Adapter panel with lateral sliding adapter arrays

• US 10,203,464 B1
• Filed: 06/05/2018
• Issued: 02/12/2019
• Est. Priority Date: 01/19/2007
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: CommScope Technologies, LLC (CommScope Holding Company, Inc.)
• Original Assignee: CommScope Technologies, LLC (CommScope Holding Company, Inc.)
• Inventors: Smrha, Mark, Coburn, Hutch, Sjodin, Chad James
• Primary Examiner(s): Doan, Jennifer
• Application Number:
  US15/997,852
• Publication Number:
  US 20190033545A1
• Time in Patent Office: 252 Days
• CPC Class Codes: G02B 6/3897 Connectors fixed to housings, casing, frames or circuit boards G02B6/44528 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: G02B 6/444 Systems or boxes with surplus lengths
• CPC Class Codes: G02B 6/4446 Cable boxes, e.g. splicing boxes with two or more multi fibre cables
• CPC Class Codes: G02B 6/4452 Distribution frames
• CPC Class Codes: G02B 6/4455 characterised by the way of extraction or insertion of the cassette in the distribution frame, e.g. pivoting, sliding, rotating or gliding
• 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
• CPC Class Codes: H04Q 1/142 Terminal blocks for distribution frames

Abstract

An adapter panel arrangement including a chassis and a panel of adapters. The adapters defining rearward cable connections and forward cable connections of the panel arrangement. Openings permitting access to the rearward and forward cable connections of the adapters are provided. The chassis further including a removable rear chassis portion to provide access to cable routing areas within the chassis interior.

Claims

1. A fiber optic apparatus, comprising:

a chassis;

a tray guide system disposed within the chassis and receiving a fiber optic equipment tray, wherein the fiber optic equipment tray includes opposite front and rear ends that are spaced apart from one another in a first direction, and opposite first and second ends that are spaced apart from one another in a second direction that extends crosswise to the first direction, and the fiber optic equipment tray is independently translatable in the first direction relative to the chassis;

a module guide system including a plurality of module guides respectively carried by the fiber optic equipment tray, wherein at least a first of the module guides is spaced apart from at least a second of the module guides along the second direction; and

a fiber optic module that extends between, and is movably supported by, both of the spaced apart first and second module guides carried by the fiber optic equipment tray, wherein the spaced apart first and second module guides, which are carried by the fiber optic equipment tray, are adapted for guiding the at least one fiber optic module so that the at least one fiber optic module is independently translatable in the first direction relative to the fiber optic equipment tray, the at least one fiber optic module includes at least one fiber optic adapter.

2. The fiber optic apparatus of claim 1, wherein the at least one fiber optic adapter of the fiber optic module is one of a plurality of fiber optic adapters that are arranged in a row extending in the second direction when the fiber optic module is carried by the fiber optic equipment tray.

3. The fiber optic apparatus of claim 1, wherein the fiber optic module is a first fiber optic module and wherein a second fiber optic module is disposed between a pair of the module guides, the second fiber optic module being spaced from the first fiber optic module in the second direction, wherein the second fiber optic module is movable relative to the fiber optic equipment tray independently of the first fiber optic module.

4. The fiber optic apparatus of claim 3, wherein the first and second fiber optic modules are part of a plurality of fiber optic modules.

5. The fiber optic apparatus of claim 4, further comprising:

a plurality of fiber management members disposed at front ends of the plurality of fiber optic modules.

6. The fiber optic apparatus of claim 5, wherein each of the plurality of fiber optic modules is independently translatable relative to the chassis during operative access of the fiber optic modules.

7. The fiber optic apparatus of claim 1, wherein the fiber optic module is disposed in a first row of fiber optic modules, each fiber optic module in the first row being independently translatable.

8. The fiber optic apparatus of claim 7, further comprising a second row of fiber optic modules extending parallel to the first row, the fiber optic modules of the second row being translatable independent of the fiber optic modules of the first row.

9. The fiber optic apparatus of claim 8, wherein each fiber optic module carries a plurality of fiber optic adapters.

10. The fiber optic apparatus of claim 1, wherein the plurality of module guides comprises:

a first module guide disposed on a first end of the fiber optic equipment tray;

a second module guide disposed on a second end of the fiber optic equipment tray opposite the first end; and

at least one intermediate module guide carried by the fiber optic equipment tray between the first module guide and the second module guide.

11. The fiber optic apparatus of claim 1, wherein the plurality of module guides comprises a plurality of module rail guides configured to receive a plurality of fiber optic modules.

12. The fiber optic apparatus of claim 11, wherein each of the plurality of fiber optic modules are independently translatable relative to the fiber optic equipment tray.

13. The fiber optic apparatus of claim 1, wherein the plurality of module guides comprises at least one module rail guide configured to receive at least one module rail of a fiber optic module.

14. The fiber optic apparatus of claim 1, wherein the plurality of module guides are arranged in one or more columns of module guides carried by the fiber optic equipment tray.

15. The fiber optic apparatus of claim 1, wherein the plurality of module guides are arranged in one or more rows of module guides carried by the fiber optic equipment tray.

16. The fiber optic apparatus of claim 1, further comprising at least one module locking feature configured to interlock the fiber optic module at a first position relative to the fiber optic equipment tray when the fiber optic module is disposed at the first position.

17. The fiber optic apparatus of claim 16, wherein the at least one module locking feature includes a projection and at least one detent configured to engage each other.

18. The fiber optic apparatus of claim 17, wherein the module guide system includes the projection and the fiber optic module defines the detent.

19. The fiber optic apparatus of claim 1, wherein the at least one fiber optic module carried by the fiber optic equipment tray is a first fiber optic module;

the spaced apart module guides that are carried by the fiber optic equipment tray are a first pair of the module guides that are carried by the fiber optic equipment tray;

the fiber optic equipment tray carries a second pair of module guides of the plurality of module guides, and the module guides of the second pair of module guides are spaced apart from one another in the second direction; and

the fiber optic equipment tray carries a second fiber optic module that extends between, and is movably supported by, both of the module guides of the second pair of module guides, so that the second fiber optic module is independently translatable in the first direction relative to both the fiber optic equipment tray and the first fiber optic module.

20. The fiber optic apparatus of claim 19, wherein the first fiber optic module carried by the fiber optic equipment tray is positioned beneath the second fiber optic module carried by the fiber optic equipment tray.