Stacked fiber optic modules and fiber optic equipment configured to support stacked fiber optic modules

• US 9,116,324 B2
• Filed: 11/17/2010
• Issued: 08/25/2015
• Est. Priority Date: 10/29/2010
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Corning Optical Communications LLC (Corning Incorporated)
• Original Assignee: Corning Cable Systems LLC (Corning Incorporated)
• Inventors: Cooke, Terry L., Dean, David L. Jr., Martinez, Juan Garcia, Schreiber, Sebastian
• Primary Examiner(s): Connelly, Michelle R
• Assistant Examiner(s): TRAN, HOANG Q
• Application Number:
  US12/947,883
• Publication Number:
  US 20120106911A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,742 Days
• Field of Search: 385/135
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: G02B 6/3897 Connectors fixed to housings, casing, frames or circuit boards G02B6/44528 takes precedence
• 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

Abstract

Embodiments disclosed in the detailed description include stacked fiber optic modules and fiber optic equipment supporting stacked fiber optic modules. In one embodiment, a stacked fiber optic module is provided. This embodiment of the stacked fiber optic module comprises a body having a first sub-body and a second sub-body where the second sub-body can translate relative to the first sub-body. The stacked fiber optic module further comprises a first plurality of fiber optic components disposed in a first longitudinal axis in the at least one front side. The stacked fiber optic module also further comprises a second plurality of fiber optic components disposed adjacent the first plurality of fiber optic components in a second longitudinal axis parallel or substantially parallel to the first longitudinal axis in the at least one front side.

Claims

1. A stacked fiber optic module, comprising:

a body having at least one front side and at least one rear side and defining at least one internal chamber disposed between the at least one front side and the at least one rear side, the body further comprised of a second sub-body engaged on top of a first sub-body to secure the second sub-body to the first sub-body, wherein the second sub-body can translate relative to the first sub-body;

a first plurality of fiber optic components disposed in a first longitudinal axis in the at least one front side of the first sub-body; and

a second plurality of fiber optic components disposed adjacent the first plurality of fiber optic components in a second longitudinal axis parallel or substantially parallel to the first longitudinal axis in the at least one front side of the second sub-body wherein the first plurality of fiber optic components is comprised of at least twelve (12) fiber optic connections disposed in a width of the first front opening of ninety (90) mm or less; and

the second plurality of fiber optic components is comprised of at least (12) fiber optic connections disposed in a width of the second front opening of ninety (90) mm or less.

2. The stacked fiber optic module of claim 1, wherein the front side of the second sub-body can translate a distance of about 10 millimeters beyond the front side of the first sub-body or vice versa.

3. The stacked fiber optic module of claim 1, wherein the first plurality of fiber optic components is configured to be disposed in a different plane as the second plurality of fiber optic components.

4. The stacked fiber optic module of claim 1, wherein the first plurality of fiber optic components are disposed in a first front opening disposed along the first longitudinal axis in the at least one front side of the body.

5. The stacked fiber optic module of claim 4, wherein the second plurality of fiber optic components are disposed in a second front opening disposed along the second longitudinal axis in the at least one front side of the body.

6. The stacked fiber optic module of claim 5, wherein the first front opening is configured to be disposed in a same plane or substantially the same plane as the second front opening.

7. The stacked fiber optic module of claim 1, wherein the first sub-body and the second sub-body are provided as separated bodies.

8. The stacked fiber optic module of claim 1, further comprising at least one locking tab disposed in the second sub-body configured to engage with at least one rail disposed in the first sub-body to secure the second sub-body to the first sub-body.

9. The stacked fiber optic module of claim 8, wherein the at least one locking tab is configured to translate about the at least one rail to allow the second sub-body to translate about the first sub-body.

10. The stacked fiber optic module of claim 1, further comprising at least one rail disposed on either the first sub-body or the second sub-body, and configured to be received within at least one guide member.

11. The stacked fiber optic module of claim 1, further comprising a cover disposed in either the first sub-body or the second sub-body.

12. The stacked fiber optic module of claim 1, further comprising at least one fiber optic component disposed through the at least one rear side of the body optically connected to at least one fiber optic component in at least one of the first plurality of fiber optic components and the second plurality of fiber optic components.

13. The stacked fiber optic module of claim 1, wherein the first plurality of fiber optic components is comprised of a first plurality of fiber optic connectors or a first plurality of fiber optic adapters, and the second plurality of fiber optic components is comprised of a second plurality of fiber optic connectors or a second plurality of fiber optic adapters.

14. The stacked fiber optic module of claim 1, further comprising at least one rail disposed on the body configured to be received within at least one guide member.

15. The stacked fiber optic module of claim 14, further comprising at least one latch attached to the at least one rail and configured to engage the at least one rail.

16. The stacked fiber optic module of claim 1 disposed in fiber optic equipment comprised from the group consisting of a fiber optic chassis and a fiber optic equipment drawer.

17. The stacked fiber optic module of claim 5, wherein:

the first front opening is configured to support a fiber optic connection density of at least one fiber optic connection per 7.0 mm of width of the first front opening; and

the second front opening is configured to support a fiber optic connection density of at least one fiber optic connection per 7.0 mm of width of the second front opening.

18. The stacked fiber optic module of claim 1, further comprising at least one plurality of optical fibers disposed in the at least one internal chamber;

the at least one plurality of optical fibers optically connected to at least one of the first plurality of fiber optic components and the second plurality of fiber optic components.

19. The stacked fiber optic module of claim 18, wherein the at least one plurality of optical fibers are provided in at least one fiber optic harness disposed in the at least one internal chamber.