Detachable fiber optic connector

Claim 1

A low profile detachable fiber optic connector detachably interconnecting an hermetically packaged optic source or sink with a first optic waveguide comprising: an hermetic enclosure enclosing an optic source or sink having a pass-through hole therein; a second optic waveguide having a first termination and a second termination, said second optic waveguide aligned to optically interact with said optic source or sink from said first termination of said second optic waveguide, said second optic waveguide passing through said hermetic enclosure at said pass-through hole; a first ferrule, said first ferrule surrounding said first optic waveguide adjacent a termination of said first optic waveguide; a second ferrule, said second ferrule surrounding said second optic waveguide adjacent said second termination and sealed thereto, said second ferrule further sealed within said pass-through hole so that said second optic waveguide and said second ferrule form a part of the hermetical seal; a nose block having a first opening therethrough co-axial with said first and said second ferrules and generally concentric therewith, said nose block further having first and second retention features therein; an alignment sleeve co-axial, generally concentric with and mechanically coupled to said first and second ferrules for maintaining relative alignment therebetween, said alignment sleeve also co-axial and internally concentric with said nose block; a connector body having a first opening on a first end thereof having a first inside diameter receiving therein a portion of said first ferrule, said connector body extending longitudinally from said first ferrule and said first opening in a direction coaxial with said first ferrule; a connector body cap co-axial, generally concentric with said first and second ferrules and mechanically coupled to said alignment sleeve for retaining said alignment sleeve in position relative to said first ferrule; a generally flat spring retainer transverse to said connector body and having a center section mechanically engaging said connector body, said spring retainer further having a resilient extension extending from said center section of said spring retainer also generally transverse to said connector body; retention means engaging said spring retainer to retain said spring retainer in a spring biased position against said nose block and said first ferrule, thereby biasing said second termination of said second optic waveguide against said termination of said first optic waveguide.