Optical fiber distribution systems and components

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-11513303-B2
Application number	US-202016935317-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Jul 22, 2020
Priority date	Sep 20, 2016
Publication date	Nov 29, 2022
Grant date	Nov 29, 2022

Abstract

Fiber distribution systems, terminals and tap boxes that provide a reconfigurable and expandable system of hardened connections. An aerial terminal may include at least one feeder port and a plurality of distribution ports, each of the at least one feeder port and the plurality of distribution ports being sealable ports configured to receive one of a duct and a connector, where the connector is configured to interface with a drop type cable. The terminal may include an expandable module configured to receive a splitter. The terminal may be configured to receive a fiber through the feeder port and to output a plurality of fibers through the plurality of distribution ports.

First claim

The invention claimed is:

1. A fiber distribution system, comprising:
a terminal having at least one sealable port; and
a fiber optic connector comprising:
a first portion configured to be inserted into the at least one sealable port, the first portion comprising a keyed anti-rotation feature configured to prevent rotation of the connector in the at least one sealable port;
a second portion configured to receive a fiber optic cable; and
an interior cavity configured to receive a sealant to provide a hardened connector and to hold the fiber optic cable passing through the connector into position within the interior cavity by the sealant;

wherein the at least one sealable port is configured to receive the connector.

2. The fiber distribution system of claim 1 , wherein the terminal is configured to be mounted aerially.

3. The fiber distribution system of claim 1 , wherein the terminal further comprises an expandable module configured to receive at least one optical component.

4. The fiber distribution system of claim 3 , wherein the expandable module is configured to receive a splitter.

5. The fiber distribution system of claim 1 , wherein the at least one sealable port is further configured to receive a duct.

6. The fiber distribution system of claim 5 , wherein the duct is configured to receive a pushable fiber there through.

7. The fiber distribution system of claim 1 , wherein the terminal is further configured to receive a plurality of swappable modules.

8. The fiber distribution system of claim 1 , wherein the terminal further comprises at least one bend-radius protector.

9. The fiber distribution system of claim 1 , wherein the terminal is a first terminal acting as a secondary feed source and the fiber distribution system further comprises a second terminal configured to receive at least one fiber from the first terminal.

10. The fiber distribution system of claim 1 , further comprising a plurality of terminals arranged in a daisy chained configuration.

11. The fiber distribution system of claim 1 , wherein the terminal further comprises an enclosure having a first retention space and a second retention space separated from the first retention space by a divider.

12. The fiber distribution system of claim 11 , wherein the terminal comprises at least one fiber splice tray in the first retention space, and an expandable module configured to receive a splitter in the second retention space.

13. The fiber distribution system of claim 1 , wherein the at least one sealable port is one of a feeder port and a distribution port.

14. A fiber optic connector comprising:
a first portion configured to be inserted into a port, the first portion comprising a keyed anti-rotation feature configured to prevent rotation of the connector in the port;
a second portion configured to receive a fiber optic cable; and
an interior cavity configured to receive a sealant to provide a hardened connector and to hold the fiber optic cable passing through the connector into position within the interior cavity by the sealant.

15. The fiber optic connector of claim 14 , further configured to receive a pushable connector through the interior cavity.

16. The fiber optic connector of claim 14 , wherein the first portion has a first outer diameter and the second portion has a second outer diameter greater than the first outer diameter.

17. The fiber optic connector of claim 16 , wherein the second portion is configured to receive a stop coupled to the fiber optic cable.

18. The fiber optic connector of claim 14 , wherein the interior cavity extends from a first opening in the connector at the first portion to a second opening in the connector at the second portion.

19. The fiber optic connector of claim 14 , further comprising a snap ring feature configured to couple the connector to the port.

20. A fiber optic tap box, comprising:
a mount configured to attach the tap box to a user location;
at least one sealable port; and
a connector comprising:
a first portion configured to be inserted into the at least one sealable port, the first portion comprising a keyed anti-rotation feature configured to prevent rotation of the connector in the at least one sealable port;
a second portion configured to receive a fiber optic cable; and
an interior cavity configured to receive a sealant to provide a hardened connector and to hold the fiber optic cable passing through the connector into position within the interior cavity by the sealant;

wherein the at least one sealable port is configured to receive the connector.

Assignees

• Clearfield Inc

Inventors

• Hill John Paul
• Cruzen William J

Classifications

• G02B6/4444 Primary

  Seals · CPC title

• G02B6/4442 Primary

  Cap coupling boxes · CPC title

• G02B6/4454

  with splices · CPC title

• G02B6/44775

  Cable seals e.g. feed-through (cable seals integrated to the box seals G02B6/4444; pulling eyes G02B6/44465) · CPC title

• G02B6/44515

  Fibre drop terminals with surplus length (without surplus length G02B6/4472) · CPC title