BEHIND-THE-WALL OPTICAL CONNECTOR AND ASSEMBLY OF THE SAME
A behind-the-wall optical connector having an outer housing configured to be inserted into an adapter with a corresponding inner surface, and a latch is attached to at least one side of housing configured to lock the connector into an adapter opening. A backbody, an integrated backbody or an external clip retains the ferrule assembly with a ferrule, biased forward toward a proximal end of the connector housing.
1 . A behind-the-wall optical connector, comprising:
an outer housing having a first, front end and a second, back end spaced apart along a longitudinal axis, the outer housing comprising a first housing sidewall and a second housing sidewall extending along the longitudinal axis, the outer housing further comprising an upper wall and an opposite lower wall extending along the longitudinal axis and extending widthwise from the first housing sidewall to the second housing sidewall;
an optical fiber ferrule in the outer housing;
a ferrule spring disposed rearward of the optical fiber ferrule for urging the optical fiber ferrule forward in the outer housing;
wherein the outer housing further comprises a first recess formed in the upper wall and a second recess formed in the lower wall, the first recess and the second recess being at generally the same location along the longitudinal axis between the first, front end and the second, back end, the first recess and the second recess configured to receive opposing adapter latch hooks of a mating adapter;
wherein the outer housing further comprises a depressible adapter latch on the upper wall, the adapter latch configured to latch with a latch recess of the mating adapter to releasably retain the adapter latch in the mating adapter.
2 . The behind-the-wall optical connector according to claim 1 , wherein the depressible adapter latch is spaced apart from the first recess rearward along the longitudinal axis.
3 . The behind-the-wall connector as according to claim 1 , wherein the first and second recesses are configured to displace the opposing adapter latch hooks of the mating adapter out of the first and second recesses when the depressible adapter latch is depressed and the behind-the-wall connector is pulled rearward from the mating adapter.
4 . The behind-the-wall connector according to claim 3 , wherein the each of the first and second recesses comprises a front end defined by a surface of the respective one of the upper and lower walls that is angled to slope inward heightwise as the surface extends rearward longitudinally.
5 . The behind-the-wall optical connector of claim 1 , wherein the outer housing further comprises an alignment key opposite the depressible adapter latch to ensure the behind-the-wall connector is inserted into the adapter port in the correct polarity orientation.
6 . The behind-the-wall optical connector according to claim 5 , wherein the alignment key is spaced apart from the second recess rearward along the longitudinal axis.
7 . The behind-the-wall optical connector according to claim 1 , wherein the behind-the-wall optical connector is configured to hold a plurality of optical fibers such that the optical fibers are spaced apart in a single-file row extending heightwise.
8 . The behind-the-wall optical connector according to claim 1 , further comprising a spring retainer formed within the outer housing and configured to form a stop for the ferrule spring.
9 . The behind-the-wall optical connector according to claim 8 , wherein the outer housing further comprises opposing flexible side tabs formed as part of the first housing sidewall and the second housing sidewall.
10 . The behind-the-wall optical connector according to claim 9 , wherein the opposing flexible side tabs are configured to secure the optical fiber ferrule.
11 . The behind-the-wall optical connector according to claim 10 , wherein the optical fiber ferrule comprises a flange.
12 . The behind-the-wall optical connector according to claim 11 , wherein ferrule spring urges the flange into engagement with the opposing flexible side tabs and the opposing flexible side tabs brace the flange in the outer housing.
13 . The behind-the-wall optical connector according to claim 10 , wherein the opposing flexible side tabs are configured so that the optical fiber ferrule and the ferrule spring are insertable rearward into the outer housing.
14 . The behind-the-wall optical connector according to claim 1 , wherein the optical fiber ferrule comprises first and second single-fiber ferrules.
15 . The behind-the-wall optical connector according to claim 14 , wherein the ferrule spring comprises first and second ferrule springs.
16 . The behind-the-wall optical connector according to claim 1 , wherein the outer housing comprises a first portion in front of the first and second recesses and a second portion rearward of the first and second recesses, the outer housing having a first height between the upper wall and the lower wall along the first portion and a second height between the upper wall and the lower wall along the second portion, the first height being less than the second height.
17 . The behind-the-wall optical connector according to claim 16 , wherein the depressible adapter latch is located on the second portion.
18 . The behind-the-wall optical connector according to claim 17 , wherein the outer housing further comprises an alignment key on the lower wall located on the second portion.