The present disclosure relates to fiber management and, more particularly, to connector adapter trays.
In typical adaptor trays, connectors can be challenging to unlatch as the housing cannot easily be gripped. The tray can only be accessed from one side which may cause difficulties in some installations. Current adaptor trays have a ‘floor’ that prevents gripping the connector from above/below, and also prevents access from one side.
Conventionally, fiber trays route fibers across the tops of trays which limits access and flexibility when used with other components. When a large number of fibers are involved, the tray can get messy and difficult to organize. In tight spaces, it can be difficult to access the side of the tray where the fibers are routed.
In some enclosures or other tray mounting arrangements, a plurality of trays are positioned in a stacked arrangement where an upper tray must be moved to access a lower tray. In such arrangements, a technician must hold the upper tray in a position that allows access to the lower tray while the technician works with/on the lower tray. This requirement can impede efficient work.
In embodiments, an adapter tray retention portion may be configured to engage a ledge in an open position of an adapter try so as to allow a user to perform an operation without having to manually hold the adapter tray in the open position.
It may be desirable to provide a tray that has an open area that is configured to permit simultaneous access to a first side of a cable connector that faces a same direction as a first side of the adapter tray and a second side of the cable connector that faces a same direction as a second side of the adapter tray so as to facilitate connecting the connector to and disconnecting the connector from the adapter.
It may be desirable to provide a channel used for routing fibers through a fiber management tray. In embodiments, the channel can include an intersecting rib to separate the channel into a top and bottom half. The tray routing can enable fibers to be routed through both sections of the channel to separate different fiber groups going to either side of the adaptor tray, or to separate fibers going to different splice trays.
It may be desirable to provide a mechanism that holds an upper tray, or trays, in an open or upper position that allows access to trays below the upper tray without requiring the technician to hold, or otherwise prop, the upper tray in the open or upper position.
Embodiments provide an adapter tray configured to provide enhanced access adjacent to the adapter tray, including: a body portion; an adapter mounting portion that may be configured to receive an optical fiber cable adapter that may be configured to receive a cable connector attached to a cable; and an adapter tray retention portion that may be configured to extend from the body portion. The adapter tray retention portion may comprise a base portion engagement portion at a first end of the adapter tray retention portion that may be configured to engage a ledge on a base portion. The adapter tray retention portion may comprise an actuating portion at a second end of the adapter tray retention portion that may be configured to be actuated by a user to disengage the base portion engagement portion from the ledge. The adapter tray retention portion may comprise a fulcrum located between the base portion engagement portion and the actuating portion. The adapter tray retention portion may be configured to pivot about the fulcrum. The base portion engagement portion may be configured to be biased into a retaining position. The adapter tray may include a hinge portion that may be configured to be pivotally coupled with a receiving portion of the base portion such that the adapter tray may be configured to pivot between an open position and a closed position. The hinge portion may be located at a first end of the adapter tray. The adapter tray retention portion may be configured to retain the adapter tray in the open position when the base portion engagement portion engages the ledge. The adapter tray retention portion may be located at the first end of the adapter tray. The adapter tray retention portion may be structurally configured to engage at least a portion of the ledge in the open position of the adapter tray so as to allow a user to perform an optical fiber cable operation in an area that would be obstructed by the adapter tray in the closed position without having to manually hold the adapter tray in the open position.
In particular embodiments, the adapter tray retention portion may comprise an adapter tray clip.
In particular embodiments, the base portion engagement portion may comprise a latch portion.
In particular embodiments, the retaining position may be a latching position.
In particular embodiments, the actuating portion may comprise an actuating lever.
In particular embodiments, the adapter tray retention portion may be located at an extremity of the first end of the adapter tray.
In particular embodiments, the adapter tray may further comprise a perimeter portion and an inner cable retention portion that may be configured to be positioned between the perimeter portion and the adapter mounting portion.
In particular embodiments, the adapter tray may further comprise a perimeter portion; and the adapter mounting portion and the perimeter portion may be configured to define an open area inside the perimeter portion that may be structurally configured to permit access to a first side of a cable connector that faces a same direction as a first side of the cable adapter tray and a second side of the cable connector that faces a same direction as a second side of the cable adapter tray so as to facilitate connecting the cable connector to, and disconnecting the cable connector from, the adapter mounting portion.
Embodiments provide an adapter management device configured to provide enhanced access adjacent to the adapter management device, including: an adapter receiving portion; and an adapter management device retention portion. The adapter management device retention portion may comprise a base portion engagement portion that is configured to engage a base portion. The adapter management device retention portion may comprise an actuating portion that may be configured to be actuated by a user to disengage the base portion engagement portion from the base portion. The adapter management device may comprise a hinge portion that may be configured to permit the adapter management device to pivot between an open position and a closed position. The adapter management device retention portion may be configured to retain the adapter management device in the open position. The adapter management device retention portion may be structurally configured to engage at least a portion of the base portion in the open position of the adapter tray so as to allow a user to perform an optical fiber cable operation in an area that would be obstructed by the adapter tray in the closed position without having to manually hold the adapter tray in the open position.
In particular embodiments, the adapter management device retention portion may comprise a fulcrum located between the base portion engagement portion and the actuating portion.
In particular embodiments, the adapter management device retention portion may be configured to pivot about the fulcrum.
In particular embodiments, the base portion engagement portion may be configured to be biased into a retaining position.
In particular embodiments, the adapter receiving portion may be configured to receive an optical fiber cable adapter that is configured to receive a cable connector attached to a cable.
In particular embodiments, the base portion engagement portion may be located at a first end of the adapter management device retention portion.
In particular embodiments, the actuating portion may be located at a second end of the adapter management device retention portion, the second end of the adapter management device retention portion being opposite the first end of the adapter management device retention portion.
In particular embodiments, the hinge portion may be configured to be pivotally coupled with a receiving portion of the base portion.
In particular embodiments, the adapter management device retention portion may be configured to retain the adapter management device in the open position when the base portion engagement portion engages the ledge.
In particular embodiments, the hinge portion and the adapter management device retention portion may bee located at a same end of the adapter management device.
In particular embodiments, the adapter management device may further comprise a perimeter portion and an inner cable retention portion that may be configured to be positioned between the perimeter portion and the adapter receiving portion.
In particular embodiments, the adapter management device may further comprise a perimeter portion; and the adapter receiving portion and the perimeter portion may be configured to define an open area inside the perimeter portion that may be structurally configured to permit access to a first side of a cable connector that faces a same direction as a first side of the adapter management device and a second side of the cable connector that faces a same direction as a second side of the adapter management device so as to facilitate connecting the cable connector to, and disconnecting the cable connector from, the adapter receiving portion.
Embodiments provide an adapter management device for providing enhanced access adjacent to the adapter management device, including an adapter management device retention portion. The adapter management device may be configured to pivot between an open position and a closed position. The adapter management device retention portion may be structurally configured to engage at least a portion of a base portion in the open position of the adapter management device so as to allow a user to perform an optical fiber cable operation in an area that would be obstructed by the adapter management device in the closed position without having to manually hold the adapter management device in the open position.
In particular embodiments, the adapter management device may further comprise an adapter receiving portion. The adapter management device retention portion may comprise an engagement portion. The adapter management device retention portion may comprise an actuating portion.
In particular embodiments, the actuating portion may be configured to be actuated by a user to disengage the engagement portion from the base portion.
In particular embodiments, the adapter management device may comprise a hinge portion that may be configured to permit the adapter management device to pivot between the open position and the closed position.
In particular embodiments, the hinge portion and the adapter management device retention portion may be located at a same end of the adapter management device.
In particular embodiments, the adapter management device retention portion may comprise a fulcrum located between the engagement portion and the actuating portion.
In particular embodiments, the adapter management device retention portion may be configured to pivot about the fulcrum.
In particular embodiments, the adapter receiving portion may be configured to receive an optical fiber cable adapter that may be configured to receive a cable connector attached to a cable.
In particular embodiments, the engagement portion may be located at a first end of the adapter management device retention portion.
In particular embodiments, the actuating portion may be located at a second end of the adapter management device retention portion, the second end of the adapter management device retention portion being opposite the first end of the adapter management device retention portion.
In particular embodiments, the adapter management device may further comprise a perimeter portion and an inner cable retention portion.
In particular embodiments, the adapter management device may further comprise a perimeter portion and an adapter receiving portion, and the adapter receiving portion and the perimeter portion may be configured to define an open area inside the perimeter portion that may be structurally configured to permit access to a first side of a cable connector that faces a same direction as a first side of the adapter management device and a second side of the cable connector that faces a same direction as a second side of the adapter management device so as to facilitate connecting the cable connector to, and disconnecting the cable connector from, the adapter receiving portion.
In particular embodiments, the adapter management device retention portion may be configured to retain the adapter management device in the open position.
Various aspects of the system, as well as other embodiments, objects, features and advantages of this disclosure, will be apparent from the following detailed description of illustrative embodiments thereof, which is to be read in conjunction with the accompanying drawings.
2;
In embodiments, an adapter tray retention portion may be structurally configured to engage at least a portion of the ledge in the open position of the adapter tray so as to allow a user to perform an optical fiber cable operation in an area that would be obstructed by the adapter tray in the closed position without having to manually hold the adapter tray in the open position.
It may be desirable to provide a latch configured to engage a ledge in an open position of the adapter try such that the adapter tray is retained in the open position so as to allow a user to perform an operation in a location that is below the adapter tray without having to manually hold the adapter tray in the open position.
In the example shown in
In embodiments, a cable receiving portion separator portion that is configured to extend between the perimeter wall and the inner cable retention portion. The cable receiving portion separator portion is configured to separate an area between the perimeter wall and the inner cable retention portion into an upper or first cable receiving portion, for example, an upper or first cable channel, and a lower or second cable receiving portion, for example, a lower or second cable channel. The upper cable channel is configured to receive and retain one or more first cables, and the second cable channel is configured to receive and retain one or more second cables.
Referring back to
In embodiments, the cable insertion slots 901, 903 are configured to be wide enough to admit a cable or a bundle of cables, but narrow enough and angled enough to inhibit the cables from exiting the cable channel 303 without user manipulation. In embodiments, the cable insertion slots 901, 903 are located at the corners and sides of the rectangular adapter tray 202. In embodiments, cable insertion slots are located around the entire perimeter of the adapter tray 202.
While the embodiments described show one ledge 281 that is located in a position that is configured to receive the latch 1304 of the adapter tray 202 mounted in the upper or outer most position, other embodiments include additional ledges corresponding to other mounting positions such that one or more trays in positions other than the upper most position can be clipped open.
Although several embodiments of the disclosure have been disclosed in the foregoing specification, it is understood by those skilled in the art that many modifications and other embodiments of the disclosure will come to mind to which the disclosure pertains, having the benefit of the teaching presented in the foregoing description and associated drawings. It is thus understood that the disclosure is not limited to the specific embodiments disclosed herein above, and that many modifications and other embodiments are intended to be included within the scope of the appended claims. Moreover, although specific terms are employed herein, as well as in the claims which follow, they are used only in a generic and descriptive sense, and not for the purposes of limiting the present disclosure, nor the claims which follow.
This application claims the benefit of U.S. Provisional Application No. 63/441,105 filed Jan. 25, 2023, which is currently pending, the disclosure of which is hereby incorporated by reference herein in its entirety.
Number | Date | Country | |
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63441105 | Jan 2023 | US |