FIBER OPTIC MODULE AND CHASSIS

• US 20200132954A1
• Filed: 11/08/2019
• Published: 04/30/2020
• Est. Priority Date: 04/27/2010
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Commscope Telecommunications (Shanghai) Co., Ltd. (CommScope Holding Company, Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Commscope Telecommunications (Shanghai) Co., Ltd. (CommScope Holding Company, Inc.)
• Inventors: Zhang, Yuanzhe
• Granted Patent: US 10,969,555 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• 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 6/4453 Cassettes
• CPC Class Codes: G02B 6/44715 Fan-out devices
• CPC Class Codes: H04Q 1/023 using sliding mechanisms for accessing the interior of the apparatus
• CPC Class Codes: H04Q 1/06 Cable ducts or mountings specially adapted for exchange installations
• CPC Class Codes: H04Q 1/10 Exchange station construction

Abstract

A telecommunications assembly includes a chassis and a plurality of modules removably mounted within the chassis. The modules include one or more fiber optic signal input locations. The modules include optical equipment for splitting the input signals into customer output signals.

Claims

1. A telecommunications assembly comprising:

A. a chassis including a first wall, an opposing second wall, a front opening, a rear wall, and first and second opposing transverse sidewalls extending between the front opening and the rear wall, the chassis defining a plurality of mounting locations for slidably receiving telecommunications modules; and

B. a telecommunications module slidably inserted into one of the mounting locations of the chassis through the front opening, the telecommunications module removable from the chassis through the front opening, the telecommunications module comprising;

i. a housing having a main housing portion and a removable cover cooperatively defining an interior, the main housing portion defining a first sidewall, a front wall, a rear wall, a top wall, and a bottom wall, the cover defining a second sidewall of the housing when mounted on the main housing portion to close off the interior, the main housing portion including at least one signal output location defined on the front wall;

ii. an optical component located within the interior, the optical component configured to receive a fiber optic input signal coming in from a signal input location of the housing and output a fiber optic output signal going toward the signal output location defined on the front wall of the main housing portion, wherein the telecommunications module is configured such that the signal input location can be selected to be on either the front wall or the rear wall of the main housing portion; and

iii. a friction clamp located within the interior for removably mounting the optical component to the main housing portion, the friction clamp configured to slidably receive the optical component and retain the optical component within the interior via friction.

2. A telecommunications assembly according to claim 1, wherein the telecommunications module is configured as a rear input module, wherein a fiber optic adapter that is mounted to the chassis separately from the telecommunications module is configured to mate with a connector that protrudes from the rear wall of the main housing portion when the telecommunications module is inserted into the chassis.

3. A telecommunications assembly according to claim 2, wherein each mounting location includes a spring-loaded shield for blocking light off a front end of the fiber optic adapter, 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 telecommunications module when the module is slidably inserted within the chassis.

4. A telecommunications assembly according to claim 1, wherein a height of the telecommunications module is defined between the top wall and the bottom wall, the height being between 2 and 3 inches and configured to fit within one standard unit (RU) of rack space in a standard telecommunications rack.

5. A telecommunications assembly according to claim 1, wherein the chassis includes a latch slot adjacent the front opening, the latch slot configured to receive a portion of a flexible latch of the telecommunications module for forming a snap fit interlock with the module for retaining the module within the chassis.

6. A telecommunications assembly according to claim 5, wherein the flexible latch of the telecommunications module is defined adjacent the top wall of the main housing portion, the telecommunications module further including a fixed handle adjacent the bottom wall of the main housing portion opposite the flexible latch.

7. A telecommunications assembly according to claim 1, wherein the chassis includes a plurality of the telecommunication modules inserted into the chassis.

8. A telecommunications assembly according to claim 1, wherein the module includes a fiber optic splitter within the module, the fiber optic splitter configured to split a single signal incoming into the module into a plurality of same outgoing signals.

9. A telecommunications assembly according to claim 1, wherein when the telecommunications module is configured as a front input module, the cable exit structure defines an opening for receiving optical fiber cables carrying the fiber optic input signal.

10. A telecommunications assembly according to claim 1, wherein the telecommunications module further comprises a cable exit structure including a bell-shaped portion defining the signal output location on the front wall, the cable exit structure extending from the top wall to the bottom wall of the main housing portion, the bell shaped portion configured to provide bend radius protection to optical fiber cables carrying the fiber optic output signal.

11. A telecommunications module comprising

a housing having a main housing portion and a removable cover cooperatively defining an interior, the main housing portion defining a first sidewall, a front wall, a rear wall, a top wall, and a bottom wall, the cover defining a second sidewall of the housing when mounted on the main housing portion to close off the interior, the main housing portion including at least one signal output location defined on the front wall;

an optical component located within the interior, the optical component configured to receive a fiber optic input signal coming in from a signal input location of the housing and output a fiber optic output signal going toward the signal output location defined on the front wall of the main housing portion, wherein the telecommunications module is configured such that the signal input location can be selected to be on either the front wall or the rear wall of the main housing portion;

a friction clamp located within the interior for removably mounting the optical component to the main housing portion, the friction clamp configured to slidably receive the optical component and retain the optical component within the interior via friction; and

a cable exit structure including a bell-shaped portion defining the signal output location on the front wall, the cable exit structure extending from the top wall to the bottom wall of the main housing portion, the bell shaped portion configured to provide bend radius protection to optical fiber cables carrying the fiber optic output signal.

12. A telecommunications module according to claim 11, wherein the telecommunications module is configured as a rear input module such that the signal input location is defined by a connector that protrudes from the rear wall of the main housing portion, the connector configured for mating with a fiber optic adapter.

13. A telecommunications module according to claim 11, wherein a height of the telecommunications module is defined between the top wall and the bottom wall, the height being between 2 and 3 inches and configured to fit within one standard unit (RU) of rack space in a standard telecommunications rack.

14. A telecommunications module according to claim 11, further comprising a flexible latch for mounting to a telecommunications fixture with a snap-fit interlock.

15. A telecommunications module according to claim 11, wherein the module includes a fiber optic splitter within the module, the fiber optic splitter configured to split a single signal incoming into the module into a plurality of same outgoing signals.