Optical assemblies with managed connectivity

• US 10,012,813 B2
• Filed: 08/22/2016
• Issued: 07/03/2018
• Est. Priority Date: 02/05/2013
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: CommScope Technologies, LLC (CommScope Holding Company, Inc.)
• Original Assignee: CommScope Technologies, LLC (CommScope Holding Company, Inc.)
• Inventors: Petersen, Cyle D., Ogren, Bruce, Sievers, Scott C., Marcouiller, Thomas, Taylor, Chris Charles, Meredith, Mark, Eberle, Jr., James Joseph
• Primary Examiner(s): PENG, CHARLIE YU
• Application Number:
  US15/243,510
• Publication Number:
  US 20170045702A1
• Time in Patent Office: 680 Days
• Field of Search: 385135
• CPC Class Codes: G02B 6/3817 containing optical and electrical conductors cables including electrical and optical conductors H01B11/22; G02B6/3816 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: G02B 6/3825 with an intermediate part, e.g. adapter, receptacle, linking two plugs
• CPC Class Codes: G02B 6/3874 using tubes, sleeves to align ferrules
• CPC Class Codes: G02B 6/3885 Multicore or multichannel optical connectors, i.e. one single ferrule containing more than one fibre, e.g. ribbon type optical ribbon cable G02B6/4403, G02B6/448
• CPC Class Codes: G02B 6/3895 identification of connection, e.g. right plug to the right socket or full engagement of the mating parts keying element on the plug or adapter G02B6/3831; keying element on the ferrule G02B6/3851; keying element for electrical connection H01R13/64
• CPC Class Codes: G02B 6/3897 Connectors fixed to housings, casing, frames or circuit boards G02B6/44528 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: G02B 6/428 containing printed circuit boards [PCB]
• CPC Class Codes: G02B 6/43 Arrangements comprising a plurality of opto-electronic elements and associated optical interconnections
• CPC Class Codes: G02B 6/4452 Distribution frames
• CPC Class Codes: G02B 6/4453 Cassettes
• CPC Class Codes: G02B 6/4457 Bobbins; Reels
• CPC Class Codes: H04Q 1/023 using sliding mechanisms for accessing the interior of the apparatus
• CPC Class Codes: H04Q 1/06 Cable ducts or mountings specially adapted for exchange installations

Abstract

An adapter assembly includes a single-piece or two-piece multi-fiber adapter defining a recess at which a contact assembly is disposed. The adapter assemblies can be disposed within adapter block assemblies or cassettes, which can be mounted to moveable trays. Both ports of the adapters disposed within adapter block assemblies are accessible. Only one port of each adapter disposed within the cassettes are accessible. Circuit boards can be mounted within the block assemblies or cassettes to provide communication between the contact assemblies and a data network.

Claims

1. A cassette comprising:

a housing defining an interior, the housing defining a first management region and a second management region, each management region including a spool disposed therein, the second management region being laterally offset from the first management region;

a first port disposed at the housing, the first port having a first insertion axis that is aligned with the first management region, the first port facing in a first direction;

a plurality of second ports disposed at the housing, the second ports having second insertion axes that align with the second management region, the second ports facing in a second direction that is opposite to the first direction, the second ports being laterally aligned in a row, the row being laterally offset from the first port and the row being offset from the first port along an insertion axis of the first port.

2. The cassette of claim 1, further comprising an optical circuit disposed within the interior, the optical circuit optically coupling the first port to the second ports.

3. The cassette of claim 2, wherein the optical circuit is routed from the first port to the first management region, from the first management region to the second management region, and from the second management region to the second ports.

4. The cassette of claim 3, wherein the optical circuit extends past the row of the second ports to reach the first management region from the first port and extends past the first port to reach the second management region from the first management region.

5. The cassette of claim 1, wherein the row is offset from the first port along the insertion axis of the first port by a distance greater than a length of an MPO adapter.

6. The cassette of claim 1, wherein the row of the second ports is a first row, and wherein the first port is one of a plurality of first ports laterally aligned in a second row.

7. The cassette of claim 6, wherein the second row is aligned with the first management region.

8. The cassette of claim 6, further comprising a plurality of third ports that are laterally aligned in a third row, wherein the optical circuit optically couples the third ports to at least one of the first ports in the second row.

9. The cassette of claim 8, wherein the third row is laterally aligned with the first row.

10. The cassette of claim 8, wherein the housing defines a third management region that aligns with insertion axes of the third ports.

11. The cassette of claim 10, wherein the first management region aligns with a gap between the second and third management regions.

12. The cassette of claim 1, wherein the ports are defined by optical adapters.

13. The cassette of claim 1, further comprising:

a circuit board disposed within the interior of the housing;

a plurality of contact assemblies electrically coupled to the circuit board, each contact assembly aligning with one of the ports.

14. The cassette of claim 13, wherein at least a portion of the housing includes a light transmissible material that enables light emitted from light indicators on the circuit board to be visible from an exterior of the housing.

15. The cassette of claim 13, wherein a connector disposed at the circuit board extends through an opening defined in the housing so as to be accessible from an exterior of the housing.

16. The cassette of claim 15, wherein the connector is surrounded by a shroud protruding outwardly from the housing.

17. The cassette of claim 15, wherein the connector aligns with the first management region.

18. The cassette of claim 2, wherein the optical circuit extends further around the spool at the first management region than the optical circuit extends around the spool at the second management region.

19. The cassette of claim 1, wherein the housing includes a top piece and a bottom piece that cooperate to define the interior, the top and bottom pieces cooperating to define a peripheral wall at which the first port and the second ports are disposed.

20. The cassette of claim 1, wherein the first and second management regions are thinner than a remainder of the housing.