Slidable fiber optic connection module with cable slack management

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-9715075-B2
Application number	US-201615139169-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Apr 26, 2016
Priority date	Oct 7, 2011
Publication date	Jul 25, 2017
Grant date	Jul 25, 2017

Abstract

A fiber optic telecommunications device includes a frame and a fiber optic module including a rack mount portion, a center portion, and a main housing portion. The rack mount portion is stationarily coupled to the frame, the center portion is slidably coupled to the rack mount portion along a sliding direction, and the main housing portion is slidably coupled to the center portion along the sliding direction. The main housing portion of the fiber optic module includes fiber optic connection locations for connecting cables to be routed through the frame. The center portion of the fiber optic module includes a radius limiter for guiding cables between the main housing portion and the frame, the center portion also including a latch for unlatching the center portion for slidable movement. Slidable movement of the center portion with respect to the rack mount portion moves the main housing portion with respect to the frame along the sliding direction.

First claim

The invention claimed is:

1. A fiber optic module comprising:
a rack mount portion configured for mounting the fiber optic module to a telecommunications fixture;
a center portion slidably coupled to the rack mount portion along a sliding direction; and
a main housing portion slidably coupled to the center portion along the sliding direction, the main housing portion including a first snap-fit interlock structure in the form of at least one flexible tab for removably receiving telecommunications devices with fiber optic adapters;
wherein the center portion of the fiber optic module includes a radius limiter for guiding cables between the main housing portion and the rack mount portion, the center portion also including a latch for unlatching the center portion for slidable movement;
wherein slidable movement of the center portion with respect to the rack mount portion moves the main housing portion with respect to the rack mount portion along the sliding direction, and wherein, when the center portion is moved with respect to the rack mount portion, the center portion is configured to move at half the linear speed of the main housing portion with respect to the rack mount portion.

2. A fiber optic module according to claim 1 , further comprising at least one telecommunications device defining fiber optic adapters mounted to the main housing portion of the fiber optic module.

3. A fiber optic module according to claim 2 , wherein the at least one telecommunications device is an adapter block formed integrally with the adapters as a unitary piece.

4. A fiber optic module according to claim 3 , wherein the adapter block is removably mounted to a fiber optic cassette that is configured to relay an incoming signal to an outgoing signal via fiber optic cables within the cassette.

5. A fiber optic module according to claim 4 , wherein the fiber optic cassette is mounted to the main housing portion via the first snap-fit interlock structure, and the adapter block is removably mounted to the cassette via a second snap-fit interlock structure, wherein the portion of the cassette that is mounted to the fiber optic module via the first snap-fit interlock structure is defined by the adapter block.

6. A fiber optic module according to claim 2 , wherein the fiber optic adapters are LC-format adapters.

7. A fiber optic module comprising:
a rack mount portion configured for mounting the fiber optic module to a telecommunications fixture;
a center portion slidably coupled to the rack mount portion along a sliding direction; and
a main housing portion slidably coupled to the center portion along the sliding direction, the main housing portion including a first snap-fit interlock structure in the form of at least one flexible tab for removably receiving telecommunications devices with fiber optic adapters;
wherein the center portion of the fiber optic module includes a radius limiter for guiding cables between the main housing portion and the rack mount portion, the center portion also including a latch for unlatching the center portion for slidable movement;
wherein slidable movement of the center portion with respect to the rack mount portion moves the main housing portion with respect to the rack mount portion along the sliding direction, the fiber optic module further comprising at least one telecommunications device mounted to the main housing portion of the fiber optic module, the at least one telecommunications device being an adapter block formed integrally with fiber optic adapters as a unitary piece, wherein the adapter block is removably mounted to a fiber optic cassette that is configured to relay an incoming signal to an outgoing signal via fiber optic cables within the cassette, and wherein the fiber optic cassette is mounted to the main housing portion via the first snap-fit interlock structure, and the adapter block is removably mounted to the cassette via a second snap-fit interlock structure, wherein the portion of the cassette that is mounted to the fiber optic module via the first snap-fit interlock structure is defined by the adapter block.

Assignees

• Commscope Technologies Llc

Inventors

• Solheid James J
• Marcouiller Thomas
• Bran De León Oscar Fernando
• Holmberg Matthew
• Haataja Timothy Jon
• Mertesdorf Daniel Ray
• Vongseng Soutsada
• Chen Darren
• Thompson Patrick J
• Pfarr John T
• Bolster Kristofer
• Campbell Brent
• Saucedo Raul Mario
• Cano Gustavo
• Sievers Scott C

Classifications

• G02B6/44526

  Panels or rackmounts covering a whole width of the frame or rack · CPC title

• G02B6/44528

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

• G02B6/4452 Primary

  Distribution frames · CPC title

• G02B6/4472

  Manifolds · CPC title

• G02B6/4471

  Terminating devices (demountable connectors G02B6/3807); Cable clamps · CPC title