Fiber optic connector

A fiber optic female connector including a female sleeve and a squared retaining spring connected thereto. The female sleeve defines a channel therethrough, parallel first and second side slots communicating with the channel, and a third slot perpendicular to the side slots and also opening into the channel. Bridge members at the channel define the ends of the third slot, and an encapsulating cover of the female sleeve defines the top portion thereof. First and second parallel legs of the spring are disposed, respectively, in the first and second side slots, and the transverse strand of the spring which connects the first and second legs is positioned in the third slot. When the rabbit ear ends of the spring are compressed, the first and second legs move from a position at least partially within the channel to a position further away from the centerline of the channel and the transverse strand by pressing against the bridge members flexes inwardly towards the channel. When the rabbit ears ends are released the first and second legs can engage into the sides of a circumferential groove of a male member inserted in the channel to lock the male member in the channel. Then by later compressing the ends of the rabbit ears the legs move out of the groove and the male member is unlocked and can be removed from the channel.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
The present invention relates to connectors for fiber optic cables, and 
more particularly to female clip-on types of fiber optic connectors. 
Different manufacturers use different types of connectors to connect light 
sources to the fiber optic cables to the surgical instruments and so 
forth. One of the most common types of connectors is a connector available 
from ACMI Corporation of Stamford, Conn., which is one of the oldest 
surgical instrument manufacturers. Their connectors consist of male and 
female portions. The male type is provided on both ends of the fiber optic 
cable, which can have fiber optic bundles having sizes ranging from a few 
microns all the way to about 6.5 mm in diameter. The female type of 
connection can be a permanent part of the fiber optic light source, fiber 
optic cable or surgical instrument or it can be a separate, independent 
connector, connecting the fiber optic cable to the surgical or other 
instrument. This instrument can have an ACMI male connection permanently 
attached to the instrument. In that situation a female connector is 
required which can accept on one side of the ACMI male connection and on 
the opposite side an ACMI male also. This connector is also sometimes made 
in such a way so that it accepts other types of instruments which require 
other types of connections there than ACMI. In that situation, one side of 
the female connector will still remain a ACMI female but on the opposite 
side can be a Richard Wolf Instrument Company, Storz Instrument Company, 
Pilling, Olympus or others. 
There are two types of ACMI female connections presently available. One is 
usually described as a snap-on type with an internal spring which locks 
onto the ACMI male groove. The second type is a clip-on type with an 
external spring. It also locks onto the ACMI male groove and because of 
its distinctive spring shape is often referred to as a rabbit-ear 
connection. After use though the spring of this connector weakens and does 
not return to its originally intended locking position in the ACMI male 
groove. This results in the surgical instrument and the spring falling off 
sometimes at a critical stage in the surgical procedure. Additionally, the 
fiber optic cable can fall off and the delivery of high intensity light to 
the surgical site immediately interrupted. Thus, the surgery must be 
interrupted, and the fallen cable or instrument replaced with an 
autoclaved replacement. 
The external spring type of ACMI female connector is preferred by some 
doctors because pulling is not required to disconnect the instrument from 
the cable. Rather, external spring ears are squeezed together thereby 
opening the spring to smoothly remove the instrument or fiber optic cable. 
On the other hand, the snap-on type of ACMI female connection requires 
approximately five pounds of push or pull to connect or disconnect it. 
External springs or rabbit ears are either directly welded to the body of 
the connector or to the tubing. The supporting external spring is welded 
to the stainless steel connector body. When heat is applied to the 
external, tempered stainless steel spring, the spring is thereby 
permanently weakened. After a few uses it becomes over extended and does 
not return to its original shape, and thus will not lock effectively into 
the grooves of the ACMI male connector. Every additional use weakens the 
spring further resulting in the need for a permanent replacement of the 
fiber optic cable in situations when this connection is a permanent part 
of the fiber optic cable which is common. 
Further, the external spring can be supported by a small piece of tubing 
which is welded to the body of the connector. This support configuration 
limits the function of the external spring and allows only the sides of 
the spring to function or flex thereby resulting in an over bending and a 
loss of spring memory. 
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
Accordingly, it is a principle object of the present invention to provide 
an improved fiber optic connector design. 
Another object of the present invention is to provide an improved clip-on 
type of female connector providing a reliable and consistent locking 
action. 
A further object of the present invention is to provide an improved clip-on 
female connector whose design prevents the overbending and weakening of 
the spring component thereof. 
A still further object of the present invention is to provide a novel fiber 
optic female connector configuration which is streamline and attractive. 
Directed to achieving these objects, an improved fiber optic female 
connector is provided herein. This female connector is constructed of a 
female sleeve which encapsulates therein a squared retaining spring. The 
female sleeve is formed by an elongated sleeve member and a front cap 
press fit therewith. The elongated sleeve member and the front cap form 
opposite sides of parallel first and second side slots opening into a 
channel defined by the female sleeve. The sleeve member and front cap 
further define a third slot disposed generally perpendicularly to the 
first and second side slots, also opening into the channel and positioned 
within the circumferential surface of the sleeve. The squared retaining 
spring is formed by parallel first and second legs having opposite closed 
and open leg ends, a transverse strand directly connecting the close leg 
ends, and ear portions at the open leg ends. The first and second legs are 
aligned respectively in the first and second side slots and the transverse 
strand is parallel in the third slot. When the ear portions are pressed 
towards each other the first and second legs will move away from each 
other and further away from the center line of the channel, thereby 
further opening up the channel so that a male member can be inserted 
therein. When the ear portions are later released the first and second 
legs will then move towards the longitudinal center of the channel to 
engage in the sides of a circumferential groove of the male member, 
thereby locking the male member within the channel and to the female 
sleeve. The opposite ends of the third slot are defined by spaced bridge 
members of the channel. The squared retaining spring presses against these 
bridge members when the ear portions are compressed thereby flexing the 
middle of the transverse strand in the third slot and towards and into the 
channel. 
Other objects and advantages of the present invention will become more 
apparent to those persons having ordinary skill in the art to which the 
present invention pertains from the following description taken in 
conjunction with the accompanying drawings.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS OF THE PRESENT INVENTION 
Referring to FIG. 1, a fiber optic system of the present invention is 
illustrated generally at 20. Fiber optic system 20 is shown to comprise a 
fiber optic cable 22 having a male connector 24 at one end thereof and a 
male connector 26 at the other end thereof. The male connector 26 includes 
at its tip an elongated plug 28 having a circumferential groove 30 
thereabout at a central location thereof. The system 20 further includes a 
female connector shown generally at 32 having a front end 34, a rear end 
36 and a channel 38 extending therebetween. The channel 38 is adapted to 
receive therein through the front end 34 the plug 28 of the male connector 
26. The channel 38 at the opposite end is adapted to receive therein the 
male portion 40 of an instrument or the like. 
The female connector 32 is basically formed by a female sleeve shown 
generally at 42 and a squared retaining spring 44 held therein. The female 
sleeve 42 in turn is formed by a front cap 46 and an elongated sleeve 
member 48 press fit together, thereby defining a streamline cylinder, and 
surrounding and encompassing the retaining spring 44 as shown for example 
in FIG. 2. They also define opposite sides of parallel first and second 
side slots 50, 52 both opening into the channel 38 and a third slot 54 
disposed generally perpendicular to the first and second side slots 50,52 
and also opening into the channel 38. 
The female sleeve 48 further includes an encapsulating cover 56 which can 
be a part of either the elongated sleeve member 48 or the front cap 46 as 
will be explained later. The encapsulating cover 56 encapsulates the 
transverse strand 58 of the retaining spring 44 and forms the top portion 
of the third slot 54. This construction thereby positions the third slot 
54 and thereby the transverse strand 58 entirely within the circumference 
of the female sleeve 42. The first and second parallel legs 60, 62 of the 
retaining spring 44 are disposed respectively within the first and second 
side slots 50, 52. First and second bridge members 64, 66 define the 
opposite ends of the third slot 54 and interact with the retaining spring 
44, as will be explained later relative to FIG. 8. 
The retaining spring 44 has a squared configuration formed by the generally 
perpendicular connection of the opposite ends of the transverse strand 58 
to the first and second legs 60, 62. The first and second legs 60, 62 are 
generally straight through their extent through the first and second side 
slots 50, 52 and then curve and cross by portions 68, 70 and have loops 
72, 74 at their outer ends. This curving and crossing arrangement is 
referred to as rabbit ears. 
These loops 72, 74 can be grasped between the thumb and forefinger of the 
user and pressed together to a compressed condition, as shown in FIG. 2, 
and then subsequently released back into a normal or released position. 
When in the normal or released position the first and second legs 60, 62 
have their middle portions extending through the first and second side 
slots 50, 52 into the channel 38, as depicted for example in FIG. 6. Then 
when the loop ends 72, 74 are compressed and the retaining spring 44 
placed in its compressed condition the middle portions of the first and 
second legs 60, 62 are caused to move away from each other and from the 
center line of the channel 38. This thereby opens up the channel 38 and 
the elongated plug 28 can be inserted through the front end 34 into the 
channel 38 into an abutting position wherein the circumferential groove 30 
lies in the plane of the first and second legs 60, 62. Then when the loop 
ends 72, 74 are released and the retaining spring 44 returns to its normal 
position the first and second legs 60, 62 extend further into the channel 
38 and into the opposite sides of the circumferential groove 30. This then 
retains or locks the plug 28 of the male connector 26 into and to the 
female sleeve 42. 
The flexing action of the various parts of the retaining spring 44 when the 
retaining spring is being pressed into its compressed condition are shown 
in FIG. 8. As the loop ends 72, 74 are pressed together as indicated by 
arrows 76, 78, the first and second legs 60, 62 are forced outwardly in 
the directions shown by arrows 80, 82. This creates a moment and forces, 
as shown by arrows 84, 86, the retaining spring 44 against the first and 
second bridge members 64, 66. When the retaining spring 44 is pressed 
against these spaced bridge members 64, 66 the middle of the transverse 
strand 58 is flexed downwardly, as depicted by arrow 88, into or at least 
towards the channel 38. Since the third slot 54 opens into the channel 38 
the motion of the transverse strand 58 is not restrained by the female 
sleeve 42. Then when the loop ends 72, 74 are released and the retaining 
spring 44 returned to its normal position the transverse strand 58 will 
have its middle moved outwardly to its normal position which due to the 
configuration of the third slot 54 is spaced a distance inwardly from the 
encapsulating cover 56. 
Two designs of the elongated sleeve member 48 and the front cap 46 are 
within the scope of this invention. A preferred design is for the front 
cap 46 to define a female part into which the elongated sleeve member 48, 
which in such case defines the male part, is press fit, and is best shown 
in FIGS. 3-5. In this embodiment the encapsulating cover 56 is formed by 
the front cap 46. An alternative or second embodiment is to reverse this 
relationship such that the three sides of the outline of the first and 
second side slots 50, 52 are defined by the front cap 46, as is best shown 
in FIG. 7, and wherein the front cap 46 is press fit into the elongated 
sleeve member 48. In this embodiment the encapsulating cover 56 is formed 
by the elongated sleeve member 48. The front cap 46 also has a radial ring 
or shoulder 90 at the front end 34. 
In both of these embodiments not only is the retaining spring 44 securely 
encapsulated but the free movement of the ear portions thereof is not 
restrained. Further, the flexing action of the retaining spring 44 as 
discussed previously with regard to FIG. 8 prevents an over-bending and a 
weakening of the spring 44 thereby extending the effective life and 
reliability of the spring. The spring 44 can thus flex along its entire 
perimeter for its locking and opening movements. A consistent locking 
action also thereby results which extends the life of the female connector 
32 so as to be greater than the typical life of the fiber optic cable 22, 
which is approximately one year. This encapsulation of the spring 44 
additionally brings the design level of the female connector 32 into 
streamline and modern standards, as is apparent from the drawings. 
From the foregoing detailed description, it will be evident that there are 
a number of changes, adaptations and modifications of the present 
invention which come within the province of those skilled in the art. 
However, it is intended that all such variations not departing from the 
spirit of this invention be considered as within the scope thereof as 
limited solely by the claims appended hereto.