Patent ID: 7481585

Claim:
A hybrid fiber/copper connector assembly comprising: a first hybrid fiber/copper connector including a first outer housing with a mating end and a cable entry end and a first inner housing removably mounted within the first outer housing, the first inner housing formed from two inner housing halves removably mounted together; and a second hybrid fiber/copper connector including a second outer housing with a mating end that is adapted to mate with the mating end of the first hybrid fiber/copper connector and a cable entry end, the second hybrid fiber/copper connector including a second inner housing removably mounted within the second outer housing, the second inner housing formed from two inner housing halves removably mounted together; wherein the first hybrid fiber/copper connector includes at least one fiber optic adapter removably mounted within one of the first inner housing halves adjacent the mating end, an electrical pin stationarily mounted within the other of the first inner housing halves, and at least one electrical pin carried by a conductor mount that is removably mounted within the first inner housing adjacent the mating end, the electrical pin of the removable conductor mount configured to make electrical contact with the electrical pin stationarily mounted within one of the first inner housing halves; wherein the second hybrid fiber/copper connector includes at least one fiber optic connector removably mounted within one of the second inner housing halves adjacent the mating end, an electrical pin stationarily mounted within the other of the second inner housing halves, and at least one electrical pin conductor carried by a conductor mount that is removably mounted within the second inner housing adjacent the mating end, the electrical pin of the removable conductor mount configured to make electrical contact with the electrical pin stationarily mounted within one of the second inner housing halves; wherein the fiber optic connector of the second hybrid fiber/copper connector configured to mate with the fiber optic adapter of the first hybrid fiber/copper connector and the electrical pin conductor carried by the removably mounted conductor mount of the second hybrid fiber/copper connector adapted to electrically mate with the electrical pin conductor carried by the removably mounted conductor mount of the first hybrid fiber/copper connector.