120  may be moved into a second position disengaged from the latch port  128  (as shown) depending on the polarity desired in a particular application of the adapter  100 , as is discussed further herein below. The latch port  128  comprises a detent and front edge in the top surface  106  at the first receiving end  102  of the adapter  100 . 
     As discussed above, the top member  106  of the adapter  100  includes a plurality of protuberances  126 . In one preferred embodiment of the present invention, the adapter  100  may contain two protuberances  126  rigidly mounted at the second receiving end  104  of the adapter  100 . The protuberances  126  may be substantially rectangular in shape with a width sufficient to create a channel  136  disposed between the two protuberances  126 , parallel to the longitudinal axis of the top member  106 . 
     Referring still to FIG. 4A, in a preferred embodiment of the present invention, the top member  106  of the adapter  100  also includes two angled flanges  124  corresponding to the two protuberances  126 . The angled flanges  124  are mounted, at one end, to the protuberances  126  and are free-standing at an opposite end. Angled flanges  124  are used to secure the adapter  100  to a panel. 
     FIG. 6 depicts a front elevation view of the first receiving end  102  of the dual polarity adapter  100  in a preferred embodiment of the present invention. The interior surface  118  of the top member  106  includes a first keyway  138  for guiding and receiving a connector into the interior  114  of the adapter  100 . The interior surface of the bottom member  108  includes a second keyway  140  disposed parallel to and appositional to the first keyway  138 . The interior surface of the first side member  110  includes a first guide channel  142  disposed perpendicular to the first keyway  138 . The interior of the second side member  112  includes a second guide channel  144  disposed parallel and appositional to the first guide channel  142 . The guide channels  142  and  144  may extend the length of the interior  114  of the adapter  100  and serve to facilitate the adapter  100  in receiving a connector and in establishing a fiber optical connection, as is described further herein below. The keyways  138  and  140  may extend the length of the interior  114  of the adapter  100  the keyways ceasing at the second receiving end  104 . The surface of the first and second keyways,  138  and  140 , respectively, at the first receiving end  102  may include bevels  141  beveled to facilitate reception of a connector in utilization of the adapter  100 . 
     The interior  114  of the dual polarity adapter  100  further includes a plurality of alignment flanges  146 . The alignment flanges  146  are members rigidly mounted to the interior surfaces of the top member  106 , the bottom member  108 , the first side member  110 , and/or the second side member  112  such that the alignment flanges  146  extend perpendicularly from the members  106 ,  108 ,  110 , and/or  112  toward the longitudinal axis of the adapter  100 . In one preferred embodiment of the present invention, the interior  114  of the adapter  100  includes four rectangular shaped alignment flanges  146  disposed on the interior surfaces of the top member  106 , the bottom member  108 , the first side member  110 , and the second side member  112 , respectively, such that the flanges  146  extend perpendicularly from the members  106 ,  108 ,  110 , and  112 . The alignment flanges  146  engage grooves  147  on connector  12 . 
     FIG. 7A shows an elevation view of the dual polarity adapter  100  depicting the bottom member  108  in accordance with the present invention. The bottom member  108  includes a plurality of slots  148 , a plurality of angled flanges  126 , a plurality of detents  150 , and a connector rail  152 . In one preferred embodiment of the present invention, the bottom member  108  includes two slots  148  each disposed a prescribed distance from the first receiving end  102  and the second receiving end  104 , respectively, of the dual polarity adapter  100 . The connector rail  152  is disposed perpendicularly to the longitudinal axis of the adapter  100  and extends away from the bottom surface  108  to facilitate fiber optic connector reception at the first and second receiving ends  102  and  104 , respectively, of the adapter  100 . In one preferred embodiment, the bottom member  108  includes two angled flanges  126  substantially equivalent to those described herein above with reference to the top member  106 . The angled flanges  126  are mounted at one end to the bottom member  108  and extend in an angled orientation toward the connector rail  152 . The bottom member  108  may include two detents  150  shaped substantially as rectangles disposed adjacent to the angled flanges  126 . 
     FIG. 7B depicts an elevation view of adapter  100  in one embodiment of the present invention showing the second receiving end  104 . The second receiving end  104  may be singular in polarity in that it may receive a connector in only one direction. There may not exist a dual keyway arrangement on the second receiving end  104 . The second receiving end  104  may include a single keyway  105  for receiving the latch  22  of an optical connector  12  of FIG.  1 . 
     The use of the dual polarity fiber optic adapter in accordance with the present invention will now be discussed with reference to FIGS. 3,  4 A,  4 B,  6 , and  7 A. A first cable containing optical fibers is terminated on a first optical connector using methods common in the art. A second fiber optic cable is terminated on a second optical connector using methods common in the art. The second optical connector is mated with the adapter  100  by inserting the connector into the second receiving end of the adapter  100 . 
     The latch assembly  120  of the adapter  100  is moved into the engaged position by rotating the latching portion  132  relative to the mounting portion  130  such that the latching portion  132  snaps into locking engagement with the latch port  128 , thereby polarizing the first receiving end  102  of the adapter  100 . The first connector is mated with the first receiving end  102  of the adapter  100  by aligning the first connector in accordance with the second keyway  140  of the first receiving end  102  and inserting the first connector into the adapter  100 . 
     Should the connection assembled as described above fail to work, the first connector is removed and the latch assembly  120  disengaged so that the latching portion  132  of the latching assembly  120  no longer contacts the latch port  128 , thus permitting the installer to reverse the polarity of the adapter. The first connector is rotated one-half revolution, i.e. one-hundred eighty degrees, relative to the adapter  100 . With the latch assembly  120  disengaged and the connector rotated one-half turn relative to the adapter  100 , the connector is again mated with the adapter  100  by inserting the connector into the interior  114  of the adapter  100  with reference to the first keyway  138 . The polarity of the adapter has been reversed without the time and cost allocation associated with disassembling and reassembling the cable termination of the first connector. The disengaged latch assembly  120  now indicates the polarity of the adapter  100 , instructing subsequent users and installers to utilize the first keyway  138  if reconnection is required. 
     A second embodiment of the present invention is depicted in FIG. 8. A dual polarity adapter is shown in a perspective view, generally at  200 . The adapter  200  is of similar construction as the adapter  100 , save for the latch assembly  120  of the adapter  100  which is omitted from the design of the adapter  200 . The adapter  200  includes an adapter body  202  and a removable latch member  210  for reversing the polarity of the adapter  200 . The removable latch member  210  snaps into engagement with a first latch port  224  or a second latch port  225  disposed on the adapter body  202  as is required for the particular fiber optic connection application, as is discussed herein below. 
     Referring to FIG. 9A, in one embodiment of the dual polarity fiber optic adapter  200 , in accordance with the present invention, the removable latch member  210  includes a first member  216 , a second member  218 , a third member  220 , and a lock member  222 . The second member  218  is rigidly mounted at one end of the first member  216  such that the second member  218  is substantially perpendicular to the first member  216 . The third member  220  is rigidly mounted at the end of the second member  218  opposite the mounting of the first member  216 . The third member is disposed substantially appositional and parallel to the first member  216 . The lock member  222  is rigidly mounted to the end of the third member  220  opposite the mounting of the second member  218  such that the lock member  222  is appositional and parallel to the second member  218 . A lock grove  234  is created by the above described mounting of the first member  216 , the second member  218 , the third member  220 , and the lock member  222 . The lock groove  234  receives the latch port  224  in polarization of the adapter  200 , as is discussed further herein. 
     Referring again to FIG. 8, the adapter body  202  includes a top member  206  and a bottom member  208 . The adapter body  202  further includes the first side member  110  and the second side member  112  discussed herein above with reference to the dual polarity fiber optic adapter  100 . The adapter body  202  includes a first receiving end  240  and a second receiving end  242 . The top member  206  includes a latch port  224  and a slot  226 . The top member  206  further includes the plurality of angled flanges  124  and the connector rail  152  described herein above with reference to the adapter  100 . 
     The latch port  224  is substantially a rectilinear opening in the top member  206  at the first receiving end  240  of the adapter body  202 . The latch port  224  includes a mating member  228  disposed within the latch port  224 . The mating member  228  is of sufficient size to create a mating groove  230  disposed adjacent to the mating member  228  in the latch port  110   224 . The mating groove passes through the top member  206  thus exposing the interior of the adaptor body  202 . The bottom member  208  is identical to the top member  206 , thus to avoid repetition and to maintain brevity, a description of the bottom member is omitted in lieu of the description of the top member  206  herein. 
     The use of the adapter  200  will now be described. A first fiber optical cable is terminated on a first optical connector using any of a plurality of methods common in the art. A second fiber optical cable is terminated on a second optical connector using any of a plurality of methods common in the art. The removable latch member  210  is moved into contact with the adapter body  202  such that removable latch member  210  snaps into place about the mating member  228 . The mating member  228  is received in the lock groove  234  such that the lock member  222  extends into the mating groove from the exterior of the adapter  200  to the interior, thus locking the removable latch member  210  into place. 
     Positioned as such, the first member  216  of the removable latch member  210  is disposed on the interior of the adapter body  202  and the third member  220  on the exterior. Engaging the removable latch member  210  as described above polarizes the adapter  200  by blocking the keyway of the top member  206  from the insertion of a connector. 
     The second optical connector is inserted in the second receiving end  242  of the adapter  200 . The first optical connector is inserted in the first receiving end  240  of the adapter  200  utilizing the available keyway of the bottom member  208 . Should the desire to reverse the polarity of the adapter  200  arise, the first optical connector is removed from the adapter  200  and the removable lock member  210  is disengaged by unsnapping the lock member  222  from the mating groove  230  and removing the mating member  228  from the lock groove  234 . 
     Next, the connector is rotated one-half revolution, i.e. one-hundred eighty degrees, relative to the adapter. The removable lock member  210  is then fitted into the latch port  225  of the bottom member  208  as described above with reference to the top member  206 . The polarity of the adapter  200  is now reversed and the adapter  200  may receive the first connector utilizing the exposed keyway of the top member  206 . 
     FIG. 9B is a side elevation view of a second removable latch member  250  which may be used with the adapter body  202  of the adapter  200  as an alternative to the removable latch member  210 . The second removable latch member  250  includes a first member  252 , a second member  254  disposed perpendicular to the first member  252 , and a third member  256  disposed perpendicular to the first member  252  and appositional to the second member  254 . The second removable latch member  250  further includes a first lock member  258  disposed perpendicular to the second member  254  and appositional to the first member  252 . The second latch member  250  further includes a second lock member  260  disposed perpendicular to the third member  256  and appositional to the first member  252 . Disposition of the first, second, and third members  252 ,  254 , and  256 , respectively, and of the first and second lock members  258  and  260 , respectively, create a snap groove  262 . 
     The second removable latch assembly  250  is used with the adapter body  202  similar to the use of the removable latch assembly  210  discussed herein above. Generally, when polarization of the adapter body  202  is desired, the first and second lock members are snap fitted about the mating member  228  such that the mating member is received in the snap groove  262  and the first lock member and second lock members are disposed on the interior of the adapter body  202  and the second member  254  is disposed in the mating groove  230 . Reversal of polarity is achieved by unsnapping the second removable latch member  250 , rotating the connector one-half turn, i.e. one hundred eighty degrees, and re-snapping the second removable latch member about the mating member  228  opposite the first mounting. 
     FIG. 9C depicts a side elevation view of a third removable latch member  280  for use with the adapter body  202 . The third removable latch member  280  includes a first member  282 , a second member  284  mounted perpendicular to the first member  282 , a third member  286  mounted to the second member  284  parallel and appositional to the first member  282 , and a fourth member  288  mounted perpendicular to the third member  286  and extending from the third member  286  in a direction away from the first member  282 . The third removable latch member  280  further includes a lock member  290  and a groove  292  formed by the disposition of the first, second, and third members  282 ,  284 , and  286 , respectively, and the lock member  290 . The third removable latch member may further include a protuberance  294  disposed, for example, on the fourth member  288 . 
     The third removable latch member  280  is used in conjunction with the adapter body  202  of FIG. 8 to polarize the adapter  200 . To effectively polarize the adapter body  202 , the fourth member  288  is inserted through the mating groove  230  into the interior of the adapter body  202 . The mating member  228  is received in the snap groove  292  as the lock member  290  snaps into place about the mating member  228 . As positioned, the second member  284  remains on the exterior of the adapter body  202 . The protuberance may be received by a detent (not shown) on the latch port  224  or on the interior of the adapter body  202  to further secure the third removable latch member  280  to the adapter body  202 . 
     To reverse polarize the adapter  200  fitted with the third removable latch assembly  280  the assembly  280  is removed from the latch port  224 , and the assembly  280  is mounted on the latch port  225  opposite the original mounting. 
     FIG. 10 shows a perspective view of another alternative embodiment of the present invention. A dual polarity adapter  300  is depicted comprising a first receiving end  302 , a second receiving end  304 , a top member  306 , a bottom member  308 , and a polarity tab  310 . The adapter further includes the first side member  110  and the second side member  112  described herein above with reference to the dual polarity fiber optic adapter  100 . 
     The top member  306  is identical to the top member  106  of the adapter  100  save for the latch assembly  120  which is not included on the top member  306 . Thus, a detailed description of the top member  306  is omitted in lieu of the above description of the top member  106  of the adapter  100 . The bottom member  308  includes the plurality of slots  148 , the plurality of angled flanges  126 , and the connector rail  152 , as these elements are described herein above with reference to the bottom member  108  of the adapter  100 . 
     The polarity tab  310  is rigidly mounted to the top member  306  at the first receiving end  302  of the adapter  300 . The polarity tab  310  extends from the adapter  300  away from the first receiving end  302  of the adapter  300 . The polarity tab  310  polarizes the adapter  306  by preventing connector access to the keyway of the top member  306 . If a reverse polarity is desired, the polarity tab  310  may be manually disengaged by rotating the polarity tab  310  back and forth about the axis of mounting until the tab  310  snaps off. The adapter is now reversed polarized and is prepared to receive a connector in this reverse polarization state as a particular fiber connection application requires. The disengaged polarity tab  310  indicates to subsequent operators and installers that a polarity reversal was necessary, thus, expressing the current reverse polarity state of the adapter  300 .