US 12,461,320 B2
Optical connector with rotatable boot and related methods
Larry Todd McKinney, Keller, TX (US); and Louis Edward Parkman, III, Keller, TX (US)
Assigned to CORNING RESEARCH & DEVELOPMENT CORPORATION, Corning, NY (US)
Filed by CORNING RESEARCH & DEVELOPMENT CORPORATION, Corning, NY (US)
Filed on Aug. 28, 2023, as Appl. No. 18/456,556.
Claims priority of provisional application 63/411,655, filed on Sep. 30, 2022.
Claims priority of provisional application 63/401,732, filed on Aug. 29, 2022.
Prior Publication US 2024/0069290 A1, Feb. 29, 2024
Int. Cl. G02B 6/38 (2006.01)
CPC G02B 6/3887 (2013.01) [G02B 6/3831 (2013.01)] 18 Claims
OG exemplary drawing
 
1. An optical connector, comprising:
a connector sub-assembly including:
a ferrule configured to support at least one optical fiber;
a connector body surrounding at least a portion of the ferrule; and
a latch arm extending outwardly and rearwardly from a front portion of the connector body, wherein an end portion of the latch arm can be depressed toward the connector body;
an inner housing having a front side in which a rear portion of the connector sub-assembly is received;
a boot extending from a rear side of the inner housing; and
an outer housing coupled to the boot and extending over at least the end portion of the latch arm of the connector sub-assembly, wherein the outer housing and the boot are configured to rotate relative to each other about a longitudinal axis of the optical connector but move together along the longitudinal axis;
wherein:
the boot is rotatable relative to the inner housing about the longitudinal axis between a first rotational position and a second rotational position;
in the first rotational position, relative movement between the boot and the inner housing along the longitudinal axis is limited so that the outer housing is not configured to move axially rearward with the boot to depress the end portion of the latch arm; and
in the second position, relative movement between the boot and the inner housing along the longitudinal axis is permitted so that the outer housing is configured to move axially rearward with the boot to depress the end portion of the latch arm.