Fiber optic terminal having adapter panel supporting both input and output fibers from an optical splitter

• US 9,323,020 B2
• Filed: 04/08/2011
• Issued: 04/26/2016
• Est. Priority Date: 10/09/2008
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Corning Cable Systems LLC (Corning Incorporated)
• Original Assignee: Corning Cable Systems LLC (Corning Incorporated)
• Inventors: Cao, Songhua, Castonguay, Guy Joachin, Dai, Bin
• Primary Examiner(s): Bedtelyon, John M
• Application Number:
  US13/083,110
• Publication Number:
  US 20110222831A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,845 Days
• Field of Search: 385/135
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: G02B 6/4441 Boxes
• CPC Class Codes: G02B 6/4452 Distribution frames
• CPC Class Codes: G02B 6/4471 Terminating devices demountable connectors G02B6/3807; Cable clamps
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 29/49826 Assembling or joining

Abstract

A fiber optic terminal configured to optically connect optical fibers from received network-side and subscriber-side fiber(s) to facilitate providing direct or intermediate optical connections between a fiber optic network and a destination. The fiber optic terminal includes at least one adapter module comprising at least one adapter panel. The adapter panel is configured to receive both an input fiber and one or more of a plurality of output fibers from an optical splitter. To establish optical connections between the network-side and subscriber-side fiber(s), the input fiber from the optical splitter is optically connected to an input fiber optic adapter on the adapter panel, which is optically connected to the at least one network-side fiber. One or more of the plurality of output fibers from the optical splitter are optically connected to one or more output fiber optic adapters on the adapter panel, which are optically connected to the subscriber-side fibers.

Claims

1. A fiber optic terminal, comprising:

a base configured to receive at least one network-side fiber and a plurality of subscriber-side fibers;

a transition panel coupled to the base and defining a fiber parking area, the fiber parking area comprising a protruding portion having a plurality of orifices, each orifice configured to pass a portion of an unconnected optical fiber through a wall of the protruding portion;

an adapter module coupled to the base, the adapter panel comprising at least one adapter panel for carrying a plurality of fiber optic adapters, the plurality of fiber optic adapters comprised of;

at least one input fiber optic adapter disposed in the at least one adapter panel, such that the at least one input fiber optic adapter is accessible from a front side and a rear side of the adapter panel, configured to optically connect to the at least one network-side fiber; and

a plurality of output fiber optic adapters disposed in the at least one adapter panel, such that the plurality of output fiber optic adapters is accessible from the front side, configured to optically connect to the plurality of subscriber-side fibers; and

an optical splitter configured to optically split an input fiber optically connected to the at least one input fiber optic adapter into a plurality of output fibers optically connected to the plurality of output fiber optic adapters, such that the at least one network-side fiber is optically connected to one or more of the plurality of subscriber-side fibers.

2. The fiber optic terminal of claim 1, wherein the at least one network-side fiber is provided in a network-side cable, and the plurality of subscriber-side fibers are provided in a subscriber-side cable.

3. The fiber optic terminal of claim 1, wherein the fiber optic terminal is a terminal comprised from the group consisting of a fiber distribution terminal (FDT) and a local convergence point (LCP).

4. The fiber optic terminal of claim 1, further comprising:

at least one network-side splice configured to splice the at least one network-side fiber into at least one input pigtail;

wherein the at least one input pigtail is configured to optically connect to the at least one input fiber optic adapter to optically connect the at least one network-side fiber to the at least one input fiber optic adapter.

5. The fiber optic terminal of claim 1, further comprising:

a plurality of subscriber-side splices configured to splice the plurality of subscriber-side fibers into a plurality of output pigtails;

wherein the plurality of output pigtails are configured to optically connect to one or more of the plurality of output fiber optic adapters to optically connect the plurality of subscriber-side fibers to the one or more of plurality of output fiber optic adapters.

6. The fiber optic terminal of claim 1, wherein the transition panel is hingedly affixed to the base to rotate about the base.

7. The fiber optic terminal of claim 1, wherein the transition panel defines the protruding portion, the protruding portion being configured to guide one or more of the plurality of output fibers into the fiber parking area.

8. The fiber optic terminal of claim 1, wherein the transition panel includes a front side and a rear side, wherein the adapter module is disposed on the front side of the transition panel.

9. The fiber optic terminal of claim 8, wherein the transition panel defines an upper fiber management area on the front side of the transition panel and a lower fiber management area on the rear side of the transition panel.

10. The fiber optic terminal of claim 9, further comprising a fiber parking area disposed in the upper fiber management area configured to park one or more of the plurality of output fibers.

11. The fiber optic terminal of claim 9, further comprising:

at least one network-side splice located in the lower fiber management area and configured to splice the at least one network-side fiber into at least one input pigtail;

wherein the at least one input pigtail is configured to optically connect to the at least one input fiber optic adapter to optically connect the at least one network-side fiber to the at least one input fiber optic adapter.

12. The fiber optic terminal of claim 9, further comprising:

a plurality of subscriber-side splices located in the lower fiber management area and configured to splice the plurality of subscriber-side fibers into a plurality of output pigtails;

wherein the plurality of output pigtails are configured to optically connect to one or more of the plurality of output fiber optic adapters to optically connect the plurality of subscriber-side fibers to the one or more of plurality of output fiber optic adapters.

13. The fiber optic terminal of claim 8, wherein the optical splitter is mounted to either the front side of the transition panel or the rear side of the transition panel.

14. The fiber optic terminal of claim 1, wherein the at least one input fiber optic adapter, the plurality of output fiber optic adapters, or both the at least one input fiber optic adapter and the plurality of output fiber optic adapters are keyed.

15. The fiber optic terminal of claim 1, wherein the input fiber, the plurality of output fibers, or both the input fiber and the plurality of output fibers are distinctly marked.

16. The fiber optic terminal of claim 1, wherein:

the at least one adapter panel comprises a plurality of non-coplanar adapter panels; and

at least one of the plurality of fiber optic adapters is disposed on each of the plurality of the non-coplanar adapter panels.

17. The fiber optic terminal of claim 16, wherein the plurality of non-coplanar adapter panels are parallel to each other.

18. The fiber optic terminal of claim 16, wherein the plurality of non-coplanar adapter panels are at an acute angle to the housing when at least one adapter panel is in a stowed position.

19. A method for optically connecting a subscriber-side fiber to a fiber optic network, comprising:

providing a fiber optic terminal having an adapter module comprised of transition panel movably connected to a base of the fiber optic terminal, the transition panel having at least one adapter panel;

providing at least one network-side fiber into the fiber optic terminal;

providing a plurality of subscriber-side fibers into the fiber optic terminal;

optically connecting the at least one network-side fiber to at least one input fiber optic adapter disposed in the at least one adapter panel such that the at least one input fiber optic adapter is accessible from a front side and a rear side of the adapter panel;

optically connecting one or more of the plurality of subscriber-side fibers to one or more of a plurality of output fiber optic adapters disposed in the at least one adapter panel such that the plurality of fiber optic adapters are accessible from a front side and a rear side of the adapter panel;

passing one or more of the plurality of subscriber-side fibers through one or more of a plurality of orifices contained in a protruding portion of a parking panel disposed in the at least one transition panel;

providing an optical splitter that splits an input fiber into a plurality of output fibers; and

optically connecting the input fiber to the at least one input fiber optic adapter and optically connecting one or more of the plurality of output fibers to one or more of the plurality of output fiber optic adapters, to optically connect the at least one network-side fiber to one or more of the plurality of subscriber-side fibers.

20. The method of claim 19, wherein optically connecting the at least one network-side fiber to the at least one input fiber optic adapter, comprises:

splicing the at least one network-side fiber into at least one input pigtail; and

optically connecting the at least one input pigtail to the at least one input fiber optic adapter.

21. The method of claim 19, wherein optically connecting one or more of the plurality of subscriber-side fibers to one or more of the plurality of output fiber optic adapters comprises:

splicing one or more of the plurality of subscriber-side fibers into one or more output pigtails; and

optically connecting the one or more output pigtails to one or more of the plurality of output fiber optic adapters.

22. The method of claim 19, wherein providing the at least one network-side fiber into the fiber optic terminal comprises providing the at least one network-side fiber into a lower fiber management area disposed on a rear side of a transition panel disposed in the fiber optic terminal.

23. The method of claim 19, wherein providing the plurality of subscriber-side fibers into the fiber optic terminal comprises providing the plurality of subscriber-side fibers into a lower fiber management area disposed on a rear side of a transition panel disposed in the fiber optic terminal.