In telecommunications industry, the demand for added capacity is growing rapidly. This demand is being met in part by the increasing use and density of fiber optic transmission equipment. Even though fiber optic equipment permits higher levels of transmission in the same or smaller footprint than traditional copper transmission equipment, the demand requires even higher levels of fiber density. This has led to the development of high-density fiber handling equipment.
Optical fiber connectors and fiber optic enclosures are an important part of most fiber optic communication systems. Fiber optic connectors allow two optical fibers to be quickly optically connected without requiring a splice. Fiber optic connectors can be used to optically interconnect two lengths of optical fiber. Fiber optic connectors can also be used to interconnect lengths of optical fiber to passive and active equipment. Fiber optic enclosures are incorporated into fiber optic networks to facilitate providing access to optical fibers of fiber optic network cables. Fiber optic enclosures often house components such as splice trays, passive optical splitters, fiber optic adapters, fiber optic connectors, connector storage regions, and other components.
Further development in such fiber termination systems is desired.
Some aspects of the disclosure are directed to an adapter holder assembly that receives one or more optical adapters (e.g., optical adapter blocks). The adapter holder assembly includes first and second holding members. Each optical adapter includes a first mounting member that engages the first holding member and a second mounting member that engages the second holding member. In certain examples, the optical adapters include adapter blocks that define rows of ports extending between the holding members.
In certain implementations, the holding members each define a channel to receive the optical adapter (e.g., to receive the mounting member of the optical adapter). In certain implementations, the mounting members of the optical adapter snap-fit to the respective holding members. In some implementations, the optical adapter is releasable from the holding members by applying a sufficient sliding force to the optical adapter towards the open ends of the channels. In other implementations, the holding members may include release members for each channel.
A variety of additional inventive aspects will be set forth in the description that follows. The inventive aspects can relate to individual features and to combinations of features. It is to be understood that both the forgoing general description and the following detailed description are exemplary and explanatory only and are not restrictive of the broad inventive concepts upon which the embodiments disclosed herein are based.
The accompanying drawings, which are incorporated in and constitute a part of the description, illustrate several aspects of the present disclosure. A brief description of the drawings is as follows:
Reference will now be made in detail to exemplary aspects of the present disclosure that are illustrated in the accompanying drawings. Wherever possible, the same reference numbers will be used throughout the drawings to refer to the same or like parts.
The present disclosure is directed to an adapter holder assembly 100 configured to support one or more optical adapters. Each optical adapter defines at least one pair of ports facing in opposite directions and aligned with each other along an insertion axis I. In certain implementations, each optical adapter includes an optical adapter block 116 that defines multiple pairs of oppositely facing ports 160. The adapter holder assembly 100 includes a plurality of holding members 114. Each holding member 114 is configured to retain a respective end of the one or more adapter blocks 116.
An example adapter block 116 is shown in
A mounting arrangement is disposed at each of the first and second ends 152, 154 of the adapter block 116. In certain implementations, the mounting arrangement includes a mounting member 156. The mounting member 156 includes a spacer 162 extending outwardly from the respective end 152, 154 of the adapter block 116 along a direction parallel with the length L of the adapter block 116. A tab 164 extends laterally outwardly from the spacer 162 so that the tab 164 extends parallel with the insertion axis I. The spacer 162 forms define a groove 166 between the tab 164 and the respective end 152, 154 of the adapter block 116. In certain examples, the mounting arrangement also includes a ramp and shoulder structure 158 spaced from the mounting member 156 in a direction parallel to the insertion axis I.
Referring back to
The adapter holder assembly 100 includes a first holding member 114a and a second holding member 114b spaced from each other along an axis F (
The first holding member 114a is configured to engage the mounting member 156 at the first end 152 of the adapter block 116 and the second holding member 114b is configured to engage the mounting member 156 at the second end 154 of the adapter block 116. In certain examples, each holding member 114, 114a, 114b snap-fits to engage the respective mounting member 156. In certain examples, the first and second holding members 114a, 114b are substantially similar except that they face in opposing directions. For the sake of convenience, overlapping details of the holding members 114a, 114b will be described herein with reference to a holding member 114 shown in
Each holding member 114 includes a body 118 having a height H (
In certain implementations, the holding member body 118 includes a mounting structure 132 at the first end 120. The holding member 114 is secured to an installation site using the mounting structure 132. In certain implementations, the mounting structure 132 includes one or more fastener openings 134. In certain examples, the body 118 defines fastener receptacles 138 accessible through the fastener openings 134. In certain implementations, the mounting structure 132 includes an alignment structure (e.g., an alignment peg) 136 that mates with an alignment structure (e.g., an alignment hole) at the installation site.
The body 118 of each holding member 114 defines at least one mounting channel 140 extending along the width W of the body 121 at the inner side 128. In certain implementations, the body 118 defines a plurality of mounting channels 140. In certain examples, each holding member 114 in an adapter holder assembly 100 has a common number of mounting channels 140. Each mounting channel 140 of a first of the holding members 114a aligns with a corresponding mounting channel of a second of the holding members 114b.
In certain implementations, each mounting channel 140 extends from an open end 142 to a closed end 144. In certain examples, the closed end 144 defines a stop surface against which the optical adapter 116 may abut to inhibit continued movement of the optical adapter 116 relative to the holding member 114 as will be described in more detail herein. In certain implementations, the body 118 includes an overhang portion 146 that extends over a portion of the mounting channel 140. In certain examples, the overhang portion 146 extends into the groove 166 above the spacer 162 of the mounting member 156 (e.g., see
In certain implementations, a mounting member 156 of the optical adapter 116 is configured to slide into a respective mounting channel 140 of the holding member 114. The mounting member 156 moves through the open end 142 of the mounting channel 140 along a slide path M (
In certain implementations, each holding member 114 includes a latch arm 168 extending along the mounting channel 140. The latch arm 168 is outwardly deflectable relative to the channel 140 (e.g., relative to the overhang portion 146 of the channel 140). The latch arm 168 including a latching hook 170 that snaps over the mounting member 156 when the mounting member 156 is received in the mounting channel 140 (e.g., see
As shown in
In some implementations, a transition surface 176 extends between the abutment surface 172 and the camming surface 174 (e.g.,
In other implementations, the catch surface 172 and the camming surface 174 meet at an angle (e.g., a 90 degree angle). In certain such implementations, the latching hook 170 is releasable from the mounting member 156 using a release member 178 (e.g., see
In certain implementations, the holding member 114 defines a plurality of mounting channels 140. Each mounting channel 140 has a corresponding latch arm 168. In an adapter holder assembly 100, each holding member 114 has a common number of channels 140 and latch arms 168 that align with each other along the first axis F. Accordingly, two holding members 114 in the holder assembly 100 cooperate to hold one or more adapter blocks 116 therebetween. The mounting channels 140 are spaced from each other along the height of the holding member 114. According, the adapter blocks 116 are spaced from each other along the height of the holding members 114. In certain examples, the adapter blocks 116 are sufficiently spaced to accommodate latches of plug connectors received at the ports 160 of the lower-mounted (e.g., bottom) adapter blocks 116.
One or more adapter blocks 116 may be mounted to the adapter holder assembly 100. In the example shown, two adapter blocks 116 are mounted to the holder assembly 100. In other examples, the holding members 114 can be configured to receive additional adapter blocks 116.
The enclosure 180 includes one or more cable ports 186 through which optical cables access the interior of the enclosure 180. In certain implementations, the one or more cable ports 186 are defined in the sidewall 184. Gaskets or other seals may be disposed at the ports 186. One or more of the cable ports 186 may be covered using a knock-out piece 188 to seal the enclosure interior until the port 186 is needed. In some examples, the cable ports 186 include glands that allow a cable to extend into the housing. In other examples, the cable ports 186 include connection interfaces (e.g., optical adapters) at which external cables can be connected to internal cabling.
One or more cable management structures 190 can be disposed within the enclosure 180 to guide cables and/or optical fibers to and from the optical adapters 116. Example cable management structures 190 include one or more bend radius limiters 192 (e.g., positioned to form a cable spool) and one or more support members 194 for cable ties. The cable management structures 190 guide optical fibers from the cable ports 186 to the optical adapters 116.
Having described the preferred aspects and implementations of the present disclosure, modifications and equivalents of the disclosed concepts may readily occur to one skilled in the art. However, it is intended that such modifications and equivalents be included within the scope of the claims which are appended hereto.
This application claims the benefit of U.S. Provisional Application No. 62/983,224, filed Feb. 28, 2020, and titled “Adapter Holder Assembly,” the disclosure of which is hereby incorporated herein by reference.
Number | Date | Country | |
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62983224 | Feb 2020 | US |