MPO/SC/LC Secure Lockable Fiber Connector

 The secure lockable fiber optic connector is mainly used in some private networks with high security level requirements, and improves security by preventing unauthorized modifications in the entire critical network.

MPO Secure Lockable Connector

The MPO secure lockable connector is a secure accessory that can be compatible with conventional MPO connector.  Once the MPO connector with secure accessory insert into the adapter, it will be locked. The connector cannot be pulled out unless remove the secure accessory. MPO connectors equipped with safety locks will not affect the original height and density of the connectors, and are also compatible with conventional adapters and optical modules. The installation is simple and convenient, requires no extra tools. It can effectively prevent releasing the connector by mistake, and to reduce the chance of getting dusty on the connector's surface.

SC Secure Lockable Connector

SC secure lockable connector is designed with unique keying details in the connector body, as long as it is inserted into the adapter, it is locked and the connector cannot be pulled out. The connectors of different colors correspond to the keys of the same color to open the lock and pull out the connector. There are also dust caps with locks that are suitable for SC conventional adapters, which can prevent dust and lock. For some unused fiber ports, it can prevent mistaken insertion.

 

LC secure lockable connector

LC keyed connector is installed with a secure lock accessory on the LC duplex connector. The connector with lock accessory can be locked once insert into the adapter. You need to use the equipped unlocking key to pull out the connector. There is also a dust cap with lock for the LC adapter, which can be unlocked with the same key. Removing the security lock accessory on the connector will not interfere with the LC adapter or cause network performance degradation.

HYC Co., Ltd was founded in 2000, has 20 years experiences in OEM ODM manufacturing of passive optical devices. We focus on providing customers one-stop services of the design, R&D and manufacturing of passive optical communication devices. We have fiber optic connectors, fiber optic jumpers, WDM wavelength division multiplexing, PLC optical splitters, MEMS optical switches and other product lines.

How to prevent unauthorized access in data centers?

In some large data centers or telecommunications rooms with complex management psersonnel or multiple departments, it’s important to ensure that the optical connection is not disconnected by some misoperations.

Lockable fiber optic connectors are products based on this security requirement.On the basis of ordinary fiber optic connectors, the lock connector adds a unique locking and independent unlocking tool, which uses to lock the dedicated fiber port.It can effectively prevent accidental inserting and removing by other personnel and improve the security of the entire network.

How does it work?
Here is two lockable connectors: SC secure lockable connector and LC secure lockable connector.

SC secure lockable connector

Secure-Keyed SC connector has unique keying details and can be locked by simply plugging it into the adapter. Once the connector is locked, only the matching color key can open and release the connector. The security lock sc connector comes in five different colors and can be used in different applications. For fiber ports that are not being used temporarily, dust caps with the same locking function have also been developed. The difference is that the dust cap can be opened with any color key.

The secure locking LC connector was developed from adding a lockable accessory to the traditional duplex connector. The removal of the security lock will not interfere with the LC adapter or cause network performance degradation.

LC secure lockable connector

Both locking LC/SC fiber optic connectors are fully compatible with conventional adapters without the need to use specific cables or adapters. It can be easily installed and removed without affecting adjacent ports.

It is especially suitable for networks with higher security levels such as military, government, finance, education, and medical treatment, which can effectively prevent unauthorized tampering.

About HYC Co., Ltd
HYC has 20 years of OEM/ODM manufacturing experience in optical passive devices in the optical communications industry and is committed to providing high-quality connected products for global data users. At present, HYC has several major product lines such as optical fiber connectors, optical fiber jumpers, PLC optical splitters, WDM wavelength division multiplexers, and MEMS optical switches. The factory has more than 1,000 employees and has strong production capabilities.

A comprehensive understanding of fiber optic connectors

Optical fiber connectors are used most often to transmit light by connecting two optical fibers instead of splicing. It is a flexible device that widely used in fiber-optic communications systems. Optical fiber connectors ensure precisely connections between the two ends of the fibers so that the optical energy output from the transmitting fiber can be coupled to the receiving fiber to the maximum extent. Better connectors will have little impact on the system due to its involvement. Since the outer diameter of the optical fiber is the only 125um, and the light passing core is smaller. The cores of single-mode fiber are only 9um, and the multi-mode optical fiber has 50um and 62.5um. So it is important to ensure the properly aligned.

Main component: Ferrule
One of the most important main components of fiber optic connector is ferrule. The quality of the ferrule directly affects the precision connections of the two fibers. Ferrule is usually made of different materials such as ceramic, metal or plastic. Most of the ferrules used in optical connectors are made of ceramic material (zirconia) due to its hardened characteristics, such as good thermal stability, high hardness, high melting point, wear-resistance, and high processing precision. The inner diameter of the ceramic sleeve is slightly smaller than the outer diameter of the ferrule, and the slitted sleeve tightens the two ferrules for precise alignment.

In order to make the end faces of the two fibers better contact, the ends of the ferrules are usually poshing into different structures. PC, UPC, and APC are the polish styles of ferrules inside the fiber optic connectors. PC is Physical Contact. The two end faces are polished to be slightly curved or microspherical, and the fiber core is at the highest point of the bending. This eliminates the air gap and forces the fibers into physical contact. APC is Angled Physical Contact. The end face of APC is usually ground into an 8-degree angle. The 8° angled bevel makes the fiber end face tighter and reflects light through its beveled angle to the cladding instead of returning directly to the source, providing better connection performance. UPC (Ultra Physical Contact) is based on the PC to optimize the end face polishing and surface finish, the end face looks more dome-shaped. Connector connections need to be in the same end face structure, for example, APC and UPC cannot be combined, resulting in poor connector performance.

Basic parameters: insertion loss, return loss
Due to the different ferrule end faces, the performance of the connector loss is also different. The optical performance of fiber optic connectors is primarily measured by two basic parameters: insertion loss and return loss. So what is the insertion loss? Insertion Loss (“IL”) is the loss of optical power caused by the connection. It is mainly used to measure the optical loss between two fixed points in optical fiber, which is usually caused by the transverse deviation between two optical fibers, the longitudinal gap in optical fiber joints, the end mass, etc. The unit is expressed in decibels (dB). Lower the insertion loss, better the performance. The general requirement should be no more than 0.5dB.

Return Loss (“RL”) refers to the parameter of signal reflection performance. It describes the power loss of optical signal return/reflection. The value is usually expressed in decibels (dB). The larger, the better. The typical RL value of APC connector is about -60db, and that of PC connector is about -30db.

Except for the two optical performance parameters of insertion loss and return loss, there are also other parameters should be considered including the interchangeability, repeatability, tensile strength and operating temperature of the fiber optic connector.

Fiber optic connector types
There are various fiber connector types in the market, such as LC, SC, FC, ST, MU, MT, MPO/MTP and so on.

LC connector
The LC optical connector is made with an easy-to-use modular jack (RJ) latch mechanism. The size of the pins and sleeves used in the LC connector is 1.25 mm, which is the half-size of SC, FC, etc..

SC connector
SC fiber optic connector (‘Subscriber Connector’ or ‘Standard Connector’) is a snap-on standard square connector, which features a push-pull coupling mechanism, and does not need to be rotated. This type of connector is usually made of engineering plastics, which are inexpensive and easy to insert and remove.

FC connector
FC fiber connector (Ferrule Connector) and the SC connector are the same sizes, except that the FC is made of a metal sleeve and the fastening method is a turnbuckle. It has the advantages of simple structure, convenient operation, easy manufacture, and durability, and can be used in a high vibration environment.

ST connector
The ST fiber optic connector (Straight Tip) has a rounded outer that made by a 2.5mm ring-shaped plastic or metal. The bayonet-style keyed coupling mechanism, which is commonly used in fiber distribution frames.

MTP/MPO connector
The MTP/MPO fiber optic connector is a special type of multi-fiber connector. The structure of the MPO connector is complex, connecting 12 or 24 fibers in a rectangular fiber ferrule.

In addition to the above, the connector types include MU connectors, MT connectors, MTRJ connectors, E2000 connectors, etc. Due to low cost-benefit, SC connector is probably the most commonly used fiber optic connector. LC fiber optic connectors are also a commonly used fiber optic connector, especially for connection to SFP and SFP+ fiber optic transceivers. FC connector is mostly used in single-mode and is relatively rare in multimode fiber. Complex designs and metal housing makes it more expensive. ST fiber optic connectors are typically used in long and short-range applications such as campus and architectural multimode fiber applications, enterprise network environments, and military applications.

Choosing the appropriate connector for a fiber network depends on things such as network design and function. HYC(HYC Co., Ltd)offers a variety of fiber optic connectors of various specifications and types, including SC, FC, LC, ST, MPO, MTP and so on.

LC Duplex SLL Connector丨HYC

LC duplex SLL connector is specially designed for high-density applications. “SLL” is polarity Switchable, Longer and Lower clip. The polarity of this LC duplex connector is revisable. It is easy and simple to switch the plugs of two fiber connectors without any extra tools.

An extended latch makes the releasing easier. Lower clip means that the total height of the clip doesn’t exceed the adapter. It saves more space in the high-density cabling installation.

This video will show us more features of LC duplex SLL connector.

LC Duplex Fiber Connector for High-density Cabling

Due to its small size, LC connector is the mainstream fiber optic connectors, and is widely used in optical communication networks, data networks and cable television networks. In daily application environment, LC duplex connector used more often because of its cabling space saving. LC duplex fiber optic connector is two simplex LC connectors encased in a common housing. Compared with LC simplex connector, the installation steps are reduced, saving time and money.

HYC’s LC duplex connector is superior to traditional LC duplex connector, providing an innovative solution for quick unlocking. Compared to the traditional two single connectors, this duplex connector only needs one press to achieve double releasing.

Fig 1. LC Duplex Connector

As shown in Figure 2,3, the design of this two-core connector has two advantages, one is the longer clip and another is lower clip. The extended longer latch on top of the connector body makes it easier to disengage from the adapter, even in high-density packaging. If you have the experience of releasing LC duplex connectors in patch panels in high-density cabling, you may know why this is important. Because in the cabling case, thumbs and forefingers are not ideally suited to operate the release lever and pulling the connector. The handle portion of a conventional duplex connector will be slightly higher than the adapter, which will take up more space during the cabling installation. The lower clip design of this LC duplex connector can save more space.  In the high-density environment of the data center, the space saved by multiple connectors is combined to have a great advantage.

Fig 2. Longer clip

Fig 3. Lower clip

Another important advantage is the ability to reverse polarity. In the optical signal transmission, the optical signal is divided into a receiving end and a transmitting end. The optical fiber link transmitting signal (Tx) at one end of the optical cable must be matched with the corresponding receiver (Rx) at the other end, and the matching is called polarity.

Fig 4. Polarity

Conventional LC fiber jumpers have significant limitations in achieving polarity switching. It is necessary to pay special attention to the direction of polarity transformation to avoid the failure of termination, and face the possibility of replacing the jumpers and re-cabling. The ability to switch polarity of this LC duplex connector makes this operation easier, saving a lot of time and wiring costs by easily switching polarity without any tools.

Fig 5. Reverse polarity

With the rapid application of 5G, how to provide a high-density, low-cost, easy-to-manage, and highly reliable network cabling system for data centers has become an increasingly important requirement. The LC duplex fiber optic connectoris a high-reliability, low-cost, high-density cabling solution.

How to reverse the polarity of LC uniboot connector?

As we all know, the normal cabling uses a single fiber connector to maintain the polarity requirement. “B” sends the signal while “A” receives the signal. However, there are two types of duplex patch cord to complete serial duplex connection, “A-to-B” or “A-to-A”, which is depending on the polarity method.

Traditional LC optical fiber patch cord has great limitations in realizing polarity conversion. It requires not only auxiliary tools, but also special attention to the direction of polarity conversion, which is easily caused in failed termination.

The lc uniboot connector option includes an easy polarity revisable feature that provides quick and easy polarity changes in the field. Innovatively set the two plugs of the fiber optic connector to be interchangeable. Easily strip the boot and reverse the polarity. To reverse polarity, you just need three steps.

Step 1
Strip the boot and the outer housing

Firstly, use the right hand to hold the front housing of the connector. The hand can not touch the end face of the ferrule. Then pull out the tail sleeve of the connector with left hand. The left thumb and the middle finger pinch the outer frame,and the index finger nails hold the outer frame shrapnel.

Step 2
Revise the polarity

When the shrapnel opens out, hold the frame front cover with your right hand and pull it forward, and then revise the AB polarity.

Step 3
Relocate the boot and the outer housing

After the revise the polarity, relocate the outer frame and boot in order from the back.

The LC uniboot fiber optic connector eliminate the need for tools when making the polarity change. No tools are needed during the whole process.

A LC uniboot fiber connector with push-pull tab makes it much easier to release the connector. With this design, the technician is able to finish the installing and removing procedures with only one hand and no additional tool are needed. It is ideal for ultra high density cabling.

HYC’s LC Uniboot connectors offer the best solution for high-density applications, Data centers, Private Networks and premise installations.

Article from HYC Blog.

High Density Solution - LC Uniboot Connector

With the increasing demand for data center and bandwidth, effective cable management is a real issue. How to build more optical fiber cables in limited space is becoming a challenge for data center managers.

For data center managers, convenient management and space saving are really important in high-density cabling. LC Uniboot connector is especially designed and manufactured for better airflow and cable management in high density applications.What are the benefits of LC Uniboot connector?

Compact design to save space
Combining two fibers into a single jacket can save up to half the patching cable space compared to traditional LC duplex fiber patch cords.

Push-pull tab design
For data center administrators, it can be challenged to insert and disconnect patch cords especially in a high density environment. The push-pull tab design of LC Uniboot connector makes for easy removal of the assembly without disturbing the neighbouring ports, which offers maximum accessibility in high-density installations. With this design, the technician is able to finish the installing and removing procedures with only one hand and no additional tool are needed. What’s more, half-surround tab end avoid the cable ganged each other.

Easy Polarity Revisable
The traditional LC connector uses two jumper independent connections. If you want to change the polarity of the transmission and reception, you need to change the entire wiring system. It is difficult to do that and prone to failure. The uniboot option includes a reversing polarity feature that provides quick and easy polarity changes in the field. Polarity changes can be made in the field quickly, without the use of tools, to the correct fiber mapping polarity.

The compact design and easy polarity reversible function of the LC Uniboot Connector makes managing cable systems simpler.