Reduced-profile date transmission element connectors, adapters, and connection assemblies thereof

Abstract

Reduced-profile connection components are described. The reduced-profile connection components are configured to connect various data transmission elements, including cables, network devices, and computing devices. A non-limiting example of a connection component includes a fiber optic connection component, including connectors, adapters, and assemblies formed therefrom. In some embodiments, the connection components may include mechanical transfer (MT) and multi-fiber push-on/pull-off (MPO) connection components, such as MT ferrules and MPO adapters. The reduced-profile connection components configured according to some embodiments have a smaller profile and/or require less parts to achieve a connection compared to conventional connection components. In some embodiments, the reduced-profile connection components may be used with conventional connection components. For example a reduced-profile connector may use a conventional MT ferrule to establish a connection within a conventional MPO adapter.

What is claimed is: 
     
         1 . An optical fiber connector comprising:
 an outer housing;   an MT ferrule received in the outer housing, the MT ferrule configured to receive at least eight optical fibers at spaced apart locations along a fiber alignment axis; and   a depressible latch arm disposed on the outer housing such that the depressible latch arm is spaced apart along the fiber alignment axis from the MT ferrule.   
     
     
         2 . The optical fiber connector as set forth in  claim 1 , wherein the optical fiber connector is configured to plug into a port of an adapter. 
     
     
         3 . The optical fiber connector as set forth in  claim 2 , wherein the depressible latch arm comprises a hook portion configured to latch into a latching recess of the adapter when the optical fiber connector plugs into the port. 
     
     
         4 . The optical fiber connector as set forth in  claim 3 , wherein the depressible latch arm is configured to be depressed to unlatch the hook portion from the latching recess and release the optical fiber connector from the adapter port. 
     
     
         5 . The optical fiber connector as set forth in  claim 1 , wherein the outer housing has a generally rectangular cross sectional shape. 
     
     
         6 . The optical fiber connector as set forth in  claim 5 , wherein the outer housing comprises opposite first and second sides spaced apart along the fiber alignment axis and opposite third and fourth sides spaced apart along a perpendicular axis perpendicular to the fiber alignment axis. 
     
     
         7 . The optical fiber connector as set forth in  claim 6 , wherein the depressible latch arm is disposed on the first side. 
     
     
         8 . The optical fiber connector as set forth in  claim 7 , wherein the first and second sides have a first dimension in along the perpendicular axis and the third and fourth sides have a second dimension along the fiber alignment axis, the first dimension being less than the second dimension. 
     
     
         9 . The optical fiber connector as set forth in  claim 6 , further comprising a polarity key disposed on one of the first, second, third, and fourth sides. 
     
     
         10 . The optical fiber connector as set forth in  claim 1 , wherein the depressible latch arm is configured to be depressed toward the outer housing and resiliently rebound when released. 
     
     
         11 . The optical fiber connector as set forth in  claim 1 , wherein the optical fiber connector has a front end portion and a rear end portion spaced apart along a longitudinal axis perpendicular to the fiber alignment axis. 
     
     
         12 . The optical fiber connector as set forth in  claim 11 , wherein the depressible latch arm comprises a front end portion and a rear end portion spaced apart along the longitudinal axis, the front end portion of the depressible latch arm being located closer to the MT ferrule along the fiber alignment axis than the rear end portion of the depressible latch arm. 
     
     
         13 . The optical fiber connector as set forth in  claim 12 , wherein the front end portion of the depressible latch arm has a substantially fixed position along the fiber alignment axis in relation to the outer housing and wherein the rear end portion of the depressible latch arm is configured to be depressed toward the outer housing along the fiber alignment axis. 
     
     
         14 . The optical fiber connector as set forth in  claim 1 , wherein the MT ferrule comprises a ferrule flange and the outer housing comprises an inner shoulder portion directly engaging the ferrule flange to support the MT ferrule in the outer housing. 
     
     
         15 . The optical fiber connector as set forth in  claim 1 , wherein the depressible latch hook comprises a first depressible latch hook, the optical fiber connector further comprising a second depressible latch hook on an opposite side of the MT ferrule from the first depressible latch hook. 
     
     
         16 . An adapter for mating with an optical fiber connector comprising an MT ferrule having at least eight optical fibers spaced apart along a fiber alignment axis, the adapter comprising:
 a generally rectangular perimeter wall extending circumferentially around a port configured plugging the optical fiber connector into the port, the generally rectangular perimeter wall comprising opposite first and second sides spaced apart along a first axis and opposite third and fourth sides spaced apart along a second axis perpendicular to the first axis, the first side of the perimeter wall defining a latch recess, the latch recess being configured to latch with a depressible latch arm of the optical fiber connector when the optical fiber connector is plugged into the port to retain the optical fiber connector in the port so that the fiber alignment axis extends parallel to the first axis.   
     
     
         17 . An optical fiber connector configured to plug into a port of an adapter comprising a latching recess, the optical fiber connector comprising:
 an MT ferrule, the MT ferrule configured to receive at least eight optical fibers at spaced apart locations along a fiber alignment axis;   an outer housing having a front end portion and a rear end portion spaced apart along a longitudinal axis, the outer housing receiving the MT ferrule therein such that the MT ferrule is exposed through the front end portion for making an optical connection, the outer housing having a generally rectangular cross sectional shape, the outer housing comprising opposite first and second sides spaced apart along the fiber alignment axis and opposite third and fourth sides spaced apart along a perpendicular axis perpendicular to the fiber alignment axis, the first and second sides having a first dimension along the perpendicular axis and the third and fourth sides having a second dimension along the fiber alignment axis, the first dimension being less than the second dimension; and   a depressible latch arm connected to the first side of the outer housing such that the depressible latch arm is spaced apart along the fiber alignment axis from the MT ferrule, the depressible latch arm comprising a front end portion and a hook portion spaced apart rearwardly from the front end portion along the longitudinal axis, the front end portion of the depressible latch arm being connected to the outer housing and the depressible latch arm being resiliently biased toward an non-depressed position at which hook portion is spaced apart from the first side of the outer housing along the fiber alignment axis, the hook portion of the latch arm being configured to latch into the latching recess of the adapter when the optical fiber connector plugs into the port, the depressible latch arm being configured to be depressed such that the hook portion moves toward the MT ferrule along the fiber alignment axis to unlatch the hook portion from the latching recess and release the optical fiber connector from the adapter port.