US 12,265,268 B2
Gender changeable multi-fiber fiber optic connector
Scott Martin Keith, Plano, TX (US); and Bradley Scott Billman, Sachse, TX (US)
Assigned to CommScope Technologies LLC, Hickory, NC (US)
Appl. No. 17/792,906
Filed by COMMSCOPE TECHNOLOGIES LLC, Hickory, NC (US)
PCT Filed Jan. 15, 2021, PCT No. PCT/US2021/013641
§ 371(c)(1), (2) Date Jul. 14, 2022,
PCT Pub. No. WO2021/146560, PCT Pub. Date Jul. 22, 2021.
Claims priority of provisional application 62/962,512, filed on Jan. 17, 2020.
Prior Publication US 2023/0069745 A1, Mar. 2, 2023
Int. Cl. G02B 6/38 (2006.01)
CPC G02B 6/3882 (2013.01) [G02B 6/3831 (2013.01)] 19 Claims
OG exemplary drawing
 
1. A fiber optic connector comprising:
a connector body having a front end, a rear end, opposing major sides, and opposing minor sides, the connector body defining a longitudinal axis extending between the front end and the rear end;
a multi-fiber ferrule disposed within the connector body and biased towards the front end of the connector body, the multi-fiber ferrule including a front end, a rear end, a plurality of fiber openings for receiving optical fibers, and a pair of alignment pin openings that extend between the front end and the rear end;
a main grip-sleeve body mounted on the connector body and movable relative to the connector body along the longitudinal axis between a forward position and a rearward position;
a pair of alignment pins selectively mountable in the pair of alignment pin openings of the multi-fiber ferrule, each alignment pin has a circumferential groove defined adjacent a rear end of the alignment pin; and
a pin retention structure disposed within the connector body and positioned at the rear end of the multi-fiber ferrule, the pin retention structure configured to retain the pair of alignment pins within the pair of alignment pin openings, the pin retention structure comprising:
a pin-holder body having a front end disposed adjacent the rear end of the multi-fiber ferrule and a pair of pin openings extending from the front end for receiving the rear ends of the pair of alignment pins; and
a U-shaped spring clip disposed within the pin-holder body, the spring clip including a base portion and two opposing legs extending from the base portion, the spring clip movable relative to the pin-holder body between a pin retaining position and a pin release position, wherein when the spring clip is in the pin retaining position, the base portion is bowed such that a concave surface faces the longitudinal axis, and the two opposing legs engage with outer sides of each of the alignment pins relative to the longitudinal axis and at the circumferential groove, and wherein when the spring clip is in the pin release position the base portion flexes inwardly towards the longitudinal axis, and the two opposing legs disengage with the outer sides of each of the alignment pins.