Keyed fibre optic connector

Abstract

A keyed connector system for providing selective interconnection between a receptacle socket and a connector plug terminating an optic fibre, the connector plug adapted for insertion into the receptacle socket. The keying system comprises a raised boss configured to one of a plurality of predefined boss keying geometries and a cavity configured to one of a plurality of predefined cavity keying geometries. The boss is either in one of the receptacle socket or on a forward end of the connector plug and the cavity is formed in the other of the receptacle socket or the forward end of the connector plug. At least one of the predefined boss keying geometries matches at least one of the predefined cavity keying geometries. When the boss keying geometry matches the cavity keying geometry, the boss can be inserted into the cavity thereby interconnecting the connector plug with the receptacle socket.

1 . A connector system comprising:
 a set of optical plugs, each optical plug having a housing and a ferrule, the housing having a front and back orientation and a forward end defining a cavity, the ferrule being disposed within the cavity, the housing defining a first keying geometry on the forward end around the cavity, the first keying geometry for each optical plug of the set of optical plugs being different; and   a set of optical receptacles, each optical receptacle having an opening to receive the optical plug and a ferrule receiving portion to receive the ferrule, the ferrule receiving portion defining a second keying geometry to cooperate with the first keying geometry, the second keying geometry for each optical receptacle of the set of optical receptacles being different and being adapted to cooperate with one and only one of the first keying geometries, wherein plugs and receptacles having keying geometries that cooperate are mating pairs;   wherein each plug and receptacle of a mating pair is marked with a matching visual identification different from plugs and receptacles having different first and second keying geometries, the visual identification being at least one of colour, alphanumerical indicia and symbols.   
   
   
       2 . The connector system of  claim 1 , wherein the first and second keying geometries are one or more protuberances and one or more indentations for receiving for receiving the protuberances. 
   
   
       3 . The connector system of  claim 1 , wherein the first keying geometry is a combination of at least one indentation from a plurality of indentation positions, and the second keying geometry is a combination of at least one protuberance from a plurality of possible protuberance positions. 
   
   
       4 . The connector system of  claim 3 , wherein the indentation is contiguous with the cavity and runs from the forward end backward. 
   
   
       5 . The connector system of  claim 4 , wherein the indentation is square-shaped in cross-section. 
   
   
       6 . The connector system of  claim 1 , wherein the housing is an LC housing. 
   
   
       7 . The connector system of  claim 1 , wherein the first keying geometry does not intrude into the cavity.