Non-removable latch assembly for VSFF fiber-optic connector
A very small form-factor (VSFF) fiber-optic connector has two latch assemblies, one on each side of the connector and being non-removable from the connector. The latch assemblies are movable between a forward active position and a rearward inactive position parallel to a longitudinal axis, and when the first latch assembly is in the forward active position, the second latch assembly is in the rearward inactive position for a first polarity configuration of the VSFF fiber-optic connector, and vice-versa for a second polarity configuration of the VSFF fiber-optic connector.
1 . A very small form-factor (VSFF) fiber-optic connector supporting at least two optical fibers, the VSFF fiber-optic connector comprising:
a housing having a main body formed by a top side, a bottom side, and two opposite side walls joining the top side to the bottom side, a separation between the top side and the bottom side being more than a separation between the two opposite side walls, the housing configured to receive the at least two optical fibers, the at least two optical fibers aligned along a fiber alignment axis equidistant from the two opposite side walls, the VSFF fiber-optic connector having a longitudinal axis;
a boot disposed rearward of the main body and having a top boot rail and a bottom boot rail along at least a portion of a length of the boot;
a first latch assembly slidably engaged with the top boot rail and the top side of the main body, wherein the first latch assembly is non-removable from the housing upon an assembly of the VSFF fiber-optic connector; and
a second latch assembly slidably engaged with the bottom boot rail and to the bottom side of the main body, wherein the second latch assembly is also non-removable from the housing upon the assembly of the VSFF fiber-optic connector, and
wherein each of the first latch assembly and the second latch assembly is movable between a forward active position and a rearward inactive position parallel to the longitudinal axis, and wherein when the first latch assembly is in the forward active position, the second latch assembly is in the rearward inactive position for a first polarity configuration of the VSFF fiber-optic connector, and vice-versa for a second polarity configuration of the VSFF fiber-optic connector.
2 . The VSFF fiber-optic connector of claim 1 , wherein in the forward active position, only one of the first latch assembly and the second latch assembly engages a telecommunications structure.
3 . The VSFF fiber-optic connector of claim 2 , wherein the telecommunications structure is an adapter or a transceiver receptacle.
4 . The VSFF fiber-optic connector of claim 1 , further comprising:
a first single fiber fiber-optic ferrule configured to support one of the at least two optical fibers; and
a second single fiber fiber-optic ferrule configured to support the other one of the at least two optical fibers.
5 . The VSFF fiber-optic connector of claim 1 , wherein the first latch assembly and the second latch assembly each include projections to slidably engage the top boot rail and the bottom boot rail.
6 . The VSFF fiber-optic connector of claim 1 , wherein the boot includes a top front latch and a top rear latch positioned adjacent the top boot rail to engage the first latch assembly.
7 . The VSFF fiber-optic connector of claim 6 , wherein the boot further includes a bottom front latch and a bottom rear latch positioned adjacent the bottom boot rail to engage the second latch assembly.
8 . The VSFF fiber-optic connector of claim 7 , wherein a longitudinal motion of the first latch assembly between the forward active position and the rearward inactive position is limited by the top front latch and the top rear latch, and wherein a longitudinal motion of the second latch assembly between the forward active position and the rearward inactive position is limited by the bottom front latch and the bottom rear latch.
9 . The VSFF fiber-optic connector of claim 6 , wherein a longitudinal motion of the first latch assembly between the forward active position and the rearward inactive position is limited by the top front latch and the top rear latch.
10 . The VSFF fiber-optic connector of claim 1 , wherein the boot includes a forward facing surface to engage the housing and a rearward facing surface to engage the first latch assembly or the second latch assembly.
11 . The VSFF fiber-optic connector of claim 1 , wherein the first latch assembly has a top surface, the top surface having a projection to receive an external force for a movement between the forward active position and the rearward inactive position or vice-versa.
12 . The VSFF fiber-optic connector of claim 1 , wherein the boot includes a first center channel between two rails of the top boot rail, the center channel configured to receive a guidance tab on a rear portion of the first latch assembly.
13 . The VSFF fiber-optic connector of claim 12 , wherein the boot includes a second center channel between two rails of the bottom boot rail, the second center channel configured to receive a guidance tab from a rear portion of the second latch assembly.
14 . The VSFF fiber-optic connector of claim 1 , further comprising a multi-fiber fiber optic ferrule configured to support the at least two optical fibers.
15 . A very small form-factor (VSFF) fiber-optic connector supporting at least two optical fibers, the VSFF fiber-optic connector comprising:
a housing having a main body formed by a top side, a bottom side, and two opposite side walls joining the top side to the bottom side, the main body having an opening extending along a longitudinal axis between a front end and a rear end of the main body to receive the at least two optical fibers, a separation between the top side and the bottom side being more than a separation between the two opposite side walls, the at least two optical fibers stacked vertically between the top side and the bottom side of the main body;
a boot engaged with the rear end of the main body and having at least one boot rail along at least a portion of a length of the boot, the boot being bendable in a direction away from the longitudinal axis;
at least one latch assembly slidably engaged with the at least one boot rail and to at least one of the top side or the bottom side of the main body on a same side as the at least one boot rail, wherein the at least one latch assembly is non-removable from the housing upon an assembly of the VSFF fiber-optic connector,
wherein the at least one latch assembly is movable between a forward active position and a rearward inactive position along the longitudinal axis, without removal of the at least one latch assembly from the VSFF fiber-optic connector, and 15wherein in the forward active position the at least one latch assembly is configured to engage an adapter or a transceiver receptacle,
wherein the at least one latch assembly includes a first latch assembly and a second latch assembly, and wherein each of the first latch assembly and the second latch assembly is respectively movable between the forward active position and the rearward inactive position along the longitudinal axis, and wherein when the first latch assembly is in the forward active position, the second latch assembly is in the rearward inactive position for a first polarity configuration of the VSFF fiber-optic connector, and vice-versa for a second polarity configuration of the VSFF fiber-optic connector.
16 . The VSFF fiber-optic connector of claim 15 , wherein the at least one latch assembly includes only a single latch assembly.
17 . The VSFF fiber-optic connector of claim 15 , wherein the VSFF fiber-optic connector is a duplex fiber optic connector having two single fiber ferrules to support two optical fibers, respectively.
18 . A bag of parts for assembling a very small form-factor (VSFF) duplex fiber-optic connector, the bag of parts comprising:
a housing having a main body formed by a top side, a bottom side, two opposite side walls joining the top side to the bottom side, and an opening, a separation between the top side and the bottom side being more than a separation between the two opposite side walls, the opening configured to receive at least two optical fibers, the at least two optical fibers upon an assembly of the VSFF duplex fiber-optic connector are aligned along a fiber alignment axis to be equidistant from the two opposite side walls;
a boot configured to engage the main body upon the assembly and having a top boot rail and a bottom boot rail along a portion of a length of the boot, each of the top boot rail and the bottom boot rail having two rails and a center channel between the two rails; and a first latch assembly having a guidance tab for slidable non-removable engagement with one of the top boot rail or the bottom boot rail and to at least one of the top side or the bottomside of the main body, wherein the first latch assembly being non-removable from the housing upon an assembly of the VSFF duplex fiber-optic connector,
wherein upon the assembly of the VSFF duplex fiber-optic connector, the first latch assembly is movable between a forward active position and a rearward inactive position along a longitudinal axis, without removal from the VSFF duplex fiber-optic connector, and wherein the boot includes a top front latch and a top rear latch positioned between the two rails of the top boot rail to engage the first latch assembly, and
a second latch assembly identical to the first latch assembly for a non-removable placement on the top side or the bottom side of the main body upon identification of an incorrect polarity configuration of the assembled VSFF duplex fiber-optic connector.