An interstitial recessed cantilever latch mechanism for fiber optic and electrical connectors is disclosed. This mechanism enables the design of more spatially efficient multi-position connectors while retaining the reliability and tactile feedback of traditional connector latch mechanisms. The mechanism also allows the receptacle interface to be substantially simplified, and reduces the number of unique components required by means of a hermaphroditically assembled backshell half.

A fiber optic cable transition assembly for transitioning a plurality of optical fibers from a multi-fiber cable to a plurality of furcation tubes. The fiber optic transition assembly has a housing with a front opening and an internal passageway that is defined by a wall and a narrow region. The housing is adapted to receive epoxy adhesive. The fiber optic transition assembly has a boot that is positioned at least partially inside the housing for receiving the multi-fiber cable to provide strain relief to the plurality of optical fibers extending therethrough. The fiber optic transition assembly has a plug supported by the boot and retained by the housing to prevent epoxy adhesive from entering the multi-fiber cable.

Reversible optical connectors, and associated devices and methods are provided. In one embodiment, a connector for a communication cable includes a housing comprising a cavity, and a first plug and a second plug coupled to a distal portion of the housing. The first and second plugs are connected to the housing such that the first and second plugs are independently rotatable with respect to the housing. The connector further includes a latch actuator coupled to the housing and configured to disengage one or more latches from an outlet. By rotating the plugs 180 degrees and turning the connector over, the relative arrangement or position of the two plugs can be switched or reversed. The plugs can be rotated or reversed without completely disassembling the connector, in some embodiments. Accordingly, embodiments of the present disclosure can improve workflows for a user or operator that in a high-density networking setting.

Fiber optic connectors, cable assemblies and methods for making the same are disclosed. In one embodiment, the optical connector comprises a housing and a ferrule. The housing comprises a longitudinal passageway between a rear end and a front end, and, a part of the rear portion of the housing comprises a round cross-section and a part of the front portion of the housing comprises a non-round cross-section with a transition region disposed between the rear portion and the front portion.

A connector assembly that includes a connector that has a ferrule and a latch. The latch is movable about a connection point. The connector assembly also includes a boot that is removably mounted to the connector. The boot is axially slidable to move the latch. The connector assembly also includes a locking assembly to selectively lock the boot from sliding axially relative to the connector.

A new boot for a fiber optic connector has a ribbed back portion, a center portion, and a forward extending portion that can be used to insert and remove the fiber optic connector to receptacle. The ribbed back portion has grasping elements and is connected to the center portion. The center portion is removably connected to a crimp body that is in turn connected to the connector housing. The front extension is connected to the fiber optic connector and also provides a keying feature depending on the side of the fiber optic connector on which it is installed.

An optical connector assembly includes a spring, a ferrule, a first housing, and a second housing connected to the first housing. The ferrule includes a ferrule body and a lens. The ferrule body defines a fiber receiver configured to receive optical fibers of an optical cable and a first spring receiver configured to receive the spring. The lens is arranged to optically communicate light propagated by the received optical fibers for free-space optical communication. The first housing defines a first opening configured to slidably receive and guide the ferrule for movement along a first longitudinal axis. The second housing defines a second opening configured to receive the optical cable therethrough along a second longitudinal axis, and a second spring receiver configured to receive the spring. The spring biases movement of the ferrule in the first housing away from the second housing.

A tunable connector formed from a connector sub-assembly, a housing an an outer housing is disclosed. The connector sub-assembly has an inner housing, a ferrule held by a ferrule holder and a retention body. The housing is formed from two shells that define a longitudinal passageway that supports a portion of an optical fiber cable to define cable assembly. The longitudinal passageway has a front-end section that supports a section of the retention body to inhibit longitudinal movement but to allow for rotation of the retention body and thus the connector sub-assembly to a select orientation. An outer housing operably disposed over the inner housing inhibits rotation of the retention body and thus the connector sub-assembly once an orientation is selected. Connector and cable sub-assemblies and assemblies, as well as a method of tuning the tunable connector, are also disclosed.

Multi-fiber, fiber optic cable assemblies may be configured so that the terminal ends of the cables have pre-assembled back-post assemblies that include pre-assembled ferrules, such as MPO ferrules that meet the requisite tolerances needed for fiber optic transmissions. To protect the pre-assembled components from damage prior to and during installation, pre-assembled components may be enclosed within a protective housing. The housing with pre-assembled components may be of a size smaller than fully assembled connectors so as to be sized to fit through a conduit. The remaining connector housing components for the multi-fiber connectors may be provided separately and may be configured to be attached to the back-post assembly after installation of the cable.

Optical fiber connectors configured to allow ease of change of the connector polarity by providing lockable outer housing. In an embodiment, an optical fiber connector comprises an inner housing, at least one key configured to move along the inner housing so as to change a polarity of said optical fiber connector, and an outer housing disposed around at least a portion of the inner housing and configured to slide in a longitudinal direction so as to expose at least a portion of said at least one key, wherein the outer housing includes a flexible portion configured to lock to the inner housing so as to retain the outer housing in a pulled back position relative to the inner housing.