Patent ID: 8079419

Claim:
An apparatus for controlling a connection speed of fiber optic connectors in a subterranean well comprising: a first assembly positionable in the well, the first assembly including a first fiber optic connector and a first optical fiber; and a second assembly including a second fiber optic connector and a second optical fiber, the second assembly having an outer portion and an inner portion with a transfer piston positioned therebetween, the outer portion selectively axially shiftable relative to the inner portion, wherein, upon engagement of the first assembly with the second assembly, axially shifting the outer portion of the second assembly in a first direction relative to the inner portion of the second assembly meters a fluid through the transfer piston which controls the speed at which the outer and inner portions of the second assembly axially shift relative to one another allowing the first and second fiber optic connectors to be operatively connected to each other at a predetermined connection speed, thereby optically coupling the first and second optical fibers.