Patent ID: 6910807

Claim:
A fiber optic connector and adapter assembly comprising: a. two fiber optic connectors each having: 1. an outer connector housing having a longitudinal connector axis; 2. an optical fiber disposed within said connector housing and having a terminal end exposed through an opening in a leading end of said connector housing; 3. a cover carried on said connector housing and pivotally connected thereto to pivot between a cover open and a cover closed position, said cover in said cover closed position covering said opening, said cover in said cover open position exposing said opening, said cover pivotal about an axis generally in a transverse direction to said longitudinal connector axis; 4. said cover including two cam pin receiving slots on opposite sides of said cover; b. an adapter having: 1. an adapter housing having two parallel longitudinal adapter axes and having walls defining an exterior, an interior and an open end extending parallel to said longitudinal adapter axes, said open end sized to selectively receive said leading ends of said connector housings in a side-by-side manner with each one of said longitudinal connector axes aligned with one of said longitudinal adapter axes, said exterior defining an SC adapter footprint; 2. two fiber coupling mechanisms contained within said interior to couple with each of said optical fibers when each of said connector housings are inserted into said adapter housing to a fully inserted position; 3. said adapter housing having a substantially rectangular cross-section perpendicular to said adapter longitudinal axes, said cross-section including a major transverse axis and a minor transverse axis; 4. said adapter housing including an internal divider extending parallel to said minor transverse axis and dividing said interior into first and second connector receiving chambers each sized to receive individual ones of said connector housings and each having respective ones of said fiber coupling mechanism; 5. four cam pins, wherein two cam pins are disposed within each of said first and second connector receiving chambers of said interior to be received within said cam pin receiving slots and urge said cover from said cover closed position to said cover open position as each of said connector housings is inserted into said adapter housing to said fully inserted positions, said cam pins further disposed to urge said cover from said cover open position to said cover closed position as each of said connector housings is removed from said adapter housing.