Multi-port optical connection terminal

• US 7,120,347 B2
• Filed: 01/27/2004
• Issued: 10/10/2006
• Est. Priority Date: 01/27/2004
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Corning Optical Communications LLC (Corning Incorporated)
• Original Assignee: Corning Cable Systems LLC (Corning Incorporated)
• Inventors: Reagan, Jason B., Menke, Brett A., Smith, Kelly J., Blackwell, Chois A. Jr., Strause, Kevin L.
• Primary Examiner(s): Font, Frank G.
• Assistant Examiner(s): LEPISTO, RYAN A
• Application Number:
  US10/765,589
• Publication Number:
  US 20050163448A1
• Time in Patent Office: 987 Days
• Field of Search: 385/135, 385/139
• 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 6/4441 Boxes
• CPC Class Codes: G02B 6/475 Mechanical aspects of installing cables in ducts or the like for buildings
• CPC Class Codes: G02B 6/501 underground installation of connection boxes

Abstract

A multi-port optical connection terminal for use as a branch point in a fiber optic communications network at a distance from a mid-span access location provided on a distribution cable having a plurality of optical fibers. The multi-port terminal includes a base and a cover affixed to the base. A stub cable port formed through one of the base and the cover receives a stub cable having at least one optical fiber extending continuously from the multi-port terminal to the mid-span access location. A first end of the optical fiber is optically connected to a respective optical fiber of the distribution cable at the mid-span access location and a fiber optic connector is mounted upon the second end. At least one connector port is provided on the multi-port terminal for receiving the fiber optic connector and a connectorized end of a fiber optic drop cable extending from the multi-port terminal.

Claims

1. An optical connection terminal for use at a branch point in a fiber optic communications network including a distribution cable comprising a plurality of optical fibers and a mid-span access location provided on the distribution cable, the terminal comprising;

a base;

a cover attached to the base such that the base and the cover define an interior cavity;

a stub cable port provided in one of the base and cover through an exterior wall;

a stub cable comprising a first end received in the stub cable port and a second end configured for attachment to the distribution cable at the mid-span access location, the stub cable further comprising a plurality of optical fibers extending between the first end and the second end, each optical fiber of the stub cable having a fiber optic connector mounted thereon at the first end of the stub cable with the fiber optic connectors disposed within the interior cavity, each optical fiber of the stub cable also being optically connected at the second end of the stub cable to a corresponding one of the optical fibers of the distribution cable; and

a plurality of connector ports provided in an exterior wall of one of the base and the cover, each connector port extending through the exterior wall and adapted to receive one of the fiber optic connectors disposed within the interior cavity;

wherein one of the base and the cover comprises a fiber routing and slack storage hub disposed within the interior cavity for routing and storing excess lengths of the plurality of optical fibers of the stub cable.

2. The terminal of claim 1, wherein the fiber routing and slack storage hub comprises an outer wall defining a generally cylindrical surface, a flange extending radially outward and generally perpendicular to a plane tangent to the outer wall and at least one retaining tab extending radially outward from the flange.

3. The terminal of claim 1, wherein the base comprises opposed first and second end walls and a base panel having the connector ports formed therethrough.

4. The terminal of claim 3, wherein the base panel comprises a plurality of angled surfaces having the connector ports formed therethrough.

5. The terminal of claim 3, wherein the stub cable port is disposed in the second end wall and wherein at least one drop cable is optically connected to a respective one of the connector ports from outside the base panel and extends away from the connector ports in substantially the opposite direction that the stub cable extends away from the terminal to provide a through configuration terminal.

6. The terminal of claim 1, wherein the cover comprises opposed first and second end walls and a cover panel having the connector ports formed therethrough.

7. The terminal of claim 6, wherein the cover panel comprises a plurality of angled surfaces having the connector ports formed therethrough.

8. The terminal of claim 6, wherein the stub cable port is disposed in the second end wall end wherein at least one drop cable is optically connected to a respective one of the connector ports from outside the cover panel and extends away from the connector ports in substantially the opposite direction that the stub cable extends away from the terminal to provide a through configuration terminal.

9. An optical connection terminal for use at a branch point in a fiber optic communications network including a distribution cable comprising a plurality of optical fibers and a mid-span access location provided on the distribution cable, the terminal comprising;

a base;

a cover attached to the base such that the base and the cover define an interior cavity;

a stub cable port provided in one of the base and cover through an exterior wall;

a stub cable comprising a first end received in the stub cable port and a second end configured for attachment to the distribution cable at the mid-span access location, the stub cable further comprising a plurality of optical fibers extending between the first end and the second end, each optical fiber of the stub cable having a fiber optic connector mounted thereon at the first end of the stub cable with the fiber optic connectors disposed within the interior cavity, each optical fiber of the stub cable also being optically connected at the second end of the stub cable to a corresponding one of the optical fibers of the distribution cable; and

a plurality of connector ports provided in an exterior wall of one of the base and the cover, each connector port extending through the exterior wall and adapted to receive one of the fiber optic connector disposed within the interior cavity;

wherein the base comprises opposed first and second end walls and a base panel having the connector ports formed therethrough; and

wherein the stub cable port is disposed in the first end wall and at least one drop cable is optically connected to a respective one of the connector ports from outside the base panel and extends away from the connector ports in substantially the same direction that the stub cable extends away from the terminal to provide a butt configuration terminal.

10. An optical connection terminal for use at a branch point in a fiber optic communications network including a distribution cable comprising a plurality of optical fibers and a mid-span access location provided on the distribution cable, the terminal comprising;

a base;

a cover attached to the base such that the base and the cover define an interior cavity;

a stub cable port provided in one of the base and cover through an exterior wall;

a stub cable comprising a first end received in the stub cable port and a second end configured for attachment to the distribution cable at the mid-span access location, the stub cable further comprising a plurality of optical fibers extending between the first end and the second end, each optical fiber of the stub cable having a fiber optic connector mounted thereon at the first end of the stub cable with the fiber optic connectors disposed within the interior cavity, each optical fiber of the stub cable also being optically connected at the second end of the stub cable to a corresponding one of the optical fibers of the distribution cable; and

a plurality of connector ports provided in an exterior wall of one of the base and the cover, each connector port extending through the exterior wall and adapted to receive one of the fiber optic connectors disposed within the interior cavity;

wherein the base comprises opposed first and second end walls and a base panel having the connector ports formed therethrough; and

wherein the stub cable port is disposed in the first end wall and at least one drop cable is optically connected to a respective one of the connector ports from outside the cover panel and extends away from the connector ports in substantially the same direction that the stub cable extends away from the terminal to provide a butt configuration terminal.

11. An optical connection terminal for use at a branch point in a fiber optic communications network including a distribution cable comprising a plurality of optical fibers and a mid-span access location provided on the distribution cable, the terminal comprising:

a base;

a cover attached to the base such that the base and the cover define an interior cavity;

a stub cable port provided in one of the base and cover through an exterior wall;

a stub cable comprising a first end received in the stub cable port and a second end configured for attachment to the distribution cable at the mid-span access location, the stub cable further comprising a plurality of optical fibers extending between the first end and the second end, each optical fiber of the stub cable having a fiber optic connector mounted thereon at the first end of the stub cable with the fiber optic connectors disposed within the interior cavity, each optical fiber of the stub cable also being optically connected at the second end of the stub cable to a corresponding one of the optical fibers of the distribution cable; and

a plurality of connector ports provided in an exterior wall of one of the base and the cover, each connector port extending through the exterior wall and adapted to receive one of the fiber optic connectors disposed within the interior cavity;

wherein the base comprises opposed first and second end walls and a base panel having the connector ports formed therethrough; and

wherein the stub cable port comprises a first stub cable port and a second stub cable port disposed on the opposed first and second end walls of the base.

12. An optical connection terminal for use at a branch point in a fiber optic communications network including a distribution cable comprising a plurality of optical fibers and a mid-span access location provided on the distribution cable, the terminal comprising:

a base;

a cover attached to the base such that the base and the cover define an interior cavity;

a stub cable port provided in one of the base and cover through an exterior wall;

a stub cable comprising a first end received in the stub cable port and a second end configured for attachment to the distribution cable at the mid-span access location, the stub cable further comprising a plurality of optical fibers extending between the first end and the second end, each optical fiber of the stub cable having a fiber optic connector mounted thereon at the first end of the stub cable with the fiber optic connectors disposed within the interior cavity, each optical fiber of the stub cable also being optically connected at the second end of the stub cable to a corresponding one of the optical fibers of the distribution cable; and

a plurality of connector ports provided in an exterior wall of one of the base and the cover, each connector port extending through the exterior wall and adapted to receive one of the fiber optic connectors disposed within the interior cavity;

wherein the base comprises opposed first and second end walls and a base panel having the connector ports formed therethrough; and

wherein the stub cable port comprises a first stub cable port and a second stub cable port disposed on the opposed first and second end walls of the cover.

13. A multi-port optical connection terminal for interconnecting one or more fiber optic drop cables with a fiber optic distribution cable, the multi-port terminal comprising:

a base and a cover attached to the base, the base and cover each having opposed first and second end walls, the base further comprising a base panel opposite the cover and the cover further comprising a cover panel opposite the base to define an interior cavity;

a first stub cable port provided in one of the base and the cover through one of the first and second end walls;

a first stub cable comprising a first end received in the cable port and a second end configured for attachment to the distribution cable, the first stub cable further comprising a plurality of optical fibers extending between the first end and the second end, each optical fiber having a fiber optic connector mounted thereon at the first end of the first stub cable with the fiber optic connectors disposed within the interior cavity, each optical fiber also being optically connected at the second end of the first stub cable to a corresponding optical fiber accessed and removed from the distribution cable; and

a plurality of connector ports disposed through one of the base panel and the cover panel, each connector port adapted to receive one of the fiber optic connectors from inside the terminal and a connectorized end of one of the fiber optic drop cables from outside the terminal;

wherein the first stub cable port is disposed in the first end wall of the cover and the drop cable extends away from the connector ports in substantially the same direction that the first stub cable extends away from the terminal to provide a butt configuration terminal.

14. The multi-port terminal of claim 13, wherein the base panel further comprises a plurality of angled surfaces having the connector ports formed therethrough.

15. The multi-port terminal of claim 13, wherein the cover panel further comprises a plurality of angled surfaces having the connector ports formed therethrough.

16. A multi-port optical connection terminal for interconnecting one or more fiber optic drop cables with a fiber optic distribution cable, the multi-port terminal comprising:

a base and a cover attached to the base, the base and cover each having opposed first and second end walls, the base further comprising a base panel opposite the cover and the cover further comprising a cover panel opposite the base to define an interior cavity;

a first stub cable port provided in one of the base and the cover through one of the first and second end walls;

a first stub cable comprising a first end received in the cable port and a second end configured for attachment to the distribution cable, the first stub cable further comprising a plurality of optical fibers extending between the first end and the second end each optical fiber having a fiber optic connector mounted thereon at the first end of the first stub cable with the fiber optic connectors disposed within the interior cavity, each optical fiber also being optically connected at the second end of the first stub cable to a corresponding optical fiber accessed and removed from the distribution cable; and

a plurality of connector ports disposed through one of the base panel and the cover panel, each connector port adapted to receive one of the fiber optic connectors from inside the terminal and a connectorized end of one of the fiber optic drop cables from outside the terminal;

wherein the first stub cable port is disposed in the first end wall of the cover and the drop cable extends away from the connector ports in substantially the same direction that the first stub cable extends away from the terminal to provide a butt configuration terminal.

17. A multi-port optical connection terminal for interconnecting one or more fiber optic drop cables with a fiber optic distribution cable, the multi-port terminal comprising:

a base and a cover attached to the base, the base and cover each having opposed first and second end walls, the base further comprising a base panel opposite the cover and the cover further comprising a cover panel opposite the base to define an interior cavity;

a first stub cable port provided in one of the base and the cover through one of the first and second end walls;

a first stub cable comprising a first end received in the cable port and a second end configured for attachment to the distribution cable, the first stub cable further comprising a plurality of optical fibers extending between the first end and the second end, each optical fiber having a fiber optic connector mounted thereon at the first end of the first stub cable with the fiber optic connectors disposed within the interior cavity, each optical fiber also being optically connected at the second end of the first stub cable to a corresponding optical fiber accessed and removed from the distribution cable; and

a plurality of connector ports disposed through one of the base panel and the cover panel, each connector port adapted to receive one of the fiber optic connectors from inside the terminal and a connectorized end of one of the fiber optic drop cables from outside the terminal;

wherein one of the base and the cover further comprises a fiber routing and slack storage hub disposed therein for routing and storing excess lengths of the optical fibers of the first stub cable, the fiber routing and slack storage hub comprising an outer wall defining a generally cylindrical surface, a flange extending radially outward and generally perpendicular to a plane tangent to the outer wall and at least one retaining tab extending radially outward from the flange.

18. A multi-port optical connection terminal for interconnecting one or more fiber optic drop cables with a fiber optic distribution cable, the multi-port terminal comprising:

a base and a cover attached to the base, the base and cover each having opposed first and second end walls, the base further comprising a base panel opposite the cover and the cover further comprising a cover panel opposite the base to define an interior cavity;

a first stub cable port provided in one of the base and the cover through one of the first and second end walls;

a first stub cable comprising a first end received in the cable port and a second end configured for attachment to the distribution cable, the first stub cable further comprising a plurality of optical fibers extending between the first end and the second end, each optical fiber having a fiber optic connector mounted thereon at the first end of the first stub cable with the fiber optic connectors disposed within the interior cavity, each optical fiber also being optically connected at the second end of the first stub cable to a corresponding optical fiber accessed and removed from the distribution cable; and

a plurality of connector ports disposed through one of the base panel and the cover panel, each connector port adapted to receive one of the fiber optic connectors from inside the terminal and a connectorized end of one of the fiber optic drop cables from outside the terminal;

wherein a second cable port is provided in the other of the base and the cover for receiving a first end of a second stub cable.