Dust Proofing Adapter Shutter for Optical Connectors
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Solution Overview
Problem
Conventional dust proofing adapters for MMC and MDC optical connectors are bulky, heavy, and costly due to the use of solid thick plate members for partition walls, which are necessary for fitting multiple small form factor optical connectors.
Innovation Solution
A dust proofing adapter with a shutter mechanism that omits the thick plate member for partition walls, using a rectangular adapter housing with lower and upper guides to align and retain shutters, which are normally energized to close ports and prevent dust ingress.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If solid thick plate members are used for partition walls to fit multiple small form factor optical connectors, then the connectors can be securely retained and aligned, but the adapter becomes bulky, heavy, and costly
Solution Approach 1:
The patent replaces solid thick plate partition walls with thin film shutters that can be dynamically opened and closed. These shutters are made from thin material that spans between guide structures, providing dust protection when closed while allowing light passage when opened, thereby dramatically reducing the adapter's weight and material cost while maintaining connector retention functionality through guide structures.
2Reliability
If solid thick plate members are used for partition walls to fit multiple small form factor optical connectors, then the connectors can be securely retained and aligned, but the adapter size is enlarged and material cost increases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent replaces solid thick plate partition walls with thin film shutters that can be dynamically opened and closed. These shutters are made from thin material that spans between guide structures, providing dust protection when closed while allowing light passage when opened, thereby dramatically reducing the adapter's volume and material cost while maintaining connector retention functionality through guide structures.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent introduces dynamic shutters that can open and close based on operational requirements. When connectors are inserted or removed, the shutters open to allow access; when idle, they close to protect against dust. This dynamic behavior eliminates the need for permanent solid partition walls, reducing adapter volume while maintaining protection functionality.
3Weight of stationary object
If partition walls are omitted to achieve compact and high dense construction, then the adapter size and weight are reduced, but dust protection capability is compromised
Solution Approach 1:
The patent introduces dynamic shutters that can open and close based on operational requirements. When connectors are inserted or removed, the shutters open to allow access; when idle, they close to protect against dust. This dynamic behavior eliminates the need for permanent solid partition walls, reducing adapter weight while maintaining protection functionality.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent extracts the dust protection function from the structural partition wall and implements it through separate movable shutters. This separation allows the adapter housing to be open and accessible while dust protection is provided only when needed, enabling compact construction without compromising protection capability.
4Volume of stationary object
If partition walls are omitted to achieve compact and high dense construction, then the adapter size and material cost are reduced, but dust protection capability is compromised
Solution Approach 1:
The patent replaces solid thick plate partition walls with thin film shutters that can be dynamically opened and closed. These shutters are made from thin material that spans between guide structures, providing dust protection when closed while allowing light passage when opened, thereby dramatically reducing the adapter's volume and material cost while maintaining connector retention functionality through guide structures.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent introduces dynamic shutters that can open and close based on operational requirements. When connectors are inserted or removed, the shutters open to allow access; when idle, they close to protect against dust. This dynamic behavior eliminates the need for permanent solid partition walls, reducing adapter volume while maintaining protection functionality.
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 achieves a compact, high-density construction with reduced weight and material cost, while effectively preventing dust from entering the adapter housing during connector separation and connection.
Implementation Method 1
the shutter is retained to be normally energized in a closing direction by a spring which is arranged in a lower end of each of the shutters
Data Source
AI summary
A dust proofing adapter with shutter for optical connectors includes a rectangular adapter housing which is formed by an upper wall, a bottom wall and right and left side walls in such a manner as to communicate in a front-back direction. A lower guide aligning and retaining a plurality of shutters is provided in a protruding manner on a bottom wall in a front-end opening portion of the adapter housing. An upper guide is provided in a protruding manner on a lower surface of an upper wall in the front-end opening portion of the adapter housing for forming the same number of ports as that of the plurality of optical connectors, the ports fitting upper portions of the optical connectors. Shutters for the front-end opening portion of the adapter housing are arranged in parallel in close contact with each other. Compact and high-dense construction can be achieved.