Patent Document

REFERENCE TO RELATED CASE 
     This application claims priority under 35 U.S.C. §119(e) to provisional application No. 61/503,875, filed on Jul. 1, 2011, and to U.S. Pat. No. 9,405,068, issued on Aug. 2, 2016, under 35 U.S.C. §120, which are hereby incorporated by reference in their entirety. 
    
    
     BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
     Field of the Invention 
     A low cost, simple-to-manufacture fiber optic ferrule, adapter, and related assembly is needed in high speed applications. One possible alternative is the MTP connector system, but with the available space for the connections becoming smaller, a format that is smaller than the MTP connector system is needed. Similarly, a more simplified connector with a ferrule is also needed so that the connections can be made quickly, reliably, and with minimal parts. The adapter also needs to be able to be connectorized to a jacketed fiber optic cable and have strain relief. Furthermore, the system needs the ability to seal the interface with the optical component to which it will be connected. 
     Thus, a new adapter and boot assembly has been devised that provides the strain relief, allows for connectorization with optical fibers in a jacketed cable, and provides a seal for environmental contaminants by way of a modified boot. 
     SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
     The present invention is directed to an adapter to hold and align a fiber optic ferrule, the adapter that includes a main body having a front end, a middle portion, a back end, and an opening extending between the front end and the middle portion, a first projection extending downward from the front end and orthogonal to the opening, a second projection extending downward from the middle portion and orthogonal to the opening, a cover portion extending between the front end and middle portion and partially defining the opening, the cover portion disposed to cover at least a portion of the fiber optic ferrule, the back end configured to receive and engage at least a portion of a fiber optic cable, the back end having at least one projection extending from an inside surface to engage the fiber optical cable, and a back cover, the back cover configured to engage at least a portion of the back end of the main body, the back cover having at least one projection extending from an inside surface thereof to engage the fiber optic cable. 
     In some embodiments, the adapter also includes a boot, the boot configured to cover at least a portion of the back end of the main body and the back cover, the boot providing compression to the back end of the main body and the back cover. 
     In other embodiments, the at least one of the back end of the main body and the back cover has a latch member and the other of the back end of the main body and the back cover has a latch receiving member to engage the latch member to secure the back end of the main body and the back cover to one another. 
     In another aspect, the present invention is a directed to a boot for use with an adapter, the boot that includes a main body having a first end configured for attachment to the adapter, a second end opposite the first end, and a passageway extending from the first end to the second end configured to receive a portion of a fiber optic cable and a portion of the adapter, the main body being flexible so as to be bendably deflectable with the portion of the fiber optic cable, and at least one radially outwardly projecting rib, the at least one radially projecting rib disposed adjacent the first end and being compressible, the at least one radially outwardly projecting rib having a forward surface facing outward away from the main body. 
     In some embodiments, wherein the at least one radially outwardly projecting rib is configured to engage an optical component adjacent an opening in the optical component, the at least one radially outwardly projecting rib sealing the opening in the optical component. 
     In other embodiments, he adapter includes a back end and a back cover, the back end configured to receive and engage at least a portion of a fiber optic cable and the back cover configured to engage at least a portion of the back end of the main body and the fiber optic cable. 
     Additional features and advantages of the invention will be set forth in the detailed description which follows and, in part, will be readily apparent to those skilled in the art from that description or recognized by practicing the invention as described herein, including the detailed description, the claims, and the appended drawings. 
     It is to be understood that both the foregoing general description and the following detailed description of the present embodiments of the invention are intended to provide an overview or framework for understanding the nature and character of the invention as it is claimed. The accompanying drawings are included to provide a further understanding of the invention and are incorporated into and constitute a part of this specification. The drawings illustrate various embodiments of the invention and, together with the description, serve to explain the principles and operations of the invention. 
    
    
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
         FIG. 1  is a perspective view of the bottom side of one embodiment of an adapter and boot according to the present invention; 
         FIG. 2  is an exploded view of the adapter and boot of  FIG. 1 ; 
         FIG. 3  is a cross section of the adapter and boot of  FIG. 1 ; 
         FIG. 4  is a bottom view of the adapter and boot of  FIG. 1  with a fiber optic ferrule in the adapter; 
         FIG. 5  is an exploded view of the upper side of the adapter of  FIG. 1 ; 
         FIG. 6  is a cross section view of the adapter and boot of  FIG. 1  with a fiber optic ferrule installed in a transceiver; 
         FIG. 7  is a cross section view of a adapter and boot of  FIG. 1  with a fiber optic ferrule installed in a second transceiver; 
         FIG. 8  is an end view of an alternative embodiment of an adapter according to the present invention showing the adapter with a rectangular end for use with ribbons; and 
         FIG. 9  is an alternative embodiment of an adapter according to the present invention; and 
         FIG. 10  is alternative embodiment of an adapter according to the present invention illustrating a clip to secured the adapter together. 
     
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS 
     Reference will now be made in detail to the present preferred embodiment(s) of the invention, examples of which are illustrated in the accompanying drawings. Whenever possible, the same reference numerals will be used throughout the drawings to refer to the same or like parts. 
     Referring to  FIGS. 1-3 , one embodiment of an adapter  100  according to the present invention is illustrated. The adapter  100  has a main body  102 , a back cover  104 , and may include a strain relief boot  106 . The main body  102  has a front end  110 , a middle portion  112 , a back end  114 , and an opening  116  extending between the front end  110  and the middle portion  112 . The opening  116  is configured to receive and retain in a known relationship to the adapter  100  a fiber optic ferrule  200  (see  FIG. 4 .). The main body  102  also has a first projection  120  extending downward from the front end  110  and orthogonal to the opening  116  and a second projection  122  extending downward from the middle portion  112  and orthogonal to the opening  116 . The first and second projections  120 , 122  are used to engage projections on a transceiver or other optical component to optically link the fiber optic ferrule  200  with the optical component. A full description of the fiber optic ferrule, front portion of the adapter and the optical component are fully described in copending application Ser. No. 12/540,193, the contents of which are incorporated in its entirety herein. 
     The main body  102  also has a cover portion  124  extending between the front end  110  and middle portion  112  and partially defining the opening  116 . The cover portion  124  also covers at least a portion of the fiber optic ferrule  200  (see  FIG. 4 ). The main body  102  may also include a passage  126  opposite the cover portion  124  to allow for optical fiber management of neighboring assemblies. The passage  126  may also include tabs  128  that can be used to secure and remove the adapter  100  from the optical component. Structures other than the tabs  128  may be used to remove the adapter  100  and still be within the scope of the present invention. 
     The back end  114  of the main body  102  is configured to receive and engage at least a portion of a fiber optic cable  202  ( FIG. 4 ). The back end  114  has a flat portion  130  that is disposed between the opening  116  and the back end  114 . The flat portion  130  allows for the optical fibers in the fiber optic cable to be fanned out and managed before entering and being secured in the fiber optic ferrule  200 . Adjacent the flat portion  130  is the rounded back end  132 , with at least one projection  134  extending from an inside surface  136  to engage the fiber optical cable  202 . As illustrated best in  FIGS. 2 and 3 , there are several of the projections  134  that extend into the rounded back end  132 . The back end  114  also has projections  138  on either side of the rounded back end  132  to engage corresponding openings in the back cover  104  to assist in stabilizing the back end  114 . 
     As best seen in  FIG. 5 , on the outside surface  140  of the back end  114  are two flat surfaces  142  that are used by flanges on the back cover  104  to secure the two pieces to one another as described in more detail below. Between the two flat surfaces  142  and the rounded back end  132  is a boot receiving area  144  where the strain relief boot  106  is pushed onto the adapter  100 . 
     The back cover  104  mates to the back end  114  of the main body  102  to make a complete unit. The back cover  104  has a front end  150 , a back end  152 , an inside surface  154 , and an outside surface  156 . The front end  150  has a flat portion  158  that corresponds to the flat portion  130  in the main body  102 . On either side of the flat portion  158  are two flange members  160  that are configured to engage the flat surfaces  142  when the main body  102  and the back cover  104  are mated. The back cover  104  also has a boot receiving area  162  on the outside surface  156 . The inside surface  154  has openings or indentations  164  that receive the projections  138  on the rounded back in  132  of the main body  102 . 
     The backend  152  of the back cover  104  also has a rounded portion  166 . As can be understood from  FIG. 2 , when the main body  102  and the back cover  104  are mated, a generally cylindrical opening is formed to engage the fiber optic cable  200 . On the inside surface  154  of the back cover  104  are projections  168  that engage the outside of the fiber-optic cable  200 . As can be best seen in  FIG. 2 , a longitudinal groove  170  extends from the backend  152  of the back cover  104  up to the boot receiving area  162 . A similar groove or opening also exists at the back end  114  along the corresponding surfaces of the main body  102  and the back cover  104 . These grooves allow the back end of adapter  100  to flex and be tightened around the fiber-optic cable  200  when the strain relief boot  106  is placed over the adapter  100 . 
     As illustrated in  FIG. 8 , the back end of the another embodiment of the adapter  100 ′, as seen through the boot  106 ′, may have a configuration other than the round configuration noted above. For example, the back end of the adapter  100 ′ may also have a generally rectangular opening to receive fiber optic ribbons rather than the fiber optic cable  200 . 
     The strain relief boot  106  has a main body  180 . The main body  180  has a first end  182  configured to be attached to the backend of the adapter  100  and a second end  184  to provide strain relief for the fiber optic cable  200 . The main body  180  has an passageway or opening  186  extending between the first end  182  and the second end  184  to receive part of the adapter  100  and the fiber optic cable  200 . The opening  186  is sized to compress the back end of the adapter  100  to at least partially compress the back end thereof. The strain relief boot  106  is similar to conventional strain relief boots in that it protects fiber-optic cable as it exits from the adapter  100  and prevents side loads from bending the fiber optic cable  200  and damaging it. 
     The strain relief boot  106  also has at least one radially extending portion  190  extending at least a portion of the way around the strain relief boot  106 . As illustrated in the figures, there are two radially extending portions  190  that extend all the way around the strain relief boot  106 . The radially extending portions  190  have a flat rear surface  192  and a forward facing surface  194  that faces outward away from the strain relief boot  106 . That is, the forward facing surface  194  points upward and away from the boot and not directly forward along the length of the strain relief boot  106 . This means that the flat rear surface  192 , which does point directly along the length of the strain relief boot  106 , and the forward facing surface  194  are not parallel to one another. 
     As illustrated in  FIG. 6 , the adapter  100  with the strain relief boot  106  can be used with an optical component  300 , such as a transceiver. The fiber optic ferrule  200  has been removed from the adapter  100  for clarity. The optical component  300  has a main body  302  to receive and hold the adapter  100  in optical alignment. The optical component  300  may also have a cover  304  that is closed after the adapter  100  is installed. The cover  304  can prevent contaminants and particulates from entering into the optical component  300 , but there may be gaps around the back end of the adapter  100  where it enters into the optical component  300 . Thus, the strain relief boot  106  has the radially extending portions  190  that are larger than the opening  306  formed by the main body  302  and the cover  304 . The strain relief boot  106 , made of an elastomeric material, is biased against the opening  306  to seal it and prevent contaminants and particulates from entering. 
     An alternative arrangement of the adapter  100  with the strain relief boot  106  and an optical component  300 ′ is illustrated in  FIG. 7 . A portion of the strain relief boot  106  is disposed within the opening  306 ′ formed by the main body  302 ′ and the cover  304 ′. With the boot  106  being made of the elastomer, the radially extending portions  190 ′ are easily bent over to seal the opening  306 ′ around the adapter  100  and the optical component  300 ′. Other configurations of the optical component  300 ′, the main body  302 ′ and the cover  304 ′ are also possible to seal the opening  306 ′. 
       FIG. 9  illustrates another embodiment of an adapter  400  according to the present invention. This adapter  400  also has a main body  402 , a back cover  404 , and may include a strain relief boot as in the first embodiment. The main body  402  has a front end  410 , a middle portion  412 , a back end  414 , and an opening  416  extending between the front end  410  and the middle portion  412 . The main body  402  also has a first projection  420  extending downward from the front end  410  and orthogonal to the opening  416  and a second projection  422  extending downward from the middle portion  412  and orthogonal to the opening  416 . 
     The back end  414  of the main body  402  is configured to receive and engage at least a portion of a fiber optic cable  202 . The back end  414  has a flat portion  430  that is disposed between the opening  416  and the back end  414 . Adjacent the flat portion  430  is the rounded back end  432 , with at least one projection  434  extending from an inside surface  436  to engage the fiber optical cable  202 . As illustrated, there are several of the projections  434  that extend from the rounded back end  432 . The back end  414  also has projections  438  on either side of the rounded back end  432  to engage corresponding openings in the back cover  104  to assist in stabilizing the back end  414 . 
     The back cover  404  mates to the back end  414  of the main body  402  to make a complete unit. The back cover  404  has a front end  450 , a back end  452 , an inside surface  454 , and an outside surface  456 . The front end  450  has a flat portion  458  that corresponds to the flat portion  430  in the main body  402 . On either side of the flat portion  458  are two flange members  460  that are configured to engage the flat surfaces  442  when the main body  402  and the back cover  404  are mated. The inside surface  454  has openings or indentations  464  that receive the projections  438  on the rounded back in  432  of the main body  402 . Adjacent the openings or indentations  464  in the back cover  404  and the projections  438  on the main body  402  is a hinge  480  that connects the back cover  404  and the main body  402 . Preferably the hinge  480  is a living hinge, but could be any suitable type of hinge. This allows the components of the adapter  400  to be an integral or unitary piece. 
     Another embodiment of an adapter  500  is illustrated in  FIG. 10 . In adapter  500 , rather than having two flange members to connect the back cover  504  and the main body  502 , a clip  580  is placed over the back cover  504  and engages the main body  502 . 
     It will be apparent to those skilled in the art that various modifications and variations can be made to the present invention without departing from the spirit and scope of the invention. Thus, it is intended that the present invention cover the modifications and variations of this invention provided they come within the scope of the appended claims and their equivalents.

Technology Category: 3