Fiber optic splitter module

• US 20070189692A1
• Filed: 02/13/2006
• Published: 08/16/2007
• Est. Priority Date: 02/13/2006
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: CommScope Technologies, LLC (CommScope Holding Company, Inc.)
• Original Assignee: ADC Telecommunications Incorporated (TE Connectivity Limited)
• Inventors: Smith, Trevor, Nhep, Ponharith, Zimmel, Steven
• Granted Patent: US 7,418,181 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 385/135
• CPC Class Codes: G02B 6/28 having data bus means, i.e. plural waveguides interconnected and providing an inherently bidirectional system by mixing and splitting signals
• CPC Class Codes: G02B 6/3849 using mechanical protective elements, e.g. caps, hoods, sealing membranes G02B6/3816 takes precedence; provisionally see H01R13/44
• CPC Class Codes: G02B 6/3888 Protection from over-extension or over-compression
• CPC Class Codes: G02B 6/3897 Connectors fixed to housings, casing, frames or circuit boards G02B6/44528 takes precedence
• 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 6/4453 Cassettes
• 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: G02B 6/46 Processes or apparatus adapted for installing or repairing optical fibres or optical cables installation of cables containing electric conductors and optical fibres H02G

Abstract

A telecommunications assembly includes a chassis and a plurality of fiber optic splitter modules mounted within the chassis. Each splitter module includes at least one fiber optic connector. Within an interior of the chassis are positioned at least one fiber optic adapter. Inserting the splitter module through a front opening of the chassis at a mounting location positions the connector of the splitter module for insertion into and mating with the adapter of the chassis. The adapters mounted within the interior of the chassis are integrally formed as part of a removable adapter assembly. A method of mounting a fiber optic splitter module within a telecommunications chassis is also disclosed.

Claims

1. A telecommunications assembly, comprising:

a chassis including a top, a bottom, a front opening, a rear opening, and first and second transverse sides extending between the front and rear openings, the chassis defining a plurality of mounting locations;

a module configured to be slidably received within the chassis through the front opening at one of the mounting locations, the module removable from the chassis through the front opening; and

an adapter assembly defining at least one adapter, the adapter assembly configured to be slidably received within the chassis through the rear opening at one of the mounting locations, the adapter assembly removable from the chassis through the rear opening;

the module including at least one connector adapted to be coupled to the adapter of the adapter assembly when the module is inserted into the chassis.

2. A telecommunications assembly according to claim 1, wherein the chassis includes a flexible shield for blocking light off a front end of an adapter of the adapter assembly, the shield movable between an operating position and a non-operating position, the shield configured to be moved from the operating position to the non-operating position by the module when the module is slidably inserted within the chassis.

3. A telecommunications assembly according to claim 2, wherein a connector of the module contacts the shield to move it from the operating position to the non-operating position when the module is inserted within the chassis.

4. A telecommunications assembly according to claim 1, wherein each mounting location includes a front catch forming a snap fit connection with the slidable module for retaining the module within the chassis.

5. A telecommunications assembly according to claim 1, wherein the module includes a predetermined amount of horizontal float within the chassis once mounted therein, wherein the module is able to be moved horizontally a predetermined distance within the chassis once mounted therein.

6. A telecommunications assembly according to claim 1, wherein each mounting location includes a rear face with an opening for receiving a mounting fastener of the adapter assembly for retaining the adapter assembly within the chassis.

7. A telecommunications assembly according to claim 6, wherein the adapter assembly includes a predetermined amount of horizontal float relative to the chassis once mounted therein, wherein the adapter assembly is able to be moved horizontally a predetermined distance relative to the chassis once mounted therein.

8. A telecommunications assembly according to claim 1, wherein the chassis is configured to accommodate eight modules and eight adapter assemblies.

9. A fiber optic adapter assembly, comprising:

a housing defining a plurality of integrally formed adapters, the housing defining a top, a bottom, and first and second transverse sides extending between the top and the bottom, the housing including a mounting slide at the top of the housing for slidably guiding the adapter assembly into a piece of telecommunications equipment;

the mounting slide including a horizontal guide portion and a vertical guide portion, the mounting slide including a flange for holding a mounting fastener, the mounting fastener extending in a direction going from a front of the housing to a rear of the housing, the mounting fastener being rotatable relative to the housing about a longitudinal axis of the mounting fastener and being movable relative to the housing in a direction extending between the front and the rear of the housing;

each adapter of the housing including a front opening for receiving a first fiber optic connector, a rear opening for receiving a second fiber optic connector adapted to mate with the first fiber optic connector, and a side opening for receiving a ferrule alignment sleeve and inner housing halves; and

the housing including a panel closing off the side openings of the adapters for holding the ferrule alignment sleeve and the inner housing halves within the adapters.

10. A fiber optic adapter assembly according to claim 9, wherein the mounting fastener is a thumbscrew.

11. A fiber optic adapter assembly according to claim 9, wherein the adapter assembly includes two integrally formed adapters.

12. A method of using a telecommunications chassis comprising a top, a bottom, a front opening, a rear opening, and first and second transverse sides extending between the front and rear openings, the chassis defining a plurality of mounting locations, the method comprising the steps of:

(a) slidably inserting an adapter assembly defining at least one fiber optic adapter into the chassis through the rear opening at one of the mounting locations; and

(b) slidably inserting a module including a fiber optic splitter and at least one fiber optic connector into the chassis through the front opening at one of the mounting locations to couple the fiber optic connector to an adapter of the adapter assembly at the rear of the chassis.

13. A grip extension for use with a fiber optic connector including a housing with top and bottom sides including protruding flanges, first and second transverse sides including grip surfaces, a front connection side, and a rear fiber optic cable termination side with a flexible boot, the grip extension comprising:

an elongate body including an open front end, an open rear end, a top side, a bottom side, and first and second transverse sides extending between the front and rear ends;

the first and second transverse sides defining two opposing flexible cantilever arms adjacent the front end, the top and bottom sides defining two opposing flexible cantilever arms adjacent the front end;

the two cantilever arms defined by the transverse sides including inwardly protruding tabs for engaging the grip surfaces of the transverse sides of the connector housing;

the two cantilever arms defined by the top and bottom sides including slots for receiving the protruding flanges of the top and bottom sides of the connector housing; and

the grip extension including grip surfaces adjacent the rear end, wherein the grip extension is configured to be coupled to the connector housing with a snap fit connection and wherein the grip extension is configured to accommodate the flexible boot of the connector through the open rear end.

14. A grip extension according to claim 13, wherein the bottom side includes an open portion for accommodating downward bending of the boot of the connector when the grip extension is coupled to the connector housing.

15. A grip extension according to claim 13, wherein all of the cantilever arms adjacent the front end flex out to receive the connector housing.

16. A combination dust cap/test tool for use with a telecommunications assembly, comprising:

a body including a front end, a rear end, a top side, a bottom side, and first and second transverse sides, the body defining a longitudinal guide flange adjacent the top side and a longitudinal guide flange adjacent the bottom side;

at least one fiber optic connector holder provided adjacent the front end;

at least one fiber optic dust plug adapted to be received within a fiber optic adapter provided adjacent the rear end;

wherein the combination dust cap/test tool can be slidably inserted into a telecommunications chassis in one of two different orientations, wherein in a first orientation, the front end is inserted into the chassis first, and wherein in a second orientation, the rear end is inserted into the chassis first.

17. A combination dust cap/test tool according to claim 16, wherein the body includes a finger grip adjacent the front end and a finger grip adjacent the rear end.

18. A combination dust cap/test tool according to claim 16, wherein the body defines a cable management structure extending from the connector holder adjacent the front end toward the dust plug adjacent the rear end.

19. A combination dust cap/test tool according to claim 16, wherein the body is generally rectangular and the connector holder and the dust plug being positioned in diagonal corners of the rectangular body.

20. A combination dust cap/test tool according to claim 16, wherein the connector holder accommodates two fiber optic connectors and wherein the dust cap/test tool includes two dust plugs.

21. A combination dust cap/test tool according to claim 16, wherein connectors are slidably insertable and removable from the connector holder of the body.

22. A combination dust cap/test tool according to claim 16, wherein the dust plugs are integrally formed with the body.

23. A telecommunications module, comprising:

a housing including a main housing portion defining a first transverse wall, a front wall, a rear wall, a top wall, and a bottom wall, cooperatively defining an interior;

the main housing including at least one fiber optic connector extending from the rear wall toward an outside of the module;

the main housing including at least one cable exit extending from the front wall of the module toward the outside of the module;

the module including an optical component located within the interior of the module adjacent the bottom wall of the main housing;

the module including a first cable management structure located within the interior of the module for guiding cables extending between the connector and the optical component;

the module including a second cable management structure located within the interior of the module for guiding cables extending between the optical component and the cable exit; and

the housing of the module including a cover portion for mounting to the main housing portion for closing off the interior of the main housing portion.

24. A telecommunications module according to claim 23, further including mounting guide flanges extending from the top and bottom walls of the main housing, the flange at the top wall being a different size than the flange at the bottom wall.

25. A telecommunications module according to claim 23, wherein the optical component includes a fiber optic splitter that splits a single incoming signal into a plurality of same outgoing signals.

26. A telecommunications module according to claim 23, wherein the rear wall of the main housing includes a curved portion and wherein the first cable management structure includes a spool positioned adjacent the curved portion.

27. A telecommunications module according to claim 23, further including a third cable management structure defining channels located between an interior side of the first transverse wall and the optical component.

28. A telecommunications module according to claim 27, wherein the optical component is offset from the interior side of the first transverse wall by third cable management structure.

29. A telecommunications module according to claim 23, wherein the housing includes a flexible cantilever arm extending from the front wall of the main housing for providing a snap fit connection with a piece of telecommunications equipment.

30. A telecommunications module according to claim 23, wherein the rear wall includes an inset portion and wherein the connector is located at the inset portion of the rear wall.

31. A telecommunications module according to claim 23, wherein the front wall is disposed at an angle to the top and bottom walls of the main housing.

32. A telecommunications module according to claim 23, wherein the main housing includes crimp holders located adjacent the cable exits for holding crimped ends of cables going from the optical component toward the cable exits.

33. A telecommunications module, comprising:

a housing including a main housing portion defining a first transverse wall, a front wall, a rear wall, a top wall, and a bottom wall cooperatively defining an interior;

the main housing including at least one fiber optic connector extending from the rear wall toward an outside of the module;

the main housing including at least one cable exit extending from the front wall of the module toward the outside of the module;

the module including an optical component located within the interior of the module adjacent the bottom wall of the main housing;

the housing of the module including a cover portion for mounting to the main housing portion to close off the interior of the main housing portion; and

the main housing portion of the module including crimp holders located adjacent the cable exits for holding crimped ends of cables going from the optical component toward the cable exit, the crimp holders configured to slidably receive crimped ends of cables in a stacked arrangement in a direction extending generally from the cover to the first transverse side of the main housing portion.

34. A telecommunications module according to claim 33, further including a cable management structure located within the interior of the module for guiding cables going from the connector to the cable exit.

35. A telecommunications module according to claim 33, wherein the crimp holders define slots for receiving crimped ends of cables.

36. A telecommunications module according to claim 35, wherein the crimp holders define nine slots.

37. A telecommunications module according to claim 36, wherein each slot accommodates four crimp elements.

38. A telecommunications module according to claim 33, wherein the optical component includes a fiber optic splitter that splits a single incoming signal into a plurality of same outgoing signals.

39. A telecommunications module according to claim 33, wherein the housing includes a flexible cantilever arm extending from the front wall of the main housing for providing a snap fit connection with a piece of telecommunications equipment.

40. A telecommunications module according to claim 33, wherein the rear wall includes an inset portion, the connector being located at the inset portion of the rear wall.

41. A telecommunications module according to claim 33, wherein the front wall is disposed at an angle to the top and bottom walls of the main housing.

42. A telecommunications module, comprising:

a housing including a main housing portion defining a first transverse wall, a front wall, a rear wall, a top wall, and a bottom wall cooperatively defining an interior;

the main housing including at least one fiber optic connector extending from the rear wall toward an outside of the module;

the main housing including at least one cable exit extending from the front wall of the module toward the outside of the module;

the module including an optical component located within the interior of the module adjacent the bottom wall of the main housing;

the housing of the module including a cover portion for mounting to the main housing portion to close off the interior of the main housing portion; and

the module including a flexible cantilever arm extending from the front wall of the main housing toward the outside of the module for providing a snap fit with a telecommunications equipment, the module also including a fixed grip tab extending from the front wall of the main housing toward the outside of the module adjacent the flexible cantilever arm.

43. A telecommunications module according to claim 42, wherein the cantilever arm includes a ramped tab for causing deflection of the arm when the module is inserted into a piece of telecommunications equipment.

44. A telecommunications module according to claim 42, wherein the cantilever arm generally lies in line with the connector of the module going in a direction from the front wall to the rear wall of the module.