Fiber distribution hub

• US 8,068,712 B2
• Filed: 11/10/2009
• Issued: 11/29/2011
• Est. Priority Date: 08/30/2005
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: CommScope Technologies, LLC (CommScope Holding Company, Inc.)
• Original Assignee: ADC Telecommunications Incorporated (TE Connectivity Limited)
• Inventors: Leblanc, Tom, Reagan, Randy, Millea, Keith
• Primary Examiner(s): KIM, ELLEN E
• Application Number:
  US12/615,672
• Publication Number:
  US 20100172622A1
• Time in Patent Office: 749 Days
• Field of Search: 385/135, 385/139, 385/70, 385/134, 385/13, 385/5, 385/2, 385/27, 385/37, 385/129
• US Class Current: 385/135
• CPC Class Codes: G02B 6/4452 Distribution frames
• CPC Class Codes: G02B 6/44526 Panels or rackmounts covering a whole width of the frame or rack
• CPC Class Codes: G02B 6/44528 Patch-cords; Connector arrangements in the system or in the box routing arrangements H04Q1/00

Abstract

A fiber distribution hub includes a cabinet; a termination region positioned within the interior of the cabinet; at least one termination module mounted in at least one opening defined at the termination region; fiber optic connectors coupled to termination adapters of the termination module; intermediate fibers extending rearwardly of the fiber optic connectors; and a multi-fiber connector terminating the intermediate fibers. The termination module includes a housing enclosing the termination adapters. One or more termination modules can be incrementally added to the fiber distribution hub.

Claims

1. A fiber distribution hub adapted to provide an interface between an incoming fiber and a plurality of outgoing fibers, the fiber distribution hub comprising:

a cabinet defining an interior;

a termination region positioned within the interior of the cabinet, the termination region including a first side and a second side;

a splitter region positioned within the interior of the cabinet;

at least one splitter module mounted at the splitter region, each splitter module being configured to split optical signals from at least a first splitter input onto a plurality of first pigtails, each of the first pigtails having a connectorized end that is configured to be routed to the first side of the termination region;

a plurality of intermediate fibers, connectorized ends of the intermediate fibers being held at the second side of the termination region so that the connectorized end of each first pigtail routed to the first side of the termination field is optically coupled to the connectorized end of one of the intermediate fibers;

a plurality of first multi-fiber connectors optically coupled to the intermediate fibers;

a plurality of subscriber distribution cables routed toward subscriber locations; and

a plurality of second multi-fiber connectors optically coupled to the subscriber distribution cables, each of the second multi-fiber connectors also being configured to optically couple to one of the first multi-fiber connectors.

2. The fiber distribution hub of claim 1, further comprising a storage region positioned within the interior of the cabinet, the storage region configured to receive at least one storage module at which the connectorized ends of the first pigtails are stored prior to being routed to the first side of the termination field.

3. The fiber distribution hub of claim 1, further comprising a bulkhead on which the termination region is located, the bulkhead being pivotally mounted to the cabinet.

4. The fiber distribution hub of claim 1, wherein the second multi-fiber connectors optically couple to the first multi-fiber connectors within the interior of the cabinet.

5. The fiber distribution hub of claim 4, wherein the second multi-fiber connectors optically couple to the first multi-fiber connectors at a rear of the cabinet.

6. A fiber distribution system including a fiber distribution hub adapted to provide an interface between an incoming fiber and a plurality of outgoing fibers, the fiber distribution system comprising:

a cabinet of the fiber distribution hub, the cabinet defining an interior;

a termination region positioned within the interior of the cabinet, the termination region including a first side and a second side;

a splitter region positioned within the interior of the cabinet;

at least one splitter module mounted at the splitter region, each splitter module being configured to split optical signals from at least a first splitter input onto a plurality of first pigtails, each of the first pigtails having a connectorized end that is configured to be routed to the first side of the termination region;

a plurality of intermediate fibers having connectorized ends routed to the second side of the termination region to receive the optical signals from the first pigtails;

a plurality of subscriber distribution cables routed toward subscriber locations; and

a multi-fiber interface region at which pairs of multi-fiber connectors are interfaced to optically couple the intermediate fibers and the subscriber distribution cables, wherein the optical signals are passed to the subscriber distribution cables at the multi-fiber interface region.

7. The fiber distribution system of claim 6, wherein the multi-fiber interface region includes a panel.

8. The fiber distribution system of claim 7, wherein the panel is positioned within the interior of the cabinet.

9. The fiber distribution system of claim 8, wherein the panel is positioned at a rear of the cabinet behind the termination region.

10. The fiber distribution system of claim 6, wherein the multi-fiber interface region includes a structural component that defines a plurality of spaced-apart multi-fiber connector interconnect locations.