US 6,539,147 B1 · Connectorized inside fiber optic drop

Abstract

A connectorized inside fiber optic drop that facilitates the deployment of fiber to the home by connecting a fiber optic interface device to an optical network terminal, the inside fiber optic drop including a sheath, transition fittings, pigtails, fiber optic connectors, and a fiber optic strand. The sheath is positioned over.a middle section of the fiber optic strand. The transition fittings are attached to the fiber optic sheath proximate to both ends of the drop. The pigtails attach to the transition fittings and enclose the fiber optic strand from the transition fittings to the ends of the fiber optic strand, where the fiber optic connectors are attached to the fiber optic strand and the pigtails. If the drop contains more than one fiber optic strand, then one set of pigtails with connectors is provided for each fiber optic strand.

Claims62

Dependent claims

A connectorized inside fiber drop comprising:

(a) at least one fiber optic strand having a first end and a second end;
(b) a sheath enclosing a section of the at least one fiber optic strand;
(c) a first transition fitting attached to the sheath proximate to the first end of the at least one fiber optic strand;
(d) a second transition fitting attached to the sheath proximate to the second end of the at least one fiber optic strand;
(e) on each fiber optic strand, a first fiber optic connector attached to the first end;
(f) on each fiber optic strand, a second fiber optic connector attached to the second end;
and
(g) pigtails enclosing each fiber optic strand between the first transition fitting and the first fiber optic connector, and between the second transition fitting and the second fiber optic connector,
wherein the first end of each fiber optic strand is adapted to connect to a local terminal of a fiber optic network and the second end of each fiber optic strand is adapted to connect to a fiber optic interface device of the fiber optic network, and
wherein the sheath provides environmental protection for the at least one fiber optic strand for one of inside-wall, conduit, and plenum installations.

7 more elements

A connectorized inside fiber drop comprising:

(a) at least one fiber optic strand having a first end and a second end;
(b) a sheath enclosing a section of the at least one fiber optic strand;
(c) a first transition fitting attached to the sheath proximate to the first end of the at least one fiber optic strand;
(d) a second transition fitting attached to the sheath proximate to the second end of the at least one fiber optic strand;
(e) on each fiber optic strand, a first fiber optic connector attached to the first end;
(f) on each fiber optic strand, a second fiber optic connector attached to the second end;
and
(g) pigtails enclosing each fiber optic strand between the first transition fitting and the first fiber optic connector, and between the second transition fitting and the second fiber optic connector,
wherein the first end of each fiber optic strand is adapted to connect to a local terminal of a fiber optic network and the second end of each fiber optic strand is adapted to connect to a fiber optic interface device o f the fiber optic network,
wherein the connectorized inside fiber drop has a single-mode fiber attenuation coefficient of less than 0.4 dB/km between 1270 nm and 1350 nm, and 0.3 dB/km between 1500 nm and 1600 nm,
wherein attenuation is uniformly distributed throughout the connectorized inside fiber drop such that there are no discontinuities greater than 0.1 dB for single-mode fiber at any design wavelength, and
wherein the at least one fiber optic strand does not exhibit point discontinuities with a measured loss greater than 0.10 dB or a reflectance greater than −45 dB at 1310 nm or 1550 nm.

9 more elements

A connectorized inside fiber optic drop for a fiber to the home (FTTH) network comprising:

(a) a fiber optic strand having a first end and a second end;
(b) a sheath enclosing a section of the fiber optic strand, wherein the sheath has a first end proximate to the first end of the fiber optic strand, and wherein the sheath has a second end proximate to the second end of the fiber optic strand;
(c) a first fiber optic connector attached to the first end of the fiber optic strand, wherein the first fiber optic connector is adapted to connect to a fiber optic interface device of the FTTH network;
(d) a second fiber optic connector attached to the second end of the fiber optic strand, wherein the second fiber optic connector is adapted to connect to an optical network terminal of the FTTH network;
(e) a first transition fitting attached to the first end of the sheath, wherein the first transition fitting is adapted to be secured to a housing of the fiber optic interface device;
(f) a second transition fitting attached to the second end of the sheath, wherein the second transition fitting is adapted to be secured to a housing of the optical network terminal;
(g) a first pigtail attached to the first transition fitting and the first fiber optic connector, wherein the first pigtail encloses the fiber optic strand between the first transition fitting and the first fiber optic connector;
and
(h) a second pigtail attached to the second transition fitting and the second fiber optic connector, wherein the second pigtail encloses the fiber optic strand between the second transition fitting and the second fiber optic connector.

6 more elements

A method for connecting a fiber optic interface device to an optical network terminal in a fiber to the home network, the method comprising the steps of:

connectorizing a first end and a second end of a fiber optic strand;
inserting the first end of the fiber optic strand into a connectorized termination of the fiber optic interface device, wherein the fiber optic interface device is mounted on the outside of a subscriber premises;
routing the fiber optic strand into the subscriber premises and to the optical network device;
inserting the second end of the fiber optic strand into a connectorized termination of the optical network terminal,
wherein a first portion of the fiber optic strand is inside the fiber optic interface device,
wherein a second portion of the fiber optic strand is between the fiber optic interface device and the optical network terminal, and
wherein a third portion of the fiber optic strand is inside the optical network terminal;
enclosing the second portion of the fiber optic strand in a sheath;
enclosing the first portion of the fiber optic strand in a first pigtail;
and
enclosing the second portion of the fiber optic strand in a second pigtail.

8 more elements

Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.

Connectorized inside fiber optic drop

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Connectorized inside fiber optic drop

Life of this patent

Abstract

Claims62