Bayonet lock MPO connector

{
  "publication_number": "US9897766B2",
  "country": "US",
  "kind": "B2",
  "title": "Bayonet lock MPO connector",
  "abstract": "Optical fiber connectors for MT/MPO type ferrule assemblies are disclosed, having an overall connector length less than about 37 mm, for example, an overall length of about 18.5 mm. In one embodiment, a connector comprises a ferrule assembly, and a housing coupled to the ferrule assembly and configured to couple to an adapter corresponding to the ferrule assembly. The connector further includes a lock coupled to the housing and configured to rotate so as to lock and unlock the housing from said adapter.",
  "claims": [
    "1. A connector comprising: a ferrule assembly; a housing configured to be received by an adapter external to the housing, the housing having a front portion and a rear portion, the front portion being configured to receive the ferrule assembly and the rear portion being configured to couple to the adapter; a lock coupled to the rear portion of the housing and configured to rotate so as to lock and unlock the housing from said adapter; and a ferrule spring disposed within the housing, wherein the housing includes at least one catch and the ferrule assembly is secured to the housing between the ferrule spring and the at least one catch.",
    "2. The connector of claim 1, wherein the ferrule assembly is one of an MT/MPO ferrule assembly and an MPO ferrule assembly.",
    "3. The connector of claim 1, wherein the lock is a ring configured to rotate about the housing.",
    "4. The connector of claim 1, wherein the lock is a bayonet lock.",
    "5. The connector of claim 4, wherein the housing includes a cylindrical portion and the bayonet lock is disposed about the cylindrical portion.",
    "6. The connector of claim 1, the housing being the only housing of said connector.",
    "7. The connector of claim 1, wherein the lock includes at least one flexing tab configured to snap into a respective groove of the housing so as to couple the lock to the housing.",
    "8. The connector of claim 1, wherein the housing includes a stop configured to limit rotation of the lock.",
    "9. The connector of claim 1, wherein the housing further comprises a plurality of inclined surfaces configured to facilitate coupling of the ferrule assembly to the housing.",
    "10. The connector of claim 1, wherein the housing includes a plurality of slits configured to allow flexing of the housing.",
    "11. The connector of claim 1, wherein the housing includes at least one recess configured to receive a respective catch of said adapter.",
    "12. The connector of claim 11, wherein the lock includes at least one tab configured to cover the respective catch of said adapter disposed in the at least one recess of the housing when the lock is in a locked position.",
    "13. The connector of claim 12, wherein the at least one tab is configured to uncover the respective catch of said adapter disposed in the at least one recess of the housing when the lock is in an unlocked position, to allow decoupling the housing from the adapter.",
    "14. The connector of claim 1, having a connector length less than about 37 mm.",
    "15. The connector of claim 14, wherein the connector length is less than or equal to about 18.5 mm.",
    "16. The connector of claim 1, wherein the housing is coupled to said adapter, a portion of the connector protruding from said adapter having a length less than or equal to about 7.5 mm.",
    "17. A connector comprising: a housing configured to be received by an adapter external to the housing, the housing having a front portion and a rear portion opposite the front portion, the front portion being configured to receive a ferrule assembly, and the rear portion being configured to couple to the adapter; a lock coupled to the rear portion of the housing and configured to rotate around the housing so as to lock and unlock the housing from said adapter; and a ferrule spring disposed within the housing, wherein the housing includes at least one catch and the ferrule assembly is secured to the housing between the ferrule spring and the at least one catch.",
    "18. The connector of claim 17, wherein the housing is configured to receive one of an MT/MPO ferrule assembly and an MPO ferrule assembly, and to couple to an MPO adapter.",
    "19. The connector of claim 17, wherein the lock is a bayonet lock.",
    "20. The connector of claim 17, having a connector length less than or equal to about 18.5 mm."
  ],
  "description_excerpt": "The present disclosure relates generally to optical fiber connectors and systems, and specifically to MPO (Multi-fiber Push On) type optical fiber connectors having a compact design.\n\nFiber optics have become the standard cabling medium used by data centers to meet the growing needs for data volume, transmission speeds, and low losses. An optical fiber connector is a mechanical device disposed at an end of an optical fiber, and acts as a connector of optical paths, for example when optical fibers are joined to each other. An optical fiber connector may be coupled with an adapter to connect an optical fiber cable to other optical fiber cables or devices. An adapter generally includes a housing, or portion of a housing, having at least one port which is configured to receive and hold a connector to facilitate the optical connection of one connector to another connector or other device.\n\nAn MPO connector is a multi-fiber connector defined by industry standards. A conventional MPO connector has many constituent parts and a push/pull locking and unlocking mechanism, resulting in a relatively long connector design that wastes too much space, and which may not be sufficiently small for use in certain applications. Moreover, conventional MPO connectors are composed of many constituent parts, increasing the cost of materials and labor, as well as the complexity of assembly. Accordingly, there is a need for MPO type optical fiber connectors that have a more compact design than conventional MPO connectors.",
  "cpc": [
    "G02B 6/3891",
    "G02B 6/3821",
    "G02B 6/3869",
    "G02B 6/3885"
  ],
  "ipc": [
    "G02B 6/38"
  ],
  "assignees": [
    "Senko Advanced Components Inc"
  ],
  "inventors": [
    "Jeffrey Gniadek"
  ],
  "filing_date": "2015-07-02",
  "publication_date": "2018-02-20",
  "grant_date": "2018-02-20",
  "priority_date": "2015-07-02",
  "application_number": "US-201514790077-A",
  "family_id": "57683954",
  "cited_by_count": 16,
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}