Low cost hardened fiber optic connection system
The present disclosure relates to a ruggedized/hardened fiber optic connection system designed to reduce cost. In one example, selected features of a fiber optic adapter are integrated with a wall ( 24 ) of an enclosure ( 22 ). The adapter comprises a sleeve port ( 26 ) into which an optical adapter subassembly is inserted. The subassembly comprises a sleeve part ( 44 ) which is inserted into the sleeve, a ferrule alignment sleeve ( 48 ) which is inserted into the sleeve part, a ferrule ( 55 ) with hub which is inserted into the alignment sleeve, and fixing clip ( 46 ) securing the ferrule with hub into the alignment sleeve and the sleeve part.
1. A telecommunications device, comprising:
an enclosure having an outer enclosure wall, the enclosure defining a passage for directly receiving a fiber optic connector extending from an exterior of the enclosure to an interior of the enclosure through the outer enclosure wall, at least a portion of the passage being unitarily integrated with the outer enclosure wall;
a connector sleeve defining at least a portion of the passage and configured to receive a portion of the fiber optic connector extending from the exterior of the enclosure to the interior of the enclosure through the outer wall of the enclosure; and
a subassembly defining a central axis, including:
a first housing piece including a retention slot;
a second housing piece including a retention tab, the retention tab projecting perpendicularly to the central axis from a body of the second housing piece into the retention slot to couple the first and second housing pieces together; and
a ferrule alignment sleeve configured to receive, parallel to the central axis, a ferrule terminating an optical fiber,
wherein the subassembly is configured to snappingly mount to the connector sleeve to align the central axis with the passage.
2. The device of claim 1 , wherein the first housing piece includes a cantilever and a retention tab provided on the cantilever configured to elastically snap onto the connector sleeve.
3. The device of claim 1 , wherein the connector sleeve is unitarily integrated with the outer enclosure wall.
4. The device of claim 1 , wherein the subassembly includes a ferrule axially fixed relative to the first housing piece.
5. The device of claim 1 , wherein the connector sleeve is not unitarily integrated with the outer enclosure wall.
6. The device of claim 1 , further comprising a connector fastening structure configured to mate with a corresponding fastening structure of the fiber optic connector to secure the fiber optic connector relative to the connector sleeve.
7. A telecommunications device, comprising:
an enclosure having an outer enclosure wall, the enclosure defining passages for directly receiving fiber optic connectors extending from an exterior of the enclosure to an interior of the enclosure through the outer enclosure wall, at least a portion of each passage being unitarily integrated with the outer enclosure wall;
connector sleeves arranged in a row, each connector sleeve defining at least a portion of one of the passages and being configured to receive a portion of the corresponding fiber optic connector extending from the exterior of the enclosure to the interior of the enclosure through the outer wall of the enclosure;
connector fastening structures corresponding to the connector sleeves, each connector fastening structure being configured to mate with a corresponding fastening structure of the corresponding fiber optic connector to secure the corresponding fiber optic connector relative to the corresponding connector sleeve; and, for each connector sleeve:
a subassembly defining a central axis, including:
a first housing piece including a retention slot;
a second housing piece including a retention tab, the retention tab projecting perpendicularly to the central axis from a body of the second housing piece into the retention slot to couple the first and second housing pieces together; and
a ferrule alignment sleeve configured to receive, parallel to the central axis, a ferrule terminating an optical fiber,
wherein each subassembly is configured to snappingly mount to a corresponding one of the connector sleeves to align each central axis with one of the passages.
8. The device of claim 7 , wherein the connector sleeves are not uniformly integrated with the outer enclosure wall.
9. The device of claim 7 , wherein the connector sleeves are uniformly integrated with the outer enclosure wall.
10. The device of claim 7 , wherein the fastening structures and the corresponding fastening structures include interlocking features.
11. The device of claim 10 , wherein the interlocking features include threads.
12. The device of claim 7 , wherein each subassembly includes a ferrule axially fixed relative to the first housing piece.
13. A telecommunications device, comprising:
an enclosure having an outer enclosure wall including a port defining portion unitarily integrated with the outer enclosure wall, the port defining portion defining a connector port having an outer end and an inner end, the connector port being configured for directly receiving a fiber optic connector through the outer end of the connector port, the fiber optic connector including a connector body and a first ferrule holding a first optical fiber; and
a subassembly that mounts within the enclosure, the subassembly including a housing piece that supports a ferrule alignment sleeve of the subassembly in alignment with the connector port, the subassembly further including a second ferrule that fits within the ferrule alignment sleeve, the second ferrule supporting a second optical fiber that extends through the second ferrule in a lengthwise orientation and that extends from the second ferrule into an interior of the enclosure,
wherein the enclosure includes a latch configured such that when the connector body is inserted in the connector port the latch moves radially from a latching position to accommodate the connector body and then resiliently moves back to the latching position to latch the connector body in place relative to the enclosure once the connector body has been fully inserted in the connector port.
14. The telecommunications device of claim 13 , wherein an entirety of the subassembly is inwardly offset from the outer end of the connector port.
15. The telecommunications device of claim 13 , wherein the connector port is configured such that at least a portion of the connector body engages the port defining portion when the connector body is secured in the connector port.
16. The telecommunications device of claim 13 , wherein a coupling interface between the connector body and the enclosure can withstand a pullout force of at least 25 pounds.
17. The telecommunications device of claim 13 , wherein a coupling interface between the connector body and the enclosure can withstand a pullout force of at least 50 pounds.
18. A telecommunications device, comprising:
an enclosure having an outer enclosure wall including a port defining portion unitarily integrated with the outer enclosure wall, the port defining portion defining a connector port having an outer end and an inner end, the connector port being configured for directly receiving a fiber optic connector through the outer end of the connector port, the fiber optic connector including a connector body and a first ferrule holding a first optical fiber; and
a subassembly that mounts within the enclosure, the subassembly including a housing piece that supports a ferrule alignment sleeve of the subassembly in alignment with the connector port, the subassembly further including a second ferrule that fits within the ferrule alignment sleeve, the second ferrule supporting a second optical fiber that extends through the second ferrule in a lengthwise orientation and that extends from the second ferrule into an interior of the enclosure,
wherein the enclosure includes a latch configured such that when the connector body is inserted in the connector port the latch moves from a latching position to accommodate the connector body and then snaps back to the latching position to latch the connector body in the connector port once the connector body has been fully inserted in the connector port.
19. The telecommunications device of claim 18 , wherein the connector body can withstand a pullout force of at least 25 pounds when secured in the connector port.
20. The telecommunications device of claim 18 , wherein the connector body can withstand a pullout force of at least 50 pounds when secured in the connector port.
21. The telecommunications device of claim 13 , wherein the subassembly includes a semi-permanent snap-fit interface for retaining the second ferrule in the housing piece.
22. The telecommunications device of claim 13 , wherein the subassembly does not have a release sleeve for facilitating removing the second ferrule from the housing piece.
23. The telecommunications device of claim 14 , wherein the housing piece defines an opening positioned between the ferrule alignment sleeve and the outer end of the connector port for receiving an end portion of the connector body.
24. The telecommunications device of claim 14 , wherein the housing piece defines an opening extending axially outwardly from the ferrule alignment sleeve for receiving an end portion of the connector body.
25. The telecommunications device of claim 13 , wherein the subassembly includes a snap-fit interface for mounting the housing piece in alignment with the connector port.
26. The telecommunications device of claim 25 , wherein the interface snap-fits by moving the subassembly axially toward the outer end of the connector port.
27. The telecommunications device of claim 13 , wherein the enclosure includes a terminal housing which includes the outer enclosure wall, wherein the terminal housing has a length, a width and a height, wherein the terminal housing has opposite major sides that extend along the length and the width of the terminal housing, wherein the terminal housing has opposite minor sides that extend along the length and the height of the terminal housing, wherein the terminal housing defines opposite ends that extend along the width and the height of the terminal housing, and wherein the connector port is defined at one of the ends of the terminal housing.
28. The telecommunications device of claim 27 , wherein the terminal housing includes first and second pieces that connect to enclose an interior of the terminal housing, and wherein the port defining portion is defined by only one of the first and second pieces.
29. The telecommunications device of claim 27 , wherein a plurality of the connector ports are defined at one of the ends of the terminal housing, the connector ports being aligned in a row that extends across the width of the terminal housing, and wherein the enclosure includes a plurality of the subassemblies with each subassembly corresponding to one of the connector ports.
30. The telecommunications device of claim 29 , wherein the connector ports are defined by only one of the first and second pieces.
31. The telecommunications device of claim 13 ,
wherein the subassembly includes a snap-fit interface for mounting the housing piece in alignment with the connector port, the interface snap-fitting by moving the subassembly axially toward the outer end of the connector port; and
wherein the latch is closer to the outer end of the connector port than the snap-fit interface.
32. A telecommunications device, comprising:
a terminal housing including an outer enclosure wall, wherein the terminal housing has a length, a width and a height, wherein the terminal housing has opposite major sides that extend along the length and the width of the terminal housing, wherein the terminal housing has opposite minor sides that extend along the length and the height of the terminal housing, wherein the terminal housing defines opposite ends that extend along the width and the height of the terminal housing;
a plurality of connector ports defined in a port defining portion of the outer enclosure wall, the connector ports being positioned at one of the ends of the terminal housing, the connector ports being aligned in a row that extends across the width of the terminal housing, the port defining portion being unitarily integrated with the outer enclosure wall, each connector port having an outer end and an inner end, and being configured for directly receiving a fiber optic connector through the outer end of the connector port, each fiber optic connector including a connector body and a first ferrule holding a first optical fiber; and
a plurality of subassemblies that mount within the enclosure, each subassembly corresponding to one of the connector ports and including a housing piece that supports a ferrule alignment sleeve of the subassembly in alignment with the corresponding connector port, each subassembly further including a second ferrule that fits within the ferrule alignment sleeve, the second ferrule supporting a second optical fiber that extends through the second ferrule in a lengthwise orientation and that extends from the second ferrule into an interior of the enclosure.