Optical distribution frame

• US 5,511,144 A
• Filed: 06/13/1994
• Issued: 04/23/1996
• Est. Priority Date: 06/13/1994
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Siecor Technology, Inc. (Corning Incorporated)
• Original Assignee: Siecor Corporation (Corning Incorporated)
• Inventors: McGranahan, Daniel S., Hawkins, Paul D., Ekanayake, Dulip, Staber, Harley J.
• Primary Examiner(s): Bovernick, Rodney B.
• Assistant Examiner(s): Song, Yisun
• Application Number:
  US08/259,236
• Time in Patent Office: 680 Days
• Field of Search: 385/135, 385/134, 385/147, 385/137, 385/136
• 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

Abstract

An optical fiber distribution frame including slideable drawers for distributing a large number of optical fibers. In a vertical column of drawers, each drawer has buffer tube storage along its floor and means supporting a removable splice tray and connector shelf in vertical spaced apart relation from the floor of the drawer. Connector sleeve retainers and radius control guides are slideable to maximize unit flexibility.

Claims

1. A distributing frame including slideable drawers for optical fibers, comprising:

apparatus for retaining a cable holding a buffer tube containing a plurality of optical fibers;

a column of vertically spaced apart horizontally slideable drawers, at least one drawer having storage means for storing a length of the optical fiber buffer tube along a floor of the drawer and support means holding a removable splice tray and a removable connector shelf in vertically spaced apart relation to said floor of the drawer; and

,

a linear row of retainer slides mounted to the connector shelf, at least one of said retainer slides allowing a fiber optic connector sleeve retainer housed in said retainer slide a limited sliding range of motion orthogonal to a line containing the row of retainer slides, such range of motion including an extended position in which a portion of the retainer is not enclosed by the slide.

2. A drawer shelf for use in an optical distributing frame, comprising:

a shelf holding a column of vertically spaced apart horizontally slideable drawers, at least one drawer having storage means for storing a length of an optical fiber buffer tube along a floor of the drawer and support means holding a removable splice tray and a removable connector shelf in vertically spaced apart relation to said floor of the drawer; and

,

a linear row of retainer slides mounted to the connector shelf, at least one of said retainer slides allowing a fiber optic connector sleeve retainer housed in said retainer slide a limited sliding range of motion orthogonal to a line containing the row of retainer slides, such range of motion including an extended position in which a portion of the retainer is not enclosed by the slide.

3. A connector shelf comprising a linear row of fiber optic connector sleeve retainers, at least one retainer housed in a retainer slide allowing the retainer a limited sliding range of motion orthogonal to a line containing the row of retainers, such range of motion including an extended position in which a portion of the retainer is not enclosed by the slide.

4. A distributing frame including slideable drawers for optical fibers, comprising:

apparatus for retaining a cable holding a buffer tube containing a plurality of optical fibers; and

,

a column of vertically spaced apart horizontally slideable drawers, at least one drawer having storage means for storing a length of the optical fiber buffer tube along a floor of the drawer and support means holding a removable splice tray and a removable connector shelf in vertically spaced apart relation to said floor of the drawer;

the connector shelf comprising a row of fiber optic connector sleeve retainers and a row of radius control guides at a first position located a first distance from the row of retainers, said radius control guides slideable to a second position located a distance from the row of retainers greater than the first distance.

5. A drawer shelf for use in an optical distributing frame, comprising:

a shelf holding a column of vertically spaced apart horizontally slideable drawers, at least one drawer having storage means for storing a length of an optical fiber buffer tube along a floor of the drawer and support means holding a removable splice tray and a removable connector shelf in vertically spaced apart relation to said floor of the drawer; and

,

a row of fiber optic connector sleeve retainers and a row of radius control guides at a first position located at a first distance from the row of retainers, said radius control guides slideable to a second position located at a distance from the row of retainers greater than the first distance.