IP Library Granted Patent US 12,541,063
Granted Patent B2
US 12,541,063 · App. 18/552,182 · Granted Feb 3, 2026

Ferrule holder for miniature mt ferrule and adapter interface for mating with fiber optic connectors

Inventors: Jason Higley (Hickory, NC); Darrell R. Childers (Hickory, NC)
Assignee: US Conec Ltd.
G02B6/3882G02B6/3825G02B6/3831G02B6/3881G02B6/3885G02B6/3893G02B6/406G02B6/3821G02B6/3851
View Patent ↗
Loading inventors, assignments & file history…
Monitor This Case
Get email alerts when status or documents change.
Order Certified Copies
Most orders are placed with the USPTO same day — all within 24 business hours.
Order via The Patent Place →
Pre-filled with this patent's details
Quick Facts
Patent No.
US 12,541,063
App. No.
18/552,182
Granted
Feb 3, 2026
Kind
B2
Abstract

An adapter to mate fiber optic ferrules to respective fiber optic ferrules in a fiber optic connector housing includes a main body having ferrule-side openings and connector-side openings to receive the fiber optic connectors. The adapter includes columns that extend between a top side and a bottom side of the main body, a plurality of triggers attached to the adapter, each of the plurality of triggers having a pair of trigger legs, the trigger legs positioned inside respective columns on opposing sides. There is also a holder extension groove oriented longitudinally in each column and configured to receive a holder extension of a fiber optic ferrule holder and a pair of ferrule stop pedestals on each column on opposite sides of each holder extension groove configured to seat the fiber optic ferrule when the fiber optic ferrule holder is fully inserted into the adapter.

Claims (27)

1 . An adapter to mate bare fiber optic ferrules to respective fiber optic ferrules in a housing within fiber optic connectors, the adapter comprising:

a main body having a plurality of ferrule-side openings on a ferrule side to receive the bare fiber optic ferrules and a plurality of connector-side openings on a connector side of the main body to receive the fiber optic connectors;

a plurality of columns that extends between a top side and a bottom side of the main body, the ferrule-side openings defined by adjacent ones of the plurality of columns;

a plurality of triggers attached to a top side of the adapter, each of the plurality of triggers having a pair of trigger legs, each trigger leg of the pair of trigger legs positioned inside respective columns on opposing sides;

a holder extension groove oriented longitudinally in each column and configured to receive a holder extension of a fiber optic ferrule holder supporting a fiber optic ferrule; and

a pair of ferrule stop pedestals on each column on opposite sides of each holder extension groove configured to seat the fiber optic ferrule when the fiber optic ferrule holder is fully inserted into the adapter.

2 . The adapter according to claim 1 , further comprising a plurality of partitions, each of the plurality of partitions associated with a respective one of the plurality of columns.

3 . The adapter according to claim 2 , wherein the plurality of partitions at least partially define the plurality of ferrule-side openings.

4 . The adapter according to claim 1 , wherein a portion of each trigger leg extends from a respective column and into a portion of the holder extension groove.

5 . The adapter according to claim 1 , wherein the fiber optic ferrule holder is disposed in a space between adjacent ones of the plurality of columns.

6 . The adapter according to claim 1 , wherein each of the trigger legs is movable within a respective column.

7 . The adapter according to claim 4 , wherein the portion of each of the trigger legs of the pair of trigger legs extending into the holder extension groove has a chamfered portion to engage the fiber optic ferrule holder during insertion into the adapter.

8 . The adapter according to claim 4 , the portion of each of the trigger legs of the pair of trigger legs extending into the holder extension groove has a forward facing stop surface to engage a rearward facing surface of the fiber optic ferrule holder once the fiber optic ferrule holder has been inserted into the adapter.

9 . The adapter according to claim 1 , wherein the ferrule-side openings are narrower at the columns than at an end of the adapter on the ferrule-side openings.

10 . The adapter according to claim 1 , wherein each trigger leg of the pair of trigger legs is positioned inside respective columns on opposing sides of each of the plurality of ferrule-side openings.

11 . The adapter according to claim 1 , further comprising:

a plurality of trigger receptacle openings on the top side of the adapter to receive the pair of legs of each of the plurality of triggers, the trigger receptacle openings being in communication with respective ones of the columns.

12 . The adapter according to claim 1 , wherein each column includes an additional pair of ferrule stop pedestals, the additional pair of ferrule stops being in communication with a different ferrule side opening than a ferrule-side opening having the pair of ferrule stop pedestals.

13 . The adapter according to claim 12 , wherein the additional pair of ferrule stop pedestals have a dimension different from the pair of ferrule stop pedestals on the respective column in the plurality of columns.

14 . An adapter to mate bare fiber optic ferrules to respective fiber optic ferrules in a housing within fiber optic connectors, the adapter comprising:

a main body having a plurality of ferrule-side openings on a ferrule side to receive the bare fiber optic ferrules and a plurality of connector-side openings on a connector side of the main body to receive the fiber optic connectors;

a plurality of partitions on the ferrule side;

a plurality of columns associated with each of the partitions, each column in the plurality of columns extending between a top side and a bottom side of the main body, the ferrule-side openings defined by adjacent ones of the plurality of partitions and columns;

a plurality of triggers attached to a top side of the adapter, each of the plurality of triggers having a pair of trigger legs, each trigger leg of the pair of trigger legs positioned inside respective columns on opposing sides of each ferrule-side opening;

a holder extension groove oriented longitudinally in each column and configured to receive a holder extension of a fiber optic ferrule holder supporting a fiber optic ferrule; and

a pair of ferrule stop pedestals on each column on opposite sides of each holder extension groove configured to seat the fiber optic ferrule when the fiber optic ferrule holder is fully inserted into the adapter.

15 . The adapter according to claim 14 , wherein each partition of the plurality of partitions is joined to a respective column in the plurality of columns.

Assignments (1)
ASSIGNMENT OF ASSIGNOR'S INTEREST Recorded Apr 19, 2024
From: CHILDERS, DARRELL R.; HIGLEY, JASON
To: US CONEC LTD.
Reel/Frame 067169/0516 →
Continuity (2)
Provisional Application 63170092 · Apr 2, 2021
Related Publication 20240168240A1 · May 23, 2024
References Cited (22)
US 7651361B2 · Henry · 2010 [cited by examiner]
US 7841778B2 · Nishimura et al. · 2010 [cited by applicant]
US 9423573B2 · Tseng · 2016 [cited by examiner]
US 9857538B2 · Nguyen · 2018 [cited by examiner]
US 10281668B2 · Takano et al. · 2019 [cited by applicant]
US 10678000B2 · Takano · 2020 [cited by examiner]
US 10725248B2 · Wong · 2020 [cited by examiner]
US 10996406B2 · Smith et al. · 2021 [cited by applicant]
US 11137554B2 · Sashida · 2021 [cited by examiner]
US 11353664B1 · Wong · 2022 [cited by applicant]
US 11914195B2 · Higley et al. · 2024 [cited by applicant]
US 20140241689A1 · Bradley · 2014 [cited by examiner]
US 20160178855A1 · Tseng · 2016 [cited by applicant]
US 20180259717A1 · Takano · 2018 [cited by examiner]
US 20190271816A1 · Wong et al. · 2019 [cited by applicant]
US 20190278028A1 · Higley · 2019 [cited by examiner]
US 20210026083A1 · Iizumi et al. · 2021 [cited by applicant]
US 20230091327A1 · Kurtz et al. · 2023 [cited by applicant]
US 20230244038A1 · Higley · 2023 [cited by examiner]
International Search Report; Jul. 7, 2022; 5 pages. [cited by applicant]
Written Opinion of the International Searching Authority; Jul. 7, 2022; 7 pages. [cited by applicant]
International Preliminary Report on Patentability; Oct. 3, 2023; 7 pages. [cited by applicant]