Optical fiber enclosure system using integrated optical connector and coupler assembly
AssigneeFiber Optic Network Solutions Corporation
InventorsJames J. Henschel, Ronald Cooper, Michael Noonan
Life of this patent
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Abstract
An optical fiber enclosure system includes a plurality of integrated optical connector and coupler assemblies. The first optic coupler is integrated adjacent to the ferrule in the connector. In a preferred embodiment, the integrated optical connector coupler is constructed in a compact package such that when installed in the optical fiber enclosure no part of the coupler connector assembly protrudes beyond the footprint of the fiber enclosure and yet maintains an industry recommended minimum bend radius of 1.5 inches on the output cable ports thus allowing the fiber enclosure front panel to close without impinging on the cables of the assembly.
Claims31
An optical fiber enclosure, comprising:
- a housing having a front compartment, a rear compartment and a bulkhead having a plurality of openings provided thereon, the housing further comprising a front access and a rear access and having at least one fiber radius guide associated with at least one of the front access and the rear access;
- a plurality of optical adapters mounted to the bulkhead with a subset of the plurality of adapters associated with at least one removable fiber cassette, the fiber cassette installable in one of the plurality of openings in the bulkhead;
- at least one optical coupler connector assembly coupled to at least one of the plurality of adapters;
- a front management plate moveably attached to the housing for organizing a first plurality of optical cables;
- and
- a rear management plate for organizing a second plurality of optical cables.
An optical monitoring device comprising:
- a removable fiber cassette having a plurality of adapters associated therewith;
- an optical connector associated with the fiber cassette and having at least one output port;
- and
- an optical coupler integral with the optical connector.
An optical network system comprising:
- a patch panel having a housing, the housing having a front compartment, a rear compartment and a bulkhead, the bulkhead having a plurality of adapters associated with at least one removable fiber cassette;
- and
- at least one optical coupler-connector assembly coupled to at least one of the plurality of adapters.
An optical tap, comprising:
- an optical connector having at least one output port;
- an optical coupler integral with the optical connector;
- a first optical fiber communicatively coupled to the optical coupler;
- and
- a second optical fiber adjacent to and optically coupled with the first optical fiber, the optical coupling taking place without the use of refractive optical elements.
A wavelength division multiplexing assembly, comprising:
- an optical connector having at least one output port;
- an optical coupler integral with the optical connector;
- a first optical fiber;
- and
- a second optical fiber adjacent to and optically coupled with the first optical fiber, the optical coupling taking place without the use of refractive optical elements.
An optical power splitter, comprising:
- an optical connector having at least one output port;
- an optical coupler integral with the optical connector;
- a first optical fiber;
- and
- a second optical fiber adjacent to and optically coupled with the first optical fiber, the optical coupling taking place without the use of refractive optical elements.
A method of fabricating an optical tap device, comprising the steps of:
- fusing an optical coupler into a connector ferrule;
- joining the ferrule to a fiber to result in a fiber coupler-connector assembly;
- curing the fiber coupler-connector assembly;
- and
- providing a protective shroud over the assembly.
An optical connector for coupling optical data signals, comprising:
- a connector and splitter portion;
- at least a pair of optical cables extending from the connector and splitter portion;
- and
- an optical connector at the distal end of each of the optical cables from the connector and splitter.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.