US 11,940,654 B2
Small form factor connector and adapter
Jason Higley, Hickory, NC (US); and Darrell R. Childers, Hickory, NC (US)
Assigned to US Conec, Ltd., Hickory, NC (US)
Filed by US Conec, Ltd., Hickory, NC (US)
Filed on Aug. 25, 2023, as Appl. No. 18/456,105.
Application 18/456,105 is a continuation of application No. 18/299,278, filed on Apr. 12, 2023, granted, now 11,768,333.
Application 18/299,278 is a continuation of application No. 17/426,051, previously published as PCT/US2020/015858, filed on Jan. 30, 2020.
Claims priority of provisional application 62/798,699, filed on Jan. 30, 2019.
Prior Publication US 2023/0400642 A1, Dec. 14, 2023
Int. Cl. G02B 6/38 (2006.01)
CPC G02B 6/3831 (2013.01) [G02B 6/3825 (2013.01); G02B 6/3877 (2013.01); G02B 6/3879 (2013.01)] 20 Claims
OG exemplary drawing
 
1. An adapter for mating fiber optic connectors comprising:
a main body having a first, front end portion and a second end portion spaced apart along a longitudinal axis, the main body comprising a first side wall and a second side wall spaced apart along a lateral axis perpendicular to the longitudinal axis,
wherein the main body has a width extending along the lateral axis from the first side wall to the second side wall,
wherein the main body comprises an upper wall and a lower wall spaced apart along a transverse axis oriented perpendicular to the lateral axis and perpendicular to the longitudinal axis, each of the upper wall and the lower wall having an inner surface,
wherein the main body defines a first plurality of channels spaced apart along the width, each of the first plurality of channels being configured to respectively receive an optical fiber connector having two ferrules from the first, front end portion into the main body,
wherein the main body further comprises a second plurality of channels spaced apart along the width at the second end portion, each of the second plurality of channels being configured to respectively receive an additional optical fiber connector also having two ferrules from the second end portion into the main body,
wherein the first plurality of channels and the second plurality of channels are aligned along the longitudinal axis;
a central portion inside the main body between the first, front end portion and the second end portion along the longitudinal axis and comprising two ferrule openings for each of the first plurality of channels and the second plurality of channels, wherein the two ferrule openings for each of the first plurality of channels and the second plurality of channels are arranged spaced-apart along the transverse axis; and
a first divider between two channels of the first plurality of channels, the first divider extending toward the central portion from the first, front end portion, the first divider defining a notch at the first, front end portion thereof that is adjacent the lower wall to receive a laterally extending projection of the optical fiber connector, wherein a portion of the first divider is located above the notch along the transverse axis.