Fiber optic interconnection combination closure

• US 6,385,381 B1
• Filed: 09/21/1999
• Issued: 05/07/2002
• Est. Priority Date: 09/21/1999
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Lucent Technologies, Inc. (Nokia Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Lucent Technologies, Inc. (Nokia Corporation)
• Inventors: Janus, Neal Anthony, Pellegrino, Anthony, Reagan, Randy Alan
• Primary Examiner(s): Ben, Loha
• Application Number:
  US09/401,166
• Time in Patent Office: 959 Days
• Field of Search: 385/135, 385/137, 385/147
• US Class Current: 385/135
• CPC Class Codes: G02B 6/4441 Boxes
• CPC Class Codes: G02B 6/4452 Distribution frames

Abstract

A fiber optic interconnection combination closure is provided for fashioning optical fiber connections in an enclosed chamber protected from environmental conditions and fiber stress. Fiber splices are fashioned in splice organizers within a closure base assembly. Fiber terminations are fashioned at termination adapters arrayed in a closure chassis. Bend limits for optical fiber are maintained as the fiber is directed on paths in the closure to/from splice organizers, termination adapters, and closure exit portals. Fiber is organized, strain relieved and collected by fiber clips, rings, retainers, and looms positioned such that directed fiber is maintain at a minimum bend radius on such fiber paths. Provided slack storage facilities allow fiber connections to be handled individually without disturbing other connections and/or fibers. Fibers are retained, organized and guided in a path on the closure exterior by attached wire brackets. In this manner, optical signal degradation and/or total loss is avoided by limiting the bending of routed optical fiber to radii in excess of a predetermined minimum bend radius.

Claims

1. A fiber optic interconnection combination closure for interconnecting optical fiber in an optic fiber network, said closure comprising:

a housing, said housing comprising a base assembly, a chassis articularly connected to said base assembly, and a cover plate articularly connected to said chassis;

a chamber disposed in said housing, said chamber having opposed walls in which are defined apertures through which said optical fiber can pass;

a fiber connection module mounted at a first position within said chamber, wherein said fiber connection module comprises a means for interconnecting said optical fiber; and

means for maintaining the bend limits of said optical fiber routed in said interconnection closure, said means for maintaining the bend limits of said optical fiber being positioned within said chamber.

2. The fiber optic interconnection combination closure of claim 1, further comprising:

a bracket assembly mounted in said base assembly for securing said fiber connection module.

3. The fiber optic interconnection combination closure of claim 1 further comprising:

a multi-plane panel mounted in said chassis for securing said fiber connection module, said multi-plane panel including an upper planar portion and a lower planar portion and defining an upper bulkhead and a lower bulkhead.

4. The fiber optic interconnection combination closure of claim 3 wherein said means for maintaining the bend limits of said optical fiber comprises:

a fiber ring mounted to said lower planar portion of said multi-plane panel.

5. The fiber optic interconnection combination closure of claim 3 wherein said means for maintaining the bend limits of said optical fiber comprises:

a fiber retainer mounted to said lower planar portion of said multi-plane panel.

6. The fiber optic interconnection combination closure of claim 3 wherein said means for maintaining the bend limits of said optical fiber comprises:

a tray mounted to said lower planar portion of said multi-plane panel in said lower bulkhead.

7. The fiber optic interconnection combination closure of claim 1 wherein said fiber connection module is selected from the group comprising a splice organizer and a termination adapter.

8. The fiber optic interconnection combination closure of claim 7 wherein said termination adapter is selected from the group comprising SC, SC Duplex, ST multi-mode, ST single mode, LC Simplex multi-mode, LC Simplex single mode, LC Duplex multi-mode, and LC Duplex single mode termination adapters.

9. The fiber optic interconnection combination closure of claim 1 wherein said means for maintaining the bend limits of said optical fiber further includes:

a peg mountable in a fiber mounting hole.

10. The fiber optic interconnection combination closure of claim 1 wherein said means for maintaining the bend limits of said optical fiber further includes:

a push-through access means operative to accept push-through placement of fiber routed via said means for maintaining the bend limits of said optical fiber.

11. The fiber optic interconnection combination closure of claim 1 wherein said means for maintaining the bend limits of said optical fiber further includes:

a fiber clip attached in said chamber of said housing.

12. The fiber optic interconnection combination closure of claim 1 wherein said means for maintaining the bend limits of said optical fiber is selected from the group comprising a fiber ring and a fiber retainer.

13. The fiber optic interconnection combination closure of claim 1 wherein said means for maintaining the bend limits of said optical fiber is a loom.

14. The fiber optic interconnection combination closure of claim 1 wherein said means for maintaining the bend limits of said optical fiber comprises:

a tray attached in said chamber of said housing, said tray having attached fiber rings.

15. The fiber optic interconnection combination closure of claim 14 wherein said tray further comprises:

a side flange; and

a front flange, said side flange and said front flange cooperating to limit the bend radius of said optical fiber routed on said tray.

16. The fiber optic interconnection combination closure of claim 1 wherein said means for interconnecting said optical fiber can be selectively removed from said closure without affecting other optical modules within said chamber.

17. The fiber optic interconnection combination closure of claim 1 further comprising:

a wire bracket positioned on said housing for routing fibers via a vertical raceway, said wire bracket having a slot.

18. The fiber optic interconnection combination closure of claim 1, wherein said fiber connection module has multiple output ports and further includes a termination adapter array disposed within said closure, wherein said termination adapter array is optically coupled to said optical fiber.

19. The fiber optic interconnection combination closure of claim 18, wherein each of said output ports of said fiber connection module is coupled to a separate termination adapter on said termination adapter array with an optical lead.

20. A fiber optic interconnection combination closure for directing optical fibers to splice and termination positions while maintaining fiber bend limits, said closure comprising:

a housing, said housing comprising a base assembly, a chassis articularly connected to said base assembly and a cover plate articularly connected to said chassis, said housing defining a chamber and having opposed walls having apertures through which optical fiber can pass;

a structure having mounting positions within said chamber;

a fiber connection module at a first mounting position on said structure;

a fiber directing means mounted on said structure and within said chamber, said fiber directing means operative to direct said optical fiber to said fiber connection module while bending said optic fiber in radii no smaller than a predetermined minimum bend radius; and

a tray, said tray having attached fiber slack storage means.

21. The fiber optic interconnection combination closure of claim 20 wherein said fiber connection module is selected from the group comprising a splice organizer and a termination adapter.

22. The fiber optic interconnection combination closure of claim 20 wherein said fiber connection module can be selectively removed from said structure without affecting the position of said optical fiber within said chamber.

23. The fiber optic interconnection combination closure of claim 20 wherein said fiber directing means includes:

a peg mountable in a fiber mounting hole on said structure and within said chamber.

24. The fiber optic interconnection combination closure of claim 20 wherein said fiber directing means further includes:

a push-through access means operative to accept push-through placement of fiber routed via a means for maintaining the bend limits of said optical fiber.

25. The method according to claim 24, wherein said fiber connection module can be selectively removed from said chamber without affecting the position of other fiber connection modules within said chamber.

26. The fiber optic interconnection combination closure of claim 20 wherein said fiber directing means is selected from the group comprising a fiber clip, a fiber ring and a fiber retainer.

27. A method of manufacturing a fiber optic interconnection combination closure for directing and connecting optical fiber in an optical fiber network while maintaining optical fiber bend limits for said fiber, said method comprising the steps of:

providing a housing having a base assembly, a chassis articularly connected to said base assembly and a cover plate articularly connected to said chassis, said housing defining a chamber;

providing a structure having mounting positions within said chamber;

mounting a fiber connection module at a first position on said structure within said housing;

mounting a fiber directing means on said structure and within said chamber, said fiber directing means operative to direct said optical fiber to said fiber connection module while bending said optical fiber in radii no smaller than a predetermined minimum bend radius.