Optical fiber management system and method

A device for routing optical fiber along a pathway that extends from one level to another level, said device including a substrate having at least one component mounted thereto, comprising:

• an arrangement of optical components relative to the substrate located at a first level;
• a plurality of optical fibers, said optical fibers forming a fiber bundle;
• a plurality of trays for storing optical fibers in a loop located at a second level;
• and
• a ramp extending between said substrate and said tray, the ramp having a channel;
• wherein said fiber bundle is at least partially disposed in at least a portion of said channel and extends between said substrate and said plurality of trays along at least a portion of said ramp with the fibers of the bundle extending into said plurality of trays, and wherein said ramp extends between each tray of said plurality of trays and said substrate and each fiber bundle is routed to a separate tray.

A method of routing optical fiber for an assembly having a substrate with a plurality of components in opposed relation, an optical fiber storage tray apart from the substrate and an optical fiber having a minimum bend radius, the method comprising:

• arranging the components relative to said substrate to define a space between opposing surfaces of the components,
• forming an optical fiber pathway with the opposing surfaces of the components;
• and
• routing the optical fiber at greater than or equal to the minimum bend radius of the optical fiber through at least a portion of the optical fiber pathway and into the optical fiber storage tray.