US 5,420,958 A · Optical fiber distribution center

Abstract

A compact optical fiber distribution center has a housing provided by a pair of stackable containers. One container encloses a fiber connector zone in which a plurality of card-like modules are slidably mounted, normally aligned in single file, and each extending vertically when the distribution center is in use. The other container has a jumper routing zone at the front, a fiber routing zone at the rear, and an intermediate fiber storage zone which is divided by partitions, each of which is aligned with a space between adjacent modules. Each module carries a row of optical fiber connectors. At one side of the housing, the rear ends of the connectors can be connected to optical fibers of one or more feeder cables, and at the other side, the rear ends can be connected to optical fibers of one or more distribution cables. The front ends of the connectors at said one side can be connected by optical fiber jumpers to the front ends of connectors at said other side, thus interconnecting any feeder fiber with any distribution fiber. Easy access to the connectors is afforded by sliding individual modules out of the single file toward a front or a rear opening in the housing, which openings are closable by hinged doors.

Claims17

Dependent claims

An optical fiber distribution center comprising:

a housing enclosing a fiber connector zone and a fiber storage zone, which housing is formed with a front opening in the fiber connector and a rear opening in said fiber connector zone,
a plurality of modules,
means for mounting the modules in the housing within said fiber connector zone and for moving each module individually through said front opening and through said rear opening,
a plurality of optical fiber connectors mounted on each module, each connector having front and rear ends, each front end being for receiving an optical fiber jumper that is also connected to another front end and each rear end being for receiving an optical fiber that runs through the fiber storage area and a fiber exit.

1 more element

An optical fiber distribution center comprising:

a housing comprising a connector container and a stackable storage container, each container being formed with a front opening and a rear opening, the storage container having a pair of sidewalls, each formed with a fiber exit,
a plurality of card-like modules,
means for slidably mounting each module in the connector container to be normally aligned in single file and individually slidable through either of the front and rear openings of the connector container,
a row of connectors mounted on one side of each module, each connector having a front end adjacent said front opening and a rear end adjacent said rear opening of the connector container and including means for mechanically optically connecting an optical fiber to each rear end and an optical fiber jumper to each front end,
a fixed partition mounted in the storage container in approximate alignment with each space between adjacent card-like modules when the containers are stacked, the spaces between the partitions defining a fiber storage zone, there being a space between the partitions and the rear opening of the storage container to provide a fiber routing zone,
a flexible routing tube mounted to extend between each module and the space between adjacent partitions, which space is approximately aligned with the connectors of said module,
an elongated fiber retainer extending across the fiber routing zone close to the fiber storage zone, which retainer is formed with a plurality of slots, each slot including means for releasably securing a group of optical fibers from one flexible routing tube,
means partitioning the storage container to provide a jumper routing zone adjacent the front opening of the storage container, and
an elongated jumper retainer extending across the jumper routing zone, which retainer is formed with a plurality of slots, each including means for releasably securing a group of said optical fiber jumpers from one module.

6 more elements

Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.

Optical fiber distribution center

Life of this patent

Optical fiber distribution center

Life of this patent

Abstract

Claims17