Abstract: A small form factor dust cap for a fiber-optic connector includes a main body having a front portion, a middle portion, a rear portion, and an internal opening extending within the main body from the rear portion toward the front portion, the main body formed by two long side walls joined by a short top wall and an oppositely placed short bottom wall, a pair of cutouts in each of the respective two long side walls and located nearer to one of the short top wall and the short bottom wall, an extension extending rearwardly from the middle portion and having a free end, and an engagement mechanism at the free end of the extension to engage a housing of the fiber optic connector. The dust cap is also combined with a small form factor fiber optic connector.

Abstract: A fiber optic connector housing has seating features in an internal opening that coordinate with a flange on a fiber optic ferrule to have a secure and precise position for the fiber optic ferrule. There are at least one pair of ramps that may be attached to an inner connector housing wall and an opening wall. The flange has contacts that engage the ramps, which direct the fiber optic ferrule in a rotational direction as well as a translational direction to a final position. The seating features also ensure the correct position after the fiber optic ferrule has been mated and unmated.

Abstract: A new fiber optic ferrule has an alignment structure on a surface through which light passes. The alignment structure is preferably in the shape of a dog bone, allowing the alignment structure to align the fiber optic ferrule in a receptacle while reducing the influence of temperature on the alignment.

Abstract: A fiber handling tool has a cover to engage optical fibers placed in the fiber handling tool. There may be more than one cover and the covers have at least two elastic elements. There are at least two elastic elements that cooperate to hold the optical fibers and/or cable in place and another elastic element may be used with a door lock that is rotatably attached to the cover. There are also structures for managing the routing of the optical fibers within the tool.

Abstract: A dust plug for use in a pre-populated adapters has a main body having a top wall, a bottom wall, and two opposing side walls extending between the top wall and bottom wall. The dust plug also includes at least one pair of latches in a front portion of the main body and each of the at least one pair of latches may have an increased thickness at a forward end thereof. The area of increased thickness is sized to engage a receptacle in an inner surface of the housing when the dust plug is attached to the housing. Other versions contemplate not having the increased thickness. The dust plug preferably includes a grip at the back end.

Abstract: A fiber optic connector has a fiber optic connector shutter that rotates about a first axis and an adapter for the fiber optic connector also has an adapter shutter that rotates about a second axis in the adapter. When the fiber optic connector and the adapter are mated to one another, the axes for the fiber optic connector shutter and the adapter shutter are aligned and the fiber optic connector shutter and the adapter shutter rotate about a single axis. The fiber optic connector shutter and the adapter shutter include structure to maintain engagement during the mating and un-mating of the fiber optic connector and the adapter.

Abstract: A fiber optic ferrule receiver includes a main body that has an opening extending between the front end and the rear end and being defined at least by a portion of internal surfaces of the four sides. A first side in the opening has first tapered surface and a second tapered surface, the first tapered surface reducing the opening between the rear end and a first position and the second tapered surface increasing the opening between the first position and the front end. There is also a second side in the opening and across the opening from the first side, the second side has a third tapered surface and a fourth tapered surface, the third tapered surface reducing the opening between the rear end and a second position and the second tapered surface increasing the opening between the second position and the front end.

Abstract: A guide pin insert for an adapter to align two fiber optic connectors includes a central body having an opening configured to allow two fiber optic ferrules to mate therethrough, the opening having a longitudinal axis therethrough, a first guide pin holder in communication with the opening on a first side of the central body to engage a first guide pin, a second guide pin holder in communication with the opening on a second side of the central body to engage a second guide pin, a third guide pin holder spaced from the first guide pin holder along the longitudinal axis to engage the first guide pin, and a fourth guide pin holder spaced from the second guide pin holder along the longitudinal axis to engage the second guide pin.

Abstract: A cover for a fiber optic ferrule and ferrule push includes a sleeve extending lengthwise between opposed front and rear ends and defines a lengthwise-extending opening that opens through the rear end for receiving at least a portion of the fiber optic fiber optic ferrule and the ferrule push. The sleeve also includes a top side and an opposing bottom side, and two side walls extending between the top side and the bottom side and along at least a portion of the sleeve. A receiver is disposed in the top side to receive a projection associated with the ferrule push.

Abstract: A new fiber optic connector provides a smaller form factor by including two ferrule assemblies in a housing. The housing accepts a push-pull mechanism that allows for insertion and removal from a carrier as well as an adapter. The push-pull mechanism may also include a flexure member to return the push-pull mechanism. Polarity of the fiber optic connector may also be selected by use of the push-pull mechanism.

Abstract: A fiber optic connector includes a connector body, a release member attached to the connector body and having a boot latch opening at a rear end, a push-pull boot attached to the release member, and a boot latch attached to the push-pull boot and extending forward and away from the push-pull boot, the boot latch having a first and second side extension and a central head member connected to and at least partially disposed between the first and the second side extensions by at least one flexure member, the boot latch is permanently disposed within the release member after the boot latch is inserted into the boot latch opening as the central head member engages each of the first side extension and the second side extension preventing removal of the boot latch from the release member when push or pull forces are applied to the push-pull boot.

Abstract: A fiber optic ferrule has a main body having a front end, a rear end, and a top surface and a bottom surface joined together by opposing side surfaces and has a longitudinal axis. There are a plurality of optical fiber support structures disposed between the front end and rear end and configured to receive a plurality of optical fibers. The fiber optic ferrule has an end face at the front end of the fiber optic ferrule through which an optical beam passes. There are also a front facing refractive surface and a rear facing refractive surface, the rear facing refractive surface being closer to the end face than the front facing refractive surface, both being at an angle to the front facing refractive surface.

Abstract: A fiber optic ferrule having an angled endface is used in a system where the system can detect back reflection if there is an air gap but not if the fiber optic ferrule is physically mated to another optical device such as a fiber optic ferrule or transceiver. The angle of the end face is preferably between 3 and 5° and most preferably about 4° for most systems. No special detection equipment is needed to infer and determine an acceptable physical contact between two mated fiber-optic ferrules having the angled end faces.

Abstract: A cover for a fiber optic ferrule and ferrule push includes a sleeve extending lengthwise between opposed front and rear ends and defines a lengthwise-extending opening that opens through the rear end for receiving at least a portion of the fiber optic fiber optic ferrule and the ferrule push. The sleeve also includes a top side and an opposing bottom side, and two side walls extending between the top side and the bottom side and along at least a portion of the sleeve. A receiver is disposed in the top side to receive a projection associated with the ferrule push.

Abstract: An assembly of two fiber optic ferrules allows for the mating of a CWDM fiber optic ferrule with a non-CWDM fiber optic ferrule. The CWDM fiber optic ferrule has optical fibers that carry optical beams with at least two different wavelengths, which the non-CWDM ferrule has optical fibers that carry only one wavelength. The CWDM fiber optic ferrule and the non-CWDM fiber optic ferrule have optical fibers that are inserted along parallel axes. The non-CWDM fiber optic ferrule has a lens pitch that matches the CWDM ferrule.

Abstract: A fiber optic connector housing has a first portion to receive fiber optic ferrule holders and fiber optic ferrules. The fiber optic connector housing also includes a second portion for use during polishing and before one of the fiber optic ferrule holders is rotated 180°. The second portion is, removed to allow for rotation and a third portion is attached to the first portion for connection with another fiber optic connector or assembly.

Abstract: An adapter has a main body with a central opening extending between two sides and latches to engage a panel into which the adapter is disposed. The main body also includes latch receptacles on an outside portion to receive the latches when compressed during insertion into the panel. The receptacles are not in communication with the central opening, preventing dirt and debris from entering the central opening from around the latches.

Abstract: A fiber-optic connector includes a connector body including a housing with a top surface and a bottom surface, the top surface and the bottom surface being joined together by two opposing side surfaces of the housing. The housing has a top slot and a bottom slot thereupon along a longitudinal axis, the top slot and the bottom slot being provided on the top surface and the bottom surface, respectively. A first key structure is slidably positioned within the top slot, and a second key structure is slidably positioned within a bottom.

Abstract: An interconnect system is provided that involves pre-installing a connector housing an optical connector in an adapter and a ferrule of the same optical connector on a cable. The ferrule terminates one or more groups of optical fibers, and a ferrule push component is also pre-installed on the same group(s) of optical fibers. The connector housing is configured to receive and retain the ferrule and ferrule push component without being removed from the adapter to simultaneously form the optical connector and install the optical connector in the adapter. Embodiments such an interconnect system involving high fiber-count cables and related installation methods involving many optical connections are disclosed.