MODULAR OPTICAL FIBER CASSETTE

• US 20090324189A1
• Filed: 09/01/2009
• Published: 12/31/2009
• Est. Priority Date: 10/01/2007
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Clearfield, Inc
• Original Assignee: Clearfield, Inc
• Inventors: Husom, Todd F., Hill, John P., Power, II, Walter Ernest
• Granted Patent: US 8,059,932 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 385/135
• CPC Class Codes: G02B 6/4454 with splices
• 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

The present disclosure includes apparatus and methods for a modular optical fiber cassette. One embodiment includes a base housing configured to receive additional nested components and an adapter plate resiliently connected to the housing and comprising a plurality of optical fiber connectors. The adapter plate is releasable from the housing and providing access to both sides of the adapter plate. The cassette further includes a radius limiter nested with and resiliently connected to the base housing, a first expansion housing having an exterior contour substantially aligned with the base housing and configured to resiliently interlock with the base housing, and a cover resiliently connected to the expansion housing.

Claims

1. A modular optical fiber cassette comprising:

a base housing configured to receive additional nested components;

an adapter plate resiliently connected to the housing and comprising a plurality of optical fiber connectors, the adapter plate being releasable from the housing and providing access to both sides of the adapter plate;

a radius limiter nested with and resiliently connected to the base housing;

a first expansion housing having an exterior contour substantially aligned with the base housing and configured to resiliently interlock with the base housing; and

a cover resiliently connected to the first expansion housing.

2. The cassette of claim 1, further including a splice tray nested with and resiliently connected to the base housing, the splice tray comprising a plurality of splice channels and at least one fiber nest that provides storage of coiled optical fiber.

3. The cassette of claim 2, wherein the splice tray is supported in the base housing atop the radius limiter by at least one boss extending from the base housing through the radius limiter, and by at least one stand-off extending from the base housing not through the radius limiter, the at least one boss and at least one stand-off defining a plane upon which the splice tray rests.

4. The cassette of claim 2, further including a splice tray cover resiliently connected to the splice tray.

5. The cassette of claim 2, wherein the splice tray includes at least one splice channel having a first configuration for containing splicing tubes, and at least one splice channel having a second configuration for containing ribbon splicing sleeves.

6. The cassette of claim 2, further including a second expansion housing having an exterior contour substantially aligned with the first expansion housing and configured to resiliently interlock with the first expansion housing.

7. The cassette of claim 1, wherein the splice tray includes lacing points located near respective raceway entry/exit openings, the lacing points configured for securing fibers routed between the base housing and the splice tray.

8. The cassette of claim 1, wherein the base housing and the first expansion housing have anchor points located exterior to each of the base housing and the first expansion housing configured to accept a cable tie therethrough in fastening the base housing and expansion housing together, the anchor points being located to provide sufficient space between vertically-aligned anchor points to accommodate a closure portion of the cable tie in the space, such that the closure portion of the cable tie is substantially vertically aligned with the anchor points.

9. A plurality of modular optical fiber cassettes, each cassette comprising:

a base housing configured to receive additional nested components;

an adapter plate resiliently connected to the housing and comprising a plurality of optical fiber connectors, the adapter plate being releasable from the housing and providing access to both sides of the adapter plate; and

a radius limiter nested with and resiliently connected to the base housing,

wherein the plurality of modular optical fiber management cassettes are fastened together into a group using cable ties through anchor points located exterior to each of the base housings.

10. The plurality of cassettes of claim 9, wherein at least one cassette is configured to include a first expansion housing having an exterior contour substantially aligned with the base housing and configured to resiliently interlock with the base housing.

11. The plurality of cassettes of claim 10, wherein at least one cassette is configured to only include a base housing and not include a first expansion housing.

12. The plurality of cassettes of claim 10, wherein at least one cassette is configured to include a second expansion housing having an exterior contour substantially aligned with a first expansion housing and configured to resiliently interlock with the first expansion housing.

13. The plurality of cassettes of claim 10, wherein at least one cassette, but less than all cassettes, are configured to include a splice tray nested with and resiliently connected to the base housing, the splice tray comprising a plurality of splice channels and at least one fiber nest that provides storage of coiled optical fiber.

14. The plurality of cassettes of claim 13, wherein at least one splice tray includes a splice tray cover resiliently connected to the splice tray.

15. The plurality of cassettes of claim 10, wherein at least one cassette is configured to include a cover resiliently connected to the first expansion housing.

16. The plurality of cassettes of claim 10, wherein at least one cassette is configured to include an optical splitter component.

17. The plurality of cassettes of claim 10, wherein the plurality of cassettes are rack mounted in a building upstream from a fiber feeder cable.

18. The plurality of cassettes of claim 10, wherein the plurality of cassettes are mounted in a fiber entrance cabinet downstream from a fiber feeder cable.

19. The plurality of cassettes of claim 10, wherein the plurality of cassettes are mounted in a outside drop structure, downstream from a fiber drop cable.

20. An optical fiber management system, comprising:

a first modular optical fiber cassette configured for patch only, including;

a first base housing configured to receive additional nested components;

a first adapter plate resiliently connected to the first base housing and comprising a first plurality of optical fiber connectors, the first adapter plate being releasable from the first base housing and providing access to both sides of the first adapter plate;

a first radius limiter nested with and resiliently connected to the first base housing;

a first expansion housing having an exterior contour substantially aligned with the first base housing and configured to resiliently interlock with the first base housing; and

a first cover resiliently connected to the first expansion housing; and

a second modular optical fiber cassette coupled to the first modular optical fiber cassette and configured for patch and splice, including;

a second base housing configured to receive additional nested components;

an second adapter plate resiliently connected to the second base housing and comprising a second plurality of optical fiber connectors, the second adapter plate being releasable from the second base housing and providing access to both sides of the second adapter plate;

a second radius limiter nested with and resiliently connected to the second base housing;

a splice tray nested with and resiliently connected to the second base housing, the splice tray comprising a plurality of splice channels and at least one fiber nest that provides storage of optical fiber;

a second expansion housing having an exterior contour substantially aligned with the second base housing and configured to resiliently interlock with the second base housing; and

a second cover resiliently connected to the second expansion housing.