Optical and power network for modular equipment

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-11249267-B2
Application number	US-201716349939-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Nov 14, 2017
Priority date	Nov 15, 2016
Publication date	Feb 15, 2022
Grant date	Feb 15, 2022

Abstract

A wireless network includes connections stations (110, 120, 140) disposed along a distribution cable (101) that carries optical signals and power. Each connection station (110, 120, 140) has a port (115) at which the optical signals and power of the cable (101) are provided. A wireless module (150, 160, 170) can be mounted at a connection station (110) so that a connection arrangement of the wireless module (150, 160, 170) plugs into the port. The wireless module (150, 160, 170) can obtain power from the distribution cable (101) via the connection station (110, 120, 140). The wireless module (150, 160, 170) can broadcast the signals carried by the distribution cable (101) to the surrounding area.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. An optical network comprising:
a distribution cable including a plurality of optical fibers carrying optical signals, the distribution cable also carrying power;
a plurality of connection stations disposed at intermediate locations along the distribution cable, each connection station defining first and second major surfaces connected by a peripheral edge so that the distribution cable passes through opposite sides of the peripheral edge, each connection station having a port that is optically coupled to one of the optical fibers within an interior of the respective connection station, thereby making the optical signals carried by the one of the optical fibers available at the port, each connection station also making the power carried by the distribution cable available at the respective port, each port being disposed at a recessed area of the respective connection station so that the port is accessible from an exterior of the respective connection station; and
a module configured to be mounted at the exterior of one of the connection stations, the module including a housing carrying a connection arrangement that protrudes from the housing and mates with the port of the connection station so that the connection arrangement is received in the recessed area, the module being configured so that a major surface of the module extends over the second major surface of the one of the connection stations and so that the module does not extend beyond a footprint of the peripheral edge of the one of the connection stations.

2. The optical network of claim 1 , wherein the connection arrangement of the module is shaped and configured to slide towards the port when the module is installed at the connection station.

3. The optical network of claim 1 , wherein the connection station has an additional port at which optical signals from the distribution cable can be accessed even when the module is installed at the connection station.

4. The optical network of claim 1 , wherein the module is a wireless module configured to wirelessly broadcast the optical signals obtained from the port.

5. The optical network of claim 1 , wherein the module is a video camera.

6. The optical network of claim 1 , wherein the module is an optical splitter.

7. The optical network of claim 1 , wherein each connection station includes first and second housing pieces between which a portion of the distribution cable is sandwiched.

8. The optical network of claim 7 , wherein contact blades protrude from the first housing piece so that the contact blades automatically bite into the distribution cable and contact conductive members within the distribution cable when the connection station is assembled around the distribution cable.

9. The optical network of claim 1 , further comprising a plurality of removable caps, each removable cap being installed at the port of a respective one of the connection stations prior to installing a respective module.

10. The optical network of claim 1 , wherein each connection station includes a rear housing and a front housing that couple together to define the interior, the rear housing defining a passage through which the distribution cable extends; and wherein the port is defined by an adapter disposed within the interior.

11. The optical network of claim 10 , wherein the rear housing includes an adapter holder that receives the adapter.

12. The optical network of claim 10 , wherein the rear housing also defines a window along the passage to connect the passage to the interior, wherein the one of the optical fibers extends through the window into the interior.

13. The optical network of claim 12 , wherein a connectorized end of the one of the optical fibers is plugged into an inner port of the adapter.

14. The optical network of claim 12 , wherein the one of the optical fibers is spliced to a connectorized pigtail that is plugged into an inner port of the adapter.

15. The optical network of claim 10 , further comprising a splice tray disposed within the interior.

16. The optical network of claim 10 , wherein the passage extends between cable apertures disposed at opposite sides of the rear housing.

17. The optical network of claim 16 , wherein the cable apertures are sealed.

18. The optical network of claim 10 , wherein the rear housing defines the recessed area at which the port is disposed to be accessible from the exterior of the connection station.

19. The optical network of claim 1 , wherein the first major surface carries mounting structure to mount the one of the connecting stations to a mounting surface.

Assignees

• CommScope Connectivity Belgium BVBA

Inventors

• Van Baelen David Jan Irma
• Musschebroeck Rudy
• Simer Joshua M

Classifications

• H04N23/51

  Housings · CPC title

• G02B6/4439 Primary

  Auxiliary devices · CPC title

• G02B6/4416 Primary

  Heterogeneous cables · CPC title

• H04B10/25

  Arrangements specific to fibre transmission · CPC title

• G02B6/28

  having data bus means, i.e. plural waveguides interconnected and providing an inherently bidirectional system by mixing and splitting signals · CPC title