1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a light source adapter, and more particularly for a coupler adapter for fiber optic line(s), and even more particular to a coupler adapter for mechanically connecting and fiber optic communication connection of a fiber optic ferrule to a light box.
2. Description of the Related Art
Fiber optic fibers, which are used to transmit light, are typically grouped or bundled together in a single ferrule. The ferrule can be reversibly connected to a light source that generates photons and outputs them into the fiber optic fibers. The photons are then transmitted along the length of the fibers until it reaches an output at the distal end. Light output from fiber optic cables is used for a wide variety of useful applications, including communication and entertainment transmissions, medical instruments, and other well-known apparatus in the fiber optics industry. Conventionally, fiber optic ferrules, and the adapters in lightboxes into which the ferrules are plugged, are relatively standardized. That is, any standard ferrule can be plugged into any lightbox.
Since there are a wide variety of applications in the fiber optic industry, there are similarly a wide variety of equipment capable of generating, transmitting, and regulating the flow of photons along fiber optic cables. As a result, there is a demand for adapters for mechanically and optically interconnecting these different types of equipment in an equipment-specific manner.
US patent application (“USPA”) 2009/0136183 (“Kahle”) discloses a coupler 1 for coupling plug in connectors 2 respectively at the ends of two fiber optic line ferrules 23. The Kahle coupling 1 (reference numerals used in this paragraph refer to the Kahle patent document) includes a coaxially aligned coil spring (no separate reference numeral) and leaf spring 141. The coaxially aligned coil spring provides force in the axial direction, and is therefore not particularly relevant for present purposes. The leaf spring 141 serves to prevent the escape of laser light from coupler 1 when a connector 2, and associated ferrule 23, is plugged into one end of coupler 1, but not the other end of coupler 1. More specifically, the at-rest position of leaf spring 141 is such that it curves across an end opening in the coupler, generally transverse to the axial direction. This blocks the opening and prevents the release of laser light from the empty end of the coupler. As shown by FIGS. 6A to 6C of Kahle, when connector 2, and associated ferrule 23, is inserted into the coupler, the peripheral side 24 of connector 2 flexes leaf spring so that it no longer extends generally transversely across the opening. This means that the newly-inserted ferrule can now optically communicate through the unblocked body of the coupler. When connector 2 is removed, then leaf spring 141 will flex back into its at-rest position, again optically blocking up the opening at the end of coupler 1 until another connector is inserted. It is noted that: (i) Kahle deals with a coupler for coupling two fiber optic lines and not an adapter for connecting a fiber optic line ferrule into a light box; (ii) although the leaf spring of Kahle may exert some force on the connector in the radially-inwards direction, the Kahle leaf spring is not disclosed, and is not believed, to exert radially-inwards directed force on the connector 2 such that it would provide any substantial force resisting insertion and/or pull out of the connector from the coupler; and (iii) Kahle's connector 2 is not disclosed to have any sort of protrusion and/or ridge that comes into any sort of physically interfering contact with leaf spring 141.
USPA 2010/0034502 (“502 Lu”) discloses a fiber optic adapter for connecting the connectors respectively located at the ends of two fiber optic ferrules that are to be put into optical communication with each other.
Other publications which may be of interest may include the following: (i) USPA 2010/0183264 (264 Lu″); (ii) USPA 2010/0129034 (“Kuffel”); (iii) USPA 2009/0245736 (“Ahadian”); and/or (iv) U.S. Pat. No. 7,744,288 (“288 Lu”).
Description of the Related Art Section Disclaimer: To the extent that specific publications are discussed above in this Description of the Related Art Section, these discussions should not be taken as an admission that the discussed publications (for example, published patents) are prior art for patent law purposes. For example, some or all of the discussed publications may not be sufficiently early in time, may not reflect subject matter developed early enough in time and/or may not be sufficiently enabling so as to amount to prior art for patent law purposes. To the extent that specific publications are discussed above in this Description of the Related Art Section, they are all hereby incorporated by reference into this document in their respective entirety(ies).