Fiber optic splitter module

• US 7,835,611 B2
• Filed: 04/24/2008
• Issued: 11/16/2010
• Est. Priority Date: 05/25/2005
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: CommScope Technologies, LLC (CommScope Holding Company, Inc.)
• Original Assignee: ADC Telecommunications Incorporated (TE Connectivity Limited)
• Inventors: Zimmel, Steven C.
• Primary Examiner(s): ROJAS, OMAR R
• Application Number:
  US12/150,313
• Publication Number:
  US 20090022468A1
• Time in Patent Office: 936 Days
• Field of Search: None
• 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 6/4455 characterised by the way of extraction or insertion of the cassette in the distribution frame, e.g. pivoting, sliding, rotating or gliding

Abstract

A telecommunications assembly including a housing and a plurality of modules mounted within the housing. The modules includes a rear face in which is mounted at least one fiber optic connector. Within an interior of the housing are positioned at least one fiber optic adapters. Inserting the module through a front opening of the housing at a mounting location positions the connector of the module for insertion into and mating with the adapter of the housing. The adapters within the interior of the housing are integrally formed as part of a removable adapter assembly. A method of mounting a telecommunications module within a chassis.

Claims

1. A telecommunications assembly comprising:

a chassis including a housing with a top, a bottom, and opposing sides extending between a front and a back, the housing defining an interior space accessible at least through the front, the housing defining at least one mounting location within the interior space;

at least one fiber optic adapter assembly corresponding to each of the mounting locations within the interior space, the adapter assembly removably mounted to the mounting location, each adapter assembly including a unitary housing with at least one fiber optic adapter integrally formed in the unitary housing, each fiber optic adapter including a front end directed toward the front of the housing and a back end directed toward the back of the housing, each end configured to receive a fiber optic connector, wherein an access opening is positioned on the housing between the front and back ends of the at least one fiber optic adapter, the fiber optic adapter assembly including inner housing components and a ferrule alignment sleeve for each adapter, wherein the access opening is sized to permit the inner housing components and the ferrule alignment sleeve to be positioned within each adapter between the front and back ends, wherein a panel is positioned within the access opening to hold the inner housing components and the ferrule alignment sleeve within each adapter; and

at least one module configured to be received within the chassis through the front of the chassis and removably mounted within the chassis separately from the at least one fiber optic adapter assembly, the module mounted at one of the mounting locations and including a housing to which is mounted at least one fiber optic connector that is configured to engage the at least one fiber optic adapter of the adapter assembly when the module is mounted within the chassis.

2. The telecommunications assembly of claim 1, wherein each adapter assembly includes a unitary housing with a plurality of adapters integrally formed in the unitary housing.

3. The telecommunications assembly of claim 1, wherein the adapter assembly positions the at least one fiber optic adapter forward of the back of the chassis.

4. The telecommunications assembly of claim 1, wherein the module includes at least one optical component within the housing, the housing including a front face and a rear face, the housing including a cable exit at the front face and the fiber optic connector protruding from the rear face.

5. The telecommunications assembly of claim 4, wherein the at least one optical component includes a fiber optic splitter.

6. The telecommunications assembly of claim 4, wherein the rear face of the housing of the module is positioned forward of a rear most extension of the housing of the module.

7. The telecommunications assembly of claim 6, wherein the housing defines a bulkhead to which the at least one fiber optic connector is mounted, the bulkhead positioned forward of the rear most extension of the housing of the module, the module housing defining a shallower depth between the bulkhead and the rear most extension and a greater depth between the bulkhead and the front face.

8. The telecommunications assembly of claim 1, wherein each module includes a pair of opposing mounting flanges and each mounting location includes a pair of opposing slots to slidably receive the flanges of the modules.

9. The telecommunications assembly of claim 1, wherein the module is held at the mounting location by a releasable latch.

10. A method of mounting a module within a chassis comprising:

providing the chassis including a front opening and a module mounting location;

providing an adapter assembly positioned within an interior of the chassis at the module mounting location, the adapter assembly including a unitary body including at least one fiber optic adapter integrally formed with the unitary body with a connector of a fiber optic cable received in a rear of the adapter, the adapter assembly including an access opening positioned between the rear and a front of the at least one fiber optic adapter, the adapter assembly including inner housing components and a ferrule alignment sleeve for each adapter, wherein the access opening is sized to permit the inner housing components and the ferrule alignment sleeve to be positioned within the adapter between the front and the rear of the adapter, wherein a panel is positioned within the access opening to hold the inner housing components and the ferrule alignment sleeve within each adapter;

providing a module adapted to be mounted at the mounting location, the module including a bulkhead with at least one fiber optic connector protruding from the bulkhead; and

inserting the module within the chassis through the front opening at the mounting location and engaging the front of the adapter with the at least one fiber optic connector of the bulkhead of the module.

11. A method according to claim 10, wherein each adapter assembly includes a unitary body with a plurality of adapters integrally formed in the unitary body.

12. A method according to claim 10, further comprising positioning the adapter assembly forward of a back end of the chassis.

13. A method according to claim 10, wherein the module includes at least one optical component within the housing, the housing including a front face and a rear face, the housing including a cable exit at the front face and the fiber optic connector protruding from the rear face.

14. A method according to claim 13, wherein the at least one optical component includes a fiber optic splitter.

15. A method according to claim 10, wherein the bulkhead is positioned forward of the rear most extension of the module.

16. A method according to claim 15, wherein the module defines a shallower depth between the bulkhead and the rear most extension and a greater depth between the bulkhead and a front of the module.

17. A method according to claim 10, wherein the module includes a pair of opposing mounting flanges and each mounting location includes a pair of opposing slots to slidably receive the flanges of the module.

18. A method according to claim 10, wherein the module is held at the mounting location by a releasable latch.

19. A fiber optic telecommunications chassis comprising:

a housing with a first major side, a second major side, and a pair of opposing transverse sides extending between the major sides defining an interior with a front and a back opposite the front;

a plurality of mounting locations defined for telecommunications modules to be inserted through the front with the modules generally oriented parallel to one of the transverse sides;

each mounting location including an adapter assembly positioned within the interior, the adapter assembly removably mounted within the interior of the housing and including a unitary housing with at least one integrally formed fiber optic adapter, each fiber optic adapter including a front end and a rear end, the adapter assembly including an access opening positioned between the front end and the rear end, each end configured to receive a mating fiber optic connector, the adapter assembly further including inner housing components and a ferrule alignment sleeve for each fiber optic adapter, wherein the access opening is sized to permit the inner housing components and the ferrule alignment sleeve to be positioned within each adapter between the front and rear ends, wherein a panel is positioned within the access opening to hold the inner housing components and the ferrule alignment sleeve within each adapter, wherein each telecommunications module to be mounted within the housing is to be mounted separately from the adapter assemblies, wherein the telecommunications modules and adapter assemblies are configured to engage each other when the telecommunications modules are mounted within the housing;

each adapter assembly orienting the at least one fiber optic adapter with the front end thereof positioned to receive the mating fiber optic connector inserted through the front of the housing toward the back of the housing and generally parallel to the sides; and

each adapter assembly positioned to hold the at least one adapter within the interior of the housing at a location behind the front of the housing, wherein a fiber optic cable with a mating fiber connector may be directed to and inserted within the rear end of the adapter.

20. A fiber optic telecommunications chassis according to claim 19, wherein each adapter assembly includes a unitary housing with a plurality of adapters integrally formed in the unitary housing.