Abstract: A connector for attachment to a planar surface, said connector comprising a shell housing configured for attachment to said planar surface, an insert housing connected to said shell and defining two or more insert ferrule openings, at least one retainer attached to said insert housing and defining two or more retainer ferrule openings aligned with said insert ferrule openings, and two or more ferrule assemblies disposed within said two or more insert ferrule openings.

Abstract: A connector for attachment to a planar surface, said connector comprising a shell housing configured for attachment to said planar surface. an insert housing connected to said shell and defining two or more insert ferrule openings, at least one retainer attached to said insert housing and defining two or more retainer ferrule opening aligned with said insert ferrule openings, and two or more ferrule assemblies disposed within said two or more insert ferrule openings.

Abstract: A connector comprising: (a) a housing defining a plurality of openings, a portion of the openings being peripheral openings and at least one of the openings being an interior opening; and (b) at least two retainer components defining a plurality of retainer openings which align with the plurality of openings, each of the retainer components defining a periphery and a portion of the plurality of retainer openings, and being configured with an accessway from the periphery to each of the portion of the plurality of retainer openings to allow passage of a cable therethrough.

Abstract: A cable breakout comprising: (a) a cable comprising a plurality of conductors; (b) a skeleton component having a first and second end, a substrate, conductor management (CM) members defined on said substrate, and at least a first protrusion on a first side of said substrate and a second protrusion on a second side of said substrate, said CM members being configured to receive said cable at said first end and to hold each of said plurality of conductors in place at said second end; and (c) an overmolded component overmolding said skeleton component including at least a portion of said CM members and said conductors, said overmolded component having an outer surface that defines essentially the form factor of said cable breakout, wherein at least one of said first and second protrusions extend to said outer surface.

Abstract: A connector sub-assembly comprising: (a) an insert housing defining two or more insert ferrule openings and at least two insert alignment pin openings, and having a mating surface; (b) a retainer attached to the insert and defining two or more retainer ferrule openings and at least two retainer alignment pin openings; (c) at least two alignment pins, each of the alignment pins disposed in one the insert alignment pin openings and in one of the retainer alignment pin openings, thereby aligning the insert ferrule openings and the retainer ferrule openings, the at least two alignment pins extending from the mating surface; and (d) only one fastener securing the insert and the retainer.

Abstract: A connector comprising: (a) shell acing a cavity configured to receive a single conventional insert (b) one or more modular inserts, each modular insert having a form factor ½ to ¼ of the form factor of said conventional insert, such that said cavity is capable of receiving 2 to 4 said modular inserts; (c) said each modular insert having at least: (i) a housing having a front opening and a rear opening, (ii) an interface disposed in said front opening, said interface presenting one or more conductors, said conductors extending from said interface rearward through said rear opening and into a jacketed cable, (iii) a crimp portion rearward of said rear opening, said jacketed cable being secured to said crimp portion, and (iv) one or more seals sealing said front and rear opening such that said interior of said housing is sealed from environment.

Abstract: A connector comprising: (a) a housing defining a plurality of openings, a portion of the openings being peripheral openings and at least one of the openings being an interior opening; and (b) at least two retainer components defining a plurality of retainer openings which align with the plurality of openings, each of the retainer components defining a periphery and a portion of the plurality of retainer openings, and being configured with an accessway from the periphery to each of the portion of the plurality of retainer openings to allow passage of a cable therethrough.

Abstract: A connector sub-assembly comprising: (a) an insert housing defining two or more insert ferrule openings and at least two insert alignment pin openings, and having a mating surface; (b) a retainer attached to the insert and defining two or more retainer ferrule openings and at least two retainer alignment pin openings; (c) at least two alignment pins, each of the alignment pins disposed in one the insert alignment pin openings and in one of the retainer alignment pin openings, thereby aligning the insert ferrule openings and the retainer ferrule openings, the at least two alignment pins extending from the mating surface; and (d) only one fastener securing the insert and the retainer.

Abstract: An opto-electric (OE) module having a front and back orientation and comprising a connector having a front end configured to mate with a connector, an optical interconnect comprising an optical conduit with first and second ends, the first end being terminated by at least one first ferrule, the first ferrule being disposed in the connector in a non-biased state, and the second end being optically coupled to at least one opto-electric device (OED), wherein the optical interconnect is not configured to bend to accommodate distance variations between said first ferrule and said OED, a cover being attached to the connector and having an interior, a circuit board disposed in the interior and having an electrical interface configured to connect to a daughter card, and the opto-electric device (OED) attached to the circuit board and optically connected to the second end.

Abstract: A connector comprising: (a) at least one multi-fiber ferrule having a front face presenting a plurality of fiber end faces, and a back face having a first surface and defining a first orifice through which the fibers pass; (b) a retainer for holding the at least one multi-fiber ferrule, the retainer comprising a front face having a second surface and defining a second orifice through which the fibers pass, the second surface contacting the first surface; wherein at least one of the first or second surface is convex along at least one of an x-axis or a y-axis such that the at least one multi-fiber ferrule is able to move relative to the retainer about at least one of the axes.

Abstract: An opto-electric (OE) module having a front and back orientation and comprising a connector having a front end configured to mate with a connector, an optical interconnect comprising an optical conduit with first and second ends, the first end being terminated by at least one first ferrule, the first ferrule being disposed in the connector in a non-biased state, and the second end being optically coupled to at least one opto-electric device (OED), wherein the optical interconnect is not configured to bend to accommodate distance variations between said first ferrule and said OED, a cover being attached to the connector and having an interior, a circuit board disposed in the interior and having an electrical interface configured to connect to a daughter card, and the opto-electric device (OED) attached to the circuit board and optically connected to the second end.

Abstract: A connector includes a shell having a mating end configured to be mated with a mating connector and that holds at least one contact. A coupling mechanism is rotatable about the shell. The coupling mechanism includes an inner coupling nut and an outer coupling nut separate from the inner coupling nut. The inner coupling nut has threads configured to be threadably coupled to a mating connector. The inner coupling nut has a track defined by track walls formed into an outer surface of the inner coupling nut. The outer coupling nut has a cavity receiving the inner coupling nut. The outer coupling nut has a post extending into the cavity and being received in the track. The post engages the track walls and is released from the track wall into the track when the connector is fully mated to the mating connector.

Abstract: A connector includes a shell and a coupling mechanism rotatable about the shell. The coupling mechanism includes inner and outer coupling nuts. The inner coupling nut has threads configured to be threadably coupled to a mating connector. The outer coupling nut is configured to be locked to the inner coupling nut to transfer rotation of the outer coupling nut to the inner coupling nut. The outer coupling nut is configured to be unlocked from the inner coupling nut to allow free rotation of the outer coupling nut relative to the inner coupling nut. The outer coupling nut is automatically unlocked when the connector is fully mated to the mating connector. The coupling mechanism may include a plunger movable between a locked position and an unlocked position with the plunger locking the outer coupling nut to the inner coupling nut in the locked position.

Abstract: A terminus assembly is provided for terminating an optical cable that includes a plastic optical fiber (POF) having a tip segment that includes a tip surface. The terminus assembly includes a shell that includes a cable passage. The cable passage is configured to receive at least a portion of a length of the optical cable therein such that the tip segment of the POF extends within the cable passage. A POF stub is held by the shell. The POF stub extends a length from a mating end to a fiber end. The mating end of the POF stub is configured to optically couple with a mating POF of a mating connector. The fiber end of the POF stub includes a coupling surface. The POF stub is held by the shell such that the fiber end extends within the cable passage of the shell. The coupling surface of the fiber end is configured to be aligned with the tip surface of the POF within the cable passage of the shell such that the POF stub is optically coupled to the POF.

Abstract: An optical cable assembly includes an optical cable having an end that extends a length. The optical cable includes a plastic optical fiber (POF) and a buffer surrounding the POF along a portion of the length of the end of the optical cable. A terminus assembly terminates the end of the optical cable. The terminus assembly includes a terminus body having a cable passage and a crimp zone. At least a portion of the length of the end of the optical cable extends within the cable passage of the terminus body such that the terminus body surrounds the buffer of the optical cable at the crimp zone. The terminus body is mechanically crimped over, in engagement with, the buffer of the optical cable at the crimp zone.

Abstract: A connector includes a shell and a coupling mechanism rotatably coupled thereto. The coupling mechanism includes an inner coupling nut and an outer coupling nut separate from the inner coupling nut. The inner coupling nut has internal threads configured to be threadably coupled to a mating connector. The inner coupling nut has a plurality of ramped steps disposed at different circumferential positions along the rear. The outer coupling nut has a detent successively engaging the ramped steps as the outer coupling nut is rotated in a tightening direction. The detent is released from the corresponding ramped step when the connector is fully mated to the mating connector. The detent engages a corresponding ramped step as the outer coupling nut is rotated in an untightening direction causing the inner coupling nut to rotate in the untightening direction.

Abstract: An optical cable assembly includes an optical cable having an end. The optical cable includes a plastic optical fiber (POF) having a tip segment that includes a tip surface. The optical cable assembly also includes a socket terminus assembly that terminates the end of the optical cable and is configured to mate with a pin terminus assembly. The socket terminus assembly includes a terminus body having a cable passage. At least a portion of the end of the optical cable extends within the cable passage such that the tip surface of the tip segment of the POF is configured to engage a mating POF of the pin terminus assembly to optically couple the POF to the mating POF.

Abstract: A connector includes a shell and a coupling mechanism rotatably coupled thereto. The coupling mechanism includes an inner coupling nut and an outer coupling nut separate from the inner coupling nut. The inner coupling nut has internal threads configured to be threadably coupled to a mating connector. The inner coupling nut has a plurality of ramped steps disposed at different circumferential positions along the rear. The outer coupling nut has a detent successively engaging the ramped steps as the outer coupling nut is rotated in a tightening direction. The detent is released from the corresponding ramped step when the connector is fully mated to the mating connector. The detent engages a corresponding ramped step as the outer coupling nut is rotated in an untightening direction causing the inner coupling nut to rotate in the untightening direction.

Abstract: A connector includes a shell having a mating end configured to be mated with a mating connector and that holds at least one contact. A coupling mechanism is rotatable about the shell. The coupling mechanism includes an inner coupling nut and an outer coupling nut separate from the inner coupling nut. The inner coupling nut has threads configured to be threadably coupled to a mating connector. The inner coupling nut has a track defined by track walls formed into an outer surface of the inner coupling nut. The outer coupling nut has a cavity receiving the inner coupling nut. The outer coupling nut has a post extending into the cavity and being received in the track. The post engages the track walls and is released from the track wall into the track when the connector is fully mated to the mating connector.

Abstract: A connector includes a shell and a coupling mechanism rotatable about the shell. The coupling mechanism includes inner and outer coupling nuts. The inner coupling nut has threads configured to be threadably coupled to a mating connector. The outer coupling nut is configured to be locked to the inner coupling nut to transfer rotation of the outer coupling nut to the inner coupling nut. The outer coupling nut is configured to be unlocked from the inner coupling nut to allow free rotation of the outer coupling nut relative to the inner coupling nut. The outer coupling nut is automatically unlocked when the connector is fully mated to the mating connector. The coupling mechanism may include a plunger movable between a locked position and an unlocked position with the plunger locking the outer coupling nut to the inner coupling nut in the locked position.