Fiber access terminal

• US 7,539,387 B2
• Filed: 05/30/2008
• Issued: 05/26/2009
• Est. Priority Date: 03/08/2004
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: CommScope Technologies, LLC (CommScope Holding Company, Inc.)
• Original Assignee: ADC Telecommunications Incorporated (TE Connectivity Limited)
• Inventors: Rudenick, Paula, Gronvall, Erik, Smith, Trevor, Nelson, Keith, Ferris, Matthew D., Mertesdorf, Daniel Ray
• Primary Examiner(s): Pak; Sung H
• Application Number:
  US12/130,337
• Publication Number:
  US 20080226252A1
• Time in Patent Office: 361 Days
• Field of Search: None
• 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 6/4442 Cap coupling boxes
• CPC Class Codes: G02B 6/4446 Cable boxes, e.g. splicing boxes with two or more multi fibre cables
• CPC Class Codes: G02B 6/44465 Seals
• CPC Class Codes: G02B 6/44515 Fibre drop terminals with surplus length without surplus length G02B6/4472
• CPC Class Codes: G02B 6/44528 Patch-cords; Connector arrangements in the system or in the box routing arrangements H04Q1/00

Abstract

A fiber access terminal for mounting to the end of a fiber distribution cable and configured to be extended through a buried conduit. The fiber distribution cable may include a plurality of optical fibers and enters a housing of the terminal through a base. The terminal also includes a plurality of fiber optic connectors or adapters extending through the housing in generally the same direction as the fiber distribution cable for connecting to optical fiber customer drop cables. The terminal includes a cover and the housing defining an interior and the interior includes a cable slack storage arrangement providing bend radius protection for the optical fiber cables within the interior. A method of assembling a fiber access terminal. A fiber access terminal assembly including a pedestal mounting arrangement.

Claims

1. A terminal assembly comprising:

an enclosure defining an interior volume, the enclosure including a first end positioned opposite from a second end;

an opening defined at a first end of the enclosure;

a fiber optic cable that extends away from the opening in a first direction;

the enclosure including a cable connection region at which the enclosure defines a plurality of adapter mounting openings;

a plurality of fiber optic adapters mounted at the adapter mounting openings, each of the fiber optic adapters including a first end accessible from within the interior volume of the enclosure and a second end accessible from outside the enclosure; and

the enclosure including first and second tabs protruding outwardly from the first end of the enclosure in the first direction of the fiber optic cable, the first tab having a first surface that faces a second surface of the second tab, the first and second tabs being separated by a notch that extends from the first surface of the first tab to the second surface of the second tab, each of the first and second tabs defining at least one hole.

2. The terminal assembly of claim 1, wherein the notch generally aligns with the opening of the enclosure.

3. The terminal assembly of claim 1, further comprising an environmental seal positioned between first and second housing pieces of the enclosure, wherein the environmental seal extends generally about a perimeter of the interior volume.

4. The terminal assembly of claim 1, wherein the enclosure is elongated along a central longitudinal axis of the enclosure, and wherein the first and second tabs are symmetric about the central longitudinal axis.

5. The terminal assembly of claim 4, wherein the first and second tabs each define a plurality of holes.

6. The terminal assembly of claim 4, further comprising a third tab positioned at the second end of the enclosure, the third tab defining at least one hole that aligns with the central longitudinal axis.

7. The terminal assembly of claim 1, wherein the first and second tabs each define a plurality of holes.

8. The terminal assembly of claim 1, further comprising a third tab positioned at the second end of the enclosure, the third tab defining at least one hole.

9. The terminal assembly of claim 1, wherein the second end of the enclosure is configured as a closed end that does not allow a cable to pass therethrough.

21. The terminal assembly of claim 1, wherein the enclosure includes a front side and a back side with the second ends of the fiber optic adapters being accessible from the front side, wherein at least some of the fiber optic adapters are positioned along axes that are at oblique angles relative to the back side.

10. A terminal assembly comprising:

an enclosure including a first housing piece and a second housing piece that are connected together to define an interior volume, the enclosure being elongated along a central axis that extends from a cable pass-through end of the enclosure to a non-pass-through end of the enclosure;

the enclosure defining an opening at the cable pass-through end;

a fiber optic cable that extends away from the cable-pass through end of the enclosure in a first direction;

the enclosure including a first cable connection region at which the enclosure defines a first plurality of adapter mounting openings;

the enclosure including a second cable connection region at which the enclosure defines a second plurality of adapter mounting openings;

the enclosure having a narrowed waist area disposed between the first and second cable connection regions;

a plurality of fiber optic adapters mounted at the first and second plurality of adapter mounting openings, each of the fiber optic adapters including a first end accessible from within the interior volume of the enclosure and a second end accessible from outside the enclosure; and

the enclosure including first and second tabs protruding outwardly from the cable pass-through end of the enclosure in the first direction of the fiber optic cable, the first tab having a first surface that faces a second surface of the second tab, the first and second tabs being separated by a notch that extends from the first surface of the first tab to the second surface of the second tab, each of the first and second tabs defining at least one hole.

11. The terminal assembly of claim 10, wherein the notch generally aligns with the opening of the enclosure.

12. The terminal assembly of claim 10, further comprising an environmental seal positioned between the first and second housing pieces that extends generally about a perimeter of the interior volume.

13. The terminal assembly of claim 10, wherein the first and second tabs are symmetric about the central axis.

14. The terminal assembly of claim 10, wherein the first and second tabs each define a plurality of holes.

15. The terminal assembly of claim 10, further comprising a third tab positioned at the non-pass-through end of the enclosure, the third tab defining at least one hole.

16. The terminal assembly of claim 13, wherein the first and second tabs each define a plurality of holes.

17. The terminal assembly of claim 13, further comprising a third tab positioned at the non-pass-through end of the enclosure, the third tab defining at least one hole that aligns with the central longitudinal axis.

22. The terminal assembly of claim 10, wherein the second ends of the fiber optic adapters are mounted to the first piece, and wherein at least some of the fiber optic adapters are positioned along axes that are at oblique angles relative to the second piece.

23. The terminal assembly of claim 22, wherein at least one of the fiber optic adapters in the first cable connection region faces in the same direction as at least one of the fiber optic adapters in the second cable connection region.

18. A terminal assembly comprising:

an enclosure including a first end and an opposite second end and defining an interior volume, the enclosure having a central axis that extends from the first end to the second end;

the first end of the enclosure defining an opening through which at least one optical fiber of a fiber optic cable enters the interior volume, the fiber optic cable extending away from the first end of the enclosure in a first direction;

the enclosure including first and second mounting faces that are separated from one another along the central axis, the enclosure including a waisted area provided between the first and second mounting faces, each of the first and second mounting faces defining at least one adapter mounting opening;

a plurality of fiber optic adapters mounted at the adapter mounting openings, each of the fiber optic adapters including a first end accessible from within the interior volume of the enclosure and a second end accessible from outside the enclosure;

the enclosure including first and second tabs protruding outwardly from the first end of the enclosure in the first direction of the fiber optic cable, the first tab having a first surface that faces a second surface of the second tab, the first and second tabs being separated by a notch that extends from the first surface of the first tab to the second surface of the second tab, each of the first and second tabs defining at least one hole.

19. The terminal assembly of claim 18, wherein the notch generally aligns with the opening of the first end of the enclosure.

20. The terminal assembly of claim 18, wherein at least two of the adapter mounting openings are defined at each of the first and second mounting faces.

24. The terminal assembly of claim 18, wherein the enclosure includes a front side and a back side with the second ends of the fiber optic adapters being accessible from the front side, wherein at least some of the fiber optic adapters are positioned along axes that are at oblique angles relative to the back side.

25. The terminal assembly of claim 24, wherein at least one of the fiber optic adapters mounted at the first mounting face faces in the same direction as at least one of the fiber optic adapters mounted at the second mounting face.