Patent ID: 7686519

Claim:
A fiber optic connector housing and cable assembly comprising: a fiber optic cable; an outer housing defining a first central axis and including a first end positioned opposite from a second end, the first end of the outer housing defining a cable port for receiving the fiber optic cable and the second end of the outer housing defining a ruggedized connector port including a sealing surface and internal threads, the outer housing further including a through-passage extending from the cable port to the ruggedized connector port, the through-passage including an enlarged interior compartment; a single internal fiber optic connector positioned entirely within the enlarged interior compartment of the through-passage of the outer housing, the single internal fiber optic connector including a first ferrule in which a fiber of the fiber optic cable is terminated; a fiber optic adapter positioned within the outer housing, the fiber optic adapter defining a second central axis aligned with the first central axis of the outer housing, the fiber optic adapter including an alignment sleeve, a first end and an opposite second end, the first end of the fiber optic adapter receiving the single internal fiber optic connector with the first ferrule of the single internal fiber optic connector positioned within the alignment sleeve, the second end of the fiber optic adapter facing toward the ruggedized connector port; and a ruggedized external fiber optic connector including a main body having a first end positioned opposite from a second end, a second ferrule mounted at the first end of the main body, an O-ring mounted within a circumferential groove defined around the main body, and a retention nut rotatably mounted on the main body between the O-ring and the second end of the main body; wherein external threads of the retention nut mate with the internal threads of the ruggedized connector port; and wherein the O-ring of the ruggedized external fiber optic connector engages the sealing surface of the ruggedized connector port and the second ferrule of the ruggedized external fiber optic connector aligns with the first ferrule of the single internal fiber optic connector within the alignment sleeve of the fiber optic adapter when the ruggedized external fiber optic connector is fully threaded into the internal threads of the ruggedized connector port; wherein the fiber optic cable includes at least one strength member and the through-passage of the outer housing includes at least one lateral passage portion sized to receive the at least one strength member, and wherein the at least one strength member is received by and adhesively secured to the at least one lateral passage portion of the through-passage of the outer housing.