Enclosure for fiber optic/electrical system

• US 9,989,707 B2
• Filed: 09/30/2016
• Issued: 06/05/2018
• Est. Priority Date: 12/11/2007
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: CommScope Technologies, LLC (CommScope Holding Company, Inc.)
• Original Assignee: CommScope Technologies, LLC (CommScope Holding Company, Inc.)
• Inventors: Smith, Trevor D., Lu, Yu
• Primary Examiner(s): Doan, Jennifer
• Application Number:
  US15/282,165
• Publication Number:
  US 20170160488A1
• Time in Patent Office: 613 Days
• CPC Class Codes: G02B 6/3817 containing optical and electrical conductors cables including electrical and optical conductors H01B11/22; G02B6/3816 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: G02B 6/3825 with an intermediate part, e.g. adapter, receptacle, linking two plugs
• CPC Class Codes: G02B 6/3874 using tubes, sleeves to align ferrules
• CPC Class Codes: G02B 6/3887 Anchoring optical cables to connector housings, e.g. strain relief features
• CPC Class Codes: G02B 6/3888 Protection from over-extension or over-compression
• CPC Class Codes: G02B 6/3894 Screw-lock type
• CPC Class Codes: G02B 6/3897 Connectors fixed to housings, casing, frames or circuit boards G02B6/44528 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: G02B 6/4293 hybrid electrical and optical connections for transmitting electrical and optical signals
• CPC Class Codes: G02B 6/4434 Central member to take up tensile loads

Abstract

A fiber optic and electrical connection system includes a fiber optic cable, a ruggedized fiber optic connector, a ruggedized fiber optic adapter, and a fiber optic enclosure. The cable includes one or more electrically conducting strength members. The connector, the adapter, and the enclosure each have one or more electrical conductors. The cable is terminated by the connector with the conductors of the connector in electrical communication with the strength members. The conductors of the connector electrically contact the conductors of the adapter when the connector and the adapter are mechanically connected. And, the conductors of the adapter electrically contact the conductors of the enclosure when the adapter is mounted on the enclosure.

Claims

1. An enclosure for a fiber optic/electrical system, the enclosure comprising:

a housing including at least one opening; and

at least one adapter mounted in the at least one opening of the housing, the at least one adapter including a port for receiving a plug portion of a cable assembly, the at least one adapter including at least one electrical contact for establishing a path of electrical continuity between the cable assembly and at least one electrical conductor at least partially within the housing, and the at least one adapter configured to receive at least one optical fiber of the cable assembly;

wherein the at least one electrical contact of the at least one adapter is electrically connected to the at least one electrical conductor within the housing when the at least one adapter is inserted through the at least one opening of the housing.

2. The enclosure of claim 1, wherein the enclosure is a cabinet, a fiber distribution hub, or a drop terminal.

3. The enclosure of claim 1, wherein the at least one adapter is configured to receive a ferrule of the cable assembly and wherein the ferrule terminates the at least one optical fiber of the cable assembly.

4. The enclosure of claim 1, wherein the at least one adapter includes a first adapter and a second adapter, wherein the at least one opening of the housing includes a first opening for mounting the first adapter and a second opening for mounting the second adapter, and wherein the at least one electrical conductor within the housing establishes the path of electrical continuity between the at least one electrical contact of the first adapter and the at least one electrical contact of the second adapter.

5. The enclosure of claim 1, further comprising a circuit board including at least a portion of the at least one electrical conductor within the housing.

6. The enclosure of claim 5, wherein the at least one adapter can be snapped in and out of the circuit board.

7. The enclosure of claim 1, wherein the at least one electrical contact of the at least one adapter includes a first electrical contact within the port and a second electrical contact electrically connected to the at least one electrical conductor within the housing, and wherein the at least one adapter includes an adapter electrical conductor including the first electrical contact and the second electrical contact.

8. The enclosure of claim 1, further comprising a sealing member positioned around the port on an exterior portion of a housing of the at least one adapter, wherein the sealing member seals the housing of the at least one adapter about the opening of the housing of the enclosure.

9. The enclosure of claim 8, further comprising a mounting nut positioned around the port on threads at the exterior portion of the housing of the at least one adapter, wherein the housing of the at least one adapter includes a mounting flange positioned around the port, and wherein the mounting nut is positioned opposite the mounting flange about the at least one opening of the housing.

10. The enclosure of claim 9, wherein the housing of the at least one adapter at least partially defines the port, wherein the housing of the at least one adapter defines an internal sealing surface of the port and internal threads of the port, wherein the cable assembly includes a plug sealing member and a coupling nut with external threads, and wherein the internal sealing surface is configured to seal with the plug sealing member and the internal threads are configured to engaged the external threads of the coupling nut and thereby sealingly mount the cable assembly to the port of the at least one adapter and thereby sealingly mount the cable assembly to the enclosure.

11. The enclosure of claim 1, further comprising:

a sealing interface about the port on an exterior portion of a housing of the at least one adapter, wherein the sealing interface seals the housing of the at least one adapter about the opening of the housing of the enclosure;

a fastening interface positioned around the port at the exterior portion of the housing of the at least one adapter and about the at least one opening of the housing;

wherein the housing of the at least one adapter at least partially defines the port;

wherein the housing of the at least one adapter defines an internal sealing surface of the port and a coupling portion of the port;

wherein the cable assembly includes a plug sealing interface and a rotatable coupler; and

wherein the internal sealing surface is configured to seal with the plug sealing interface and the coupling portion is configured to engaged the rotatable coupler and thereby sealingly mount the cable assembly to the port of the at least one adapter and thereby sealingly mount the cable assembly to the enclosure.

12. The enclosure of claim 1, further comprising at least one active optical component within the enclosure, wherein the at least one active optical component is configured to receive electrical power from the cable assembly.

13. An enclosure for a fiber optic/electrical system, the enclosure comprising:

a housing;

at least one electrical conductor at least partially within the housing; and

at least one ruggedized port mounted to the housing, the at least one ruggedized port configured to receive a plug portion of a ruggedized fiber optic connector, the at least one ruggedized port including at least one electrical contact for establishing a path of electrical continuity between the ruggedized fiber optic connector and the at least one electrical conductor, the at least one ruggedized port configured to receive at least one optical fiber of the ruggedized fiber optic connector, the at least one ruggedized port defining an internal sealing surface configured to seal with the plug portion of the ruggedized fiber optic connector, and the at least one ruggedized port defining a coupling portion configured to engaged a rotatable coupler of the ruggedized fiber optic connector.

14. The enclosure of claim 13, further comprising at least one adapter including the at least one ruggedized port, wherein the housing includes at least one opening, and wherein the at least one adapter is mounted in the at least one opening of the housing.

15. The enclosure of claim 14, further comprising a sealing member and a mounting nut, wherein the sealing member is positioned around the at least one ruggedized port on an exterior portion of a housing of the at least one adapter, wherein the sealing member seals the housing of the at least one adapter about the at least one opening of the housing of the enclosure, wherein the housing of the at least one adapter includes a mounting flange positioned around the at least one ruggedized port, and wherein the mounting nut is positioned opposite the mounting flange about the at least one opening of the housing of the enclosure.

16. The enclosure of claim 13, wherein the coupling portion includes internal threads configured to engaged external threads of the rotatable coupler of the ruggedized fiber optic connector.

17. An enclosure assembly for a fiber optic/electrical system, the enclosure assembly comprising:

an enclosure including a housing with at least one ruggedized port including at least one electrical contacting portion and a ferrule sleeve;

at least one electrical conductor at least partially within the housing, the at least one electrical conductor electrically respectively connected to the at least one electrical contacting portion of the at least one ruggedized port;

at least one cable assembly including a cable terminated by a ruggedized fiber optic connector, the cable including at least one electrical conductor and at least one optical fiber, the at least one electrical conductor of the cable respectively electrically connected to at least one contact on a plug portion of the ruggedized fiber optic connector, and the at least one optical fiber terminated at a ferrule of the ruggedized fiber optic connector; and

a sealing and securing interface including a sealing member positioned between the at least one ruggedized port and the plug portion of the ruggedized fiber optic connector and further including a rotatable coupler for securing the ruggedized fiber optic connector to the at least one ruggedized port;

wherein the at least one electrical contacting portion is respectively electrically connected to the at least one contact and the ferrule is held within the ferrule sleeve when the plug portion is inserted into the at least one ruggedized port.

18. The enclosure assembly of claim 17, wherein the at least one electrical contacting portion includes a pair of electrical contacting portions, the at least one electrical conductor at least partially within the housing includes a pair of electrical conductors, the at least one electrical conductor of the cable includes a pair of electrical conductors, and the at least one contact includes a pair of contacts.

19. The enclosure assembly of claim 17, wherein the at least one electrical conductor of the cable is a strength member of the cable.

20. A method of electrically powering the enclosure assembly of claim 17, the method comprising:

providing the enclosure assembly;

providing active optical components within the enclosure;

inserting the plug portion of the ruggedized fiber optic connector into the at least one ruggedized port and thereby providing a path of electrical continuity from the cable to within the enclosure;

transferring electrical power from a dwelling of an end user by the cable; and

providing the electrical power to the active optical components within the enclosure.