Fiber optic cassette

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-11036012-B2
Application number	US-202016942117-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Jul 29, 2020
Priority date	Sep 28, 2012
Publication date	Jun 15, 2021
Grant date	Jun 15, 2021

Abstract

A fiber optic cassette includes a body defining a front and an opposite rear. A cable entry location is defined on the body for a cable to enter the cassette, wherein a plurality of optical fibers from the cable extend into the cassette and form terminations at non-conventional connectors adjacent the front of the body. A flexible substrate is positioned between the cable entry location and the non-conventional connectors adjacent the front of the body, the flexible substrate rigidly supporting the plurality of optical fibers. Each of the non-conventional connectors adjacent the front of the body includes a ferrule, a ferrule hub supporting the ferrule, and a split sleeve surrounding the ferrule.

First claim

The invention claimed is:

1. A fiber optic cassette comprising:
a body;
a cable entry location defined on the body for a cable to enter the cassette, wherein a plurality of optical fibers from the cable extend into the cassette body and form terminations at optical connectors mounted to the body; and
a flexible substrate positioned between the cable entry location and the optical connectors of the body, the flexible substrate rigidly supporting the plurality of optical fibers;
wherein each of the optical connectors mounted to the body includes a ferrule, a ferrule hub supporting the ferrule, and an alignment sleeve surrounding the ferrule;
wherein at least a portion of the flexible substrate is physically inserted into at least a portion of the ferrule hub of each optical connector mounted to the body.

2. A fiber optic cassette according to claim 1 , wherein the substrate supports two optical fibers.

3. A fiber optic cassette according to claim 1 , wherein the cassette includes twelve optical connectors mounted to the body.

4. A fiber optic cassette according to claim 1 , wherein the cassette defines a plurality of adapters for receiving incoming fiber optic connectors that mate with the optical connectors of the body.

5. A fiber optic cassette according to claim 4 , wherein the adapters are configured to receive incoming fiber optic connectors that are of the LC format.

6. A fiber optic cassette according to claim 1 , wherein the substrate is configured to allow bending in a direction generally perpendicular to the direction extending from the optical connectors toward the cable entry location of the cassette.

7. A fiber optic cassette according to claim 1 , wherein the cable entry location is defined by a multi-fiber connector.

8. A fiber optic cassette according to claim 7 , wherein the multi-fiber connector is positioned adjacent a rear of the body of the cassette and the optical connectors are positioned adjacent a front of the body of the cassette.

9. A fiber optic cassette according to claim 1 , wherein the cassette defines an interior that houses the flexible substrate, the interior enclosed by a removable cover.

10. A fiber optic cassette according to claim 1 , wherein the flexible substrate and the optical connectors of the body are removable.

11. A fiber optic cassette according to claim 1 , wherein each of the optical connectors is mounted to a separate front extension of the flexible substrate, the front extensions being separated by cut-outs defined by the substrate for providing separate flexibility to each front extension.

12. A fiber optic cassette according to claim 1 , wherein each ferrule is spring-biased forwardly by a spring clip.

13. A fiber optic cassette according to claim 1 , further including a slack length of optical fiber located between the flexible substrate and each of the optical connectors of the body.

14. A fiber optic cassette according to claim 1 , wherein the cable entry location is defined by a multi-fiber connector that defines a longitudinal axis that is generally perpendicular to those of the optical connectors of the body.

15. A fiber optic cassette according to claim 1 , wherein the ferrule hubs of all of the optical connectors of the body are integrally molded as a single piece that supports multiple ferrules.

16. A method of assembling a fiber optic cassette, the method comprising:
providing a body;
mounting a multi-ferrule connector terminated to a multi-fiber cable to the body;
separating out at least a plurality of optical fibers of the multi-fiber cable and fixedly supporting the plurality of the optical fibers extending from the multi-ferrule connector on a flexible substrate; and
terminating each of the plurality of optical fibers supported by the flexible substrate with an optical connector that includes a ferrule, a ferrule hub that supports the ferrule, and an alignment sleeve surrounding the ferrule, and physically inserting at least a portion of the flexible substrate into at least a portion of the ferrule hub of each optical connector.

17. A flexible optical circuit comprising:
a flexible substrate; and
a plurality of optical fibers physically supported by the flexible substrate;
wherein a first end of each of the optical fibers is terminated to a multi-ferrule connector that is coupled to the flexible substrate and a second end of each of the optical fibers is terminated to an optical connector that is coupled to the flexible substrate, the optical connector including a ferrule, a ferrule hub that supports the ferrule, and an alignment sleeve surrounding the ferrule;
wherein at least a portion of the flexible substrate is physically inserted into at least a portion of the ferrule hub of each optical connector.

18. A flexible optical circuit according to claim 17 , wherein the flexible substrate is configured to allow limited amount of bending.

19. A flexible optical circuit according to claim 17 , wherein the multi-ferrule connector is an MPO connector.

20. A flexible optical circuit according to claim 17 , wherein the plurality of optical fibers includes at least twelve optical fibers.

21. A flexible optical circuit according to claim 17 , wherein ends of all of the ferrules of the optical connectors are polished simultaneously.

22. A flexible optical circuit according to claim 17 , wherein each of the optical connectors is mounted to a separate front extension of the flexible substrate, the front extensions being separated by cut-outs defined by the substrate for providing separate flexibility to each front extension.

23. A flexible optical circuit according to claim 17 , wherein the multi-ferrule connector defines a longitudinal axis that is generally perpendicular to those of the optical connectors.

24. A flexible optical circuit according to claim 23 , wherein the optical fibers follow a generally “S” shaped configuration extending between the multi-ferrule connector and the optical connectors.

Assignees

• Commscope Technologies Llc
• Commscope Asia Holdings Bv
• Commscope Connectivity Spain Sl
• Commscope Connectivity Uk Ltd

Inventors

• Murray David P
• Bolhaar Ton
• Schneider Paul
• Mateo Rafael
• Cobacho Luis
• Wentworth Michael
• Brandt Steven J
• Buijs Marcellus Pj
• Dorrestein Alexander
• Rietveld Jan Willem

Classifications

• G02B6/4478

  Bending relief means · CPC title

• G02B6/44715

  Fan-out devices · CPC title

• G02B6/44528

  Patch-cords; Connector arrangements in the system or in the box (routing arrangements H04Q1/00) · CPC title

• G02B6/4453 Primary

  Cassettes · CPC title

• G02B6/40 Primary

  having fibre bundle mating means · CPC title