Fiber optic module and system including rear connectors

A method of mounting a module within a chassis comprising:

• providing the chassis including a front opening and a module mounting location, a holder positioned within an interior of the chassis at the module mounting location and accessible through the front opening, the holder holding a fiber optic adapter with a first fiber optic connector of a fiber optic cable received in a rear of the adapter, and further providing a module adapted to be mounted at the mounting location, the module including a rear face with a second fiber optic connector projecting rearwardly, wherein the module is adapted to be mounted to the chassis separately from the fiber optic adapter holder;
• removing the holder and the fiber optic adapter from the interior of the chassis through the front opening;
• removing the first fiber optic connector of the fiber optic cable from the rear of the adapter and inspecting an endface of an optical fiber within the fiber optic cable;
• replacing the first fiber optic connector with the fiber optic cable within the rear of the adapter;
• replacing the holder within the chassis at the mounting location;
• inserting the module within the chassis through the front opening at the mounting location and engaging a front of the adapter with the second fiber optic connector of the rear face of the module.

A telecommunications module comprising:

• a housing defining an interior and including first and second pairs of opposing sides, a front face, a rear face and a back defining a rear-most extension of the housing;
• the rear face positioned in a recess defined by the housing and accessible from a rear of the housing;
• a mounting flange extending beyond each of the opposing sides of one of the first and second pairs of opposing sides of the housing, one flange extending further than the other flange;
• at least one fiber optic connector mounted to the rear face and positioned to be inserted into a mating adapter with a rearward movement of the housing, the fiber optic connector including an end projecting rearwardly from the rear face;
• at least one cable exit positioned in the front face of the housing, each cable exit including an outer extension beyond the front face;
• a first fiber optic cable within the interior of the housing extending from the at least one fiber optic connector of the rear face to an optical component mounted within the interior of the housing;
• a plurality of second fiber optic cables within the housing extending from the optical component to the at least one cable exit in the front face.

A fiber optic telecommunications chassis comprising:

• a housing with a first major side, a second major side, and a pair of opposing transverse sides extending between the major sides defining an interior with a front opening and a back opposite the front opening;
• a plurality of mounting locations defined for telecommunications modules inserted through the front opening with each module generally oriented parallel to one of the transverse sides;
• each mounting location including an adapter holder, each adapter holder removably mounted within the interior of the housing and including at least one fiber optic adapter, the at least one fiber optic adapter of the adapter holder configured to mate with one of the telecommunications modules inserted through the front opening of the housing, each fiber optic adapter including a front end and a rear end, each front end and each rear end configured to receive a mating fiber optic connector;
• each adapter holder orienting the at least one fiber optic adapter with a front end positioned to receive the mating fiber optic connector inserted through the front opening toward the back and generally parallel to the sides;
• each adapter holder positioned to hold the at least one fiber optic adapter within the interior of the housing at a location behind the front opening and forward of the back, so that a fiber optic cable with a mating fiber connector may be directed to and inserted within the rear end of the at least one fiber optic adapter;
• each adapter holder removable from the interior of the housing so that the rear end of the at least one fiber optic adapter may be accessed outside of the interior, each mounting location sized to receive a telecommunications module having a projecting connector held by the module for mating with the front end of the at least one fiber optic adapter of each adapter holder, wherein the housing is configured to receive each telecommunications module separately from the removably mounted adapter holder such that the telecommunications module can engage an already mounted adapter holder when the telecommunications module is mounted within the chassis housing.

A telecommunications module comprising:

• a housing defining an interior and including first and second pairs of opposing sides, a front face, a rear face and a back spaced from the front face;
• the rear face facing generally toward the back of the housing;
• the rear face defining at least one connector holder location holding a fiber optic connector having a longitudinal connector axis extending parallel to a module axis extending between the front face and the back, wherein an end of the connector is disposed outside of the interior defined by the housing;
• the rear face positioned at a location between the front face and the back;
• the front face including a cable exit location in communication with the interior defined by the housing.

An adapter module comprising:

• a bulkhead defining:
• a fastener holder for holding a fastener extending in a first longitudinal direction;
• a longitudinal flange extending from the fastener holder in a directional parallel to the first longitudinal direction;
• a main body extending from the longitudinal flange, the main body defining adapter locations;
• and,
• two slots positioned on the longitudinal flange extending in a direction parallel to the first longitudinal direction;
• and
• a plurality of adapter mating components positioned in the adapter locations of the main body of the bulkhead, each adapter mating component configured to mate two connectors for fiber optic signal transmission between the connectors, wherein each adapter mating component aligns the two connectors in a direction parallel to the first longitudinal direction, wherein the adapter module further includes a moveable shutter mounted to the longitudinal flange to cover each of the adapter mating components to prevent accidental exposure to light signals transmitted by unmated connectors mounted within the adapters.

A fiber optic telecommunications assembly comprising:

• (a) a chassis including:
• a chassis housing with a first major side, a second major side, and a pair of opposing transverse sides extending between the major sides defining an interior with a front opening and a back opposite the front opening;
• a plurality of mounting locations defined for telecommunications modules inserted through the front opening with the modules generally oriented parallel to one of the transverse sides;
• each mounting location including an adapter module, each adapter module removably mounted within the interior of the chassis housing and including at least one fiber optic adapter, the at least one fiber optic adapter of the adapter module configured to mate with one of the telecommunications modules inserted through the front opening of the chassis housing, each fiber optic adapter including a front end and a rear end, each end configured to receive a mating fiber optic connector;
• each adapter module orienting the at least one fiber optic adapter with a front end positioned to receive the mating fiber optic connector inserted through the front opening toward the back and generally parallel to the sides;
• each adapter module positioned to hold the at least one adapter within the interior of the housing at a location behind the front opening and forward of the back, so that a fiber optic cable with a mating fiber connector may be directed to and inserted within the rear end of the adapter;
• each adapter module removable from the interior of the chassis housing so that the rear end of the at least one adapter may be accessed outside of the interior;
• (b) a plurality of telecommunications modules including:
• a module housing defining an interior and including first and second pairs of opposing sides, a front face, a rear face and a back spaced from the front face;
• the rear face facing generally toward the back of the module housing;
• the rear face defining at least one connector holder location holding a fiber optic connector having a longitudinal connector axis extending parallel to a module axis extending between the front face and the back, wherein an end of the connector is disposed outside of the interior defined by the module housing;
• the rear face positioned at a location between the front face and the back in a recess defined by the module housing;
• the front face including a cable exit location in communication with the interior defined by the module housing;
• the module housing including a flexible latching tab extending adjacent to the front face, wherein each telecommunications module is mounted within the chassis housing separately from the removable adapter module such that the connector of the telecommunications module engages the at least one fiber optic adapter of the adapter module mounted to the chassis when the telecommunications module is mounted within the chassis housing.