Optical fiber interconnect cabinets, termination modules and fiber connectivity management for the same

• US 7,142,764 B2
• Filed: 03/12/2004
• Issued: 11/28/2006
• Est. Priority Date: 03/20/2003
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: CommScope Technologies, LLC (CommScope Holding Company, Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Tyco Electronics Corporation (TE Connectivity Ltd. (United Kingdom))
• Inventors: Smith, Jack A. Jr., Allen, Barry W., Dowling, Douglas F.
• Primary Examiner(s): Font, Frank G.
• Assistant Examiner(s): LEPISTO, RYAN A
• Application Number:
  US10/799,328
• Publication Number:
  US 20040228598A1
• Time in Patent Office: 991 Days
• Field of Search: 385134-135
• US Class Current: 385/135
• CPC Class Codes: G02B 6/4441 Boxes
• CPC Class Codes: G02B 6/4452 Distribution frames
• CPC Class Codes: G02B 6/4454 with splices

Abstract

Interconnect cabinets for optical fibers include an enclosure and a splitter and termination panel mounted in the enclosure. The splitter has a plurality of optical fiber connectorized pigtails extending therefrom. Each of the connectorized pigtails is associated with an optical fiber feeder cable to be coupled to a central office. The termination panel has a plurality of optical fiber connection members, ones of which are associated with respective subscriber locations. The connectorized pigtails have a cable length sufficient to allow connection to the plurality of connection members.

Claims

1. An interconnect cabinet for optical fibers, comprising:

an enclosure;

a splitter mounted in the enclosure that is configured to optically couple a plurality of optical fibers to a single optical fiber and having a plurality of optical fiber connectorized pigtails extending therefrom, each of the connectorized pigtails being optically coupled by the splitter to an optical fiber feeder cable to be coupled to a central office;

a termination panel mounted in the enclosure and having a plurality of optical fiber connection members, ones of which are associated with respective subscriber locations, wherein the termination panel is pivotally mounted in the enclosure to allow access to a front and a back side of the connection members from a front side of the enclosure and wherein the connectorized pigtails have a cable length sufficient to allow connection to the plurality of connection members; and

wherein the termination panel comprises a front panel of a termination module and wherein the termination module further comprises a splice chamber configured to mount a plurality of splice modules adjacent a back side of the termination panel.

2. The cabinet of claim 1 wherein the splice chamber is pivotally mounted in the enclosure to provide access to the splice chamber from the front side of the enclosure and wherein the termination panel and the splice chamber are pivotally mounted in the enclosure for independent pivotal movement.

3. The cabinet of claim 2 wherein the termination module is removably mounted in the enclosure to allow removal of the termination module through the front side of the enclosure.

4. The cabinet of claim 2 wherein the termination module further comprises a movable cable securing member configured to receive and secure an optical fiber cable, the cable securing member having a first position aligned with a closed position of the splice chamber and a second position aligned with an open position of the splice chamber.

5. The cabinet of claim 4 wherein the cable securing member includes an attachment member configured to receive and retain a strength member of the optical fiber cable.

6. The cabinet of claim 4 wherein the cable securing member is pivotally attached to the termination module to allow movement between the first position and the second position.

7. The cabinet of claim 2 wherein the enclosure is configured to receive a plurality of termination modules and a plurality of splitters.

8. An interconnect cabinet for optical fibers, comprising:

an enclosure;

a splitter mounted in the enclosure and having a plurality of optical fiber connectorized pigtails extending therefrom, each of the connectorized pigtails being associated with an optical fiber feeder cable to be coupled to a central office; and

a termination module including;

a termination panel mounted in the enclosure and having a plurality of optical fiber connection members, ones of which are associated with respective subscriber locations;

a splice chamber configured to mount a plurality of splice modules adjacent a back side of the termination panel, wherein the splice chamber is pivotally mounted in the enclosure to provide access to the splice chamber from the front side of the enclosure;

a movable cable securing member configured to receive and secure an optical fiber cable, the cable securing member having a first position aligned with a closed position of the splice chamber and a second position aligned with an open position of the splice chamber, wherein the cable securing member is detachable from the termination module to allow movement between the first position and the second position.

9. An interconnect cabinet for optical fibers, comprising:

an enclosure;

a splitter mounted in the enclosure and having a plurality of optical fiber connectorized pigtails extending therefrom, each of the connectorized pigtails being associated with an optical fiber feeder cable to be coupled to a central office; and

a termination module including;

a termination panel mounted in the enclosure and having a plurality of optical fiber connection members, ones of which are associated with respective subscriber locations;

a splice chamber configured to mount a plurality of splice modules adjacent a back side of the termination panel, wherein the splice chamber is pivotally mounted in the enclosure to provide access to the splice chamber from the front side of the enclosure;

a movable cable securing member configured to receive and secure an optical fiber cable, the cable securing member having a first position aligned with a closed position of the splice chamber and a second position aligned with an open position of the splice chamber, wherein the cable securing member is pivotally attached to the termination module to allow movement between the first position and the second position and wherein the cable securing member pivots about a neutral axis having an arc length for a cable secured therein that is substantially the same in the first and the second positions to limit loads on the cable secured therein during movement of the cable securing member between the first and second positions.

10. An interconnect cabinet for optical fibers, comprising:

an enclosure;

a splitter mounted in the enclosure and having a plurality of optical fiber connectorized pigtails extending therefrom, each of the connectorized pigtaiis being associated with an optical fiber feeder cable to be coupled to a central office;

a termination panel mounted in the enclosure and having a plurality of optical fiber connection members, ones of which are associated with respective subscriber locations;

a splice chamber configured to mount a plurality of splice modules adjacent a back side of the termination panel; and

wherein the termination panel and the splice chamber are pivotally mounted in the enclosure for independent pivotal movement.

11. An interconnect cabinet for optical fibers, comprising:

an enclosure;

a splitter mounted in the enclosure that is configured to optically couple a plurality of optical fibers to a single optical fiber and having a plurality of optical fiber connectorized pigtails extending therefrom, each of the connectorized pigtails being optically coupled by the splitter to an optical fiber feeder cable to be coupled to a central office;

a termination panel mounted in the enclosure and having a plurality of optical fiber connection members, ones of which are associated with respective subscriber locations, wherein the connectorized pigtails have a cable length sufficient to allow connection to the plurality of connection members; and

a spooling system mounted in the enclosure and configured to receive and store excess cable length of the plurality of connectorized pigtails, wherein the spooling system comprises a plurality of spools displaced from each other in the enclosure by a distance corresponding to a distance between a first and last row of connection members on the termination panel and wherein a distance between a first and a last of the spools is about half the distance between first and last rows of connection members on the termination panel.

12. The cabinet of claim 11 wherein the spooling system further comprises an initial loop spool configured to receive all the connectorized pigtails and provide the connectorized pigtails a common entry point to the spooling system.

13. The cabinet of claim 11 wherein the spools comprise half-moon spools.

14. An interconnect cabinet for optical fibers, comprising:

an enclosure;

a splitter mounted in the enclosure and having a plurality of optical fiber connectorized pigtails extending therefrom, each of the connectorized pigtails being associated with an optical fiber feeder cable to be coupled to a central office;

a termination panel mounted in the enclosure and having a plurality of optical fiber connection members, ones of which are associated with respective subscriber locations; and

wherein the conneetorized pigtails have a cable length sufficient to allow connection to the plurality of connection members; and

wherein the enclosure comprises a double-walled housing configured to provide passive cooling.

15. An optical fiber termination module comprising:

a mounting member adapted to be mounted to an interconnect cabinet for optical fibers;

a bulkhead termination panel pivotally mounted to the mounting member to allow access to a back side of the termination panel covered by the mounting member;

a plurality of optical fiber connection members mounted in the termination panel; and

a splice chamber mounted to the mounting member proximate the back side of the termination panel, the splice chamber being configured to receive at least one splice module;

wherein the splice chamber is pivotally mounted to the mounting member for pivotal movement separately from the termination panel.

16. The termination module of claim 15 wherein the connection members include a front socket configured to receive a mating optical fiber plug connector and a back socket configured to receive a mating optical fiber plug connector to provide an optical coupling between the mating optical fiber plug connectors received therein.

17. The termination module of claim 15 wherein a front side of the splice chamber faces the termination panel and the at least one splice module is received on an opposite, back side of the splice chamber and wherein the at least one splice module is accessible in an open position of the splice chamber.

18. The termination module of claim 17 wherein the at least one splice module comprises a splice tray.

19. The termination module of claim 17 further comprising the at least one splice module and a plurality of connectorized pigtails extending from the at least one splice module to the connector members on a back side of the termination panel.

20. The termination module of claim 19 wherein the splice chamber further comprises an optical fiber slack receiving region positioned between the at least one splice module and the termination panel.

21. The termination module of claim 17 further comprising mounting means for removably mounting the termination module in an optical fiber interconnect cabinet.

22. The termination module of claim 15 further comprising a movable cable securing member configured to receive and secure an optical fiber cable, the cable securing member having a first position aligned with a closed position of the splice chamber and a second position aligned with an open position of the splice chamber.

23. The termination module of claim 22 wherein the cable securing member includes an attachment member configured to receive and retain a strength member of the optical fiber cable.

24. The termination module of claim 22 wherein the cable securing member is detachable from the termination module to allow movement between the first position and the second position.

25. The termination module of claim 22 wherein the cable securing member is pivotally attached to the termination module to allow movement between the first position and the second position.

26. The termination module of claim 25 wherein the cable securing member pivots about a neutral axis having an arc length for a cable secured therein that is substantially the same in the first and the second positions to limit loads on the cable secured therein during movement of the cable securing member between the first and second positions.

27. An interconnect cabinet, comprising:

an enclosure;

a termination panel mounted in the enclosure and having a plurality of optical fiber connection members, ones of which are associated with respective subscriber locations or are associated with an optical fiber feeder cable to be coupled to a central office;

at least one jumper cable for cross-connecting ones of the connection members; and

a spooling system mounted in the enclosure and configured to receive and store excess cable length of the at least one jumper cable;

wherein the at least one jumper cable has a cable length sufficient to allow cross-connecting of the plurality of connection members;

wherein the spooling system comprises a plurality of spools displaced from each other in the enclosure by a distance corresponding to a distance between a first and last row of connection members on the termination panel; and

wherein a distance between a first and a last of the spools is about half the distance between first and last rows of connection members on the termination panel.

28. The cabinet of claim 27 wherein the spooling system further comprises a mid-point spool.