Abstract:
A spring push with a main body, a crimp portion and two extensions also provides a trigger extending from the main body. The extensions provide engagement with the connector housing and also surfaces to engage the spring. The spring push may be a single component or be comprised of two separate pieces. An adapter is also disclosed with a cut-out portion on a bottom side.

Description:
REFERENCE TO RELATED CASE 
       [0001]    This application claims priority under 35 U.S.C. §119 (e) to provisional application No. 62/056,648 filed on Sep. 29, 2014, the contents of which are hereby incorporated by reference in their entirety. 
     
    
     BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
     Field of the Invention 
       [0002]    Fiber optic connectors may have a latch that assists in securing the fiber optic connector into an adapter or panel. However, the latches must have a portion that extends upward and/or outward from the adapter, allowing workers to disengage the fiber optic connectors from the adapter and/or panel. However, that latch then provides a snag point. Workers can catch clothing, tools, etc. on the latch and mistakenly disengage the fiber optic connector. Therefore, some fiber optic connectors have a trigger component that are added after the fiber optic connector has been terminated that protect the latches from the unintentional disengagement. The trigger component attaches to the fiber optic connector rearwardly of the connector housing (in an LC connector, for example) and covers the end of the latch. See, for example,  FIG. 1 . However, it would be more efficient if additional components were not need for the fiber optic connectors. 
         [0003]    Thus, a component of the fiber optic connector, the spring push, has been designed to eliminate the additional component and provides the trigger. 
       SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
       [0004]    The present invention is directed to a spring push having a trigger for use with a fiber optic connector that includes a main body having a forward facing surface, a rearward facing surface, and at least one side portion, two generally parallel extensions extending from the forward facing surface of the main body away from the rearward facing surface; the two generally parallel extensions configured to engage an elastic member therebetween and each of the parallel extensions having a projection to engage a connector housing of the fiber optic connector, a crimp portion extending from the rearward facing surface of the main body and away from the forward facing surface, the crimp portion having a central opening to allow optical fibers to pass therethrough and between the two generally parallel extensions; and a trigger extending from the at least one side portion to engage at least a portion of a latch on the connector housing of the fiber optic connector. 
         [0005]    In some embodiments, the trigger extends away from the main body between the crimp portion and the two generally parallel extensions and then extends toward the two generally parallel extensions. 
         [0006]    In some other embodiments, each of the two generally parallel extensions have a front end and a forward facing surface disposed between the front end and the main body to engage the elastic member. 
         [0007]    According to another aspect of the present invention, a two-piece spring push for a fiber optic connector is disclosed that includes a first portion having two generally parallel extensions, a second portion, wherein the first portion and the second portion are mated to form a main body and a crimp portion, the main body having a forward facing surface, a rearward facing surface, and at least one side portion, the two generally parallel extensions extending from the forward facing surface of the main body away from the rearward facing surface, the crimp portion extending from the rearward facing surface of the main body and away from the forward facing surface and having a central opening to allow optical fibers to pass therethrough and between the two generally parallel extensions, and a trigger extending from the at least one side portion to engage at least a portion of a latch on the connector housing of the fiber optic connector. 
         [0008]    In some embodiments, the trigger extends away from the main body between the crimp portion and the two generally parallel extensions and then extends toward the two generally parallel extensions. 
         [0009]    In some embodiments, the trigger and the two generally parallel extensions lie in the same plane. 
         [0010]    It is to be understood that both the foregoing general description and the following detailed description of the present embodiments of the invention are intended to provide an overview or framework for understanding the nature and character of the invention as it is claimed. The accompanying drawings are included to provide a further understanding of the invention, and are incorporated into and constitute a part of this specification. The drawings illustrate various embodiments of the invention, and together with the description serve to explain the principles and operations of the invention. 
     
    
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
         [0011]      FIG. 1  is a side view of a prior art connector with a trigger adapter mounted thereto; 
           [0012]      FIG. 2  is a perspective view of one embodiment of a spring push with a trigger according to the present invention; 
           [0013]      FIG. 3  is cross section of the spring push in  FIG. 2 ; 
           [0014]      FIG. 4  is an exploded perspective view of the spring push of  FIG. 1  along with the components of one embodiment of a fiber optic connector and an adapter; 
           [0015]      FIG. 4  is an exploded perspective view of a spring push illustrated with a connector housing, optical fiber ferrule and spring according to the present invention; 
           [0016]      FIG. 5  is a perspective view of the spring push, fiber optic connector, and adapter of  FIG. 4  in an assembled state; 
           [0017]      FIG. 6  is a side view of the spring push, fiber optic connector, and adapter of  FIG. 5 ; 
           [0018]      FIG. 7  is a cross section view of the spring push, fiber optic connector, and adapter of  FIG. 5 ; 
           [0019]      FIG. 8  is an exploded perspective view of a second embodiment of a spring push with a trigger according to the present invention; 
           [0020]      FIG. 9  is a cross section of the spring push in  FIG. 8 ; 
           [0021]      FIG. 10  is a side view of one embodiment of an adapter according to the present invention; and 
           [0022]      FIG. 11  is a perspective view of the adapter of  FIG. 10 . 
       
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS 
       [0023]    Reference will now be made in detail to the present preferred embodiment(s) of the invention, examples of which are illustrated in the accompanying drawings. Whenever possible, the same reference numerals will be used throughout the drawings to refer to the same or like parts. 
         [0024]    Referring to  FIG. 1 , a prior art version of an LC connector  10  with a trigger adapter  12  is illustrated. The adapter  12  is added after the connector  10  is assembled. The adapter  12  requires extra steps in the assembly of the connector  10  and also provides more edges and surfaces to catch items on the connector. Thus, it would be beneficial to have a trigger that is integral with the fiber optic connector that eliminates these catch points. 
         [0025]    One embodiment of a spring push  100  according to the present invention is illustrated in  FIGS. 2 &amp; 3 . The spring push  100  can be used as a part of a fiber optic connector  200  illustrated in  FIGS. 4-7 . The spring push  100  has a main body  102 , the main body having a forward facing surface  104 , a rearward facing surface  106 , and side portions  108 . Extending from the forward facing surface  104  of the main body  102  are two generally parallel extensions  110 , 112 . The two generally parallel extensions  110 , 112  are spaced to allow for an elastic member, preferably a coil spring, to bias a fiber optic ferrule (see  FIG. 4 ) toward the front of the fiber optic connector  200 . Each of the two generally parallel extensions  110 , 112  have a front end  114 . A forward facing surface  116  is disposed on each of the two generally parallel extensions  110 , 112  to engage the elastic member disposed therebetween. The term “front” and “forward” as used herein means that direction where the fiber optic connector would mate with another fiber optic connector or device, while the term rear is used to mean the direction from which the optical fibers come. So turning to  FIG. 3 , front is the direction shown by the arrow and “back” or “rearward” is the opposite direction. 
         [0026]    Each of the two generally parallel extensions  110 , 112  also have a projection  118  on an outside surface  120  to engage a corresponding opening in the fiber optic connector  200  to engage recesses or openings  202  to retain the spring push  100  within the connector housing  204  of the fiber optic connector  200 . The projections  118  may also have a chamfered leading edge  122  that allows for the front end  114  of the two generally parallel extensions  110 , 112  to more easily enter into the central opening  206  of the connector housing  204 . 
         [0027]    Extending from the rearward facing surface  106  is a crimp portion  130 . The crimp portion  130  allows for the Kevlar cords and cable jacket (or other structural members) to be secured to the spring push  100  and the fiber optic connector  200  as is known in the art. As illustrated in the figures, the crimp portion  130  has an outer surface  132  that is preferably round and a round central opening  134 . However, the shape of the outer surface  132  and the central opening  134  may take other shapes, including oval, hexagonal, etc. The shapes of the outer surface  132  and the central opening  134  may take any shape and still fall within the scope of the present invention. 
         [0028]    A trigger  140  extends from one of the side portions  108  of the main body  102  of the spring push  100 . The trigger  140  generally extends upward between the crimp portion  130  and the two generally parallel extensions  110 , 112  and then extends toward the front end  114  of the two generally parallel extensions  110 , 112 . The trigger  140 , when the spring push  100  is inserted into the connector housing  204 , extends over the connector housing  204  and is disposed on top of the latch  208  on the connector housing  204 . As is known in the art, the latch  208  secures the connector housing  204  into an adapter, such as the adapter  300  illustrated in  FIG. 4 , to keep the fiber optic connector  200  from being inadvertently removed from the adapter  300 . With the trigger  140  disposed on top of the latch  208 , it is more difficult to inadvertently remove the fiber optic connector  200  from the adapter  500 . See  FIGS. 10 and 11 . The trigger  140  also extends from the side portion between the the crimp portion  130  and the two generally parallel extensions  110 , 112 , but could also extend from the side portion between the two generally parallel extensions  110 , 112  (i.e., 90 degrees around the main body  102  from where it is illustrated) and still fall within the scope of the present invention. The location of the trigger  140  depends on where the latch  208  on the connector housing  204  is disposed. In the present embodiment illustrated in  FIGS. 2-7 , the trigger  140  is in a plane that also also passes through the center of the two generally parallel extensions  110 , 112 . See  FIG. 2 . 
         [0029]    As referenced to above and illustrated in  FIGS. 4-7 , one embodiment of a fiber optic connector  200  that can be used with the inventive spring push  100  includes the connector housing  204 , a ferrule  210 , a spring  212 , and the spring push  100 . Additional fiber optic connector elements may also be included but are not illustrated herein, such as guide pins, a pin keeper, etc. These fiber optic connector elements may also have other configuration and still come within the scope of the present invention and the appended claims. For example, the spring could have a configuration other than the rectangular shape illustrated herein. 
         [0030]    Another embodiment of a two-piece spring push  400  is illustrated in  FIG. 8 . Spring push  400  functions similarly to spring push  100 , but is formed to two portions  400   a  and  400   b  that make up the main body  402  and the crimp portion  430 . The main body  402  has a forward facing surface  404 , a rearward facing surface  406 , and side portions  408 . Extending from the forward facing surface  404  of the main body  402  are two generally parallel extensions  410 , 412  and extending from the rearward facing surface  406  is the crimp portion  430 . 
         [0031]    The two generally parallel extensions  410 , 412  are spaced to allow for an elastic member to bias a fiber optic ferrule, such as fiber optic ferrule  210 , toward the front of the fiber optic connector  200 . Each of the two generally parallel extensions  410 , 412  have a front end  414 . A forward facing surface  416  is disposed on each of the two generally parallel extensions  410 , 412  to engage the elastic member disposed therebetween. The term “front” and “forward” as used with this embodiment has the same meaning as that indicated above. 
         [0032]    Each of the two generally parallel extensions  410 , 412  also have a projection  418  on an outside surface  420  to engage a corresponding opening in the fiber optic connector  200  to engage recesses or openings  202  to retain the spring push  400  within the connector housing  204  of the fiber optic connector  200 . The projections  418  also have a chamfered leading edge  422  that allows for the front end  414  of the two generally parallel extensions  410 , 412  to more easily enter into the central opening  206  of the connector housing  204 . 
         [0033]    A trigger  440  extends from one of the side portions  408  of the main body  402  of the spring push  400 . The trigger  440  generally extends upward between the crimp portion  430  and the two generally parallel extensions  410 , 412  and then extends toward the front end  414  of the two generally parallel extensions  410 , 412 . The trigger  440 , when the spring push  400  is inserted into the connector housing  204 , extends over the connector housing  204  and is disposed on top of the latch  208  on the connector housing  204 . 
         [0034]    The trigger  440  also extends from the side portion  408  between the the crimp portion  430  and the two generally parallel extensions  410 , 412 , but could also extend from the side portion  408  between the two generally parallel extensions  410 , 412  (i.e., 90 degrees around the main body  402  from where it is illustrated) and still fall within the scope of the present invention. The location of the trigger  440  depends on where the latch  208  on the connector housing  204  is disposed. 
         [0035]    The details of the two-piece spring push  400  are detailed in U.S. Pat. No. 8,684,611 to Childers et al., the contents of which are incorporated herein by reference. However, there could be other configurations of a two-piece spring push that would still fall within the scope of the present invention and the appended claims. 
         [0036]      FIGS. 10 and 11  illustrate an adapter  500  that can be used with a fiber optic connector that uses the spring pushes described above. The adapter has two side panels  502 ,  504  having a first end  506  and a second end  508 . Each of the side panels  502 , 504  has an upper edge  510  and a lower edge  512  as well as a first portion  514  and a second portion  516 . The first portion  514  has smaller width, that is the distance between the upper and lower edges  510 , 512 , than the width of the second portion  516 . 
         [0037]    The adapter  500  also has an top panel  520  and a lower panel  522 , which together with the side panels  502 , 504  create a passageway  526  in the adapter  500 . The top panel  520  also has an opening  528  in communication with the passageway  526  to receive a portion of a latch from the fiber optic connector, the latch retaining the fiber optic connector in the adapter  500 . The top panel  520  and the lower panel  522  extend only along the length of the second portions  516  of the side panels  502 ,  504 . They do not extend all the way to the first end of the side panels  502 ,  504 . With the top panel  520  and the lower panel  522  stopping at the first portion  514  and the reduced width of the side panels  502 ,  504 , there are essentially cut-out portions  522 , 524  at the first end  506  to allow access to the bottom and top of the fiber optic connector while maintaining the alignment and protection afforded by the side panels  502 ,  504 . The cut-out portion  524  at the top of the adapter  500  allows for the latch to be depressed and the fiber optic connector removed from the adapter  500 . The lower cut-out portion  522  allows access to the bottom surface of the fiber optic connector so that the latch can be depressed and the fiber optic connector removed therefrom. 
         [0038]    It will be apparent to those skilled in the art that various modifications and variations can be made to the present invention without departing from the spirit and scope of the invention. Thus it is intended that the present invention cover the modifications and variations of this invention provided they come within the scope of the appended claims and their equivalents.