Pre-connectorized fiber optic cable network interconnection apparatus

• US 7,391,952 B1
• Filed: 08/31/2006
• Issued: 06/24/2008
• Est. Priority Date: 08/31/2006
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Corning Optical Communications LLC (Corning Incorporated)
• Original Assignee: Corning Cable Systems LLC (Corning Incorporated)
• Inventors: Lopez Sanchez, Manuel Alejandro, Juarez, Elmer Mariano, Barnes, Ray S., Ugolini, Alan W., Dennis, Robert W.
• Primary Examiner(s): Sanghavi; Hemang
• Application Number:
  US11/513,942
• Publication Number:
  US 20080131067A1
• Time in Patent Office: 663 Days
• Field of Search: 385134-137
• US Class Current: 385/135
• CPC Class Codes: G02B 6/4453 Cassettes
• CPC Class Codes: G02B 6/4455 characterised by the way of extraction or insertion of the cassette in the distribution frame, e.g. pivoting, sliding, rotating or gliding

Abstract

A pre-connectorized network interconnection apparatus including a housing defining at least one opening for mounting at least one adapter therein, a cable storage tray movably attached to the housing movable between an opened position and a closed position for cable access, and a predetermined length of pre-connectorized fiber optic cable maintained on the storage tray, wherein a first end of the fiber optic cable terminates in at least one connector routed to the at least one connector adapter within the apparatus and a second end of the fiber optic cable terminates in at least one connector that is routed to a predetermined location within a fiber optic network. A data center network apparatus for linking separated fiber optic connection points using a length of pre-connectorized fiber optic cable.

Claims

1. A pre-connectorized network interconnection apparatus, comprising:

at least one connector adapter;

a housing defining at least one opening mounting the at least one connector adapter therein;

a fiber optic cable storage tray movably attached to the housing movable between an opened position and a closed position for fiber optic cable access, wherein the at least one connector adapter is configured to remain stationary with respect to the housing when moving the storage tray between the open position and the closed position; and

a predetermined length of pre-connectorized fiber optic cable maintained on the storage tray, wherein a first end of the fiber optic cable terminates in at least one connector routed to the at least one connector adapter within the apparatus and a second end of the fiber optic cable terminates in at least one connector that is routed to a predetermined location within a fiber optic network.

2. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the housing defines a first internal cavity portion for receiving the predetermined length of fiber optic cable and a second internal cavity portion for maintaining the at least one connector routed to the at least one connector adapter, and wherein the first and second internal cavity portions are substantially separated by a transition lid defining an opening for allowing the fiber optic cable to pass therethrough.

3. The apparatus of claim 1, further comprising a cable transition boot and a cable strain relief feature.

4. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the housing defines at least one track for receiving at least one roller of the storage tray such that the storage tray slidably engages the housing.

5. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the storage tray is pivotally attached to the housing.

6. The apparatus of claim 5, wherein the storage tray pivots less than about 45 degrees relative to a longitudinal axis of the apparatus.

7. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the storage tray is slidably and pivotally attached to the housing.

8. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the storage tray allows access to the length of fiber optic cable from a rear side of the apparatus without having to remove the apparatus from a mounting structure.

9. The apparatus of claim 1, further comprising a handle secured to the storage tray for pulling out and pushing in the storage tray.

10. The apparatus of claim 1, further comprising a self-locking mechanism to lock the storage tray in place.

11. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the apparatus is deployed in a data center of a fiber optic network to provide a link between fiber optic connection points.

12. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the length of fiber optic cable is manually coiled and uncoiled as needed to provide sufficient cable length for routing the second end of the fiber optic cable to the predetermined location.

13. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the first end of the fiber optic cable terminates in at least one single fiber connector and the second end terminates in at least one multi-fiber connector.

14. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the apparatus can be configured to be either left-opened or right opened.

15. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein fiber optic cable access does not require the use of tools.

16. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the fiber optic cable includes bend performance optical fiber.

21. The apparatus of claim 2, wherein the transition lid is configured to remain stationary with respect to the housing when moving the storage tray between the open position and the closed position.

17. A fiber optic network interconnection apparatus, comprising:

at least one connector adapter;

a housing defining at least one opening positioned about a front end of the housing for receiving the at least one adapter therein;

a fiber optic cable storage tray slidably and pivotally attached to the housing, wherein the at least one connector adapter is configured to remain stationary with respect to the housing when sliding and pivoting the storage tray with respect to the housing; and

a predetermined length of pre-connectorized fiber optic cable maintained on the storage tray and terminating at a first end in at least one single fiber connector routed to a rear side of the at least one adapter and terminating at a second end in a multi-fiber connector; and

wherein the predetermined length of pre-connectorized fiber optic cable allows a technician to uncoil or coil the cable to provide a sufficient length of cable for routing the multi-fiber connector to a predetermined location within the network.

18. The apparatus of claim 17, wherein the housing defines a first cavity portion for receiving the predetermined length of fiber optic cable and a second cavity portion for maintaining the at least one single fiber connector routed to the at least one adapter, and wherein the first and second cavity portions are substantially separated by a transition lid defining an opening for allowing the fiber optic cable to pass therethrough.

19. The apparatus of claim 17, wherein the storage tray comprises a handle, a locking mechanism, a slot for receiving a flexible cable transition boot and a cable strain relief feature.

22. The apparatus of claim 18, wherein the transition lid is configured to remain stationary with respect to the housing when sliding and pivoting the storage tray with respect to the housing.

20. A fiber optic data center network apparatus, comprising:

a housing including at least one connector adapter mounted therein and defining a first portion for maintaining at least one single fiber connector and a second portion for receiving a length of fiber optic cable, wherein the first and second portions are at least partially separated by a transition lid;

a cable storage tray movably attached to the housing movable between an opened and closed position to provide access to a length of fiber optic cable from a rear side of the apparatus without having to dismount the apparatus from a mounting structure, wherein the transition lid is configured to remain stationary with respect to the housing when moving the storage tray between the opened position and the closed position;

a pre-connectorized fiber optic cable coiled around at least one cable maintaining feature of the storage tray and terminating at a first end in the at least one single fiber connector and terminating at a second end in at least one multi-fiber connector; and

wherein fiber optic cable length is coiled or uncoiled as needed to provide sufficient length of the fiber optic cable to route the at least one multi-fiber connector to a desired location.

23. A pre-connectorized network interconnection apparatus, comprising:

at least one connector adapter;

a housing defining at least one opening mounting the at least one connector adapter therein;

a fiber optic cable storage tray movably attached to the housing movable between an opened position and a closed position for fiber optic cable access;

a predetermined length of pre-connectorized fiber optic cable maintained on the storage tray, wherein a first end of the fiber optic cable terminates in at least one connector routed to the at least one connector adapter within the apparatus and a second end of the fiber optic cable terminates in at least one connector that is routed to a predetermined location within a fiber optic network; and

wherein the housing defines a first internal cavity portion for receiving the predetermined length of fiber optic cable and a second internal cavity portion for maintaining the at least one connector routed to the at least one connector adapter, and wherein the first and second internal cavity portions are substantially separated by a transition lid defining an opening for allowing the fiber optic cable to pass therethrough, wherein the transition lid is configured to remain stationary with respect to the housing when moving the storage tray between the open position and the closed position.

24. The apparatus of claim 23, wherein the fiber optic cable storage tray is slidably and pivotally attached to the housing.

25. The apparatus of claim 23, wherein the housing defines at least one track for receiving at least one roller of the storage tray such that the storage tray slidably engages the housing.