Segregated fiber in a splice cassette

• US 10,295,773 B2
• Filed: 03/27/2018
• Issued: 05/21/2019
• Est. Priority Date: 03/29/2017
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Leviton Manufacturing Company Incorporated
• Original Assignee: Leviton Manufacturing Company Incorporated
• Inventors: Leonard, James, Marks, Jonathon
• Primary Examiner(s): Rojas, Omar R
• Application Number:
  US15/937,328
• Publication Number:
  US 20180284379A1
• Time in Patent Office: 420 Days
• CPC Class Codes: G02B 6/4454 with splices

Abstract

A fiber optic cassette includes structural features that maintain segregation between incoming and outgoing optical fibers. A dividing wall and a set of splice holders within the cassette together define two separate chambers within the cassette. Cable entry openings on the rear end of the cassette are configured to receive fiber optic cables into the rear chamber defined by the dividing wall and the splice holders. The front chamber is configured to hold patching fibers that interface with fiber optic adapters on the front of the cassette. The patching fibers and incoming optical fibers can be spliced as needed, and the splices held in place by the splice holders. This arrangement ensures that the incoming optical fibers from the fiber optic cable and the patching fibers remain segregated, such that the splice points are the only points of contact between the two sets of fibers.

Claims

1. A fiber optic cassette, comprising:

one or more splice holders configured to hold fiber optic splices that connect first ends of incoming optical fibers to second ends of patching fibers;

a first winding area comprising a first winding structure configured to hold first excess lengths of the incoming optical fibers;

a second winding area comprising a second winding structure configured to hold second excess lengths of the patching fibers; and

a dividing wall that curves around the first winding area and the second winding area, wherein at least a portion of the dividing wall is between the first winding structure and the second winding structure, and the dividing wall prevents the incoming optical fibers from crossing the patching fibers.

2. The fiber optic cassette of claim 1, further comprising at least one rear entrance opening located on a rear wall of the fiber optic cassette, wherein the at least one rear entrance opening is configured to receive at least one fiber optic cable comprising the incoming optical fibers.

3. The fiber optic cassette of claim 2, wherein the portion of the dividing wall is a first portion, and the fiber optic cassette further comprises a guiding wall, wherein the guiding wall and at least a second portion of the dividing wall define a pathway between the at least one rear entrance opening and the first winding area.

4. The fiber optic cassette of claim 3, wherein the guiding wall and at least a third portion of the dividing wall define another pathway between the first winding area and the one or more splice holders.

5. The fiber optic cassette of claim 3, wherein the guiding wall comprises retaining tabs that protrude from a first side and a second side of the guiding wall.

6. The fiber optic cassette of claim 2, further comprising at least one cable fixing point located on a bottom inside surface of the fiber optic cassette in front of the at least one rear entrance opening, wherein the at least one cable fixing point comprises an attachment mechanism configured to attach the fiber optic cable to the bottom inside surface of the fiber optic cassette.

7. The fiber optic cassette of claim 1, wherein the dividing wall comprises retaining tabs that project from a first side and a second side of the dividing wall.

8. The fiber optic cassette of claim 1, further comprising fiber adapter receptacles located on a front side of fiber optic cassette and configured to hold fiber optic adapters, wherein the fiber optic adapters are configured to hold respective third ends of the patching fibers opposite the second ends of the patching fibers.

9. The fiber optic cassette of claim 8, wherein the dividing wall defines a first pathway from the front adapter receptacles to the second winding area and a second pathway from the second winding area to the splice holders.

10. The fiber optic cassette of claim 8, further comprising access openings on a bottom surface of the fiber optic cassette and respectively located below the fiber adapter receptacles.

11. The fiber optic cassette of claim 1, further comprising a first mounting rail and a second mounting rail on a first external side and a second external side, respectively, of the fiber optic cassette.

12. The fiber optic cassette of claim 1, further comprising a cover configured to mount on a top side of the fiber optic cassette.

13. A fiber optic cassette, comprising:

a housing;

a splice holder on a bottom inside surface of the housing,

a dividing wall on the bottom inside surface of the housing that segregates a first winding area containing a first winding structure and a second winding area containing a second winding structure, wherein a portion of the dividing wall traverses between the first winding structure and the second winding structure; and

a guiding wall on the bottom inside surface of the housing,

wherein

the dividing wall and the guiding wall define a first path from a rear entrance opening on a rear wall of the housing and the first winding area, and a second path between the first winding area and a first side of the splice holder,

the dividing wall defines a third path from fiber adapter receptacles on a front wall of the housing to the second winding area, and a fourth path from the second winding area to a second side of the splice holder, and

the dividing wall prevents incoming optical fibers that traverse from the rear entrance opening to the splice holder from crossing patching fibers that traverse from the fiber adapter receptacles to the splice holder.

14. The fiber optic cassette of claim 13, wherein the guiding wall separates the first path and the second path.

15. The fiber optic cassette of claim 13, wherein the dividing wall comprises a first retention tab that protrudes from a top edge of the dividing wall and is substantially parallel with the bottom inside surface, and

the guiding wall comprises a second retention tab that protrudes from a top edge of the guiding wall and is substantially parallel with the bottom inside surface.

16. The fiber optic cassette of claim 13, further comprising a cable fixing point located on the bottom inside surface of the housing, wherein the cable fixing point is aligned with the rear entrance opening and is configured to facilitate attachment of a corresponding fiber optic cable to the bottom inside surface of the housing.

17. A fiber optic housing, comprising:

one or more rear entrance openings on a rear end of the fiber optic housing, the one or more rear entrance openings configured to receive respective one or more fiber optic cables;

one or more fiber adapter receptacles on a front end of the fiber optic housing, the one or more fiber adapter receptacles configured to receive respective one or more fiber optic adapters; and

a dividing wall that defines a first fiber pathway from the one or more rear entrance openings to a splice holder via a first winding area and a second fiber pathway from the one or more fiber adapter receptacles to the splice holder via a second winding area,

wherein

at least a portion of the dividing wall traverses between a first winding structure in the first winding area and a second winding structure in the second winding area, and

the dividing wall maintains separation between optical fibers of the one or more fiber optic cables that traverse the first fiber pathway and patching fibers that traverse the second fiber pathway.

18. The fiber optic housing of claim 17, wherein the splice holder is configured to hold splices that connect at least one of the optical fibers to at least one of the patching fibers.

19. The fiber optic housing of claim 17, further comprising a guiding wall that further defines the first fiber pathway.

20. The fiber optic housing of claim 19, wherein

the portion of the dividing wall is a first portion,

the guiding wall and a second portion of the dividing wall define a first segment of the first fiber pathway from the one or more rear entrance openings to the first winding area, and

the guiding wall and a third portion of the dividing wall define a second segment of the first fiber pathway from the first winding area to the splice holder.