Optical fiber distribution frame

• US RE34,955 E
• Filed: 02/26/1993
• Issued: 05/30/1995
• Est. Priority Date: 07/31/1989
• Status: Expired

• Current Assignee: ADC Telecommunications Incorporated (TE Connectivity Limited)
• Original Assignee: ADC Telecommunications Incorporated (TE Connectivity Limited)
• Inventors: Johnson, Wayne A., Anton, Mark A., Steinman, Jory A., Suek, Paul A.
• Primary Examiner(s): Lee, John D.
• Assistant Examiner(s): PALMER, PHAN T H
• Application Number:
  US08/023,112
• Time in Patent Office: 823 Days
• Field of Search: 385/53, 385/134, 385/135, 385/136, 385/137
• US Class Current: 385/53
• CPC Class Codes: G02B 6/3825 with an intermediate part, e.g. adapter, receptacle, linking two plugs
• CPC Class Codes: G02B 6/3897 Connectors fixed to housings, casing, frames or circuit boards G02B6/44528 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: G02B 6/4452 Distribution frames
• CPC Class Codes: G02B 6/4454 with splices
• CPC Class Codes: G02B 6/4455 characterised by the way of extraction or insertion of the cassette in the distribution frame, e.g. pivoting, sliding, rotating or gliding

Abstract

An optical fiber distribution frame is disclosed which includes a plurality of modular cabinets. The plurality of cabinets includes a connector cabinet having a front panel with sleeve adaptors for mounting a plurality of connector sleeves on said panel at an angle to said panel.

Claims

1. An optical fiber distribution frame comprising:

a frame member having walls defining a frame interior, said frame member having a plurality of cabinet attachment locations;

a plurality of cabinets sized to be received within said interior;

said plurality of cabinets including at least one connector cabinet having a panel accessible through both a rear and a forward face of said connector cabinet, said connector cabinet including a plurality of adapters each having means for attachment of said adapters to said panel, each of said adapters including means for receiving and mounting a pair of optical fibers to said adaptor with a first fibers extending through said rear face and with a second fiber extending through said forward face and with said fibers connected in optical alignment;

said plurality of cabinets also including at least one splice cabinet having splicing means for splicing together optical fibers;

said plurality of cabinets further including at least one storage cabinet having storage means for temporarily storing excess lengths of optical fibers;

each of said connector cabinets, splice cabinet and storage cabinet sized for said cabinets to be interchangeably inserted within said frame at any of said attachment locations; and

releasable attachment means for releasably attaching said cabinets to said frame at said attachment locations.

2. An optical fiber distribution frame according to claim 1 wherein said adaptors are provided with means for holding said plurality of fibers at a predetermined angle to said panel with said angle selected to be less than 90°

.

3. An optical fiber distribution frame according to claim 2 wherein said connector cabinet includes openings disposed along forward side edges of said cabinet for fibers to pass through said side edges to said adaptors.

4. An optical fiber distribution frame according to claim 1 wherein a predetermined back surface of said frame member includes a plurality of fiber guides with opposing surfaces of said guides defining cable pathways and with said opposing surfaces rounded to have a radius of curvature not less than a predetermined minimum radius of curvature to prevent damage to optical fibers.

5. An optical fiber distribution frame according to claim 1 wherein said splice cabinet includes means for admitting optical fibers through a rear wall of said cabinet, said rear wall including means for controlling a radius of fiber entering said cabinet.

6. An optical fiber distribution frame according to claim 5 wherein said splice cabinet includes a plurality of trays, each of said trays including a splice fixture mounted within said tray for receiving and retaining optical fibers in predetermined alignment.

7. An optical fiber distribution frame according to claim 2 wherein said adaptors on said panel are divided into at least two fields including a first field with fibers angled to a right side of said cabinet and a second field with fibers angled to a left side.

8. An optical fiber distribution frame comprising:

a frame member having walls defining a frame interior, said frame member having a plurality of cabinet attachment locations;

a plurality of cabinets sized to be received within said interior;

said plurality of cabinets including at least one splice cabinet having means for splicing together optical fibers; and

said plurality of cabinets also including at least one storage cabinet having means for temporarily storing excess lengths of optical fibers;

said plurality of cabinets including at least one connector cabinet having a panel accessible through both a rear and a forward face of said connector cabinet, a plurality of optical fibers connections including at least a first and second design of connectors of differing known dimensions and selected to couple a pair of optical fibers, said connector cabinet including a plurality of adapters each having attachment means for attachment of said adapters to said panel, said plurality of adapters including at least a first and second design selected to receive and retain said first and second connector design, respectively;

said attachment means attaching said adapters to said panel with a first set of fibers connected to first ends of said connectors and extending from a said face and with a second set of fibers connected to second ends of said connectors and extending from said forward face; and

attachment means for releasably attaching said plurality of cabinets to said frame member at said attachment locations.

9. An optical fiber distribution frame according to claim 8 wherein said adapters are provided with means for holding said plurality of connectors at a predetermined angle to said panel with said angle selected to be less than 90°

.

10. An optical fiber distribution frame according to claim 8 wherein said connector cabinet includes openings disposed along forward side edges of said cabinet for fibers to pass through said side edges to said adapters.

11. An optical fiber distribution frame according to claim 8 wherein said adapters on said panel are divided into at least two fields including a first field holding connectors angled to a right side of said cabinet and a second field holding connectors angled to a left side. .Iadd.

13. Iaddend. .Iadd.19. A frame according to claim 18, wherein said structure is a frame having an interior and further comprising attachment means for releasably attaching said plurality of cabinets to said frame member at said attachment locations. .Iaddend.

12. An optical fiber distribution frame, comprising:

a structure having a plurality of cabinet attachment locations;

a plurality of cabinets attached to said structure at said plurality of attachment location;

said plurality of cabinets including at least one connector cabinet having a panel accessible at both a rear and a forward face of said panel, said cabinet including a plurality of fiber optic connectors carried on said panel, each of said fiber optic connectors including means for receiving and mounting optical fibers to said fiber optic connectors with a first fiber extending to said rear face and with a second fiber extending to said forward face and with said fibers connected in optical alignment;

wherein said fiber optic connectors are provided with means for holding said plurality of fibers at a predetermined angle to a plane of said forward face with said angle selected to be less than 90 degrees. .Iaddend. .Iadd.13. A frame according to claim 12, further comprising releasable attachment means for releasably attaching said cabinets to said structure at said attachment locations. .Iaddend. .Iadd.14. A frame according to claim 13, wherein said structure is a frame having an interior and each of said cabinets are sized to be interchangeably inserted within said frame at any of said attachment locations. .Iaddend. .Iadd.15. An optical fiber distribution frame, comprising;

a structure having a plurality of cabinet attachment locations;

a plurality of cabinets attached to said structure at said plurality of attachment locations;

said plurality of cabinets including at least one connector cabinet having a panel accessible through both a rear and a forward face of said connector cabinet including a plurality of fiber optic connectors carried on said panel, each of said fiber optic connectors including means for receiving and mounting optical fibers to said fiber optic connector with a first fiber extending through said rear face and with a second fiber extending through said forward face with said fibers connected in optical alignment;

wherein said fiber optic connectors are provided with means for holding said plurality of fibers at a predetermined angle to a plane of said forward face with said angle selected to be less than 90 degrees. .Iaddend. .Iadd.16. A frame according to claim 15, wherein said structure is a frame having an interior and further comprising releasable attachment means for releasably attaching said cabinets to said frame at said attachment locations. .Iaddend. .Iadd.17. A frame according to claim 16, wherein each of said cabinets is sized for said cabinets to be interchangeably inserted within said frame at any of said attachment locations. .Iaddend. .Iadd.18. An optical fiber distribution frame, comprising;

a structure having a plurality of cabinet attachment locations;

a plurality of cabinets having means for attachment to said structure;

said plurality of cabinets including at least one connector cabinet having a panel accessible through both a rear and a forward face of said connector cabinet, a plurality of optical fiber connections including at least a first and second design of fiber optic connections of differing known dimensions and selected to couple a pair of optical fibers, said connector cabinet including a plurality of adapters each having attachment means for attachment of said adapters to said panel, said plurality of adapters including at least a first and second design selected to receive and retain said first and second fiber optic connection designs, respectively;

said attachment means attaching said adapters to said panel with a first set of fibers connected to first ends of said fiber optic connections and extending from said rear face and with a second set of fibers connected to second ends of said fiber optic connections and extending from said forward face;

wherein said fiber optic connections are provided with means for holding said plurality of optical fibers at a predetermined angle to a plane of said forward face with said angle selected to be less than 90 degrees.