RACK AND CHASSIS FOR FIBER OPTIC SLIDING ADAPTER MODULES

• US 20160124170A1
• Filed: 09/28/2015
• Published: 05/05/2016
• Est. Priority Date: 10/07/2011
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: ADC Telecommunications Incorporated (TE Connectivity Limited)
• Original Assignee: ADC Telecommunications Incorporated (TE Connectivity Limited)
• Inventors: Haataja, Timothy Jon
• Granted Patent: US 9,772,464 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 1/1
• 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 6/4457 Bobbins; Reels
• CPC Class Codes: G02B 6/4478 Bending relief means
• CPC Class Codes: G02B 6/46 Processes or apparatus adapted for installing or repairing optical fibres or optical cables installation of cables containing electric conductors and optical fibres H02G

Abstract

A rack includes a first termination block disposed at the first side of the rack. The termination block houses a termination arrangement including a plurality of sliding adapter modules. The adapter modules are configured to slide between a non-extended position and an extended position. The adapter modules move away from the rack when slid to the extended position. The adapter modules have first ports facing towards the top of the rack and second ports facing towards the bottom of the rack. Certain types of racks also have a cable storage arrangement disposed at the front of the rack.

Claims

1. A rack having a front, a rear, a top, a bottom, a first side, and a second side, the rack comprising:

a cable storage arrangement disposed at the front of the rack, the cable storage arrangement including cable routing channels extending between the top and the bottom of the rack, the cable storage arrangement also including a plurality of cable storage spools extending forwardly of the rack; and

a first termination block disposed at the first side of the rack, the termination block housing a termination arrangement including a plurality of sliding adapter modules, the adapter modules being configured to slide between a non-extended position and an extended position, wherein the adapter modules move away from the rack when slid to the extended position, and wherein the adapter modules have first ports facing towards the top of the rack and second ports facing towards the bottom of the rack.

2. The rack of claim 1, further comprising a guide trough disposed at the termination block, the guide trough extending between the front and rear of the rack between the cable storage arrangement and a horizontal trough extending across the rear of the rack.

3. The rack of claim 2, wherein the guide trough includes a generally planar base that extends horizontally extending between the front and rear of the rack.

4. The rack of claim 3, wherein side walls extend upwardly from the base of the guide trough to retain fibers or cables routed therethrough in the guide trough.

5. The rack of claim 4, wherein retention fingers extend inwardly from the side walls.

6. The rack of claim 2, wherein the cable storage arrangement includes inner channel members and outer channel members that define the cable routing channels, wherein a first port of the guide trough is located at a slot extending through one of the outer channel members.

7. The rack of claim 6, wherein the cable storage spools are disposed between the inner channel members.

8. The rack of claim 6, wherein a radius limiter extends between a guide trough base and the slot defined in the outer channel member to form the first port.

9. The rack of claim 7, wherein a second port of the guide trough is provided at the respective horizontal trough and additional radius limiters are provided at the second port to facilitate transitioning fibers or cables onto the respective horizontal trough.

10. The rack of claim 2, wherein a forward radius limiter curves upwardly from a base at a front of the guide trough.

11. A method of routing an optical fiber on a rack having a cable storage area at a front of the rack, a cable routing area at a rear of the rack, and side termination modules, the method comprising:

routing a first optical fiber from the cable routing area along a guide trough towards the front of the rack;

transitioning the first optical fiber from the guide trough to a front routing trough at one of the side termination modules by routing the first optical fiber between a bend radius limiter of the guide trough and a bend radius limiter of the front routing trough;

routing the first optical fiber up the front routing trough to an entrance to an interior of the side termination module;

routing the first optical fiber through the entrance, through the interior of the side termination module above a plurality of upper bend radius limiters, down through one of the upper bend radius limiters, and to a first port of an adapter module disposed within the interior of the side termination module.

12. The method of claim 11, further comprising:

routing a second optical fiber from a second port of the adapter module, down towards a plurality of lower bend radius limiters, down through one of the lower bend radius limiters, and along a bottom of the termination block, wherein the bottom of the termination block is raised above the guide trough; and

routing the second optical fiber out of an exit defined towards the rear of the rack and into a curved routing guide attached to the termination block at the exit.