Fiber distribution frame with fiber termination blocks

• US 6,418,262 B1
• Filed: 03/13/2000
• Issued: 07/09/2002
• Est. Priority Date: 03/13/2000
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: CommScope Technologies, LLC (CommScope Holding Company, Inc.)
• Original Assignee: ADC Telecommunications Incorporated (TE Connectivity Limited)
• Inventors: Duberstein, Todd Robert, Knudsen, Clinton Michael, Rapp, David E., Puetz, Curtis Lee
• Primary Examiner(s): Lee, John D.
• Application Number:
  US09/523,901
• Time in Patent Office: 848 Days
• Field of Search: 385/53, 385/134, 385/135, 385/147
• US Class Current: 385/134
• CPC Class Codes: G02B 6/4452 Distribution frames
• CPC Class Codes: G02B 6/44526 Panels or rackmounts covering a whole width of the frame or rack
• CPC Class Codes: G02B 6/44528 Patch-cords; Connector arrangements in the system or in the box routing arrangements H04Q1/00
• CPC Class Codes: H04Q 1/06 Cable ducts or mountings specially adapted for exchange installations

Abstract

A fiber termination block including a frame structure adapted to be connected to a fiber distribution rack. The frame structure includes a front end and a rear end. A front fiber optic adapter array is positioned adjacent the front end of the frame structure. A plurality of rear modules are mounted at the rear end of the frame structure. Each of the rear modules defines a front opening. At least one coupler is mounted within each of the rear modules. A plurality of fiber optic cables are provided for transmitting fiber optic signals between the front fiber optic adapter array and the couplers. The fiber optic cables extend through the front openings of the rear modules to access the couplers.

Claims

1. A fiber termination block comprising:

a frame structure adapted to be connected to a fiber distribution rack, the frame structure including a front end and a rear end and a longitudinal axis that extends between the front and rear ends;

a plurality of sliding adapter packs positioned adjacent the front end of the frame structure, each of the adapter packs including a row of front fiber optic adapters, the rows of fiber optic adapters being arranged in a forwardly facing array, the sliding adapter packs being slidable in a direction transverse with respect to the longitudinal axis of the frame structure to facilitate accessing the adapter packs;

a plurality of rear modules mounted at the rear end of the frame structure, the rear modules including a plurality of rear fiber optic adapters arranged in a rearwardly facing array;

a plurality of fiber optic cables for transmitting fiber optic signals between the front fiber optic adapters and the rear fiber optic adapters; and

at least one coupler mounted within each of the rear modules through which at least some of the signals carried by the fiber optic cables are routed.

2. The fiber termination block of claim 1, wherein the rear modules each include at least one rear wall positioned opposite from a front wall, wherein the rear fiber optic adapters are mounted at the rear walls, and wherein the front walls each define an opening through which the fibers pass to extend from the rear modules to the sliding adapter packs.

3. The fiber termination block of claim 2, further comprising a plurality of indicator lights positioned at the front walls of the rear modules and linked to at least some of the fiber optic cables.

4. The fiber termination block of claim 3, wherein the indicator lights are laterally offset from the forwardly facing array defined by the forward adapters, and wherein the lateral offset permits the indicator lights to be viewed directly from the front end of the frame structure without interference from the forward adapters.

5. The fiber termination block of claim 2, further comprising radius limiters for guiding the fiber optic cables through the openings in the front walls.

6. A fiber termination block comprising:

a frame structure adapted to be connected to a fiber distribution rack, the frame structure including a front end and a rear end;

a front fiber optic adapter array positioned adjacent the front end of the frame structure;

a plurality of rear modules mounted at the rear end of the frame structure, each of the rear modules defining a front opening;

at least one coupler mounted within each of the rear modules; and

a plurality of fiber optic cables for transmitting fiber optic signals between the front fiber optic adapter array and the couplers, the fiber optic cables extending through the front openings of the rear modules to access the couplers.

7. The fiber termination block of claim 6, wherein the rear modules each include a plurality of rear fiber optic adapters arranged in a rearwardly facing array, the rear fiber optic adapters being coupled to at least some of the fiber optic cables.

8. The fiber termination block of claim 7, further comprising a plurality of indicator lights positioned at a front end of each rear module for tracing cross connect signals.

9. The fiber termination block of claim 8, wherein one of the rear fiber optic adapters is optically coupled to a transmit output port and a transmit monitor port of the front fiber optic adapter array and is also optically coupled to one of the indicator lights;

and another of the rear fiber optic adapters is optically coupled to a receive input port and a receive monitor port of the front fiber optic adapter array.

10. The fiber termination block of claim 6, further comprising a plurality of cable management guides positioned within the rear modules.

11. The fiber termination block of claim 6, further comprising radius limiters positioned at the front openings of the rear modules for limiting the bending radiuses of the fiber optic cables passing through the front openings.

12. A fiber optic module adapted to be connected to a fiber optic distribution frame, the fiber optic module comprising;

a housing including two spaced-apart major sides interconnected by two spaced-apart minor sides, the major and minor sides extending between front and rear ends of the housing, the front end of the housing defining a front opening sized for allowing a plurality of fiber optic cables to pass therethrough;

structure for connecting the housing to the distribution frame;

a plurality of fiber optic adapters mounted at the rear end of the housing;

a plurality of indicator lights mounted at the front end of the housing;

a fiber optic coupler mounted within the housing; and

at least one radius limiter positioned near the front opening of the housing for limiting the bending radiuses of the fiber optic cables that pass through the opening.

13. The fiber optic module of claim 12, wherein the coupler is secured to one of the minor sides of the housing.

14. The fiber optic module of claim 12, further comprising cable management guides mounted within the housing.

15. A fiber distribution apparatus comprising:

a rack having a front side and a rear side;

a front fiber optic adapter array positioned adjacent the front side of the rack;

a plurality of rear modules mounted at the rear side of the rack, each of the rear modules defining a front opening;

at least one coupler mounted within each of the rear modules; and

a plurality of fiber optic cables for transmitting fiber optic signals between the front fiber optic adapter array and the couplers, the fiber optic cables extending through the front openings of the rear modules to access the couplers.

16. The fiber distribution apparatus of claim 15, wherein the rear modules each include a plurality of rear fiber optic adapters arranged in a rearwardly facing array, the rear fiber optic adapters being coupled to at least some of the fiber optic cables.

17. The fiber distribution apparatus of claim 16, further comprising a plurality of indicator lights positioned at a front end of each rear module for tracing cross connect signals.

18. The fiber distribution apparatus of claim 15, further comprising radius limiters positioned at the front openings of the rear modules for limiting the bending radiuses of the fiber optic cables passing through the front openings.

19. The fiber distribution apparatus of claim 15, further comprising a plurality of cable management guides positioned within the rear modules.

20. The fiber distribution apparatus of claim 15, wherein the rack includes centrally located, vertical cable management troughs located at both the front side and the rear side of the rack, and wherein each of the troughs includes cable management spools.

21. The fiber distribution apparatus of claim 20, wherein at both the front side and the rear side the rack includes two vertical cable management channels positioned on opposite sides of the centrally located vertical troughs.

22. The fiber distribution apparatus of claim 21, wherein the vertical channels are defined by a plurality of vertically spaced-apart rings.

23. The fiber distribution apparatus of claim 22, wherein the rear side of the rack includes a plurality of vertically spaced-apart horizontal troughs, each of the troughs