Patent ID: 7591595

Claim:
A fiber optic connection system comprising: a fiber optic adapter having a first axial end portion defining a first adapter port and a second axial end portion defining a second adapter port, the first axial end portion including a set of internal threads; a fiber optic connector having: a connector housing having a first end and an opposite second end, the first end defining a plug portion sized for insertion into the first adapter port of the fiber optic adapter, the second end defining a circumferential shoulder and a circumferential groove disposed between the circumferential shoulder and the first end; a ferrule assembly mounted at least partially within the connector housing, the ferrule assembly including a ferrule located at the plug portion of the connector housing; a sealing member adapted for sealing between the connector housing of the fiber optic connector and the first axial end portion of the fiber optic adapter, the sealing member being disposed in the circumferential groove of the second end of the connector housing; a coupling nut adapted to thread into the first axial end portion of the fiber optic adapter, the coupling nut including an end adapted for abutment with the circumferential shoulder of the second end of the fiber optic connector; the fiber optic connector being inserted into the first adapter port in an inward direction and being removed from the first adapter port in an outward direction; and the fiber optic connector and the fiber optic adapter including a snap-fit latch arrangement for retaining the fiber optic connector within the first adapter port of the fiber optic adapter, the snap-fit latch arrangement including first and second retention surfaces that engage one another to retain the fiber optic connector within the first adapter port of the fiber optic adapter, at least the first retention surface being angled relative to a central axis of the fiber optic connector, the first retention surface also being angled relative to a plane perpendicular to the central axis of the fiber optic connector so as to reduce a pull-out force required to remove the fiber optic connector from the first adapter port by overcoming a retention force of the snap-fit latch arrangement.