Curved Light Blocking Shutter for Fiber Optic Adapter Wear Reduction
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing fiber optic adapters with cantilevered shutters suffer from wear and potential breakage due to repeated pivoting around a fulcrum, which compromises their reliability in preventing light emission.
Innovation Solution
A fiber optic adapter design featuring a shutter with a flexible, curved light blocking portion that flexes relative to its base, eliminating the need for a fulcrum and reducing wear by distributing stress along its length, thereby enhancing durability and preventing light emission when not mated with a connector.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If a cantilevered shutter pivots around a fulcrum to open and close, then the shutter can effectively block light, but the repeated pivoting subjects the shutter to wear and possible breakage
Solution Approach 1:
The light blocking portion is formed with a curved section that has a radius of curvature, allowing it to flex smoothly during operation. This curved geometry distributes stress along the flexing path rather than concentrating it at a single fulcrum point, thereby reducing wear and extending the shutter's service life while maintaining its light blocking function.
2Device complexity
If a fulcrum is used for shutter pivoting, then the shutter mechanism is simple, but the fulcrum becomes a wear point leading to breakage
Solution Approach 1:
The invention removes the fulcrum component entirely from the shutter mechanism. By eliminating the fulcrum, the design removes the wear point that caused reliability issues in traditional designs. The shutter is instead supported and guided by the housing structure, allowing the light blocking portion to flex along a curved path without relying on a separate pivoting component.
3Ease of manufacture
If the light blocking portion is straight, then manufacturing is simpler, but stress concentrates at the fulcrum causing wear
Solution Approach 1:
The light blocking portion incorporates a curved section with a specified radius of curvature that extends along its length. This curvature is integrated into the molding process, allowing the component to be manufactured as a single piece. The curved geometry distributes mechanical stress along the flexing path during operation, preventing stress concentration and reducing wear while maintaining manufacturing feasibility through standard curved molding techniques.
Applied Scientific Principles
This section explains which scientific principles are used to turn an abstract innovation direction into a practical engineering solution.
Function Achieved in This Case
The solution effectively reduces the likelihood of wear and tear, ensuring consistent light blocking performance without the need for a fulcrum, thus enhancing the adapter's reliability and longevity.
Implementation Method 1
a light blocking portion (26) extending from the base portion (24) and having at least a section curved from a first end thereof to a second end thereof along a length of the section
Data Source
AI summary
A fiber optic adapter is configured to mate with a fiber optic connector. The fiber optic connector has a connector body and a fiber containing ferrule protruding a distance from a forward end of the connector body. The fiber optical adapter includes a housing forming a passageway, a coupling sleeve forming a passageway, and a shutter mounted to the coupling sleeve. The coupling sleeve is configured to accept the connector therein during an insertion of the connector in a longitudinal direction into the passageway. The shutter includes abase portion connected to the coupling sleeve and a light blocking portion extending from the base and extending into the passageway in a first position, the light blocking portion having at least a section being curved from a first end thereof to a second end thereof along a length of the section.