Abstract:
A duplex fiber optic connector plug includes at least one fiber optic connector, a first casing, a second casing and a release lever. The release lever is axially coupled to a surface of the first casing and has an end coupled to a release bracket of the fiber optic connector to form a seesaw design. During operation, the release lever is compressed by the force of the finger, so that an end of the release lever is elevated, and the other end compresses the release bracket downward to release from a fiber optic socket, so as to provide an intuitively convenient operation and improve the convenience of use.

Description:
CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS 
       [0001]    This application is a continuation-in-part patent application of U.S. application Ser. No. 15/015,105 filed on Feb. 3, 2016, the entire contents of which are hereby incorporated by reference for which priority is claimed under 35 U.S.C. §120. 
     
    
     BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
       [0002]    1. Field of the Invention 
         [0003]    The present invention relates to the technical field of fiber optic connectors, and more particularly to a duplex fiber optic connector plug operated by an upward pushing method. 
         [0004]    2. Description of the Related Art 
         [0005]    Maintenance of fiber optic wire in a fiber optic network is a relatively troublesome task. Conventional design fiber optic connector plug have fixed fiber optic connector which cannot be removed freely from the fiber optic connector plug. Therefore, when the fiber optic network malfunctions, it is often time hard to perform test to diagnose the source of the problem. Oftentimes, the fiber optic wire and connector are simply replaced whenever the network malfunctions. Obviously, the conventional fiber optic connectors waste unnecessary labor to change the connectors, cause inconvenience in their use, and require further improvements. 
       SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
       [0006]    In view of the problems of the prior art, it is a primary objective of the present invention to provide a duplex fiber optic connector plug that can be easily disassembled and allows removal of the fiber optic connector. 
         [0007]    To achieve the aforementioned and other objectives, the present invention provides a duplex fiber optic connector plug that is coupled to a fiber optic socket for a signal connection, and the duplex fiber optic connector plug comprises: a pair of fiber optic connectors, a second casing, and a first casing. In some instances, duplex fiber optic connector plug  1  may further comprise a release lever. 
         [0008]    In a preferred embodiment, the first casing is divided into a first casing front section and a first casing rear section. Both sides of the first casing front section have a latching bump, and both sides of the first casing rear section are provided with a first latch hook respectively. 
         [0009]    In a preferred embodiment, the second casing is also divided into a front section and a rear section. Both sides of the rear section are provided with a latch slot corresponding to the first latch hooks. The first latch hooks are latched and fixed into the latch slots so that the first casing rear section and the rear section form a single body. Both sides of the front section are provided with two second latch hooks. And the second latch hooks are latched to the two sides of the first casing front section to create fixture. 
         [0010]    In another preferred embodiment, the release lever may be integrated with the axial connection position of the first casing or the first casing has a first axial connection portion, and the release lever has a second axial connection portion, and a shaft is passed through the first axial connection portion and the second axial connection portion to define a movable axial connection status. Both of the aforementioned axial connection methods have the effects of improving the service life, lowering the manufacturing cost, providing different effects to meet the convenient application requirement, and enhancing the design flexibility significantly. In addition an elevated portion is formed at the bottom of the release lever and disposed between the axial connection position and the second contact surface for elevating the release lever to move the first contact surface downward. The first contact surface is a cambered surface which is concave downwards, so that the distal portion of the release bracket may be moved on the first contact surface to provide a smooth movement. 
         [0011]    In another preferred embodiment, when a force is applied to the front section of the second casing, an angular motion of the front section relative to the pliable portion and the rear section is actuated. The front section is bent down and open. 
         [0012]    The present invention enables fast and easy cable line maintenance and is convenient for maintenance personnel to operate. This is previously unachievable with conventional design of the fiber optic connector plug. 
     
    
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
         [0013]      FIG. 1  is an exploded view of a preferred embodiment of the present invention; 
           [0014]      FIG. 2  is a perspective view of a preferred embodiment of the present invention; 
           [0015]      FIG. 3  is an another exploded view of a preferred embodiment of the present invention. 
           [0016]      FIG. 4  is a schematic view of a preferred embodiment of the present invention with the front section being bent downward; and 
           [0017]      FIG. 5  is an another schematic view of a preferred embodiment of the present invention with the front section being bent downward; and 
           [0018]      FIG. 6  is an another schematic view of a preferred embodiment of the present invention with the front section being bent downward. 
       
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS 
       [0019]    The technical content of the present invention will become apparent with the detailed description of preferred embodiments and the illustration of related drawings as follows. 
         [0020]    With reference to  FIGS. 1 to 2  for an exploded view and a perspective view of a duplex fiber optic connector plug  1  in accordance with a preferred embodiment of the present invention respectively, the duplex fiber optic connector plug  1  is provided for connecting a fiber optic socket  2  to complete a signal connection, and the duplex fiber optic connector plug  1  comprises a pair of fiber optic connectors  11 , a second casing  12 , and a first casing  13 . In some instances, duplex fiber optic connector plug  1  may further comprises a release lever  14 . 
         [0021]    Each fiber optic connector  11  has a release bracket  111  installed on a surface of the fiber optic connector  11 . A locking piece  1111  is disposed on both sides of the middle section of the release bracket  111  separately for coupling to the fiber optic socket  2 . In addition, a latch portion  112  is disposed at a rear section of the fiber optic connector  11  and has a middle section in a necking H-shaped structure. 
         [0022]    The second casing  12  is divided into a front section  121  and a rear section  122 ; and a pliable portion  123  is provided for connecting the front section  121  and the rear section  122 , so that the front section  121  can be folded with respect to the rear section  122 . A slot  1211  is formed in the front section  121 , and the latch portion  112  of the fiber optic connector  11  is latched into the slot  1211  and a first groove  124  to define a fixation. 
         [0023]    The first casing  13  is covered onto the second casing  12  to fix the two fiber optic connectors  11  between the second casing  12  and the first casing  13  as shown in  FIG. 2 , and a first axial connection portion  131  is disposed at the top the first casing  13 . 
         [0024]    In some embodiment, a second axial connection portion  141  is disposed in the middle section of the release lever  14 , and a shaft  132  is passed through the first axial connection portion  131  and the second axial connection portion  141  to define a movable axial connection. 
         [0025]    In some embodiments, a first contact surface  142  is disposed at a front section of the release lever  14  and coupled to a distal portion of the release bracket  111 , and the rear section of the release lever  14  is tilted upwardly to form a second contact surface  143 . Experiments show that the best and most labor saving effect can be achieved without interfering other adjacent duplex fiber optic connector plugs  1 , if the ratio of the distance between the distal portion of the first contact surface  142  of the release lever  14  and the second axial connection portion  141  to the distance between the second axial connection portion  141  and a distal portion of the second contact surface  143  falls within a range from 1:2 to 1:5. In addition, an inverted hook portion  144  is extended downwardly from the distal portion of the first contact surface  142 , and an abutting portion  1112  is extended upwardly from the distal portion of the release bracket  111 , so that the inverted hook portion  144  and the abutting portion  1112  can be latched and contacted with each other without having any gap, so that the plug will not fall off easily during use. 
         [0026]    In some embodiments, an elevated portion  145  is formed at the bottom side of the release lever  14 , and disposed between the axial connection position and the second contact surface  143  for elevating the release lever  14  in order to move the first contact surface  142  downward. Further, the first contact surface  142  is a cambered surface which is concave downwards, so that a distal portion of the release bracket  111  can be moved on the first contact surface  142 , and an upwardly tilted angle of the second contact surface  143  falls within a range from 10 degrees to 35 degrees to facilitate the operation by the technician&#39;s fingers and guide the movement along the second contact surface  143 . Further, the release lever  14  may be made by plastic injection molding and formed at the axial connection position of the second casing  12 . 
         [0027]    One of the key aspects of the present application is that since the duplex fiber optic connector plug  1  of the present invention has two separate and moveable fiber optic connectors  11  and openable casing, a fiber optic jumping operation can be achieved; or the two fiber optic connectors  11  can be switched for easy maintenance, which cannot be achieved by the current design of fiber optic connector plug  1 . 
         [0028]    Please refer to  FIG. 3-5 , the first casing  41  is divided into a first casing front section  411  and a first casing rear section  412 . Both sides of the first casing front section  411  have a latching bump  414 , and both sides of the first casing rear section  412  are provided with a first latch hook  413  respectively. The first casing front section  411  is a sheet-like structure. 
         [0029]    The second casing  42  is also divided into a front section  421  and a rear section  422 . Both sides of the rear section  422  are provided with a latch slot  423  corresponding to the first latch hooks  413 . The first latch hooks  413  are latched and fixed into the latch slots  423  so that the first casing rear section  412  and the rear section  422  form a single body. Both sides of the front section  421  are provided with two second latch hooks  426 . And the second latch hooks  426  are latched to the two sides of the first casing front section  411  to create fixture. The inside of the second casing  42  has two first grooves  424  and two second grooves  434 , the two first grooves  424  and two second grooves  434  are provided approximate to the second latch hooks  426 . When assembled, the latching bumps  414  couple with the first grooves  424 ; in the meantime, the two sides of first casing front section  411  engage with the second grooves  434 . Please refer particularly to  FIG. 3 , the figures shows that the first grooves  424  act as a coupling mechanism for the latching bump  414 , and a fixing mechanism for the latch portion  431  of the fiber optic connector  43 . 
         [0030]    The pliable portion  425  is formed by injection molding onto the surface of the second casing  42  such that the longitudinal direction of the pliable portion  425  is perpendicular to longitudinal direction of the fiber optic connector  43 . The thickness of the pliable portion  425  is 0.5-0.8 times of the second casing  42 . 
         [0031]    When each of the fiber optic connectors  43  is latched to the first groove  424  and the slot  4211  respectively, the positioning of the first casing  41  and the second casing  42  is achieved by latching the latching bump  414  on both sides of a first casing front section  411  of the first casing  41  to the first groove  424  of the second casing  42 . And each of the of the fiber optic connectors  43  has a fiber optic line contained therein. 
         [0032]    Please refer to  FIG. 3-5  again for illustration of the operation of the present invention. The second latch hooks  426  can be unclipped to separate the front section  421  and the first casing front section  411 . Since the front section  421  and the rear section  422  are connected with a pliable portion  425 , when a force is applied to the front section  421  of the second casing  42 , an angular motion of the front section  421  relative to the pliable portion  425  and the rear section  422  is actuated. The front section  421  is bent down and open. At this moment, the second latch hooks  426  are thus decoupled with the two sides of the first casing front section  411 , and the latching bumps  414  are disengaged with the first groove  424 . The first casing rear section  412  and the rear section  422  are still coupled to each other. After the front section  421  is bent downward, the fiber optic connectors  43  are exposed for easy access and removal. The optical fiber connectors  43  can be removed, switched position and placed back to the positioning slot  424  freely. When desired, the front section  421  can be latched back to the first casing front section  411 . 
         [0033]    Please refer to  FIG. 6  for the next prefer embodiment of the present invention. The second casing  62  may comprises a partition element  650  for maintain the position of the fiber optic connectors (not shown). The partition element  650  is provided on the front section  621 . The surfaces of the partition element  650  are provided with permanent magnet layer by coating; or in some instances, the partition element  650  may be entirely constructed with pieces of permanent magnets. Other means for constructing the partition element  650  may be apparent to a person having ordinary skill in the art. The partition element  650  may comprises a first surface  651  and a second surface  652 . The first surface  651  and the second surface  652  are two orthogonal and adjacent surfaces of the partition element  650 . Furthermore, the first surface  651  and a second surface  652  have opposite magnetic polarity. In this embodiment, the bottom side of the first casing front section  660  also comprises a permanent magnet layer which has the opposite magnetic polarity relative to the first surface  651  of the partition element  650 ; that is to say, the magnetic polarity of the bottom side of the first casing front section  660  is the same as the magnetic polarity of the second surface  652  of the partition element  650 . When the duplex fiber optic connector plug  1  is in a close state (please refer to  FIG. 2 ), the bottom side of the first casing front section  660  is in contact with the first surface  651  of the partition element  650 , and the magnetic attractive force between the bottom side of the first casing front section  660  and the first surface  651  secures the closing position of the duplex fiber optic connector plug. On the other hand, when the duplex fiber optic connector plug  1  is in an open state (please refer to  FIG. 6 ), the bottom side of the first casing front section  660  is facing the second surface  652  of the partition element  650 . Thus the magnetic repulsive force between the bottom side of the first casing front section  660  and the second surface  652  helps maintain the open position of the duplex fiber optic connector plug  1 . As a result of the abovementioned design, the present application is much easier for the maintenance personnel to operate. 
         [0034]    The present invention enables fast and easy cable line maintenance and is convenient for maintenance personnel to operate. This is previously unachievable with conventional design of the fiber optic connector plug.