Optical fiber enclosure system

• US 7,068,907 B2
• Filed: 12/08/2004
• Issued: 06/27/2006
• Est. Priority Date: 02/12/2001
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: CommScope Technologies, LLC (CommScope Holding Company, Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Fiber Optic Network Solutions Corporation (TE Connectivity Limited)
• Inventors: Schray, Steven John
• Primary Examiner(s): Glick, Edward J.
• Assistant Examiner(s): Artman, Thomas R.
• Application Number:
  US11/007,673
• Publication Number:
  US 20050100302A1
• Time in Patent Office: 566 Days
• Field of Search: 385/134, 385/135
• US Class Current: 385/135
• CPC Class Codes: G02B 6/385 Accessories for testing or observation of connectors means for centering or aligning the light guide within the ferrule with auxiliary facilities for movably aligning or adjusting the fibre within its ferrule, measuring position, eccentricity G02B6/3843; mechanical features associated with the optical testing of optical fibres G01M11/088
• CPC Class Codes: G02B 6/3897 Connectors fixed to housings, casing, frames or circuit boards G02B6/44528 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: G02B 6/3898 Tools, e.g. handheld; Tuning wrenches; Jigs used with connectors, e.g. for extracting, removing or inserting in a panel, for engaging or coupling connectors, for assembling or disassembling components within the connector, for applying clips to hold two connectors together or for crimping tools for cleaning, G02B6/3866; tools in general B25B
• CPC Class Codes: G02B 6/4452 Distribution frames

Abstract

An optical fiber enclosure system includes a plurality of optical fiber cassettes and a splice module. The enclosure provides improved access and control of optical fiber management. The optical fiber cassette includes adapters, fiber optic connectors, front face, side wall, rear face, fanout devices and ribbon pigtails. The adapters are mounted to the front face of the cassette. The side wall is attached between the front face and the rear face to provide space for optical fiber management. The fanout devices are mounted to the rear face of the cassette and provide fanout of the ribbon pigtails to individual optical fibers that terminate at the fiber optic connectors. The fiber optic connectors are coupled to the adapters at the front face of the cassette. The splice module includes a management plate and a hingedly joined splice door. The splice door can include a removable splice tray for mounting optical fiber splices and for managing associated slack fiber loops around the splices.

Claims

1. An optical fiber enclosure, comprising:

a housing having a front compartment, a rear compartment, a first and a second side and a bulkhead having an essentially planar surface, the surface having openings disposed thereon for receiving at least a portion of a fiber cassette;

a plurality of removable optical fiber cassettes having a front portion and a rear portion, the front portion further having a plurality of adapters associated therewith, each adapter having an adapter plug for providing optical connectivity without requiring removal of the cassette from the bulkhead, the rear portion having a plurality of optical fibers and fanouts associated therewith for facilitating optical coupling thereto; and

at least one splice module for holding splices, the at least one splice module hingedly mounted to the enclosure to facilitate access to the splices when the splice module is in an open position relative to the enclosure, the at least one splice module further having a management plate hingedly mounted to the at least one splice module.

2. The optical fiber enclosure of claim 1 further comprising a plurality of optical fiber splices mounted to the splice module.

3. The optical fiber enclosure of claim 1 wherein the splice module includes a removable splice tray for mounting optical fiber splices and for managing associated slack fiber loops around the splices.

4. The optical fiber enclosure of claim 1 further comprising at least one reversible fiber radius guide mounted to the housing.

5. The optical fiber enclosure of claim 1 further comprising at least one removable panel mounted to the bulkhead.

6. The optical fiber enclosure of claim 1 further comprising at least one port on a top surface and a bottom surface of the first and second side for fiber management.

7. A splice module for use within a fiber optic enclosure for facilitating the coupling of optical signals, the splice module comprising:

a management plate adaptively configured for placement in a rear portion of the enclosure;

a hingedly joined splice door for holding fiber optic splices associated with optical signals flowing through at least one of a fiber optic adapter having a fiber optic connector associated therewith, the fiber optic adapter and connector further being associated with a removable fiber optical cassette located within the enclosure, where the hingedly joined splice door is pivotally supported on the management plate to facilitate access to the fiber optic splices when the hingedly joined splice door is in an open configuration at the rear portion of the enclosure; and

a removable cover for protecting the fiber optic splices when proximate to the splice door.

8. The splice module of claim 7 wherein the splice door includes a removable splice tray for mounting optical fiber splices and for managing associated slack fiber loops around the splices.

9. The splice module of claim 7 further comprising a plurality of optical fiber splices mounted to the splice door.

10. An optical fiber enclosure, comprising:

a housing having a front compartment, a rear compartment, a first and a second side and a bulkhead, the bulkhead defining openings sized to receive at least a portion of a fiber cassette;

a plurality of removable optical fiber cassettes having a front portion and a rear portion, the front portion having a plurality of adapters associated therewith, each adapter having an adapter plug for providing optical connectivity without requiring removal of the cassette from the bulkhead, the rear portion having a plurality of optical fibers and fanouts associated therewith for facilitating optical coupling thereto; and

at least one splice module configured to hold splices, the at least one splice module hingedly mounted to the enclosure so that in use the at least one splice module pivots about a horizontal axis from a closedposition, wherein the splice module blocks access to the rear compartment of the housing, to an open position, wherein the splice module allows access to the rear compartment of the housing.

11. The optical fiber enclosure of claim 10, wherein the bulkhead has a substantially planar surface and the at least one splice module is oriented substantially parallel to the bulkhead when the splice module is in the closed position.

12. The optical fiber enclosure of claim 10, wherein the bulkhead has a substantially planar surface and the at least one splice module is oriented substantially perpendicular to the bulkhead when the splice module is in the open position.

13. The optical fiber enclosure of claim 10, wherein the at least one splice module has a major surface configured to block access to the rear compartment of the housing when the splice module is in the closed position, the major surface being further configured to enable access to the rear compartment of the housing when the splice module is in the open position.