Title of Invention

AN ADAPTER FOR RECEIVING DIFFERENT TYPES OF PLUG-IN CONNECTORS .

Abstract

This invention relates to an adapter (3,3',3") for receiving different types of plug-in connectors (7,8) in the manner of a coupling which can be inserted into a front panel (10,11) from a front side and can be arrested by a spring (5,5'), for optical-fiber plug-in connectors, with a one-piece or two-piece (4,30,40) housing, which has on one side a flange (41) protruding from the cross section of the housing (4,30,40) for abutment on the front panel (10,11); at least one plug-in connector receptacle (1,2) at the front and/or rear with respect to the front panel, with an opening for plug-in connectors (7,8); at least two positively locking releasable arresting means (27, 28), wherein the plug-in connector receptacle (1,2) has a first arresting means (27) for LC plug-in connectors (7) and a second arresting means (28) for LX.5 plug-in connectors (8), the first arresting means (27) having a catch (47) which is arranged on the housing and in which the cams (72) of one of the LC plug-in connector (7) can engage, and the second arresting means (28) having a catch (48) which is arranged on the housing and in which the cams (81) of one of the LX.5 plug-in connector (8) can engage, the adapter being formed with a pin (42) for the actuation of a cover of an LX.5 plug-in connector (8), the pin (42) being arranged on a displaceable element (421) on a side wall (401) of the adapter.

Full Text

FIELD OF INVENTION The invention relates to an adapter in the manner of a coupling, which can be inserted into a front panel from a front side and can be arrested by a spring, for optical-fiber plug-in connectors with a one-piece or two-piece housing, which has at least on one side a flange protruding from the cross section of the housing for abutment on the front panel, at least one plug-in connector receptacle at the front and/or rear with respect to the front panel and at least one positively locking releasable arresting mechanism for plug- in connectors. BACKGROUND OF INVENTION Couplings or adapters for optical-fiber plugs connect optical fibers for laser light. Couplings of this type are usually fixed in a housing wall or front panel, with the result that plug receptacles foe optical-fiber plugs are provided on both sides of the front panel. Until recently, optical-fiber connectors of this type were frequently produced in the form of SC plugs or SC connectors. However, these are increasingly being replaced by smaller forms with the designations LX.5, LC and MU. LC connectors are standardized in IEC 61751-20 and MU connectors are standardized in IEC 61751-6. LX.5 plugs have not yet been standardized; LX.5 is a registered trademark of the company ADC Telecommunications, Inc. US. SC connectors and corresponding couplings are disclosed in USA 5,317,663. The plug-in connectors are held in the coupling on both sides by blocking cams, which engage in depressions on both sides of the connector when the optical- fiber centering devices have reached their desired position. The adapters there, for SC-simplex connectors, are provided with shutters against laser light, arranged in the coupling. A coupling of the type 'BSC II-Adapter with Shutter", for a SC connector, could be seen on the Internet on August 6, 2001 at 15.35 under the address http://www.molex.com. A shutter is understood as meaning a pivotably attached flap in front of a plug-receptacle opening, which is intended to prevent a fitter from being injured by laser light during the insertion of SC connectors. The shutter has a warning about lasers. EP 0 590 586 A1 discloses a coupling made up of two parts for two MU connectors, a reduced-size further development of the SC connector which can be fastened on a front panel by means of flanges projecting from one side of the coupling, with a sponging-back next to the flange arresting the coupling behind the front panel after it has been pushed into a corresponding opening. The plug- in connector is held in the coupling in a way similar to the SC connector. WO 00/16145 discloses fiberoptic connectors and couplings of the type described. Smaller forms of connector of the LX.5 type are presented, having at the front of the connector a cover which automatically opens as soon as a laser shutter against a return spring, arranged in the coupling, has been passed. During the insertion phase, a pin on the plug-in connector, protruding fixedly into the interior of the coupling, pushes open the cover held closed by a spring, in order that the optical fiber in the plug-in connector is exposed for conducting light to a plug-in connector lying opposite in the adapter. The connector engages with its two special cams on a resilient lever on the housing of the plug-in connector in a complementarily shaped catch on the coupling, which are arranged laterally of the longitudinal axis of the connector and of the coupling, respectively, and thereby hook into one another. The cams can be unlocked from their catch by means of the lever on the connector. LC connectors are also known from EP 1091226 A1. They have a locking and releasing lever mechanism arranged centrally on one side of the connector, by which a positive connection produced in the coupling when the connector is inserted can be released. The connection is produced by two keys arranged laterally on the lever, which engage in a keyway lying opposite in the coupling when the connector has reached its desired position in the coupling. These couplings also have flanges and a latching spring for mounting in a front panel. Instead of a large-sized SC coupling, it is possible to fit two couplings for LX.5, LC or MU connectors into a front panel. Although some of the plug-in connectors are standardized, on different systems of different users there are different plug- in connectors, which come together but do not fit into the same coupling. A universal adapter system for the plug-in connectors of the FC, ST, SC, SMA, D4 and BICONIC types and a Universal Panel Mount Adapter, with which the ST or FC types can be coupled at a front panel to each other or to DIN or E2000 plug- in connectors. An adapter for the Coupling of MU types to LC types by simple mechanical screwing of slip-on ferrules for optical fibers with threaded rings also. The fitting and removal of the adapters is time-consuming and requires great dexterity, in particular in the case of eth small plug-in connectors, the ferrules cf which have diameters of only 1.25 mm, as compared with 2.5 mm in the case of the SC connectors. The known LC plugs and MU plugs with matching adapters for a simplex or duplex application, constitutes a Sc-LC adapter device, which can be attached to a front panel and has at the front a plug receptacle for a LC plug and at the rear a plug receptacle for a SC plug. This coupling cannot be released, or only laboriously, from the front side once it has been fitted into the front panel side and hooked behind the front panel by means of an expanding spring. This type of fastening is predominantly encountered in the case of all couplings that are not screwed on. In the case of the previous couplings and connectors, it is evident how they can be released from the front panel without separating the optical fiber connection. For this reason, the invention is based on the problem of providing an adapter, which has the advantages of the known plug-in connectors and couplings but avoids their disadvantages. SUMMARY OF INVENTION The solution for an adapter of the generic type initially in that each plug connector receptacle has an opening for the alternate reception of at least two of three different types, LX.G, LC MU, of plug-in connectors and in each case an arresting mechanism suitable for the type. On account of the different arresting systems of the plug-in connectors and their position and shape and also function this solution is unknown and surprising, as demonstrated by the extensive prior art and worldwide proliferation of these types of plug-in connector. This solution can be realized most simply if the arresting mechanisms for the types LX.5 and LC arranged on the same side of the coupling and the arresting mechanism for the MU type is attached on other sides of the adapter, off set by 90°. This also made possible the development to the extent that the adapter is designed as a simplex plug-in coupling for the alternate reception of all three types, while it is determined by the position of the ferrule the only adapters for the alternate reception of the plug types LX.5 and LC can be designed as a duplex plug-in coupling. The problem of accommodating the pin for actuating a cover of the plug type LX.5 was solved by said pin being arranged on a displaceable element on a side wall of the adapter, preferably by the displaceable element being formed in the side wall as an integral spring element. However, this element may also be designed differently, for example the pin may also be displaced by the plug-in connectors - apart from in the case of LX.5 - in the direction of insertion. Ina development of the invention, it is intended that the coupling is closed is need be, for protection against dust or protection from the laser light; according to the invention, by the fact that the opening of the receptacle can be closed by a cap which can be pivotably and releasably attached to the housing. For this purpose, the cap is preferably inserted into a snap-action device, for example a hole for an engaging stud, on the outside of the housing. For the purposed of inscription, such as concerning the type of plug-in connectors to be inserted or for a warning, the cap has no the outside a guide for the pushing in of an identification plate. Furthermore, the adapter is intended to be able to be fitted releasably in a front panel from the front side, for simple mounting and removal. For this purpose, in a way which is already inventive in itself, the adapter is provided with a latching spring, which is arranged on the housing and can be actuated from the front side, for gripping behind the front panel and releasing the latching spring from the front panel. The latching spring is preferably designed as an unsupported resilient tongue, which can extend through an opening in the flange and in the front panel. For mounting and establishing the coupling, in this case the latching spring has a spring frame, which grips around the housing on at least three sides, extends through the flange and has the resilient tongue as an integral part. In order that this type of design requires as little space as possible, the adapter is designed in such a way that the plug receptacles form the largest housing cross section at their openings and the housing surface is provided in the direction of the flange with set-back portions for the abutment of parts of the spring frame, the mounted spring frame not protruding beyond the cross section of the housing at the plug receptacle. A coupling attached in such a way can be removed from the front panel without interrupting the laser connection. BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE ACCOMPANYING DRWAINGS The invention is to be explained and the problems solved by it are to be illustrated for a person skilled in the art on the basis of an exemplary embodiment with reference to the accompanying drawings, in which: Fig. 1 shows an offset longitudinal section in a perspective view through an adapter according to the invention; Fig. 2 shows a perspective plan view of a first simplex adapter according to the invention with an inserted LC plug-in connector at the rear and a cap at the front; Fig. 3a shows a longitudinal section through an adapter according to Figure 2; Fig. 3b shows a longitudinal section through an adapter according to figure 2, but the LC plug-in connector has been exchanged for an LX.5 plug-in connector and the cap has been removed; Fig. 4 shows a longitudinal section an adapter according to Figure 6, but without a cap and with partly inserted LC and LX.5 plug-in connectors; Fig. 4a shows a section through a simplex adapter according to figure 2, but without a cap and with a partly inserted plug-in connector of the MU type; Fig. 5 shows a section through a simplex adapter according to figure 2, but without a cap and with a partly inserted plug-in connector of the MU type; Fig. 6 shows a perspective plan view from the front side of a duplex adapter inserted into a front panel with plug-in connectors of the LC and LX.5 types inserted at the rear and an identification-bearing cap at the front. DETAIL DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION Identical designations refer to parts of an identical or similar function. The schematic representation of the parts is enlarged in comparison with reality by a factor of approximately 5 to 20. Figure 1 shows in principle a multiple offset longitudinal section through an empty coupling for optical-fibre connectors, designed here as a universal adapter 3 with a common housing 30, made up of two mirror-invertedly identical front and rear housing parts 31 and 32, respectively. They meet at the flanges 41 and are, for example, adhesively bounded there or else are only held together by a latching spring 5 or the frame 50 of the latter; alternatively, a positive connection 34 (figure 3b) of the parts 31,32 is possible. The flanges 41, designed as stubs, allow a resilient tongue 51 to pass through centrally in a clearance on the surface 402 of the housing 4, said tongue being integrally attached to the metal spring frame 50 and its extended end 52 having a lug 53 projecting from it, which can engage behind a front panel 10 (figure 6) and consequently arrest the adapter 3 in the front panel. By pressure on the clip 54, the lug 53 is released and the adapter can be pulled out form the front panel without the plug-in connectors having to be removed from the adapter 3. The housing, which may also be in one piece, has two plug-in connector receptacles 1 and 2 at the front and rear, respectively. In principle, this representation is identical for the simplex adapter according to figure 2 and the duplex adapter according to figure 6, apart from different wall thickness of the housing. The cross sections of the openings and the lateral guides in the walls of the adapter are tailor-made for the cross section of the plug-in connectors of the LX.5 and MU 7,8, 9 types. In extension of the openings of the plug-in connectors receptacles 1,2 a centering device 43 for the ferrule or light guide 20 is recessed in the housing (figures 3a, 3b). In order that a cannot inadvertently look into a laser beam, the adapter includes a laser shutter 44, which is kept in the shown blocking position by a spring 45 and can be pressed down by plug-in connectors or a cap (figure 3a). A bore 46 serves for the engagement of a latching pin 61 of the cap 6,60 (figure 3a) or 62 (figure 6). The cover pin 42 serves for opening the cover, not represented, of an LX.5 plug- in connector 8, as known per se known per se from the prior art. The cover pin 42 is arranged at the end of an unsupportedly mounted, flexibly displaceable tongue 421, which is an integral part of the side wall 401 of the housing 30 and responds in a way still to be described in figures 4 and 5. The arresting mechanism 28 for LX.5 plug-in connectors 8 (figures 3b and 6) comprises on the housing 30 a catch 48, in the manner of a recess on the upper side 402 thereof, into which the two cams 81 on the flexible level 82 can engage. The arresting mechanism 29 for MU plug-in connectors 9 comprises a blocking cam 49 in the side wall 401 of the housing; this cam in a depression, not represented of the plug-in connector 9 and in this way arrests the letter in the coupling. The arresting mechanism 27 of the LC plug-in connector 7 is represented in figure 3a. Figure 2 shows the adapter 3' as a simplex connector, complete with cap 60 and LC plug-in connector 7 and latching spring 5'. It can clearly be seen that the simplex housing 40 has on its surface in the side wall 403 and the upper side 402 between the flanges 41 and the largest housing cross section 33, close to the openings for the plug-in connector receptacles 1,2 a depression in which the spring frame 50 comes to bear and consequently does not protrude beyond the extent of the largest cross section 33 of the housing. Figure 3a show [sic] this simplex adapter 3' in longitudinal section with a cap 60 at the receptacle 1 of the adapter and a fully inserted LC plug-in connector 7 at the rear receptacle 2, with the result that the light guide 20 lies centrally with respect to the centering device 43, and in [sic] figure 3b, on the other hand, without a cap, but with an inserted LX.5 plug-in connector 8. The LC plug-in connector 7 has at the arresting mechanism 27 on the plug housing 70 an arresting lever 73 with cams 72 on both sides, which engage behind a catch 47 on the housing 40 when the plug-in connector is in position shown. With the release lever 71, pressure can be exerted on the arresting lever 73, with the result that the levers consisting of flexible plastic move downward and the cams 70 disengage from the catch 47, in order that the plug-in connector can be pulled. Figure 3b shows a similar situation for the fully inserted LX.5 plug-in connector 8, but for the sake of clarity without the cover. The light guides 20 and centering devices 43 lie in one axis; the arresting mechanism 28 is in operation. Attached to the release lever 81 of the plug housing 80 on both sides is a cam 82, which has engaged in the catch 48 of the adapter housing 40 and, after pressing down the flexible release lever 81, can be disengaged again. Figure 4 shows a duplex adapter 3" for the simultaneously and parallel connecting of two light guides 20 within a coupling housing 4. Figure 5 shows an adapter 3' analogous to figures 2, 3a, 3b with a partly inserted MU plug-in connector 9, but without its arresting mechanism, which was explained with respect to figure 1. In figure 4, an LX.5 plug-in connector 8 is represented at the top and an LC plug- in connector 7 is represented at the bottom. The cover pin 42, necessary for the universal plugging of connectors, has in the case of the LX.5 connector 8 a cam way 83 of its own and therefore remains in its position in relation to the housing 4. In the case of eth LC connector 7 or MU connector 9 is [sic], on the other hand, the connector butts with an edge of its housing 70 or 90 against the cover pin 42 while the connectors are being pushed into the adapter. Figure 4a shows this situations as an enlarged, positionally correct detail, for the LC connector 7 and mirror-invertedly for the MU connector 9 in accordance with the cover pin position in the circle. If the connectors are pushed further into the adapter, the flexible tongue 421 with the cover pin 42 is pushed to the side and clears the path for the plug-in connector 7 or 9. The side wall here comprises, for example, only the tongue 421, which is surrounded on the outside only by the spring frame 50 or 55. Figure 6 shows an adapter 3" with duplex housing 4, which has been fitted into an aperture 11 of a front panel 10 and arrested there by means of a spring frame 55, which surrounds the adapter 3"resting mechanism can be released by pressing the clip 54 of the spring 5' as already described in itself. Inserted at the rear, as represented in figure 4, are two connectors 7 and 8 of the LC and LX.5 types, respectively, while at the front a cap 62 closes the adapter or both its openings at the same time. The caps 6 in general, or 60 for simplex connectors and 62 for duplex connectors according to Figures 3a and 6, preferably consist of flexible plastic, have a latching pin 61 for clipping in and fastening in a bore 46 on the housing 4,30,40, a jointed flexible clip 63 for the pivoting away of the closure 64, 64' of cap, in order to clear or close the openings of the adapter, at the same time as a guard against dust and-in the case of adapters without a laser shutter 44 - also as an guard. The front part 65 has a guide 66, in order to insert there an identification plate 67, which is provided with an inscription or identification, concerning the type of the adapters, the plug-in connectors to be inserted or the like to hold [sic] LIST OF DESIGNATIONS 1 Plug [sic] connector receptacle, front 2 Plug [sic] connector receptacle, rear 3,3',3" Adapter 4 Housing of duplex adapter 5, 5' Latching spring 6 Cap 7 LC plug-in connector 8 LX.5 plug-in connector 9 MU plug-in connuctor 10 Font panel 11 Aperture 20 Light guide 27 LC arresting mechanism 28 LX.5 arresting mechanism 29 MU arresting mechanism 30 Adapter housing 31 Adapter part, front 32 Adapter part, rear 33 Adapter cross section, largest 34 Connection 40 Housing of simplex adapter 401 Side wall 402 Upper side 403 Side wall 41 Flange 42 Cover pin 421 Tongue 43 Centering device 44 Laser shutter 45 Spring 46 Bore 47 Catch of LC connector 48 Catch of LX.5 connector 49 Blocking cam of MU connector 50 Spring frame of simplex connector 51 Resilient tongue 52 End 53 Lug 54 Clip 55 Spring frame of duplex connector 60 Cap of simplex connector 61 Latching pin 62 Cap of duplex connector 63 Clip 64,64' Closure 65 Front part 66 Guide 67 Identification plate 70 Plug housing 71 Release lever 72 Cam 73 Arresting lever 80 Plug housing 81 Release lever 82 Cam 90 Plug housing We Claim: 1. An adapter (3,3',3") in the manner of a coupling, which can be inserted into a front panel (10) from a front side and can be arrested by a spring (5,50, for optical-fibre plug-in connectors with - a one-piece or tow-piece housing (4,30,40), which has at least on one side a flange (41) protruding from the cross section of the housing (4,30,40) for abutment on the front panel (10), - at least one plug-in connector receptacle (1,2) at the front and/or rear with respect to the front panel (10), - at least one positively locking releasable arresting mechanism (27,28,29) for plug-in connectors (7,8,9), characterized in that each plug-in connector receptacle (1,2) has an opening for the alternate reception of at least two of three different types, LX. 5, LC and MU, of plug-in connectors (7,8,9) and in each case an arresting mechanism (27,28,29) suitable for the type, wherein at least one arresting mechanism (27) is provided for a plug type LX.5 (7) and a pin (42) for actuating a cover of the plug type LX.5 (7) is arranged on a displaceable element (421) on a side wall (401) of the adapter. 2. The adapter as claimed in claim 1, wherein the displaceable element (421) is formed in the side wall (401) as an integral spring element. 3. The adapter as claimed in claim 1 or 2, wherein the arresting mechanisms (27,28) for the types LX.5 and LC (7,8) are arranged on the same side (402) of the adapter (3,3',3"). 4. The adapter as claimed in one of the preceding claims, wherein the adapter is designed as a duplex plug-in coupling for the alternate reception of the plug types LX.5 and LC (7,8). 5. The adapter as claimed in claim 3, wherein the adapter (3,3',3") is designed as a simplex plug-in coupling for the alternate reception of all three types (7,8,9), the arresting mechanism for the plug type MU being attached offset by 90° on other sides of the adapter. 6. The adapter as claimed in one of the preceding claims, wherein the opening of the receptacle (1,2) can be closed by a cap (6,60,62) which can be pivotably and releasably attached to the housing (4,30,40). 7. The adapter as claimed in one of the preceding claims, wherein the pivotable and releasable cap (6,60,62) is inserted into a snap-action device (46) on the outside of the housing (4,30,40). 8. The adapter as claimed in one of the preceding claims, wherein the cap (6,60,62) is provided on the outside with a guide (66) for the pushing in of an identification plate (67). 9. The adapter as claimed in one of the preceding claims, wherein the adapter has at least one latching spring (5,5'), which is arranged on the housing (4,30,40) and can be actuated from the front side, for gripping behind the front panel (10) and releasing the latching spring (5,50 from the front panel (10). 10. The adapter as claimed in one of the preceding claims, wherein the latching spring (5,50 is designed as an unsupported resilient tongue (51), which can extend through an opening in the flange (41) and in the front panel (10,11). 11. The adapter as claimed in one of the preceding claims, wherein the latching spring (5,5') has a spring frame (50,55), which grips around the housing (4,30,40) on at least three sides (401, 402,403), extends through the flange (41) and has the resilient tongue (51) as an integral part. 12. The adapter as claimed in one of the preceding claims, wherein the adapter is designed in such a way that the plug receptacles (1,2) form the largest housing cross section (33) at their openings and the housing surface is provided in the direction of the flange (41) with set-back portions for the abut-ment of parts of the spring frame (50,55), the mounted spring frame not protruding beyond the cross section (33) of the housing (4,30,40) at the plug receptacle (1,2). This invention relates to an adapter (3,3',3") for receiving different types of plug-in connectors (7,8) in the manner of a coupling which can be inserted into a front panel (10,11) from a front side and can be arrested by a spring (5,5'), for optical-fiber plug-in connectors, with a one-piece or two-piece (4,30,40) housing, which has on one side a flange (41) protruding from the cross section of the housing (4,30,40) for abutment on the front panel (10,11); at least one plug-in connector receptacle (1,2) at the front and/or rear with respect to the front panel, with an opening for plug-in connectors (7,8); at least two positively locking releasable arresting means (27, 28), wherein the plug-in connector receptacle (1,2) has a first arresting means (27) for LC plug-in connectors (7) and a second arresting means (28) for LX.5 plug-in connectors (8), the first arresting means (27) having a catch (47) which is arranged on the housing and in which the cams (72) of one of the LC plug-in connector (7) can engage, and the second arresting means (28) having a catch (48) which is arranged on the housing and in which the cams (81) of one of the LX.5 plug-in connector (8) can engage, the adapter being formed with a pin (42) for the actuation of a cover of an LX.5 plug-in connector (8), the pin (42) being arranged on a displaceable element (421) on a side wall (401) of the adapter.

Documents:

207-KOLNP-2004-ASSIGNMENT.pdf

207-KOLNP-2004-CORRESPONDENCE.pdf

207-KOLNP-2004-FORM 13.pdf

207-KOLNP-2004-FORM 27.pdf

207-KOLNP-2004-FORM-27.pdf

207-kolnp-2004-granted-abstract.pdf

207-kolnp-2004-granted-claims.pdf

207-kolnp-2004-granted-correspondence.pdf

207-kolnp-2004-granted-description (complete).pdf

207-kolnp-2004-granted-drawings.pdf

207-kolnp-2004-granted-examination report.pdf

207-kolnp-2004-granted-form 1.pdf

207-kolnp-2004-granted-form 18.pdf

207-kolnp-2004-granted-form 2.pdf

207-kolnp-2004-granted-form 3.pdf

207-kolnp-2004-granted-form 5.pdf

207-kolnp-2004-granted-gpa.pdf

207-kolnp-2004-granted-reply to examination report.pdf

207-kolnp-2004-granted-specification.pdf

207-kolnp-2004-granted-translated copy of priority document.pdf

207-KOLNP-2004-PA.pdf