Optical fiber distribution frame with outside plant enclosure

• US 9,810,868 B2
• Filed: 08/01/2016
• Issued: 11/07/2017
• Est. Priority Date: 03/01/1999
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: CommScope Technologies, LLC (CommScope Holding Company, Inc.)
• Original Assignee: CommScope Technologies, LLC (CommScope Holding Company, Inc.)
• Inventors: Puetz, Curtis Lee, Dusterhoft, Gary E., Rapp, David E., Veitenheimer, Troy Anthony, Tinucci, Thomas C., Holmberg, Matthew J.
• Primary Examiner(s): PEACE, RHONDA S
• Application Number:
  US15/224,794
• Publication Number:
  US 20170115462A1
• Time in Patent Office: 463 Days
• CPC Class Codes: G02B 6/3897 Connectors fixed to housings, casing, frames or circuit boards G02B6/44528 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: G02B 6/445 with lateral pivoting cover
• CPC Class Codes: G02B 6/4452 Distribution frames
• CPC Class Codes: G02B 6/4454 with splices
• CPC Class Codes: G02B 6/4457 Bobbins; Reels
• CPC Class Codes: H04Q 1/021 using pivoting 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 1/062 vertical management arrangements
• CPC Class Codes: H04Q 1/064 horizontal management arrangements
• CPC Class Codes: H04Q 1/13 Patch panels for monitoring, interconnecting or testing circuits, e.g. patch bay, patch field or jack field; Patching modules
• CPC Class Codes: H04Q 1/14 Distribution frames
• CPC Class Codes: H04Q 2201/08 Pivotable parts
• CPC Class Codes: H04Q 2201/804 in optical transmission systems

Abstract

A fiber optic telecommunications frame is provided including panels having front and rear termination locations, the panels positioned on left and right sides of the frame. The frame includes vertical access for the rear cables. The frame further includes left and right vertical cable guides for the front patch cables. The frame further includes cable storage spools for the patch cables. The frame includes a horizontal passage linking the left and right panels and the cable guides. A portion of the frame defines splice tray holders and a central passage from the splice tray holders to the rear sides of the left and right panels. From a front of each panel, access to a rear of the panel is provided by the hinged panels. Alternatively, the panels can form connector modules with front termination locations and rear connection locations for connecting to the rear cables. The modules can house couplers, such as splitters, combiners, and wave division multiplexers. The termination locations can be located on the same side of the frame as the splice tray holders, or on an opposite side. An enclosure of the frame included hinged or otherwise moveable panels to allow access to the terminations or the splice trays.

Claims

1. A telecommunications apparatus comprising:

a frame having a top, a bottom, a left side, a right side, and a front extending vertically between the top and the bottom and horizontally between the left side and the right side, the frame defining a left area, a central area, and a right area, the central area being between the left area and the right area;

a plurality of modules that removably mount in a vertical arrangement at each of the left area and the right area, each of the modules comprising at least one horizontal row of openings, each of the openings adapted to receive a fiber optic adapter;

a management panel disposed at the central area and configured to organize and store optical fiber extending from fiber optic connectors that are connected to the fiber optic adapters;

a plurality of vertically spaced apart spools for storing excess optical fiber, each of the spools projecting forwardly from the management panel between the modules of the left area and the modules of the right area;

a left door pivotally mounted at the left side of the frame and a right door pivotally mounted at the right side of the frame, the left and right doors being openable and closable for selectively gaining access to the front of the frame and the modules; and

an opening, the opening being disposed in the frame below the modules, wherein one or more fiber optic cables enter the frame in a raised floor environment through the opening.

2. The telecommunication apparatus of claim 1, wherein the modules each include a single row of the fiber optic adapters.

3. The telecommunications apparatus of claim 1, wherein the optical fiber is stored in half-loops.

4. The telecommunications apparatus of claim 1, wherein the modules comprise module housings including spaced-apart and parallel major side walls and spaced-apart and parallel minor side walls that cooperate to define interior regions of the module housings, wherein splitters are positioned within the interior regions, and wherein the major and minor side walls extend between fronts of the module housings and rears of the module housings.

5. The telecommunications apparatus of claim 4, wherein the modules each include a single row of the fiber optic adapters, and wherein the fiber optic adapters have cross-dimensions that extend a majority of a distance defined between the major side walls of the module housings.

6. The telecommunications apparatus of claim 4, wherein the left and right doors are openable and closable for selectively gaining access to the fronts of the module housings.

7. The telecommunications apparatus of claim 1, further comprising a plurality of vertically spaced-apart fiber management fingers positioned to the left of the left area, and further comprising a plurality of spaced-part fiber management fingers positioned to the right of the right area.

8. The telecommunications apparatus of claim 1, wherein the opening is disposed above the bottom of the frame.