Multi-port optical connection terminal

• US 20080069511A1
• Filed: 10/31/2007
• Published: 03/20/2008
• Est. Priority Date: 01/27/2004
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Corning Optical Communications LLC (Corning Incorporated)
• Original Assignee: Corning Cable Systems LLC (Corning Incorporated)
• Inventors: Reagan, Jason, Smith, Kelly, Strause, Kevin, Menke, Brett, Blackwell, Chois
• Granted Patent: US 7,653,282 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 385/135
• CPC Class Codes: G02B 6/3897 Connectors fixed to housings, casing, frames or circuit boards G02B6/44528 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: G02B 6/4441 Boxes
• CPC Class Codes: G02B 6/44465 Seals
• CPC Class Codes: G02B 6/44515 Fibre drop terminals with surplus length without surplus length G02B6/4472
• CPC Class Codes: G02B 6/44528 Patch-cords; Connector arrangements in the system or in the box routing arrangements H04Q1/00
• CPC Class Codes: G02B 6/475 Mechanical aspects of installing cables in ducts or the like for buildings
• CPC Class Codes: G02B 6/501 underground installation of connection boxes

Abstract

A multi-port optical connection terminal for use as a branch point in a fiber optic communications network at a distance from a mid-span access location provided on a distribution cable having a plurality of optical fibers. The multi-port terminal includes a base and a cover affixed to the base. A stub cable port formed through one of the base and the cover receives a stub cable having at least one optical fiber extending continuously from the multi-port terminal to the mid-span access location. A first end of the optical fiber is optically connected to a respective optical fiber of the distribution cable at the mid-span access location and a fiber optic connector is mounted upon the second end. At least one connector port is provided on the multi-port terminal for receiving the fiber optic connector and a connectorized end of a fiber optic drop cable extending from the multi-port terminal.

Claims

1-25. -25. (canceled)

26. An outside plant optical connection terminal for use in a fiber optic communications network including a distribution cable comprising a plurality of optical fibers and a mid-span access location provided on the distribution cable, the terminal comprising;

a base;

a cover affixed to the base;

a stub cable port provided in one of the base and cover;

a stub cable comprising a first end received in the stub cable port and a second end received at the mid-span access location provided on the distribution cable, the stub cable further comprising at least one optical fiber extending between the first end and the second end and having a fiber optic connector mounted thereon at the first end of the stub cable; and

a plurality of connector ports provided in one of the base and the cover, wherein the connector ports are adapted to receive a fiber optic connector mounted to the first end of the at least one optical fiber of the stub cable,

wherein the at least one optical fiber is optically connected at the second end of the stub cable to a respective one of the plurality of optical fibers of the distribution cable at the mid-span access location of the distribution cable,

wherein the terminal defines a branch point that is located a distance from the mid-span access location of the distribution cable.

27. A terminal according to claim 26, wherein the distance between the branch point and the mid-span access location is generally equivalent to the length of the stub cable.

28. A terminal according to claim 26, wherein the at least one optical fiber of the stub cable comprises at least one of a plurality of bare optical fibers, a plurality of loose-tube optical fibers, a plurality of tight-buffered optical fibers, and a plurality of ribbonized optical fibers.

29. A terminal according to claim 26, wherein the stub cable is free of a preferential bend.

30. A terminal according to claim 26, wherein the first end of the stub cable is sealingly received in the stub cable port.

31. An outside plant optical connection terminal for use in a fiber optic communications network including a distribution cable comprising a plurality of optical fibers and a mid-span access location provided on the distribution cable, the terminal comprising;

a base;

a cover affixed to the base to define a housing;

a sealing mechanism provided between the base and the cover;

a stub cable port provided in one of the base and cover;

a stub cable comprising a first end received in the stub cable port and a second end received at the mid-span access location provided on the distribution cable, the stub cable further comprising at least one optical fiber extending between the first end and the second end and having a fiber optic connector mounted thereon at the first end of the stub cable; and

a plurality of connector ports provided in one of the base and the cover, wherein the connector ports are adapted to receive a fiber optic connector mounted to the first end of the at least one optical fiber of the stub cable,

wherein the at least one optical fiber is optically connected at the second end of the stub cable to a respective one of the plurality of optical fibers of the distribution cable at the mid-span access location of the distribution cable,

wherein the stub cable is received within the stub cable port along a first direction, the first direction defined as extending out of the housing from the stub cable port, and the connector ports are oriented outwardly along a second direction, the second direction defined as extending out of the housing from the connector ports, such that an angle defined between the first direction and the second direction is greater than zero degrees and less than ninety degrees.

32. A terminal according to claim 31, wherein the sealing mechanism comprises a gasket.

33. A terminal according to claim 31, wherein the angled defined between the first direction and the second direction is approximately forty-five degrees.

34. A terminal according to claim 31, wherein the plurality of connector ports are adapted to receive single fiber connectors.

35. A terminal according to claim 31, wherein the plurality of connector ports are adapted to receive multi-fiber connectors

36. A terminal according to claim 31, wherein the plurality of connector ports are adapted to receive a connectorized end of a stub cable of a second terminal to optically connect the connectorized end of the stub cable of the second terminal to the fiber optic connector mounted to the first end of the at least one optical fiber of the stub cable.

37. A terminal according to claim 31, wherein the plurality of connector ports comprise an adapter sleeve into which the fiber optic connector is received.

38. A terminal according to claim 31, wherein the housing defines an interior cavity substantially free of filler material.

39. A terminal according to claim 31, wherein the terminal defines a branch point that is located a distance from the mid-span access location of the distribution cable.

41. A terminal according to claim 39, wherein the dust cap is tethered to the connector port.

42. A terminal according to claim 39, wherein the dust cap threadably engages the connector port.

43. A terminal according to claim 39, wherein the stub cable is received within the stub cable port along a first direction, the first direction defined as extending out of the housing from the stub cable port, and the connector ports are oriented outwardly along a second direction, the second direction defined as extending out of the housing from the connector ports, such that an angle defined between the first direction and the second direction is greater than zero degrees and less than ninety degrees.

44. A terminal according to claim 39 further comprising a sealing mechanism provided between the base and the cover

45. A terminal according to claim 39, wherein the terminal defines a branch point that is located a distance from the mid-span access location of the distribution cable.

40. An outside plant optical connection terminal for use in a fiber optic communications network including a distribution cable comprising a plurality of optical fibers and a mid-span access location provided on the distribution cable, the terminal comprising;

a base;

a cover affixed to the base;

a stub cable port provided in one of the base and cover;

a stub cable comprising a first end received in the stub cable port and a second end received at the mid-span access location provided on the distribution cable, the stub cable further comprising at least one optical fiber extending between the first end and the second end and having a fiber optic connector mounted thereon at the first end of the stub cable; and

a plurality of connector ports provided in one of the base and the cover, wherein the connector ports are adapted to receive a fiber optic connector mounted to the first end of the at least one optical fiber of the stub cable,

wherein the at least one optical fiber is optically connected at the second end of the stub cable to a respective one of the plurality of optical fibers of the distribution cable at the mid-span access location of the distribution cable,

wherein the at least one connector port of the plurality of connector ports comprises a dust cap that selectively engages the connector port to seal unused connector ports.