Patent Description:
A datacenter may include a large number, e.g., several dozen or even hundreds, of cables, e.g., fiber optic cables or other data cables, connected to a hub such as a headend, a server, or a main distribution frame (MDF). The space within datacenters is at a premium, and the density (amount of connections in a defined space) often limits which type or types of connectors can be used for connecting the fiber optic cables to the hub. One common connector design is referred to as LC connectors. However, such connectors are limited to a count of <NUM> fibers per panel, e.g., a standard <NUM>" wide panel with a standard height of 1RU (rack unit), due to the physical size of the connector and the space envelope available. Access to install or remove this type of connector is difficult at high densities.

Some LC connector designs, as exemplified in <CIT> and <CIT>, include an extended pulling latch to facilitate removal. However, such extended latches can increase the amount of precious space within the datacenter taken up by each connection. Moreover, the latch mechanisms must be manipulated directly, e.g., by a user's hand or fingers, and therefore accessibility is still an issue.

Improved latching features, e.g., improved accessibility to release the latching mechanism, for various connector types are thus desired.

Aspects and advantages of the invention will be set forth in part in the following description, or may be apparent from the description, or may be learned through practice of the invention.

The present invention relates to a push-pull connection for a fiber optic cable according to claim <NUM>.

Optional and non-essential features are set out in the dependent claims.

As used herein, terms of approximation such as "generally," "about," or "approximately" include values within ten percent greater or less than the stated value. When used in the context of an angle or direction, such terms include within ten degrees greater or less than the stated angle or direction, e.g., "generally vertical" includes forming an angle of up to ten degrees in any direction, e.g., clockwise or counterclockwise, with the vertical direction.

<FIG> illustrates a push-pull boot connector <NUM> according to one exemplary embodiment of the present disclosure. <FIG> provides an exploded view of the push-pull connector <NUM> of <FIG>. As illustrated in <FIG> and <FIG>, the push-pull boot connector <NUM> is a duplex uniboot connector, e.g., the push-pull boot connector <NUM> includes two ferrules <NUM> and a single strain relief boot <NUM>. The push-pull boot connector <NUM> extends along a longitudinal direction L from a proximal end <NUM> to a distal end <NUM>. The push-pull boot connector <NUM> includes a connector housing <NUM> defining the proximal end <NUM> of the push-pull boot connector <NUM> at a first end <NUM> of the housing <NUM>. A second end <NUM> of the connector housing <NUM> is connected to a first end <NUM> of the strain relief boot <NUM> and a second end <NUM> of the strain relief boot <NUM> defines the distal end <NUM> of the push-pull connector <NUM>. As will be described in more detail herein, pulling on the boot <NUM> allows the release of the connector <NUM> from the adapter <NUM> (see, e.g., <FIG> and <FIG>). Thus, the connector <NUM> may be a remote release connector and accessibility to release the connector <NUM> may thereby be improved.

The strain relief boot <NUM> may include features to promote ease of manipulating the strain relief boot <NUM>, e.g., for assisting a user in gripping the strain relief boot <NUM> to push the push-pull boot connector <NUM> into a connection and/or to pull the push-pull boot connector <NUM> out of a connection such as when installing or removing the connector in a hub such as a main distribution frame. For example, such features may include one or more ridges <NUM> at or proximate to the second end <NUM> of the strain relief boot <NUM> which provide a profiled edge to assist in gripping the push-pull boot connector <NUM>, e.g., with a user's fingers, at the second end <NUM> of the strain relief boot <NUM>, which, as noted above, defines the distal end <NUM> of the push-pull boot connector <NUM>. Accordingly, the push-pull boot connector <NUM> may be a remote release push-pull boot connector, e.g., in that the user does not need access to the proximal end <NUM> of the push-pull boot connector <NUM>. Rather, the remote release connector <NUM> can be released by manipulating the strain relief boot <NUM>, which is remote, e.g., distal, from the point of connection at the proximal end <NUM> of the push-pull boot connector <NUM>.

As may be seen in <FIG> and <FIG>, the push-pull connector <NUM> includes a ferrule holder <NUM> which fits within the connector housing <NUM>. One or more ferrules <NUM> may be positioned in the ferrule holder <NUM> of the connector housing <NUM>. As is generally understood in the art, the ferrules <NUM> are each configured for supporting and aligning an optical fiber (not shown) in order to promote an optical connection of the optical fibers in the ferrules <NUM> with, e.g., a receptacle in a main distribution frame. The ferrules <NUM> may be biased forward, e.g., towards the proximal end <NUM> of the push-pull boot connector <NUM>, by a pair of springs <NUM>, each spring <NUM> of the pair of springs <NUM> corresponding to one of the ferrules <NUM>.

As best seen in <FIG>, the connector housing <NUM> may further include various internal components for supporting and/or aligning the ferrules <NUM> and any optical fibers therein, as well as for mounting the push-pull boot connector <NUM> on a cable containing the optical fibers. For example, such internal components may include a bracket <NUM>, a first collar <NUM> and a second collar <NUM>. The bracket <NUM> may be positioned immediately distal of the ferrules <NUM> and/or the springs <NUM>, e.g., when the internal components are installed within the connector housing <NUM>, such that the springs <NUM> may bias against the bracket <NUM> at one end of the springs <NUM> and against a flange on each respective ferrule <NUM> at the other end of the springs <NUM>. The collars <NUM> and <NUM> may be configured to receive an open end of a cable containing the optical fibers which are received in the ferrules <NUM> and secure the open end of the cable within the push-pull boot connector <NUM>.

As mentioned above, the connector housing <NUM> is connected to the strain relief boot <NUM>. Such connection may be a clip-in connection, where the connector housing <NUM> is connected to the strain relief boot <NUM> by a clip on one of the strain relief boot <NUM> and the connector housing <NUM>, and the clip is engaged with a clip mating face on the other of the strain relief boot <NUM> and the connector housing <NUM>. For example, the strain relief boot <NUM> may include one or more mating clips <NUM> (<FIG>) which are engageable with corresponding clip mating face(s) <NUM> (<FIG>) of the connector housing <NUM>. When connected by such a clip-in connection, the connector housing <NUM> and the strain relief boot <NUM> may thereby be free to move together along the longitudinal direction L.

As shown in <FIG>, an example push-pull connection <NUM> includes the push-pull boot connector <NUM> and an adapter <NUM>. In various embodiments, the push-pull boot connector <NUM> also includes a latch release ramp <NUM> on one of the connector housing <NUM> and the strain relief boot <NUM>. For example, in the embodiment illustrated in <FIG>, the latch release ramp <NUM> is positioned on the connector housing <NUM>.

The adapter <NUM> includes a channel <NUM> configured to receive the proximal end <NUM> of the push-pull boot connector <NUM> and a latch <NUM> positioned in the channel <NUM> of the adapter <NUM> to engage the push-pull boot connector <NUM> when the push-pull boot connector <NUM> moves relative to the adapter <NUM> in a first direction <NUM> along the longitudinal direction L, e.g., into the channel <NUM> of the adapter <NUM>. For example, in the embodiment illustrated in <FIG>, the adapter <NUM> is a dual latch adapter with a pair of opposing latches <NUM>. As shown in <FIG> and <FIG>, the pair of latches <NUM> are disposed at opposite sides of the channel <NUM>, e.g., a first latch <NUM> is disposed at the top of the channel <NUM> and a second latch <NUM> is disposed at the bottom of the channel <NUM>, e.g., when the push-pull connection <NUM> is positioned as shown in <FIG>. The latches <NUM> may be mirror images of one another, e.g., each latch <NUM> may extend into the channel <NUM> from one of the opposing sides towards the other latch <NUM>. The latches <NUM> each engage with a notch <NUM> in the connector housing <NUM> (<FIG> and <FIG>). Through engagement of the latches <NUM> with the push-pull boot connector <NUM>, the latches <NUM> retain the push-pull boot connector <NUM> in the channel <NUM> of the adapter <NUM> when the push-pull boot connector <NUM> is inserted, e.g., pushed, into the channel <NUM> of the adapter <NUM>. In embodiments where the latch <NUM> is a dual latch comprising a pair of opposing latches <NUM>, the push-pull boot connector <NUM> may include a pair of latch release ramps <NUM> corresponding to the pair of opposing latches <NUM>. In such embodiments, each latch release ramp <NUM> of the pair of latch release ramps <NUM> may be configured to disengage a corresponding latch <NUM> of the pair of opposing latches <NUM> from the push-pull boot connector <NUM> when the push-pull boot connector <NUM> moves in the second direction <NUM> relative to the adapter <NUM>, e.g., when the push-pull boot connector <NUM> is pulled out of the adapter <NUM>.

The latch release ramp <NUM> of the push-pull boot connector <NUM> may be configured to disengage the latch <NUM> of the adapter <NUM> from the push-pull boot connector <NUM> when the push-pull boot connector <NUM> moves relative to the adapter <NUM> in the second direction <NUM>. For example, as best seen in <FIG> and <FIG>, the latch release ramp <NUM> may be oblique to the longitudinal direction L and may slope towards the distal end <NUM> of the push-pull boot connector <NUM>. The latch release ramp <NUM> may extend from a high point at a proximal end of the latch release ramp <NUM>, the proximal end of the latch release ramp <NUM> being, e.g., an end of the latch release ramp <NUM> which is closer to or oriented towards the proximal end <NUM> of the push-pull boot connector <NUM>, to a low point at a distal end of the latch release ramp <NUM>, the distal end of the latch release ramp <NUM> being, e.g., an end of the latch release ramp <NUM> which is closer to or oriented towards the distal end <NUM> of the push-pull boot connector <NUM>. The latch release ramp <NUM> may be generally oriented or sloped opposite the latch <NUM>, in order to disengage the latch <NUM> of the adapter <NUM> from the push-pull boot connector <NUM> when the push-pull boot connector <NUM> moves relative to the adapter <NUM> in the second direction <NUM>, e.g., when the push-pull boot connector <NUM> is pulled out of the adapter <NUM>.

<FIG> illustrate an additional embodiment of the present subject matter, where the push-pull boot connector <NUM> is a duplex uniboot connector. As shown in <FIG>, the push-pull boot connector <NUM> may include a collar <NUM> which serves as a crimp for a jacket or strength member of a fiber optic cable. In some embodiments, e.g., as illustrated in <FIG>, the latch <NUM> may be a single latch. As shown, the latch <NUM> also may be provided as a leaf spring within the channel <NUM>. The leaf spring latch <NUM> of <FIG> may be provided as a single latch <NUM>, as shown, or may be provided as a dual latch in other embodiments, e.g., one or more of the dual latches <NUM> shown in <FIG>, <FIG>, <FIG>, <FIG>, <FIG>, and/or <NUM> may also be provided as leaf spring latches <NUM>.

In the embodiment illustrated by <FIG>, the latch release ramp <NUM> is positioned on the strain relief boot <NUM>. As shown, the latch release ramp <NUM> is positioned on a connector release arm <NUM> of the strain relief boot <NUM>. In such embodiments, the push-pull boot connector <NUM> may include a spring <NUM> positioned generally between the connector housing <NUM> and the strain relief boot <NUM>, such as between the connector release arm <NUM> of the strain relief boot <NUM> and a shoulder <NUM> on the connector housing <NUM>, e.g., as shown in <FIG>. The spring <NUM> may be configured to bias the connector release arm <NUM> in the first direction <NUM>. As most easily seen in <FIG> and <FIG>, the connector release arm <NUM> may be configured to move a fixed distance relative to the connector housing <NUM> in the second direction <NUM>. For example, the connector release arm <NUM> may be biased to or towards a latched position, as shown, e.g., in <FIG> and <FIG>, by the spring <NUM>. The connector release arm <NUM> may move the fixed distance from the latched position of <FIG> to a release position, which is shown in <FIG>. The fixed distance may be defined by the shoulder <NUM> on the connector housing <NUM>, where the connector release arm <NUM> abuts the shoulder <NUM> when in the release position, as shown in <FIG>. Once the connector release arm <NUM> has reached the release position, the connector housing <NUM> and the strain relief boot <NUM> may move together in the second direction <NUM>, e.g., as the push-pull boot connector <NUM> is pulled out of the adapter <NUM>. Once the pulling force is removed, the spring <NUM> may be configured to return the connector release arm <NUM> in the first direction <NUM> to the latched position from the release position. As shown in <FIG>, when the connector release arm <NUM> is in the release position while the proximal end <NUM> of the push-pull boot connector <NUM> is received within the channel <NUM> of the adapter <NUM>, the latch release ramp <NUM> biases the latch <NUM> outward, e.g., away from the push-pull boot connector <NUM>, to disengage the latch <NUM> from the push-pull boot connector <NUM>.

In some embodiments, e.g., as illustrated in <FIG>, the push-pull boot connector <NUM> may be a SC duplex uniboot connector. In such embodiments, e.g., as shown in <FIG>, the latch release ramp <NUM> may be provided on the connector housing <NUM> of the push-pull boot connector <NUM>. In some embodiments, the latch release ramp <NUM> may be provided proximate the first end <NUM> of the connector housing <NUM> and close to the portion of the connector housing <NUM> in which the ferrule holders <NUM> are received. As shown in <FIG>, the push-pull boot connector <NUM> may include two ferrules <NUM> and two corresponding ferrule holders <NUM>, with the ferrules <NUM> biased forward, e.g., to or towards the proximal end <NUM> of the push-pull boot connector <NUM>, by springs <NUM> positioned between a flange on each ferrule <NUM> and a first collar <NUM>. The push-pull boot connector <NUM> may further include a bracket <NUM> distal of the first collar <NUM> and a second collar <NUM> distal of the bracket <NUM>. One or both of the collars <NUM> and <NUM> may be configured to engage and support an end of a fiber optic cable containing the optical fibers which are routed through the ferrules <NUM>. As shown in <FIG> and <FIG>, when the push-pull boot connector <NUM> moves relative to the adapter <NUM> in the second direction <NUM>, e.g., from the installed position shown in <FIG> to the release position shown in <FIG>, the latch release ramp <NUM> biases the latch <NUM> outward, e.g., away from the push-pull boot connector <NUM> along a third direction <NUM> which is generally perpendicular to the longitudinal direction L, to disengage the latch <NUM> from the push-pull boot connector <NUM>.

As another example, the push-pull boot connector <NUM> may also be a SC simplex connector, e.g., including a single ferrule <NUM> for a single optical fiber, as illustrated in <FIG>. In such embodiments, e.g., as shown in <FIG>, the latch release ramp <NUM> may be provided on the connector housing <NUM> of the push-pull boot connector <NUM>. In some embodiments, the latch release ramp <NUM> may be provided proximate the first end <NUM> of the connector housing <NUM> and close to the portion of the connector housing <NUM> in which the ferrule holders <NUM> are received.

The present subject matter provides numerous advantages over the prior art, as will be apparent to those of ordinary skill. For example, utilization of an industry standard recognized connector design that has a dual latching feature that does not protrude beyond the body of the connector, therefore minimizing the space required for the connection to occur. This in turn allows a greater density to be mounted within a standard footprint of one rack unit (1RU). The density of a 1RU panel can be increased, e.g., up to <NUM> fibers. As another example, the combination of a connector variant with a uniboot design minimizes cable volume as compared to a design including more than one boot. Ease of access to install or remove the push-pull boot connector <NUM> is increased, e.g., in that the installation or removal can be performed by pushing or pulling on the connector boot <NUM> instead of needing access to the connector housing <NUM>. No remote pulling latch to hinder cable routing or finger access is included. The foregoing are merely examples of potential benefits and advantages the present subject matter may provide and are in no way limiting, the present subject matters may provide additional advantages, and embodiments of the present subject matter may not necessarily include any or all of the specific example advantages described in this paragraph.

Claim 1:
A push-pull connection for a fiber optic cable, the push-pull connection comprising:
a push-pull boot connector (<NUM>) extending along a longitudinal direction from a proximal end (<NUM>) to a distal end (<NUM>), the push-pull boot connector (<NUM>) comprising a connector housing (<NUM>) configured to receive the fiber optic cable, the connector housing (<NUM>) defining the proximal end (<NUM>) of the push-pull boot connector (<NUM>) at a first end (<NUM>) of the connector housing (<NUM>), a second end (<NUM>) of the connector housing (<NUM>) connected to a first end (<NUM>) of a strain relief boot (<NUM>), a second end (<NUM>) of the strain relief boot (<NUM>) defining the distal end (<NUM>) of the push-pull boot connector (<NUM>), and a latch release ramp (<NUM>) on one of the connector housing (<NUM>) and the strain relief boot (<NUM>); and
an adapter (<NUM>) comprising a channel (<NUM>) configured to receive the proximal end (<NUM>) of the push-pull boot connector (<NUM>), a latch (<NUM>) positioned in the channel (<NUM>) of the adapter (<NUM>) to engage the push-pull boot connector (<NUM>) when the push-pull boot connector (<NUM>) moves relative to the adapter (<NUM>) in a first direction along the longitudinal direction, whereby the latch (<NUM>) retains the push-pull boot connector (<NUM>) in the channel (<NUM>) of the adapter (<NUM>) when the latch (<NUM>) engages the push-pull boot connector (<NUM>);
wherein the latch (<NUM>) of the adapter (<NUM>) is received in a notch (<NUM>) of the connector housing (<NUM>) when the proximal end (<NUM>) of the push-pull boot connector (<NUM>) is received in the channel (<NUM>) of the adapter (<NUM>);
wherein the latch release ramp (<NUM>) of the push-pull boot connector (<NUM>) contacts the latch (<NUM>) and pushes the latch (<NUM>) out of the notch (<NUM>) to disengage the latch (<NUM>) of the adapter (<NUM>) from the push-pull boot connector (<NUM>) when the push-pull boot connector (<NUM>), including the latch release ramp (<NUM>) thereon, moves relative to the adapter (<NUM>) in a second direction opposing the first direction when pulled by the strain relief boot (<NUM>).