Fiber optic adapter assembly
A fiber optic adapter assembly is provided with a floating adapter module. The adapter assembly includes a housing, an adapter module, and a single biasing member disposed in the housing and concentrically aligned with the adapter module. The single biasing member can bias the adapter module in a direction toward an end of the housing and be compressible in the opposite direction toward the other end of the housing.
1 . A fiber optic assembly configured for receiving a first fiber optic connector including a ferrule, the fiber optic assembly comprising:
a first housing component and a second housing component that latch together and cooperate to form a connector housing defining a housing component cavity, the connector housing having a first end defined by the first housing component and a second end defined by the second housing component, the connector housing defining a central axis that extends axially through the connector housing from the first end to the second end;
a module positioned inside the housing component cavity, the module being adapted to interface with the first fiber optic connector when the first fiber optic connector is inserted along the central axis through the second end of the connector housing to inside the housing component cavity, the module being moveable within the housing component cavity along the central axis, the module carrying a second fiber optic connector adapted to optically connect to the first fiber optic connector when the first fiber optic connector is inserted into the housing component cavity;
a first spring seat coupled to the module that: (i) extends radially outwardly relative to the central axis, (ii) faces in a first axial direction toward the first end of the connector housing, and (iii) at least partially encircles the central axis, the first housing component including a second spring seat that faces in a second axial direction opposite from the first axial direction and that at least partially encircles the central axis;
a coil spring positioned within the housing component cavity, the coil spring having a coil that helically wraps around and encircles the central axis, the coil spring being configured to bias the module in the second axial direction along the central axis and being captured between the first spring seat and the second spring seat, the coil spring having an outer diameter perpendicular to the central axis that is larger than a corresponding maximum cross-dimension of an axial end of the module; and
a slide arrangement defined between the module and the connector housing, the slide arrangement including a projection included with one of the module and the connector housing and a groove included with the other of the module and the connector housing, wherein the projection fits within the groove and wherein relative sliding movement occurs between the projection and the groove along the central axis when the module moves along the central axis relative to the connector housing, wherein the slide arrangement includes only single ones of each of the projection and the groove to provide an asymmetrical slide arrangement about the central axis.
2 . The fiber optic assembly of claim 1 , wherein the projection is included with the module and the groove is included with the first housing component.
3 . The fiber optic assembly of claim 1 , wherein the projection and the groove have generally rectangular cross-sectional shapes.
4 . The fiber optic assembly of claim 2 , wherein the coil spring does not apply biasing force to the projection.
5 . The fiber optic assembly of claim 2 , wherein an end of the coil spring does not contact the projection.
6 . The fiber optic assembly of claim 2 , wherein the projection does not define the first spring seat.
7 . The fiber optic assembly of claim 1 , further comprising a ferrule alignment sleeve positioned within the module.
8 . The fiber optic assembly of claim 1 , wherein the fiber optic assembly is mounted to an enclosure.
9 . The fiber optic assembly of claim 8 , wherein the second housing component extends through a wall opening of the enclosure from an exterior of the enclosure to an interior of the enclosure.
10 . The fiber optic assembly of claim 1 , wherein the first spring seat and the second spring seat are annular.
11 . The fiber optic assembly of claim 1 , wherein the first housing component latches over the second housing component.
12 . The fiber optic assembly of claim 1 , further comprising the first fiber optic connector.
13 . The fiber optic assembly of claim 12 , wherein the first fiber optic connector is inserted into the housing component cavity.
14 . The fiber optic assembly of claim 1 , wherein the first spring seat extends radially outwardly from an outer surface of the module.
15 . The fiber optic assembly of claim 1 , wherein the coil spring and the first spring seat are positioned entirely within an internal cavity of the first housing component and entirely between openings of the first housing component at opposing axial ends of the first housing component.
16 . The fiber optic assembly of claim 1 , wherein the module floats inside the first housing component.
17 . The fiber optic assembly of claim 1 , wherein the first housing component and the second housing component latch together with a retaining clip and a slot.
18 . The fiber optic assembly of claim 1 , wherein the first housing component and the second housing component latch together with a pair of retaining clips and a pair of slots.