Hybrid electrical and fiber optic outlet

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-10712504-B2
Application number	US-201716090544-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Mar 27, 2017
Priority date	Apr 1, 2016
Publication date	Jul 14, 2020
Grant date	Jul 14, 2020

Abstract

A hybrid outlet system includes an electrical outlet, a fiber optic adapter, and a single faceplate. The electrical outlet is coupled to an electrical system and configured to receive an electrical plug coupled to an electrically powered device. The fiber optic adapter is coupled to a fiber optic network and configured to receive a fiber optic connector coupled to a first end of an optical fiber; the second end of the optical fiber being coupled to a telecommunication or data communication device. The single faceplate is configured to provide plug coupling access to the electrical outlet and connector coupling access to the fiber optic adapter.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. A hybrid outlet system comprising:
an electrical outlet coupled to an electrical system and configured to receive an electrical plug that is coupled to an electrically powered device;
a fiber optic adapter coupled to a fiber optic network and configured to receive a fiber optic connector that is coupled to a first end of an optical fiber, the second end of the optical fiber coupled to a telecommunication or data communication device; and
a single faceplate configured to provide plug coupling access to the electrical outlet and connector coupling access to the fiber optic adapter, the single faceplate including a forward face oriented parallel to a rearward face, the forward face presenting both the electrical outlet and the connector coupling in an orientation to receive the electrical plug and the fiber optic connector, respectively, in a direction transitioning along an axis from the forward face to the rearward face, the axis being perpendicular to the forward and rearward faces.

2. The system of claim 1 , wherein the electrical outlet comprises a Type A through Type O electrical outlet.

3. The system of claim 1 , wherein the fiber optic adapter comprises an SC, LC or MPO adapter.

4. The system of claim 3 , wherein the SC fiber optic adapter comprises a simplex adapter.

5. The system of claim 3 , wherein the LC fiber optic adapter comprises a simplex adapter.

6. The system of claim 1 , wherein the fiber optic adapter comprises a plurality of fiber optic adapters.

7. The system of claim 6 , wherein the plurality of fiber optic adapters comprise the same type of fiber optic adapters.

8. The system of claim 6 , wherein the plurality of fiber optic adapters comprise at least two different types of fiber optic adapters.

9. The system of claim 6 , wherein the electrical outlet comprises a plurality of electrical outlets.

10. The system of claim 9 , wherein the plurality of electrical outlets comprises at least two different types of electrical outlets.

11. A faceplate comprising:
a plate having a front surface, a back surface and a thickness between the front and back surface, the plate including an opening configured to accommodate the shape and size of an electrical outlet, the opening further configured to enable electrical plug coupling access to the outlet along a first axis that is perpendicular to the front and back surface; and,
a fiber optic adapter extending through the thickness of the plate and configured to provide fiber optic connector coupling access at both the front surface of the plate and the back surface of the plate, the access being provided along a second axis that is parallel to the first axis.

12. The faceplate of claim 11 , wherein the plate and the fiber optic adapter are of a unitary construction.

13. The faceplate of claim 11 , wherein the plate and the fiber optic adapter are each of independent construction.

14. The faceplate of claim 11 , wherein the fiber optic adapter comprises a plurality of fiber optic adapters.

15. The faceplate of claim 14 , wherein the plurality of fiber optic adapters are selected from LC adapters, SC adapters and MPO adapters.

16. The faceplate of claim 14 , wherein the plurality of fiber optic adapters comprise the same type of fiber optic adapters.

17. The faceplate of claim 14 , wherein the plurality of fiber optic adapters comprise at least two different types of fiber optic adapters.

18. The faceplate of claim 11 , wherein the fiber optic adapter comprises a simplex adapter.

19. The faceplate of claim 11 , wherein the fiber optic adapter comprises a duplex adapter.

20. A method comprising:
coupling an electrical system to an electrical outlet, the electrical outlet configured to receive an electrical plug of an electrically powered device;
coupling a fiber optic network to a fiber optic adapter, the fiber optic adapter configured to receive a fiber optic connector coupled to a first end of an optical fiber, the second end of the optical fiber coupled to a telecommunication or data communication device;
providing plug access to the electrical outlet and connector access to the fiber optic adapter via a single faceplate defining a plane, the single faceplate including the fiber optic adapter oriented to receive the fiber optic connector along a first axis that is perpendicular to the plane and having an opening configured to accommodate the electrical outlet, the opening oriented to receive the electrical plug along a second axis that is perpendicular to the plane.

Assignees

• Commscope Technologies Llc

Inventors

• Chappell Eric Ryan

Classifications

• G02B6/3825 Primary

  with an intermediate part, e.g. adapter, receptacle, linking two plugs · CPC title

• G02B6/3885

  Multicore or multichannel optical connectors, i.e. one single ferrule containing more than one fibre, e.g. ribbon type (optical ribbon cable G02B6/4403, G02B6/448) · CPC title

• H01R25/006

  the coupling part being secured to apparatus or structure, e.g. duplex wall receptacle · CPC title

• G02B6/3893

  Push-pull type, e.g. snap-in, push-on · CPC title

• G02B6/38

  having fibre to fibre mating means · CPC title