Fiber optic module and system including rear connectors

• US 8,023,791 B2
• Filed: 09/17/2009
• Issued: 09/20/2011
• Est. Priority Date: 11/03/2004
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: CommScope Technologies, LLC (CommScope Holding Company, Inc.)
• Original Assignee: ADC Telecommunications Incorporated (TE Connectivity Limited)
• Inventors: Zimmel, Steven C., Smith, Trevor, Nhep, Ponharith
• Primary Examiner(s): Lepisto; Ryan
• Assistant Examiner(s): WONG, ERIC K
• Application Number:
  US12/561,676
• Publication Number:
  US 20100135631A1
• Time in Patent Office: 733 Days
• Field of Search: 385134-137
• US Class Current: 385/135
• CPC Class Codes: G02B 23/2476 Non-optical details, e.g. housings, mountings, supports
• CPC Class Codes: G02B 6/00 Light guides; Structural details of arrangements comprising light guides and other optical elements, e.g. couplings
• CPC Class Codes: G02B 6/36 Mechanical coupling means G02B6/255, G02B6/42 take precedence
• CPC Class Codes: G02B 6/3879 Linking of individual connector plugs to an overconnector, e.g. using clamps, clips, common housings comprising several individual connector plugs
• CPC Class Codes: G02B 6/3897 Connectors fixed to housings, casing, frames or circuit boards G02B6/44528 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: G02B 6/444 Systems or boxes with surplus lengths
• CPC Class Codes: G02B 6/4442 Cap coupling boxes
• CPC Class Codes: G02B 6/4452 Distribution frames
• CPC Class Codes: G02B 6/44526 Panels or rackmounts covering a whole width of the frame or rack
• CPC Class Codes: G02B 6/44528 Patch-cords; Connector arrangements in the system or in the box routing arrangements H04Q1/00
• CPC Class Codes: G02B 6/4453 Cassettes
• CPC Class Codes: G02B 6/4454 with splices
• CPC Class Codes: G02B 6/4471 Terminating devices demountable connectors G02B6/3807; Cable clamps
• CPC Class Codes: G02B 6/46 Processes or apparatus adapted for installing or repairing optical fibres or optical cables installation of cables containing electric conductors and optical fibres H02G
• CPC Class Codes: H04Q 2201/10 Housing details
• CPC Class Codes: H04Q 2201/804 in optical transmission systems
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 29/49817 with other than ancillary treating or assembling
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 29/49826 Assembling or joining

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 mounted to a removable holder. A method of mounting a telecommunications module within a chassis.

Claims

1. A fiber optic splitter module comprising:

a module housing including a front end and a rear end;

a fiber optic connector for inputting a fiber optic signal into the fiber optic splitter module, the fiber optic connector being mounted to the module housing without the use of an intermediate fiber optic adapter, the fiber optic connector having an interface end that faces in a rearward direction, the interface end of the fiber optic connector being accessible from outside the module housing and including a ferrule;

an optical splitter positioned within the module housing;

a splitter input fiber routed from the fiber optic connector to the optical splitter;

a fiber output location positioned at the front end of the module housing; and

a plurality of splitter output fibers routed from the optical splitter to the fiber output location, the splitter output fibers being output from the module housing at the fiber output location.

2. The fiber optic splitter module of claim 1, wherein the fiber optic connector is mounted to the module housing at an intermediate mounting location forwardly offset from the rear end of the module housing and rearwardly offset from the front end of the module housing.

3. The fiber optic splitter module of claim 1, further comprising a latch for removably coupling the fiber optic splitter module to a piece of telecommunications equipment.

4. The fiber optic splitter module of claim 3, wherein the latch includes a flexible portion that is elastically deflectable for coupling and removing the fiber optic splitter to and from the piece of telecommunications equipment, respectively.

5. The fiber optic splitter module of claim 1, wherein the module housing includes a top end and a bottom end, a mounting flange extending beyond each of the top end and the bottom end, one mounting flange having at least a portion that extends farther than the other mounting flange.

6. The fiber optic splitter module of claim 1, wherein the fiber optic connector is an SC style connector.

7. The fiber optic splitter module of claim 1, wherein the module housing includes a top end and a bottom end, the front end of the module housing being angled rearwardly as the front end extends from the top end toward the bottom end.

8. A fiber optic splitter module comprising:

a module housing including a front end and a rear end;

a fiber optic connector for inputting a fiber optic signal into the fiber optic splitter module, the fiber optic connector including an inner housing mounted inside an outer housing, the inner housing supporting a ferrule, the ferrule defining a connector axis that extends longitudinally through the ferrule, the outer housing being anchored to the module housing by a connection that restricts movement of the outer housing relative to the module housing along the connector axis, the fiber optic connector having an interface end that faces in a rearward direction, the interface end of the fiber optic connector being accessible from outside the module housing and including the ferrule;

an optical splitter positioned within the module housing;

a splitter input fiber routed from the fiber optic connector to the optical splitter;

a fiber output location positioned at the front end of the module housing; and

a plurality of splitter output fibers routed from the optical splitter to the fiber output location, the splitter output fibers being output from the module housing at the fiber output location.

9. The fiber optic splitter module of claim 8, wherein the outer housing of the fiber optic connector is anchored to the module housing at an intermediate location forwardly offset from the rear end of the module housing and rearwardly offset from the front end of the module housing.

10. The fiber optic splitter module of claim 8, further comprising a latch for removably coupling the fiber optic splitter module to a piece of telecommunications equipment.

11. The fiber optic splitter module of claim 10, wherein the latch includes a flexible portion that is elastically deflectable for coupling and removing the fiber optic splitter to and from the piece of telecommunications equipment, respectively.

12. The fiber optic splitter module of claim 8, wherein the module housing includes a top end and a bottom end, a mounting flange extending beyond each of the top end and the bottom end, one mounting flange having at least a portion that extends farther than the other mounting flange.

13. The fiber optic splitter module of claim 8, wherein the fiber optic connector is an SC style connector.

14. The fiber optic splitter module of claim 8, wherein the module housing includes a top end and a bottom end, the front end of the module housing being angled rearwardly as the front end extends from the top end toward the bottom end.

15. A fiber optic splitter module comprising:

a module housing including a front end and a rear end;

a fiber optic connector for inputting a fiber optic signal into the fiber optic splitter module, the fiber optic connector including an inner housing mounted inside an outer housing, the inner housing supporting a ferrule, the ferrule defining a connector axis that extends longitudinally through the ferrule, the outer housing being anchored directly to the module housing, the fiber optic connector having an interface end that faces in a rearward direction, the interface end of the fiber optic connector being accessible from outside the module housing and including the ferrule;

an optical splitter positioned within the module housing;

a splitter input fiber routed from the fiber optic connector to the optical splitter;

a fiber output location positioned at the front end of the module housing; and

a plurality of splitter output fibers routed from the optical splitter to the fiber output location, the splitter output fibers being output from the module housing at the fiber output location.

16. The fiber optic splitter module of claim 15, wherein the outer housing of the fiber optic connector is anchored to the module housing at an intermediate location forwardly offset from the rear end of the module housing and rearwardly offset from the front end of the module housing.

17. The fiber optic splitter module of claim 15, further comprising a latch for removably coupling the fiber optic splitter module to a piece of telecommunications equipment.

18. The fiber optic splitter module of claim 17, wherein the latch includes a flexible portion that is elastically deflectable for coupling and removing the fiber optic splitter to and from the piece of telecommunications equipment, respectively.

19. The fiber optic splitter module of claim 15, wherein the module housing includes a top end and a bottom end, a mounting flange extending beyond each of the top end and the bottom end, one mounting flange having at least a portion that extends farther than the other mounting flange.

20. The fiber optic splitter module of claim 15, wherein the fiber optic connector is an SC style connector.

21. The fiber optic splitter module of claim 15, wherein the module housing includes a top end and a bottom end, the front end of the module housing being angled rearwardly as the front end extends from the top end toward the bottom end.

22. A fiber optic splitter module comprising:

a module housing including a front end and a rear end;

a fiber optic connector for inputting a fiber optic signal into the fiber optic splitter module, the fiber optic connector being mounted to the module housing at an intermediate mounting location forwardly offset from the rear end of the module housing and rearwardly offset from the front end of the module housing, the fiber optic connector having an interface end that faces in a rearward direction, the interface end of the fiber optic connector being accessible from outside the module housing and including a ferrule;

an optical splitter positioned within the module housing;

a splitter input fiber being routed from the fiber optic connector to the optical splitter, the splitter input fiber being routed along a fiber routing path that extends forwardly from the fiber optic connector and then extends rearwardly into a rear fiber routing region of the module housing before extending to the fiber optic splitter, the rear fiber routing region being positioned rearwardly with respect to the intermediate mounting location;

a fiber output location positioned at the front end of the module housing; and

a plurality of splitter output fibers routed from the optical splitter to the fiber output location, the splitter output fibers being output from the module housing at the fiber output location.

23. The fiber optic splitter module of claim 22, wherein the fiber routing path includes a fiber loop positioned at least partially in the rear fiber routing region.

24. The fiber optic splitter module of claim 23, wherein a majority of the fiber loop is positioned within the rear fiber routing region.

25. The fiber optic splitter module of claim 22, wherein the fiber optic splitter is positioned at least partially in the rear fiber routing region.

26. The fiber optic splitter module of claim 22, wherein the fiber optic splitter is positioned completely in the rear fiber routing region.

27. The fiber optic splitter module of claim 22, further comprising a latch for removably coupling the fiber optic splitter module to a piece of telecommunications equipment.

28. The fiber optic splitter module of claim 27, wherein the latch includes a flexible portion that is elastically deflectable for coupling and removing the fiber optic splitter to and from the piece of telecommunications equipment, respectively.

29. The fiber optic splitter module of claim 22, wherein the module housing includes a top end and a bottom end, a mounting flange extending beyond each of the top end and the bottom end, one mounting flange having at least a portion that extends farther than the other mounting flange.

30. The fiber optic splitter module of claim 22, wherein the fiber optic connector is an SC style connector.

31. The fiber optic splitter module of claim 22, wherein the module housing includes a top end and a bottom end, the front end of the module housing being angled rearwardly as the front end extends from the top end toward the bottom end.