Fiber optic distribution system

• US 10,481,357 B2
• Filed: 05/21/2018
• Issued: 11/19/2019
• Est. Priority Date: 04/03/2014
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: CommScope Technologies, LLC (CommScope Holding Company, Inc.)
• Original Assignee: CommScope Technologies, LLC (CommScope Holding Company, Inc.)
• Inventors: Holmberg, Matthew, Solheid, James J., Meredith, Mark, Lawson, Jonathan T.
• Primary Examiner(s): Hollweg, Thomas A
• Assistant Examiner(s): El-Shammaa, Mary A
• Application Number:
  US15/985,011
• Publication Number:
  US 20190137712A1
• Time in Patent Office: 547 Days
• CPC Class Codes: G02B 6/3893 Push-pull type, e.g. snap-in, push-on
• CPC Class Codes: G02B 6/3897 Connectors fixed to housings, casing, frames or circuit boards G02B6/44528 takes precedence
• 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: G02B 6/4457 Bobbins; Reels
• CPC Class Codes: G02B 6/4471 Terminating devices demountable connectors G02B6/3807; Cable clamps
• CPC Class Codes: H01R 12/79 connecting to rigid printed circuits or like structures

Abstract

A fiber optic telecommunications system includes a frame and a fiber optic module mounted on the frame via a slide assembly that includes a gear mechanism. The slide assembly is defined by a rack mount portion, a center portion, and a main housing portion. The rack mount portion is stationarily coupled to the frame, the center portion is slidably coupled to the rack mount portion along a sliding direction, and the main housing portion is slidably coupled to the center portion along the sliding direction. The center portion includes a latch for unlatching the center portion for slidable movement, wherein movement of the center portion with respect to the rack mount portion moves the main housing portion relative to the frame along the sliding direction. The main housing portion is configured for mounting adapters that receive connectorized cables for routing through the frame. The main housing portion includes electrical contacts for relaying an electrical connection established between an adapter mounted on the main housing portion and an optical connector inserted into the adapter, the electrical connection relayed from the electrical contacts of the main housing portion to a frame controller mounted on the frame via printed circuit boards.

Claims

1. A fiber optic telecommunications system comprising:

a telecommunications frame; and

a fiber optic module slidably mounted on the telecommunications frame via a three-piece slide assembly that includes a rack mount portion, a center portion, and a main housing portion, wherein the rack mount portion is stationarily coupled to the telecommunications frame, the center portion is slidably coupled to the rack mount portion along a sliding direction, and the main housing portion is slidably coupled to the center portion along the sliding direction, wherein slidable movement of the center portion with respect to the rack mount portion moves the main housing portion with respect to the telecommunications frame along the sliding direction, the fiber optic module defining connection locations, the connection locations including electrical contacts for relaying, via printed circuit boards, connectivity information regarding fiber optic connectors to be connected at the connection locations to a frame controller mounted on the telecommunications frame, wherein one of the printed circuit boards for relaying connectivity information from the connection locations of the module to the frame controller includes a flexible printed circuit board in the form of a ribbon cable that can flex as the fiber optic module is slidably moved within the telecommunications frame.

2. A fiber optic telecommunications system according to claim 1, wherein the fiber optic module includes a latch for unlatching the module for slidable movement relative to the telecommunications frame.

3. A fiber optic telecommunications system according to claim 1, wherein the slide assembly includes a gear mechanism for providing the simultaneous movement of the center portion with the main housing portion with respect to the rack mount portion.

4. A fiber optic telecommunications system according to claim 3, wherein the center portion moves at half the linear speed of the main housing portion with respect to the rack mount portion in the same direction.

5. A fiber optic telecommunications system according to claim 1, wherein the main housing portion defines the connection locations, the connections locations configured for mounting fiber optic adapters that receive cables terminated with fiber optic connectors.

6. A fiber optic telecommunications system according to claim 5, further comprising the fiber optic adapters mounted to the main housing portion of the fiber optic module.

7. A fiber optic telecommunications system according to claim 6, wherein the fiber optic adapters are LC-format adapters.

8. A fiber optic telecommunications system according to claim 7, wherein the fiber optic adapters are removably mounted to the main housing portion with a snap-fit interlock.

9. A fiber optic telecommunications system according to claim 1, wherein the printed circuit boards include a circuit board positioned on the main housing portion, a circuit board positioned on the center portion, a circuit board positioned on the rack mount portion, and a circuit board positioned on the telecommunications frame which is configured to electrically communicate with the circuit board of the rack mount portion.

10. A fiber optic telecommunications system according to claim 1, wherein the center portion of the fiber optic module includes a radius limiter for guiding cables between the main housing portion and the telecommunications frame.

11. A fiber optic telecommunications system according to claim 1, wherein the fiber optic module is removably mounted to the telecommunications frame with a snap-fit interlock.

12. A fiber optic telecommunications system according to claim 1, wherein the frame controller is removably mounted to the telecommunications frame.

13. A fiber optic telecommunications system according to claim 1, wherein the telecommunications frame includes a plurality of the fiber optic modules slidably mounted on the telecommunications frame, each fiber optic module defining connection locations, the connection locations of each module including electrical contacts for relaying via printed circuit boards connectivity information regarding fiber optic connectors to be connected at the connection locations to the frame controller mounted on the telecommunications frame.