Abstract: A fiber optic connector transmits light and includes a body member and at least one strand of optical transmitting material. The body member is formed in a generally U-shaped configuration to define a first linear segment, a second linear segment and a looped segment that interconnects the first and second linear segments. The first and second linear segments extend generally parallel with one another and are disposed apart from one another at a spaced distance. The at least one strand of optical transmitting material is carried by the body member to conform to the generally U-shaped configuration and has a minimum bend radius for transmitting light. The looped segment has an inner radius curvature greater than one half of the spaced distance and is at least equal to or greater than the minimum bend radius for transmitting light.

Abstract: A fiber optic connector system is made up of a socket contact and a pin contact arranged to be installed in a cylindrical multiple contact connector, each contact including a fiber optic connector that has been terminated to a ribbon cable and captured between two halves of a cylindrical contact body, the socket contact being spring loaded to provide an engagement force between the two contacts when assembled into a housing. The pin and socket contacts may be installed in a wide variety of connector housings configured to receive cylindrical contacts, including the MIL-C-38999 family of connector shells, utilizing existing coupling and mounting arrangements, with the optional addition in the plug connector of a torsion spring biased shutter arranged to shield the ends of the fibers before coupling, and which is moved by a cam surface in the receptacle connector of the fiber optic connector system to uncover the ends of the fibers during coupling.

Abstract: A fiber optic connector system is made up of a receptacle and a plug connector assembly in which a cylindrical MT fiber optic contact assembly of the type including a pair of contact halves arranged to capture the MT connector and form a cylindrical contact, is inserted from the rear into a connector body and held in place with a retention insert and retention clip that engages an undercut in the retention insert. The connector body of one of the plug and receptacle connectors is arranged to provide a passage for aligning mating MT connectors extending from the respective contacts of a mating pair of connectors, while environmental sealing is provided by sealing members such as o-rings extending between the insert and the connector body, with coupling of mating connectors being provided by a coupling nut that may optionally may include anti-vibration features.

Abstract: A protection cap for an electrical connector with several terminals extending from a first end thereof. The cap includes a body having a cavity for releaseably receiving a second end of the connector which is opposite the first end, at least one arm extending from the body for wrapping partially around the connector, and a terminal retainer arranged on the free end of the arm for engaging at least some of the terminals.

Abstract: A backplane assembly for a line replaceable module enclosure or rack includes an electrical backplane and a fiber optic backplane separately attachable to a single frame. The frame serves as a common datum for the electrical and fiber optic backplanes, and includes integral mating interface features for enabling line replaceable module connectors having a common shell to mate with the separate electrical and fiber optic connector structures on the backplane. The optical backplane is a one-piece structure to which pairs of individual fiber optic connectors, including input/output connectors, may be directly secured via a simple retention plate arrangement, the fiber optic connectors all having the same orientation to enable direct routing of fiber ribbons between rows of connectors serving different line replaceable modules.

Abstract: A circuit board module includes a plurality of high density edge connectors in which the contacts are arranged in rows, with contact tails extending from the connectors for electrical connection to a circuit board carrying electrical components. Instead of terminating the contacts directly to pads or terminals on the principal surface of the circuit board on which the electrical components are situated, however, the contact tails are terminated to pads or terminals on pairs of intermediate circuit boards connected to the main boards, the intermediate circuit boards each providing two termination surfaces rather than one, thereby effectively doubling the space available for termination. The intermediate circuit boards are connected to the main circuit board by a rigid-flex interconnection, thus facilitating assembly of the connectors to a heatsink or frame of the circuit board following termination of the contact tails to the intermediate circuit boards.