Independently Translatable Modules and Fiber Optic Equipment Trays in Fiber Optic Equipment

• US 20100054682A1
• Filed: 11/25/2008
• Published: 03/04/2010
• Est. Priority Date: 08/29/2008
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Corning Optical Communications LLC (Corning Incorporated)
• Original Assignee: Corning Cable Systems LLC (Corning Incorporated)
• Inventors: Cooke, Terry L., Klavuhn, Tory A., Lopez, Manuel, Dean, David L. JR., Garcia, Juan, Mariano, Elmer, Gonzalez, Juan Miguel
• Granted Patent: US 8,452,148 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 6/4452 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

Abstract

Fiber optic equipment that supports independently translatable fiber optic modules and/or fiber optic equipment trays containing one or more fiber optic modules is disclosed. In some embodiments, one or more fiber optic modules are disposed in a plurality of independently translatable fiber optic equipment trays which are received in a tray guide system. In this manner, each fiber optic equipment tray is independently translatable within the guide system. One or more fiber optic modules may also be disposed in one or more module guides disposed in the fiber optic equipment trays to allow each fiber optic module to translate independently of other fiber optic modules in the same fiber optic equipment tray. In other embodiments, a plurality of fiber optic modules are disposed in a module guide system disposed in the fiber optic equipment that translate independently of other fiber optic modules disposed within the module guide system.

Claims

1. A fiber optic apparatus, comprising:

a chassis; and

a guide system disposed within the chassis and receiving a plurality of fiber optic equipment trays each independently translatable about the chassis;

wherein each of the plurality of fiber optic equipment trays receives at least one fiber optic module.

3. The fiber optic apparatus of claim 1, wherein the guide system is comprised of a plurality of tray rail guides each receiving at least one tray rail disposed on a fiber optic equipment tray among the plurality fiber optic equipment trays.

4. The fiber optic apparatus of claim 1, further comprising a plurality of tray locking features each disposed adjacent a front end of the chassis, wherein each of the plurality of tray locking features are configured to releasably retain a fiber optic equipment tray among the plurality of fiber optic equipment trays.

5. The fiber optic apparatus of claim 1, further comprising a plurality of fiber routing trays each disposed in a fiber optic equipment tray among the plurality of fiber optic equipment trays.

6. The fiber optic apparatus of claim 5, wherein each of the plurality of fiber routing trays are hingedly attached via a hinge mechanism to a fiber optic equipment tray among the plurality of fiber optic equipment trays.

7. The fiber optic apparatus of claim 6, wherein the hinge mechanism releasably tilts the plurality of fiber routing trays to tilt about a fiber optic equipment tray among the plurality of fiber optic equipment trays when released.

8. The fiber optic apparatus of claim 5, further comprising a plurality of fiber routing guides disposed in each of the plurality of fiber routing trays.

9. The fiber optic apparatus of claim 1, further comprising at least one module guide disposed in each of the plurality of fiber optic equipment trays, wherein the at least one module guide receives at least one fiber optic module.

10. The fiber optic apparatus of claim 9, wherein the at least one module guide comprises:

a first module guide disposed on a first end of a fiber optic equipment tray among the plurality of fiber optic equipment trays;

a second module guide disposed on a second end of the fiber optic equipment tray opposite the first end; and

at least one intermediate module guide disposed in the fiber optic equipment tray between the first module guide and the second module guide.

11. The fiber optic apparatus of claim 9, wherein the at least one module guide comprises a plurality of module rail guides configured to receive a plurality of fiber optic modules in each of the plurality of fiber optic equipment trays.

12. The fiber optic apparatus of claim 11, wherein each of the plurality of fiber optic modules are independently translatable within a fiber optic equipment tray among the plurality of fiber optic equipment trays.

13. The fiber optic apparatus of claim 9, wherein the at least one module guide is comprised of at least one module rail guide configured to receive at least one module rail disposed in a fiber optic module.

2. The fiber optic apparatus of claim 2, wherein the guide system is comprised of a plurality of tray guides each receiving a fiber optic equipment tray among the plurality fiber optic equipment trays.

14. A fiber optic apparatus, comprising:

a chassis; and

a guide system disposed within the chassis and receiving a plurality of fiber optic modules each independently translatable about the chassis.

15. The fiber optic apparatus of claim 14, wherein the guide system is comprised of a plurality of module guides each configured to receive at least one fiber optic module among the plurality of fiber optic modules.

16. The fiber optic apparatus of claim 15, wherein the plurality of module guides are arranged in one or more columns of module guides disposed in the chassis.

17. The fiber optic apparatus of claim 15, wherein the plurality of module guides are arranged in one or more rows of module guides disposed in the chassis.

18. The fiber optic apparatus of claim 15, wherein the plurality of module guides each comprises:

a first module guide disposed on a first end of the chassis;

a second module guide disposed on a second end of the chassis opposite the first end; and

at least one intermediate module guide disposed in the chassis between the first module guide and the second module guide.

19. The fiber optic apparatus of claim 15, wherein the plurality of module guides is comprised of a plurality of module rail guides each configured to receive at least one module rail of a fiber optic module.

20. The fiber optic apparatus of claim 15, wherein each of the plurality of module guides further comprises at least one fiber optic equipment tray guide receiving at least one fiber optic equipment tray.

21. The fiber optic apparatus of claim 20, further comprising at least one module locking feature disposed adjacent a front end of the at least one fiber optic equipment tray and configured to interlock a fiber optic module among the plurality of fiber optic modules to the at least one fiber optic equipment tray when the fiber optic module is disposed adjacent the front end of the at least one fiber optic equipment tray.

22. The fiber optic apparatus of claim 21, wherein the at least one module locking feature is comprised of a detent feature attached to the at least one fiber optic equipment tray and configured to interlock with a module latch disposed in the fiber optic module.