Importance

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Abstract

An improved bayonet optical connector includes, in one aspect, a connector having a nut provided with at least one bayonet slot. The bayonet slot includes a detent portion to retain a bayonet pin of a mating connector, and a camming edge extends obliquely from the detent portion distally toward the mating connector. The camming edge(s) extend about a substantial portion of the nut, so that manually pushing the two connector components together causes impingement of the bayonet pin(s) on the camming edge(s), and urges the bayonet nut to rotate to bring the detent portion(s) into engagement with the pin(s). The invention also includes a nut cover secured about the bayonet nut to enhance grasping and manipulation of the bayonet nut. The bayonet nut is free of all portions of the connector except the bayonet nut, to that it acts to improve both the handling of the connector assembly and rotation and translation of the bayonet nut. Another aspect of the invention is an adapter assembly for connecting a bayonet optical connector to a threaded optical connector. The adapter assembly includes an adapter body a bore extending therethrough, and internal threads at one end of the bore to engage a threaded optical connector. The other end of the adapter body includes bayonet pins to engage the nut of a bayonet connector, and the bore is provided with stepped annular features or the like to establish a fixed distance from the bayonet connector to the threaded connector.

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First Claim