Adapter panel with lateral sliding adapter arrays

• US 7,570,860 B2
• Filed: 01/19/2007
• Issued: 08/04/2009
• Est. Priority Date: 01/19/2007
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: CommScope Technologies, LLC (CommScope Holding Company, Inc.)
• Original Assignee: ADC Telecommunications Incorporated (TE Connectivity Limited)
• Inventors: Coburn, Hutch, Smrha, Mark, Sjodin, Chad
• Primary Examiner(s): Doan; Jennifer
• Application Number:
  US11/655,760
• Publication Number:
  US 20080175551A1
• Time in Patent Office: 928 Days
• Field of Search: 385/134, 385/135
• US Class Current: 385/135
• CPC Class Codes: G02B 6/3825 with an intermediate part, e.g. adapter, receptacle, linking two plugs
• CPC Class Codes: G02B 6/3897 Connectors fixed to housings, casing, frames or circuit boards G02B6/44528 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: G02B 6/4446 Cable boxes, e.g. splicing boxes with two or more multi fibre cables
• CPC Class Codes: G02B 6/4452 Distribution frames
• 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
• CPC Class Codes: H04Q 1/023 using sliding mechanisms for accessing the interior of the apparatus
• CPC Class Codes: H04Q 1/06 Cable ducts or mountings specially adapted for exchange installations
• CPC Class Codes: H04Q 1/142 Terminal blocks for distribution frames
• CPC Class Codes: H04Q 11/0003 Details

Abstract

An adapter panel arrangement including a chassis and a panel of adapters. The adapters defining open rearward cable connections and open forward cable connections of the panel arrangement. The adapters being arranged in arrays that slide independently of other adapter arrays to provide access to the open rearward and open forward cable connections.

Claims

1. An adapter panel arrangement, comprising:

a) a chassis defining an interior, the chassis having a front opening;

b) a drawer that slides relative to the chassis;

c) a face panel mounted to the drawer, the face panel defining rows of openings;

d) a front cover located adjacent to the front opening, the front cover and the chassis enclosing the face panel when the front cover is closed; and

e) a plurality of unenclosed adapters mounted within the openings of the face panel;

f) wherein the face panel is defined by a number of separate panel sections that each contain at least one row of unenclosed adapters, each row of unenclosed adapters defining an adapter array; and

wherein each of the panel sections slides in a lateral direction independent of the other panel sections toward the front opening of the chassis to provide access to the adapter arrays, each of the panel sections further sliding independent of the drawer.

2. The arrangement of claim 1, wherein each separate panel section contains only one row of openings.

3. The arrangement of claim 2, wherein each opening receives one adapter block, the adapter block including eight unenclosed adapters.

4. The arrangement of claim 1, wherein the face panel includes at least two side-by-side panel sections.

5. The arrangement of claim 4, wherein the face panel includes a number of stacked, side-by-side panel sections.

6. The arrangement of claim 1, wherein each panel section slides a distance of no more than about 4.0 inches in the lateral direction.

7. The arrangement of claim 1, wherein each panel section slides a distance of about 1.7 inches in the lateral direction.

8. The arrangement of claim 1, further including a framework structure located within the interior of the chassis, the framework structure including a number of guides, each of the adapter arrays being slidably mounted to a pair of the guides.

9. The arrangement of claim 8, wherein each of the panel sections is mounted to a sliding frame piece, the sliding frame piece having elongated rail members that slide within the guides of the framework structure.

10. The arrangement of claim 9, further including a stop arrangement that restricts lateral sliding movement between a rearward position and a forward position.

11. The arrangement of claim 10, wherein the stop arrangement includes a projection formed on one of the guides and the rail members, and first and second detents formed in the other of the guides and the rail members.

12. The arrangement of claim 11, wherein the projection is formed on the guides of the framework structure and the detents are formed in the rail members of the sliding frame piece.

13. The arrangement of claim 1, wherein the unenclosed each include a front connection end and an opposite rear connection end, the front connection ends defining open front connection locations of the face panel, the rear connection ends defining open rear connection locations of the face panel.

14. The arrangement of claim 13, further including cables connected to the open rear connection locations of the face panel, the cables each having a cable length that accommodates only limited movement of the panel sections, the limited movement being a sliding distance of no more than about 4.0 inches in the lateral direction.

15. The arrangement of claim 13, further including cables connected to the open rear connection locations of the face panel, the cables each having a cable length that accommodates only limited movement of the panel sections, the limited movement being a sliding distance of about 1.7 inches in the lateral direction.

16. The arrangement of claim 1, wherein the chassis includes a removable top wall panel that can be removed from the chassis to provide further access to the adapter arrays.

17. An adapter panel arrangement, comprising:

a) a chassis defining an interior, the chassis having a front opening;

b) a drawer that slides relative to the chassis; and

c) a panel of adapters located within the interior of the chassis, the panel of adapters including adapter arrays arranged in a number of rows, each adapter array being defined by adapters having a front connection end and a rear connection end, the rear connection ends of the adapters defining open rearward cable connection locations of the panel, the front connection ends of the adapters defining open frontward cable connection locations of the panel;

d) wherein the adapter arrays of the panel slide in a lateral direction independent of other adapter arrays toward the front opening of the chassis to provide access to the open cable connection locations of the panel, the adapter arrays further sliding independent of the drawer.

18. The arrangement of claim 17, wherein the panel of adapters is defined by separate panel sections that each contain at least one of the adapter arrays.

19. The arrangement of claim 18, wherein the panel of adapters includes at least two side-by-side panel sections.

20. The arrangement of claim 19, wherein the panel of adapters includes a number of stacked, side-by-side panel sections.

21. The arrangement of claim 17, wherein each of the adapter arrays is defined by a row of adapter blocks, the adapter blocks each including eight adapters.

22. The arrangement of claim 17, wherein each adapter array slides a distance of no more than about 4.0 inches in the lateral direction.

23. The arrangement of claim 17, wherein each adapter array slides a distance of about 1.7 inches in the lateral direction.

24. The arrangement of claim 17, further including a framework structure provided within the interior of the chassis, the framework structure including a number of guides, each of the adapter arrays being slidably mounted to a pair of the guides.

25. The arrangement of claim 24, wherein each of the adapter arrays is mounted to a sliding frame piece, the sliding frame piece having elongated rail members that slide within the guides of the framework structure.

26. The arrangement of claim 25, further including a stop arrangement that restricts lateral sliding movement between a forward position and a rearward position.

27. The arrangement of claim 26, wherein the stop arrangement includes a projection formed on one of the guides and the rail members, and first and second detents formed in the other of the guides and the rail members.

28. The arrangement of claim 27, wherein the projection is formed on the guides of the framework structure and the detents are formed in the rail members of the sliding frame piece.

29. The arrangement of claim 17, wherein the adapters of the adapter arrays each include a front connection end and an opposite rear connection end, the front connection end being accessible from the front opening of the chassis.

30. The arrangement of claim 29, further including fiber optic cables connected to the rear connection ends of the adapters, the cables having a cable length that accommodates only limited movement of the adapter arrays, the limited movement being a sliding distance of no more than about 4.0 inches in the lateral direction.

31. The arrangement of claim 29, further including fiber optic cables connected to the rear connection ends of the adapters, the cables having a cable length that accommodates only limited movement of the adapter arrays, the limited movement being a sliding distance of about 1.7 inches in the lateral direction.

32. The arrangement of claim 17, wherein the chassis includes a removable top wall panel that can be removed from the chassis to provide further access to the open cable connection locations of the panel of adapters.

33. A method of terminating cables, comprising the steps of:

a) providing an adapter panel arrangement having a chassis, a drawer positionable within the chassis, and a panel of adapters mounted to the drawer;

b) sliding the drawer to an open position relative to the chassis;

c) sliding a first panel section of the panel of adapters to a forward position, including sliding the first panel section relative to the drawer in a lateral direction;

d) terminating a cable to an open rearward connection location of a second panel section of the panel of adapters, the second panel section being positioned in a rearward position;

e) sliding the second panel section to a forward position, including sliding the second panel section relative to the drawer in a lateral direction;

f) sliding the first panel section to a rearward position; and

g) terminating a cable to an open rearward connection location of the first panel section.

34. An adapter panel arrangement, comprising:

a) a chassis having a front opening, the chassis including a top wall, a bottom wall, a rear wall, and side walls, the top, bottom, rear, and side walls defining an interior, the top wall defining a top wall opening located adjacent to the front opening of the chassis;

b) panel of adapters located within the interior of the chassis, the panel of adapters including adapter arrays that slide in a lateral direction independent of other adapter arrays toward the front opening of the chassis to provide access to open cable connection locations defined by the adapter arrays; and

c) a sliding top wall access panel positioned in the top wall opening of the chassis, the sliding top wall access panel being removable to provide further access to the open cable connection locations defined by the sliding adapter arrays.

35. An adapter panel arrangement, comprising:

a) a chassis defining an interior, the chassis having a front opening;

b) a face panel located within the interior of the chassis, the face panel defining rows of openings;

c) a front cover located adjacent to the front opening, the front cover and the chassis enclosing the face panel when the front cover is closed;

d) a plurality of unenclosed adapters mounted within the openings of the face panel, wherein the face panel is defined by a number of separate panel sections that each contain at least one row of unenclosed adapters, each row of unenclosed adapters defining an adapter array, and wherein each of the panel sections slides in a lateral direction independent of the other panel sections toward the front opening of the chassis to provide access to the adapter arrays;

e) a framework structure located within the interior of the chassis, the framework structure including a number of guides, each of the adapter arrays being slidably mounted to a pair of the guides, wherein each of the panel sections is mounted to a sliding frame piece, the sliding frame piece having elongated rail members that slide within the guides of the framework structure; and

f) a stop arrangement that restricts lateral sliding movement between a rearward position and a forward position, wherein the stop arrangement includes a projection formed on one of the guides and the rail members, and first and second detents formed in the other of the guides and the rail members;

g) wherein the projection is formed on the guides of the framework structure and the detents are formed in the rail members of the sliding frame piece.

36. An adapter panel arrangement, comprising:

a) a chassis defining an interior, the chassis having a front opening;

b) a panel of adapters located within the interior of the chassis, the panel of adapters including adapter arrays arranged in a number of rows, each adapter array being defined by adapters having a front connection end and a rear connection end, the rear connection ends of the adapters defining open rearward cable connection locations of the panel, the front connection ends of the adapters defining open frontward cable connection locations of the panel, wherein the adapter arrays of the panel slide in a lateral direction independent of other adapter arrays toward the front opening of the chassis to provide access to the open cable connection locations of the panel;

c) a framework structure provided within the interior of the chassis, the framework structure including a number of guides, each of the adapter arrays being slidably mounted to a pair of the guides, wherein each of the adapter arrays is mounted to a sliding frame piece, the sliding frame piece having elongated rail members that slide within the guides of the framework structure; and

d) a stop arrangement that restricts lateral sliding movement between a forward position and a rearward position, wherein the stop arrangement includes a projection formed on one of the guides and the rail members, and first and second detents formed in the other of the guides and the rail members;

e) wherein the projection is formed on the guides of the framework structure and the detents are formed in the rail members of the sliding frame piece.