Fiber optic connector assembly

摘要

There is provided by this disclosure a fiber optical connector assembly for mating and demating optical fibers in a contaminated air or an underwater environment. Elastomeric seals having normally closed apertures cover the mating end of the male and female connecting members to seal and protect the abutting ends of optical fibers within the connector assembly in a contaminant free fluid. The surface of each mating end has regions of convexity and concavity forming peaks and valleys to seal and maintain a contaminate free environment when the male and female connecting members are brought together. A locking means is provided for automatically locking the connecting members in the mated position to prevent axial, angular, transverse, or rotational movement at the optical interface. The connecting members are configured to store a predetermined length of optical fiber as a service loop to facilitate multiple terminations to the optical fiber without the need to rework the termination to the cable itself.