Fiber distribution hub with outside accessible grounding terminals

Abstract

The present disclosure relates to a telecommunications distribution hub having a cabinet that defines a primary compartment. The cabinet also includes one or more main doors for accessing the primary compartment. Telecommunications equipment is mounted within the primary compartment. The distribution hub further includes a secondary compartment that can be accessed from an exterior of the cabinet without accessing the primary compartment. A grounding interface is accessible from within the secondary compartment.

Description

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

FIG. 1 shows a passive fiber optic network;

FIG. 2A is a front perspective view of an example fiber distribution hub having a cabinet with front doors shown in a closed position;

FIG. 2B is a front perspective view of the fiber distribution hub of FIG. 2A with the cabinet doors shown in an open position;

FIG. 2C is a front perspective view of the fiber distribution hub of FIG. 2A with a swing frame swung out of the cabinet;

FIG. 3 is a schematic diagram showing an example cable routing scheme for the fiber distribution hub of FIG. 2A;

FIG. 4 is a front perspective view of the swing frame of FIG. 2C isolated from the fiber distribution hub;

FIG. 5 is a front side view of the swing frame of FIG. 4;

FIG. 6 is a right side view of the swing frame of FIG. 4;

FIG. 7 is a top view of the swing frame of FIG. 4;

FIGS. 8A-8C show one example of a splitter module of the distribution hub of FIG. 2A;

FIG. 9 shows an example splitter module having eight output fibers including connectorized ends secured to a storage module;

FIG. 10 depicts one example cable/fiber route from a splitter module mounted on a swing frame to a storage module mounted on the swing frame;

FIG. 11 depicts on example cable/fiber route from a splitter module mounted on a swing frame to a termination module mounted on the swing frame;

FIGS. 12A and 12B are front and rear perspective views of an example termination module of the distribution hub of FIG. 2A;

FIG. 13 is a rear perspective view of the swing frame of FIG. 4;

FIG. 14 is another perspective view of the swing frame of FIG. 4;

FIG. 15 is a left side view of the swing frame of FIG. 4;

FIG. 16 is a rear view of a swing frame including example interface devices and cable management devices mounted at the rear side of a swing frame;

FIG. 17 is a rear perspective view depicting one example configuration of interface devices and cable management devices on a swing frame;

FIG. 18 is a rear perspective view depicting another example configuration of interface devices and cable management devices;

FIG. 19 is a rear perspective view depicting yet another example configuration of interface devices and cable management devices;

FIG. 20 is a rear view of a fiber distribution hub cabinet having a secondary compartment or pocket for housing a cable grounding interface;

FIG. 21 is a front view of the fiber distribution hub of FIG. 20 with the cabinet open and the swing frame pivoted out to show that the grounding pins of the grounding interface project into the interior of a main compartment of the cabinet;

FIG. 22 is a perspective view of the secondary compartment of FIG. 20 in isolation from the main cabinet of the fiber distribution hub;

FIG. 23 is a cross sectional view taken along section line 23-23 of FIG. 20;

FIG. 24 illustrates one side of an alternative secondary compartment that can be accessed from the backside of a telecommunications cabinet;

FIG. 25 illustrates an opposite side of the alternative secondary compartment of FIG. 24;

FIG. 26 is a top view of the secondary compartment of FIG. 24;

FIG. 27 is a cross-sectional view taken along the 27-27 line of FIG. 26;

FIG. 28 is the cross-sectional view of FIG. 27 with grounding wires extending into the secondary compartment and coupling to grounding posts within the secondary compartment;

FIG. 29 is the cross-sectional view of FIG. 28, except one of the grounding wires has been disengaged from one of the grounding posts;

FIG. 30 is a perspective view of an alternative swing frame;

FIG. 31 is a perspective view of yet another fiber distribution hub (FDH) with the swing frame swung out;

FIG. 32 is a front perspective view of the FHD of FIG. 31 with the top panel and the swing frame removed to enable viewing of the interior of the FDH;

FIG. 33 is an exploded front, perspective view of the FDH of FIG. 31 with the swing frame removed; and

FIG. 34 is a front, perspective view of the FDH of FIG. 31 with one termination module and a frame member exploded from the swing frame.

Claims

1. A telecommunications distribution hub comprising: a cabinet defining a primary compartment, the cabinet also including one or more main doors for accessing the primary compartment;telecommunications equipment mounted within the primary compartment;a secondary compartment that can be accessed from an exterior of the cabinet without accessing the primary compartment;a plurality of cable grounding terminals having first ends accessible from the primary compartment and second ends accessible the secondary compartment, the first ends being adapted to be electrically connected to shields of shielded cables routed to the cabinet;a cabinet grounding terminal electrically connected to the cabinet, the cabinet grounding terminal being adapted to be electrically connected to ground; anda bus for electrically connecting the cable grounding terminals to the cabinet grounding terminal.

2. The telecommunications distribution hub of claim 1, wherein the bus comprising a metal bus plate having openings through which the cable grounding terminals extend and to which the cabinet grounding terminal is electrically connected.

3. The telecommunications distribution hub of claim 2, further comprising one or more dielectric insulators positioned between the cable grounding terminals and the metal bus plate.

4. The telecommunications distribution hub of claim 3, wherein the one or more dielectric insulators include a plurality of bushings through which the cable grounding terminals extend, the bushings being positioned within the openings of the metal bus plate.

5. The telecommunications distribution hub of claim 3, further comprising plate contact members mounted on the cable grounding terminals, the plate contact members being movable between first positions where the plate contact members contact the metal bus plate to electrically connect the cable grounding terminals to the metal bus plate, and second positions where the plate contact members do not contact the metal bus plate and the cable grounding terminals are electrically isolated from the metal bus plate.

6. The telecommunications distribution hub of claim 5, wherein the cable grounding terminals are electrically isolated from the cabinet and the cable grounding terminal when the plate contact members are in the second positions.

7. The telecommunications distribution hub of claim 5, wherein a selected one of the cable grounding terminals can be electrically isolated from the other cable grounding terminals by moving the plate contact member of the selected cable grounding terminal to the second position.

8. The telecommunications distribution hub of claim 5, wherein the plate contact members include nuts, and wherein the cable grounding terminals include threaded posts.

9. The telecommunications distribution hub of claim 1, wherein the wherein the cable grounding terminals can be isolated from one another from the secondary compartment.

10. The telecommunications distribution hub of claim 1, wherein the wherein the cable grounding terminals can be disconnected from ground from the secondary compartment.

11. A telecommunications distribution hub comprising: a cabinet defining a primary compartment, the cabinet also including one or more main doors for accessing the primary compartment;telecommunications equipment mounted within the primary compartment;a secondary compartment that can be accessed from an exterior of the cabinet without accessing the primary compartment; anda grounding interface accessible from within the secondary compartment.

12. The telecommunications distribution hub of claim 11, wherein the grounding interface includes cable grounding terminals and means for selectively isolating the cable grounding terminals from one another.

13. The telecommunications distribution hub of claim 11, wherein the grounding interface includes cable grounding terminals and means for selectively disconnecting the cable grounding terminals from ground.

14. The telecommunications distribution hub of claim 11, further comprising a secondary door positioned at the exterior of the cabinet for opening and closing the secondary compartment.

15. The telecommunications distribution hub of claim 11, wherein the telecommunications equipment includes a splitter from which a plurality of connectorized splitter pigtails extend and a plurality of termination adapters into which the connectorized splitter pigtails can be inserted.

16. The telecommunications distribution hub of claim 11, wherein the grounding interface comprises a bus plate and a plurality of posts protruding from the bus plate, the posts being electrically connected to the bus plate, the bus plate being electrically connected to ground.

17. The telecommunications distribution hub of claim 16, wherein the grounding interface further comprises electrical wires extending into the secondary compartment, each of the electrical wires having an electrical contact that engages with one of the posts protruding from the bus plate to ground the electrical wire.

18. The telecommunications distribution hub of claim 17, wherein the grounding interface further comprises a first plurality of nuts mounted to the posts to secure the electrical contacts to the posts.

19. The telecommunications distribution hub of claim 17, wherein one of the electrical wires can be disconnected from ground by removing the electrical contact of the wire from the respective post.

20. The telecommunications distribution hub of claim 17, wherein the electrical wires are guided into the secondary compartment by foam support structures that enclose the secondary compartment.