Patent CA-1261657-A (CA)
Inventor: TANAKA TOSHIYASU
IPC: G02B6/38
Filed: 1985-03-19
Granted: 1989-09-26
Abstract: Abstract of the Disclosure An opitcal connector receptacle adapted to receive and connect in tight fit with at least one optical connector plug which has a protective guide member surrounding at least one ferrule containing an optical fiber, the outer surface of each said ferrule being separated by a defined space from an inner surface of the guide member surrounding said ferrule, said receptacle comprising:     a housing having at least one space open to the receiving end of said receptacle, said one space having a profile conforming to the profile of the outer surface of the protective guide member of said plug, at least two separate supporting members disposed linearly adjacent one another within said one space of the housing, each said supporting member surrounding and defining at least one passage extending from said receiving end of the receptacle to the opposite end, the outer surface of each said supporting member being separated from an inner surface of the housing by the remainder of said one space, each said supporting member having a cross-sectional shape conforming to the defined space between said ferrule and the guide member of the plug, and a pair of apertures formed in said housing on opposite sides of said one space, each aperture being open to the receiving end of the receptacle and adapted to receive one of a corresponding pair of spring latching arms extending along opposite sides of the protective guide member of said plug, each said aperture having therein means for releasably latching with each arm of the plug, whereby when said plug is inserted into the receptacle, the ferrule will be received within the passage defined by said supporting member while said supporting member is received within the defined space between the ferrule and the guide member, and the guide member is received within the remainder of said one space of the housing, all respective mating surfaces between the receptacle and plug contributing to said tight fit, said plug being further retained within the receptacle by the arms releasably latched within said pair of apertures of said receptacle.       An optical connector plug adapted to be received in and connect in tight fit with an optical connector receptacle which has a housing with at least one space open to the receiving end of the receptacle and at least two separate supporting members disposed linearly adjacent one another in said one space, each said supporting member surrounding and defining at least one passage extending from said receiving end to the opposite end, the outer surface of each said supporting member being separated from an inner surface of the housing by the remainder of said one space, said plug comprising at least one ferrule containing an optical fiber adapted to be received within said one passage defined by the supporting member of the receptacle, a protective guide member surrounding said ferrule, the outer surface of the ferrule being separated by a defined space from an inner surface of the guide member surrounding said ferrule, the outer surface of said protective guide member having a profile conforming to the profile of said one space of the receptacle, said defined space between the ferrule and protective guide member conforming to the cross-sectional shape of said supporting member of the receptacle housing, and a pair of spring arms extending along opposite sides of the protective guide member of said plug, said spring arms adapted to be received and releasably latched within a corresponding pair of apertures formed in said receptacle housing on opposite sides of said one space, whereby when said plug is inserted into the receptacle, the ferrule will be received within the passage defined by said supporting member while said supporting member is received within the defined space between the ferrule and the guide member, and the guide member is received within the remainder of said one space of the housing, all respective mating surfaces between the receptacle and plug contributing to said tight fit, said plug being further retained within the receptacle by said pair of apertures of said spring arms being releasably latched within the receptacle.