Keying for MPO systems

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-9739971-B2
Application number	US-201313780859-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Feb 28, 2013
Priority date	Mar 1, 2012
Publication date	Aug 22, 2017
Grant date	Aug 22, 2017

Abstract

Keying may be used to indicate various features of cables, cable connectors, and/or equipment. The keying mechanisms of the connectors systems disclosed herein identifies whether each plug is a pinned plug or a pinless plug. The keying mechanisms disclosed herein identify the number of optical fibers terminated at each plug. For example, one type of keying mechanism may indicate a cable plug manufactured under a 40 Gb/sec standard and another type of keying mechanism may indicate a cable plug manufactured under a 100 Gb/sec standard. The keying mechanisms may indicate a cabling/wiring pattern to be used (e.g., indicates a polarity of the cable). The cables and/or plugs may be color coded based on the keying mechanism. Accordingly, the keying may alert a user to the features of the cable that are not readily apparent upon a cursory inspection.

First claim

The invention claimed is:

1. An optical system comprising:
a first cassette arrangement including at least one cassette, each cassette having a first pinned end and a second pinned end, each pinned end forming a first part of a respective keying mechanism;
a first transceiver defining a first pinned interface; and
a first multi-fiber patchcord extending from a first end to a second end, the first patchcord having first and second multi-fiber connectors located at the first and second ends, respectively, the first multi-fiber connector of the first patchcord forming another part of the keying mechanism of the first pinned end of the cassette of the first cassette arrangement, the keying mechanism indicating that the first multi-fiber connector is pinless, the second multi-fiber connector of the first patchcord being keyless and being configured to fit with the pinned interface of the first transceiver.

2. The optical system of claim 1 , further comprising:
a second cassette arrangement including at least one cassette, each cassette having a first pinned end and a second pinned end, each pinned end forming a first part of a respective keying mechanism;
a second transceiver defining a second pinned interface;
a second patchcord having first and second pinless connectors, the second pinless connector of the second patchcord being keyless and being configured to fit with the second pinned interface of the second transceiver; and
a trunk cable having a first pinless connector and a second pinless connector, the first and second pinless connectors of the trunk cable being keyless, the first pinless connector of the trunk cable being configured to interface with the first pinned end of the first cassette arrangement.

3. The optical system of claim 2 , wherein the first pinless connector of the second patchcord forms another part of the keying mechanism of the second pinned end of the second cassette arrangement so that the first pinless connector of the second patchcord interfaces with the second pinned end of the second cassette arrangement.

4. The optical system of claim 2 , wherein the second pinless connector of the trunk cable is configured to plug into the first pinned end of the second cassette.

5. The optical system of claim 2 , further comprising:
a cross-connect including a first cross-connect coupler and a second cross-connect coupler; and
a cross-connect trunk cable having a first pinned connector and a second pinned connector, the first pinned connector of the cross-connect trunk cable being configured to plug into the first cross-connect coupler and the second pinned connector of the cross-connect trunk cable being configured to plug into the second cross-connect coupler.

6. The optical system of claim 5 , further comprising a second trunk cable having a first pinless connector and a second pinless connector, the first and second pinless connectors of the second trunk cable being keyless, the first pinless connector of the second trunk cable being configured to plug into the first pinned end of the second cassette arrangement, the second pinless connector of the second trunk cable being configured to interface with the second pinned connector of the cross-connect trunk cable at the second cross-connect coupler.

7. The optical system of claim 1 , wherein at least some of the connectors are color-coded to indicate a number of optical fibers terminated at the connectors.

8. The optical system of claim 1 , wherein at least some of the connectors are color-coded to indicate a cabling pattern to be used.

9. The optical system of claim 1 , wherein at least some of the connectors are color-coded to indicate whether each connector is pinned or pinless.

10. The optical system of claim 5 , wherein a jacket color of the trunk cable differs from a jacket color of the cross-connect trunk.

Assignees

• Tyco Electronics Corp
• Tyco Electronics Nederland Bv
• Commscope Technologies Llc

Inventors

• Eberle Jr James Joseph
• Van Geijn Franciscus Karel Maria

Classifications

• G02B6/4471 Primary

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

• G02B6/44528

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

• G02B6/3831 Primary

  comprising a keying element on the plug or adapter, e.g. to forbid wrong connection (keying element on the ferrule G02B6/3851; keying element for electrical coupling H01R13/64) · CPC title

• G02B6/3825

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

• G02B6/3882

  using rods, pins or balls to align a pair of ferrule ends · CPC title