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Optical fiber connector housing

  • US 5,778,130 A
  • Filed: 12/31/1996
  • Issued: 07/07/1998
  • Est. Priority Date: 12/31/1996
  • Status: Expired due to Term
First Claim
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1. An optical fiber connector housing for providing cross-connection functions for optical fibers terminated with connectors and having a minimum bend radius, said housing comprising:

  • (a) upper and lower plate members which are generally horizontal and spaced apart from one another;

    said plate members being adapted for attachment to a supporting frame and each having front and rear edges;

    the front edge of said lower plate member extending further forward than the front edge of said upper plate member;

    (b) a connector panel depending generally vertically downward from the front edge of said upper plate member and connected to said lower plate member along an attachment line which is rearwardly disposed with respect to the front edge of said lower plate member, thereby defining a shelf portion and a rear portion of said lower plate member;

    said shelf portion of said lower plate member being between the front edge of said lower plate member and said attachment line;

    said rear portion of said lower plate member being between the attachment line and the rear edge of said lower plate member;

    said connector panel having a front face and a rear face and being adapted for mounting a plurality of optical fiber adaptors therethrough wherein each said optical fiber adaptor has a front side and a rear side and is adapted for receiving and mounting in optical alignment a pair of optical fibers, said fibers being routed from opposite sides of said adaptor and each being terminated with a connector;

    (c) a door having top, bottom and side edges;

    said door being hingedly connected at the bottom edge to the front edge of said lower plate member and thereby movable between an open position and a closed position;

    wherein, when in said closed condition, said door has a generally vertical orientation and is spaced from and parallel with said connector panel thereby defining a forward cable area, at least one side aperture, and at least one top aperture;

    said forward cable area being bounded by said door, the front face of said connector panel, and the shelf portion of said lower plate member;

    said side aperture being between the side edge of said door and the front face of said connector panel;

    said top aperture being between the top edge of said door and the front face of said connector panel;

    wherein, when in said open position, said door is not vertically oriented and vertically aligned with said connector panel, thereby allowing unrestricted access to said forward cable area; and

    (d) a means for releasably securing said door in said closed position;

    whereby, when said door is in the closed position, a plurality of optical fibers each being terminated with a connector and connected to the front side of an adaptor on said connector panel can be advantageously routed out of said forward cable area by routing a first portion of said plurality of fibers through at least one side aperture and routing a second portion of said plurality of fibers through at least one top aperture, thereby reducing the density of the cables routed in each direction while said door protects said connectors and optical fibers in said forward cable area from damage and maintains the minimum required bend radius of the optical fibers.

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