IP Library Granted Patent US 10,436,988
Granted Patent B2
US 10,436,988 · App. 16/083,343 · Granted Oct 8, 2019

Fiber optic connector adapter with shutter having selective wavelength transparency

Inventor: Peter T. Travis (Denton, TX)
Assignee: CommScope, Inc. of North Carolina
G02B6/3825G02B6/3849G02B6/29389G02B6/3845G02B2006/4297
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Quick Facts
Patent No.
US 10,436,988
App. No.
16/083,343
Granted
Oct 8, 2019
Kind
B2
Abstract

An optical fiber adapter for supporting a non-collimated laser light source transmitting a laser light with a first signal wavelength. The optical fiber adapter includes an infrared signal transmitter for transmitting an infrared signal, and an infrared signal receiver for receiving the infrared signal. The infrared signal includes a second signal wavelength. The optical fiber adapter also includes a movable shutter door intersecting the infrared signal in a shutter closed position. The shutter door includes a material that is adapted to pass the infrared signal therethrough when in the shutter closed position. The shutter door includes a material that is adapted to block the first signal wavelength therethrough when in the shutter closed position. The shutter door is positioned distally from the non-collimated laser light source a distance by which the laser light attenuates to not transmit through the shutter door in the shutter closed position. The shutter is movable to a shutter open position to not block the laser light source transmitting the laser light with the first signal wavelength.

Claims (26)

1. An optical fiber adapter for supporting a non-collimated laser light source transmitting a laser light with a first signal wavelength, the optical fiber adapter comprising:

an infrared signal transmitter for transmitting an infrared signal, and an infrared signal receiver for receiving the infrared signal, the infrared signal comprising a second signal wavelength; and

a movable shutter door intersecting the infrared signal in a shutter closed position, the shutter door comprising a material adapted to pass the infrared signal therethrough when in the shutter closed position, the shutter door comprising a material adapted to block the first signal wavelength therethrough when in the shutter closed position, the shutter door being positioned distally from the non-collimated laser light source a distance by which the laser light attenuates to not transmit through the shutter door in the shutter closed position, the shutter movable to a shutter open position to not block the laser light source transmitting the laser light with the first signal wavelength.

2. The optical fiber adapter of claim 1 , wherein the shutter door material comprises amorphous resin.

3. The optical fiber adapter of claim 1 , wherein the shutter door material is adapted to diffuse the laser light with the first signal wavelength.

4. The optical fiber adapter of claim 3 , wherein the shutter door material comprises light diffusing additives.

5. The optical fiber adapter of claim 4 , wherein the light diffusing additives comprise silicone.

6. The optical fiber adapter of claim 1 , wherein the shutter door material comprises at least one from a group comprising calcium fluoride, fused silica, germanium, sapphire, silicon and zinc selenide.

7. The optical fiber adapter of claim 1 , wherein the shutter door material comprises at least one from a group comprising germanium and silicon.

8. The optical fiber adapter of claim 1 , wherein the shutter door material comprises a coating of titanium oxide.

9. The optical fiber adapter of claim 1 , wherein the shutter door is resistantly pivotal with respect to the non-collimated laser light.

10. The optical fiber adapter of claim 9 , wherein the shutter door comprises a range of pivotal movement between 0° and 50° with respect to a baseline.

11. The optical fiber adapter of claim 1 , wherein the shutter door comprises a material adapted to at least partially pass light visible to the human eye therethrough when in the shutter closed position.

12. A system for ensuring the correct alignment between a first body and a second body, the system comprising:

an adapter for removably aligning the first body and the second body; and

a sensory wavelength transmitted within the adapter to sense the presence of the first body, the sensory wavelength being interrupted by the first body when the first body is aligned with the second body;

wherein the adapter comprises a deflectably supported barrier comprising a material that allows the sensory wavelength to be transmitted therethrough.

13. The system of claim 12 , wherein the sensory wavelength is a laser transmitted between a projector and a receiver.

14. The system of claim 12 , wherein the adapter comprises a first receiver for removably receiving the first body, and a second receiver for receiving the second body.

15. The system of claim 14 , wherein the sensory wavelength is transmitted within the first receiver.

16. The system of claim 12 , wherein the barrier comprises a material that glows when receiving a wavelength of visible light.

17. The system of claim 12 , wherein the barrier is deflected through contact with the first body.

18. An optical fiber adapter for supporting a laser light source transmitting a laser light with a first signal wavelength, the optical fiber adapter comprising:

a body construction including a connector port along a connector axis;

a first signal transmitter for transmitting a presence sensing light signal, and a first signal receiver for receiving the presence sensing light signal, the presence sensing light signal comprising a second signal wavelength, a light path between the first signal transmitter and the first signal receiver being generally transverse to the connector axis within the connector port; and

a movable shutter door intersecting the presence sensing light signal in a shutter closed position, the shutter door comprising a material adapted to pass the presence sensing light signal at least partially therethrough when in the shutter closed position, the shutter door comprising a material adapted to block at least a portion of the first signal wavelength therethrough when in the shutter closed position, the shutter door being positioned and constructed such that the laser light attenuates to not transmit potentially eye damaging laser light through the shutter door in the shutter closed position, the shutter movable to a shutter open position to not block the laser light source transmitting the laser light with the first signal wavelength, the shutter door comprising a material adapted to at least partially pass light visible to the human eye therethrough when in the shutter closed position.

Assignments (9)
TERMINATION AND RELEASE OF SECURITY INTEREST IN PATENTS AT REEL/FRAME NO. 49678/0577 Recorded Jan 9, 2026
From: WILMINGTON TRUST, NATIONAL ASSOCIATION, AS COLLATERAL AGENT
To: COMMSCOPE NORTH CAROLINA, LLC (F/K/A COMMSCOPE, INC. OF NORTH CAROLINA)
Reel/Frame 074473/0264 →
CHANGE OF NAME Recorded Dec 10, 2025
From: COMMSCOPE, INC. OF NORTH CAROLINA
To: COMMSCOPE NORTH CAROLINA, LLC
Reel/Frame 073888/0404 →
RELEASE OF SECURITY INTEREST AT REEL/FRAME 049905/0504 Recorded Dec 19, 2024
From: JPMORGAN CHASE BANK, N.A., AS COLLATERAL AGENT
To: ARRIS ENTERPRISES LLC (F/K/A ARRIS ENTERPRISES, INC.); ARRIS TECHNOLOGY, INC.; ARRIS SOLUTIONS, INC.; COMMSCOPE, INC. OF NORTH CAROLINA; COMMSCOPE TECHNOLOGIES LLC; RUCKUS WIRELESS, LLC (F/K/A RUCKUS WIRELESS, INC.)
Reel/Frame 071477/0255 →
SECURITY INTEREST Recorded Dec 17, 2024
From: ARRIS ENTERPRISES LLC; COMMSCOPE TECHNOLOGIES LLC; COMMSCOPE INC., OF NORTH CAROLINA; OUTDOOR WIRELESS NETWORKS LLC; RUCKUS IP HOLDINGS LLC
To: APOLLO ADMINISTRATIVE AGENCY LLC
Reel/Frame 069889/0114 →
SECURITY INTEREST Recorded Nov 19, 2021
From: ARRIS SOLUTIONS, INC.; ARRIS ENTERPRISES LLC; COMMSCOPE TECHNOLOGIES LLC; COMMSCOPE, INC. OF NORTH CAROLINA; RUCKUS WIRELESS, INC.
To: WILMINGTON TRUST
Reel/Frame 060752/0001 →
TERM LOAN SECURITY AGREEMENT Recorded Jul 3, 2019
From: COMMSCOPE, INC. OF NORTH CAROLINA; COMMSCOPE TECHNOLOGIES LLC; ARRIS ENTERPRISES LLC; ARRIS TECHNOLOGY, INC.; RUCKUS WIRELESS, INC.; ARRIS SOLUTIONS, INC.
To: JPMORGAN CHASE BANK, N.A.
Reel/Frame 049905/0504 →
PATENT SECURITY AGREEMENT Recorded Jul 3, 2019
From: COMMSCOPE, INC. OF NORTH CAROLINA
To: WILMINGTON TRUST, NATIONAL ASSOCIATION, AS COLLATERAL AGENT
Reel/Frame 049678/0577 →
ABL SECURITY AGREEMENT Recorded Jul 3, 2019
From: COMMSCOPE, INC. OF NORTH CAROLINA; COMMSCOPE TECHNOLOGIES LLC; ARRIS ENTERPRISES LLC; ARRIS TECHNOLOGY, INC.; RUCKUS WIRELESS, INC.; ARRIS SOLUTIONS, INC.
To: JPMORGAN CHASE BANK, N.A.
Reel/Frame 049892/0396 →
ASSIGNMENT OF ASSIGNOR'S INTEREST Recorded Apr 12, 2019
From: TRAVIS, PETER T.
To: COMMSCOPE, INC. OF NORTH CAROLINA
Reel/Frame 048871/0804 →
Continuity (2)
Provisional Application 62307090 · Mar 11, 2016
Related Publication 20190101703A1 · Apr 4, 2019
Cited By (1)
US 12,560,768