A sealing enclosure is configured to connect to a mating enclosure. The sealing enclosure loosely receives a connector within a connector volume so that the connector, which may be of a standard type used in electronic or optic data transmission, may be displaced within a plug face at the forward end of the connector volume. The connector may compensate variations in the position of a mating connector with respect to the mating enclosure. The sealing enclosure allows to seal off the connector volume and engage the sealing enclosure with a mating enclosure in a single motion. This is affected by having a cable seal interposed between an inner body and an outer body. If the outer body is moved forward to engage the mating connector, the cable seal is squeezed between the cable and the inner body sealing off the connector volume at the rearward end of the inner body.

Example fiber optic connector systems have rugged, robust designs that are environmentally sealed and that are relatively easy to install and uninstall in the field. Some connector systems can be configured in the field to be compatible with different styles of fiber optic adapters. Some connectors include a first seal (90) on a release sleeve; and a second seal (88) between the release sleeve and a connector body. Other connectors include a seal (139) and a flexible latch (136) on a connector. Other connectors include a protective structure (228, 328, 428) that mounts over the fiber optic connector. Other connectors include a protective outer shell (528, 860) and a sealing and attachment insert (570, 570A, 876). Other connectors include a protective outer shell (728) and a fastener (780).

A fiber optic alignment device includes a first and a second alignment block and a first and a second gel block. A fiber passage extends from a first end to a second end of the fiber optic alignment device. The fiber passage is adapted to receive a first optical fiber through the first end and a second optical fiber through the second end. An intermediate portion of the fiber passage is positioned between the first and the second ends. The intermediate portion is adapted to align the first and the second optical fibers between the first and the second alignment blocks. A first portion of the fiber passage is positioned between the first end and the intermediate portion of the fiber passage. The first portion extends between the first alignment block and the first gel block. A second portion of the fiber passage is positioned between the second end and the intermediate portion of the fiber passage. The second portion extends between the second alignment block and the second gel block. End portions of the first and the second optical fibers may be cleaned when slid between the alignment blocks and the gel blocks. The fiber passage may include an undulating portion.

In accordance with the following description, an optical communication connector includes a ferrule having retractable alignment pins that are actuable between an extended position and a retracted position. For example, the connector may include an inner housing assembly having optical fibers and an outer housing positioned over the inner housing assembly. The outer housing is shaped to be removable from the inner housing assembly, which has a movable pin clamp mechanically coupled to alignment pins for aligning the connector with another connector. The pin clamp may be slid from a first position (corresponding to a male gender) to a second position (corresponding to a female gender). Separately or in combination with changing gender, the polarity of a communication connector may be changed due to its inclusion of an asymmetric polarity-changing feature that is actuable by an installer to change a polarity of the communication connector. Such a feature may actuated by being moved from a first position to a second position relative to the communication connector.

A ferrule-based fiber optic connectors having a connector assembly with a ferrule insertion stop for limiting the insertion of a ferrule into a ferrule sleeve are disclosed. In one embodiment, the fiber optic connector comprising a connector assembly, ferrule insertion stop, a connector sleeve assembly and a female coupling housing. The connector assembly comprises a ferrule and a resilient member for biasing the ferrule forward and the connector sleeve assembly comprises a housing and a ferrule sleeve, where the ferrule of the connector assembly is at least partially disposed in the ferrule sleeve when assembled. The ferrule insertion stop limits the depth that the ferrule may be inserted into the ferrule sleeve.

An optical transceiver for connection between an optical socket and an electrical socket is disclosed. The optical transceiver includes an electrical connector and an optical connector. The optical transceiver has an electronics housing holding the electrical and optical connectors in relative position to each other allowing the simultaneous connection to an electrical socket and an optical socket. The electrical and optical connectors may be moved between an extended position and a retracted position relative to the electronics housing when being engaged or disengaged with respective electrical and optical sockets.

A multi-fiber ferrule has a main body with a top portion and a bottom portion, the top portion includes a top cut-out therein to form a first forward facing surface to engage a housing of a fiber optic connector. The top cut-out extends rearwardly from the front end. The bottom portion also has a bottom cut-out portion forming a second forward facing surface to engage the housing of the fiber optic connector, the bottom cut-out also extending rearwardly from the front end. The multi-fiber ferrule also includes an end face at a front end of the main body, and a rear face at a rear end of the main body. There is a rear central opening that extends into the main body from the rear end face and configured to receive at least three optical fibers.

A fiber optic adapter includes a first side wall (110), a second side wall (112) opposite the first side wall, a top wall (114), and a bottom wall (116) opposite the top wall. A cavity (10) is defined by the top wall, the bottom wall, the first side wall, and the second side wall, and an optical fiber alignment device (20) is situated in the cavity. The top wall (114) has an opening (117) therein, and a cover (118) is configured to selectively close the opening.

A multi-fiber, fiber optic connector may include a reversible keying arrangement for determining the orientation for plugging the connector into an adapter to thereby allow for a change in polarity of the connection to be made on site. The connector housing may be configured to engage with a removable key that may be engaged with the housing in at least two different locations to provide the plug-in orientation, or the housing may have slidably displaceable keys movable between multiple positions on the housing.

A micro connector kit including a ferrule assembly, an optical sub-assembly (“OSA”) and a micro connector. The ferrule assembly is coupled to an optical fiber and includes a ferrule. The OSA can receive an electric signal and transmit an optical signal or receive an optical signal and transmit an electric signal. The OSA includes a receptacle sized and shaped to receive the ferrule of the ferrule assembly to form an optical connection between the ferrule assembly and the OSA. The micro connector secures the optical connection between the ferrule assembly and the OSA. The micro connector includes a micro connector housing that forms a direct, mating connection with the OSA to secure the optical connection between the ferrule assembly and the OSA. The connection is made using only a very small space, allowing more ferrule assembly and OSA connections to be made in a smaller area.