TELECOMMUNICATION ENCLOSURE FOR EXTERNAL CONNECTION

• US 20160139346A1
• Filed: 06/30/2014
• Published: 05/19/2016
• Est. Priority Date: 07/16/2013
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Corning Research & Development Corporation (Corning Incorporated)
• Original Assignee: 3M Innovative Properties Company (3M Company)
• Inventors: Bund, Christine B., Hajok, Johann G.
• Granted Patent: US 9,977,198 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: G02B 6/3825 with an intermediate part, e.g. adapter, receptacle, linking two plugs
• CPC Class Codes: G02B 6/3831 comprising a keying element on the plug or adapter, e.g. to forbid wrong connection keying element on the ferrule G02B6/3851; keying element for electrical coupling H01R13/64
• CPC Class Codes: G02B 6/387 Connector plugs comprising two complementary members, e.g. shells, caps, covers, locked together
• CPC Class Codes: G02B 6/3879 Linking of individual connector plugs to an overconnector, e.g. using clamps, clips, common housings comprising several individual connector plugs
• CPC Class Codes: G02B 6/38875 Protection from bending or twisting
• CPC Class Codes: G02B 6/3897 Connectors fixed to housings, casing, frames or circuit boards G02B6/44528 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: G02B 6/3898 Tools, e.g. handheld; Tuning wrenches; Jigs used with connectors, e.g. for extracting, removing or inserting in a panel, for engaging or coupling connectors, for assembling or disassembling components within the connector, for applying clips to hold two connectors together or for crimping tools for cleaning, G02B6/3866; tools in general B25B
• CPC Class Codes: G02B 6/4441 Boxes
• CPC Class Codes: G02B 6/4452 Distribution frames
• CPC Class Codes: G02B 6/4478 Bending relief means

Abstract

A telecommunication enclosure (400) is described herein wherein the telecommunications enclosure (400) is configured for making an external optical connection. The enclosure includes a base (410) having at least one port (420) having an integral exterior section (421) disposed around the port (420) outside of the enclosure (400) and an optical coupling (450) disposed at least partially within the port (420). The optical coupling (450) has a first connector housing (455) disposed within the exterior section of the port (420) and a second connector housing (465) disposed within the interior of the telecommunication enclosure (400). In an exemplary aspect, the optical coupling (450) is secured directly within the port (420) of the telecommunication enclosure (400).

Claims

1. A telecommunication enclosure configured for making an external optical connection, the enclosure comprising:

a base having at least one port having an integral exterior section disposed around the port outside of the enclosure; and

an optical coupling disposed at least partially within the port, the optical coupling comprising a first connector housing disposed within the exterior section of the port and a second connector housing disposed within the interior of the telecommunication enclosure.

2. The enclosure of claim 1, wherein the optical coupling is secured directly within the port of the telecommunication enclosure.

3. The enclosure of claim 1, wherein the port further includes a notch formed along an edge of the port, wherein the notch is configured to receive a keying nub disposed on the optical coupling to enable insertion of the optical coupling into the port in a known orientation.

4. The enclosure of claim 1, wherein the coupling is inserted into the port from the interior of the telecommunication enclosure.

5. The enclosure of claim 1, wherein the coupling is inserted into the port through the exterior section from outside the telecommunication enclosure.

8. The enclosure with claim 1, wherein at least one of the first connector housing and the second connector housing provides four interconnection points with engagement features of an optical connector disposed therein.

9. The enclosure of claim 5, wherein the first connector housing has two windows formed on opposite sides of the first connector housing configured to mate with engagement features of a first optical connector when the first optical connector is inserted through the exterior section of the port to engage with the optical coupling.

10. The enclosure of claim 1, further comprising a first optical fiber connector disposed in the first connector housing and a second optical fiber connector disposed in the second connector housing.

11. The enclosure of claim 10, wherein the first optical fiber connector is a ruggedized optical connector that includes two pairs of engagement features configured to mate with the four connection points of the optical coupling.

12. The enclosure of claim 1, wherein the first optical connector has an external sealing member that is configured to provide an environmental seal between the first optical connector and the exterior section of the port of the telecommunication enclosure.

6-7. -7. (canceled)

13-14. -14. (canceled)

15. An optical coupling configured to be inserted into a port of a telecommunication enclosure, the optical coupling comprising:

a first connector housing configured to accept a first optical fiber connector;

a second connector housing configured to accept a second optical fiber connector; and

an alignment sleeve extending between the first and second housings along a central axis of the optical coupling,

wherein the first connector housing has two windows formed on opposite sides of the first connector housing that are configured to mate with engagement features of the first optical connector when the first optical connector is inserted into the optical coupling.

16. The optical coupling of claim 15, further comprising a flange disposed between the first connector housing and the second connector housing, wherein the flange rests against edges of the port to prevent pulling the optical coupling through the port.

17. The optical coupling of claim 15, further comprising a keying nub disposed on the optical coupling to enable insertion of the optical coupling into the port of the telecommunication enclosure in a known orientation.

18. (canceled)

19. A high retention force optical coupling configured to be inserted into a port of a telecommunication enclosure, the optical coupling comprising:

a first connector housing configured to accept a first optical fiber connector;

a second connector housing configured to accept a second optical fiber connector; and

an alignment sleeve extending between the first and second housings along a central axis of the optical coupling,

wherein at least one of the first connector housing and the second connector housing provides four interconnection points for mating with at least one of the first optical fiber connector and the second optical fiber connector.

20. The optical coupling of claim 19, wherein the first connector housing comprises a pair of latches disposed along two sides of the first connector housing and a pair of latch arms disposed along another two sides of the first connector housing.

21. The optical coupling of claim 20, wherein the pair of latches constitute two connection points between the first optical fiber connector and the optical coupling and the pair of latch arms constitute two additional connection points between the first optical fiber connector and the optical coupling.

23. The optical coupling of claim 19, further comprising a keying nub disposed on the optical coupling to enable direct insertion of the optical coupling into the port of the telecommunication enclosure in a known orientation.

24. The optical coupling of claim 19, further comprising a flange disposed between the first connector housing and the second connector housing, wherein the flange rests against edges of the port of the telecommunication enclosure to prevent pulling the optical coupling through the port.

25. The optical coupling of claim 19, further comprising a flange disposed between the first connector housing and the second connector housing and wherein the latch arms of the first connector housing include a recessed channel disposed adjacent to the flange wherein the recessed channel is configured to secure the optical coupling into the port of the telecommunication enclosure via a snap-fit.

27. The optical coupling of claim 19, wherein the first optical connector is a ruggedized optical connector that includes two pairs of engagement features configured to mate with the four connection points of the optical coupling.

22. (canceled)

26. (canceled)