US-20260126592-A1 - FIBER OPTIC ADAPTER CONVERSION SYSTEM

US20260126592A1US 20260126592 A1US20260126592 A1US 20260126592A1US-20260126592-A1

Abstract

The present disclosure relates to enclosures, systems, methods, designs, and assemblies for converting (e.g., modifying, retrofitting, etc.) a first adapter mounting opening compatible with a first type of hardened fiber optic adapter to a second adapter mounting opening compatible with a second type of hardened fiber optic adapter.

Inventors

Marc DE MESMAEKER
Neil Stewart BIRD
Peter STOCKMANS

Assignees

COMMSCOPE TECHNOLOGIES LLC

Dates

Publication Date: 20260507
Application Date: 20251103

Claims (16)

1 . (canceled)
2 . A fiber optic adapter conversion kit comprising: a plurality of converters for converting a first adapter mounting opening having a first form factor corresponding to a first type of fiber optic adapter to accommodate different types of fiber optic adapters, the plurality of converters including: (a) a first converter including: a first converter body having a first converter plate defining a second adapter mounting opening with a second form factor corresponding to a second type of fiber optic adapter; a first converter flange surrounding the second adapter mounting opening; a first rear portion projecting rearwardly from the first converter flange and defining an exterior form factor adapted to fit within the first adapter mounting opening; (b) a second converter including: a second converter body having a second converter plate defining a third adapter mounting opening with a third form factor corresponding to a third type of fiber optic adapter, wherein the third form factor is different from the second form factor; a second converter flange surrounding the third adapter mounting opening; a second rear portion projecting rearwardly from the second converter flange and defining the exterior form factor adapted to fit within the first adapter mounting opening; wherein each of the first and second converters is configured to be secured within the first adapter mounting opening and to enable installation of its corresponding type of fiber optic adapter in a sealed manner with compression of a first seal between the converter flange and a housing wall defining the first adapter mounting opening, and compression of a second seal between an exterior adapter flange of the corresponding type of fiber optic adapter and the converter plate.
3 . The fiber optic adapter conversion kit of claim 2 , further comprising: a plurality of first seals, each first seal configured to surround the first adapter mounting opening and be compressed between one of the converter flanges and the housing wall when one of the converters is secured within the first adapter mounting opening.
4 . The fiber optic adapter conversion kit of claim 3 , further comprising: a plurality of second seals, each second seal configured to surround one of the second or third adapter mounting openings and be compressed between the exterior adapter flange of a corresponding fiber optic adapter and the converter plate of the corresponding converter.
5 . The fiber optic adapter conversion kit of claim 2 , wherein: the first type of fiber optic adapter comprises an OptiTap™ type fiber optic adapter; the second type of fiber optic adapter comprises a Prodigy™ type fiber optic adapter; and the third type of fiber optic adapter comprises a DLX™ type fiber optic adapter.
6 . The fiber optic adapter conversion kit of claim 2 , wherein the first and second converters are each configured to be secured within the first adapter mounting opening by a turnable fastening arrangement that mounts on an interior portion of the converter.
7 . The fiber optic adapter conversion kit of claim 6 , wherein the turnable fastening arrangement comprises a threaded fastener having internal threads that engage external threads on the interior portion of the converter.
8 . The fiber optic adapter conversion kit of claim 6 , wherein the turnable fastening arrangement comprises a quarter-turn fastener.
9 . The fiber optic adapter conversion kit of claim 2 , wherein: the exterior form factor of the first rear portion and the second rear portion are identical; and the second form factor of the second adapter mounting opening and the third form factor of the third adapter mounting opening are different.
10 . The fiber optic adapter conversion kit of claim 2 , wherein the first and second seals comprise elastomeric sealing members.
11 . The fiber optic adapter conversion kit of claim 10 , wherein the elastomeric sealing members comprise O-rings.
12 . The fiber optic adapter conversion kit of claim 2 , wherein the plurality of converters further includes: (c) a third converter including: a third converter body having a third converter plate defining a fourth adapter mounting opening with a fourth form factor corresponding to a fourth type of fiber optic adapter, wherein the fourth form factor is different from the second form factor and the third form factor; a third converter flange surrounding the fourth adapter mounting opening; a third rear portion projecting rearwardly from the third converter flange and defining the exterior form factor adapted to fit within the first adapter mounting opening.
13 . The fiber optic adapter conversion kit of claim 12 , wherein the fourth type of fiber optic adapter comprises a FastConnect type fiber optic adapter.
14 . The fiber optic adapter conversion kit of claim 2 , wherein the first and second converter flanges are configured to oppose an exterior surface of the housing wall when the corresponding converter is secured within the first adapter mounting opening.
15 . The fiber optic adapter conversion kit of claim 2 , wherein each converter includes external threads on its rear portion for engagement with internal threads of a turnable fastener.
16 . The fiber optic adapter conversion kit of claim 2 , wherein: the first form factor of the first adapter mounting opening is larger than the second form factor of the second adapter mounting opening and the third form factor of the third adapter mounting opening.

Description

CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATION This application is a continuation of U.S. patent application Ser. No. 17/992,314, filed Nov. 22, 2022, which claims the benefit of U.S. Provisional Application No. 63/282,013, filed Nov. 22, 2021, and titled “FIBER OPTIC ADAPTER CONVERSION SYSTEM” the disclosures of which are hereby incorporated herein by reference. TECHNICAL FIELD The present disclosure relates to fiber optic data transmission, and more particularly to fiber optic connection systems such as hardened fiber optic connection systems. BACKGROUND Fiber optic cable connection systems are used to facilitate connecting and disconnecting fiber optic cables in the field without requiring a splice. A typical fiber optic cable connection system for interconnecting two fiber optic cables includes fiber optic connectors mounted at the ends of the fiber optic cables, and a fiber optic adapter for mechanically and optically coupling the fiber optic connectors together. Fiber optic connectors generally include ferrules that support the ends of the optical fibers of the fiber optic cables. The end faces of the ferrules are typically polished and are often angled. The fiber optic adapter includes co-axially aligned ports (i.e., receptacles) for receiving the fiber optic connectors desired to be interconnected. The fiber optic adapter includes an internal sleeve that receives and aligns the ferrules of the fiber optic connectors when the connectors are inserted within the ports of the fiber optic adapter. With the ferrules and their associated fibers aligned within the sleeve of the fiber optic adapter, a fiber optic signal can pass from one fiber to the next. The adapter also typically has a mechanical fastening arrangement (e.g., a snap-fit arrangement) for mechanically retaining the fiber optic connectors within the adapter. One example of an existing fiber optic connection system is described at U.S. Pat. Nos. 6,579,014, 6,648,520, and 6,899,467. Hardened fiber optic connection systems have been developed for facilitating making optical connection in outdoor applications. Hardened fiber optic connection systems generally include hardened fiber optic connectors that are sealed with respect to corresponding hardened fiber optic adapters when mated. The hardened fiber optic adapters are often mounted in sealed relation with respect to corresponding telecommunications housings (e.g., terminals such as drop terminals/multi-service terminals). Example hardened fiber optic connection systems are disclosed by U.S. Pat. No. 7,744,288 . SUMMARY Aspects of the present disclosure relate to enclosures, systems, methods, designs, and assemblies for converting (e.g., modifying, retrofitting, etc.) a first adapter mounting opening compatible with a first type of hardened fiber optic adapter to a second adapter mounting opening compatible with a second type of hardened fiber optic adapter. Another aspect of the present disclosure relates to an enclosure including a housing having an interior and an exterior. The housing includes a housing wall defining a first adapter mounting opening that extends between the interior and the exterior of the housing. The first adapter mounting opening has a first form factor corresponding to a first type of fiber optic adapter. The enclosure also includes a converter secured within the first adapter mounting opening. The converter defines a second adapter mounting opening having a second form factor corresponding to a second type of fiber optic adapter. The enclosure further includes a first seal surrounding the first adapter mounting opening. The first seal is compressed between the converter and the housing wall. The enclosure additionally includes a fiber optic adapter of the second type secured within the second adapter mounting opening. The fiber optic adapter includes an adapter body defining an exterior port for receiving a fiber optic connector at the exterior of the housing. The fiber optic adapter includes a ferrule alignment sleeve mounted within the adapter body for receiving a ferrule of the fiber optic connector when the fiber optic connector is installed in the exterior port. The enclosure further includes a second seal surrounding the second adapter mounting opening, the second seal being compressed between the adapter body and the converter. A variety of additional inventive aspects will be set forth in the description that follows. The inventive aspects can relate to individual features and to combinations of features. It is to be understood that both the forgoing general description and the following detailed description are exemplary and explanatory only and are not restrictive of the broad inventive concepts upon which the examples disclosed herein are based. BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS FIG. 1 is a perspective view of a prior art enclosure having first hardened fiber optic adapters mounted within corresponding first adapter mounting openings; FIG. 2 is a perspective view o