Patent Publication Number: US-2021173165-A1

Title: Telecommunications equipment frame

Description:
CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS 
     This application is being filed on Aug. 20, 2019 as a PCT International Patent Application and claims the benefit of U.S. Patent Application Ser. No. 62/720,057, filed on Aug. 20, 2018, and claims the benefit of U.S. Patent Application Ser. No. 62/720,784, filed on Aug. 21, 2018, and claims the benefit of U.S. Patent Application Ser. No. 62/803,961, filed on Feb. 11, 2019, the disclosures of which are incorporated herein by reference in their entireties. 
    
    
     BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
     Telecommunications equipment frames are known for holding equipment and managing telecommunications cables extending to and from the equipment. One common concern with telecommunications equipment frames is ease of managing the cables so as to avoid a cable mess or tangle where adding or removing cables is difficult. Another common concern is compact size for space savings, without compromising the ease of cable and equipment access. Improvements are desired 
     SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
     One aspect of the present invention relates to a telecommunications equipment frame including a central zone having a front and a rear and one or two slack storage zones on one side or both sides of the central zone. The central zone includes an open equipment zone positioned above a lower cable tray zone. The cable tray zone includes front trays. Openings are provided through the frame to access rear trays on a rear of the frame. The equipment zone is bounded by two upright supports for holding telecommunications equipment. There are no cable management trays in front of the equipment zone, or behind the equipment zone. 
    
    
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE FIGURES 
         FIG. 1  is a front perspective view of a first embodiment of a telecommunications equipment frame including telecommunications equipment; 
         FIG. 2  is front view of the telecommunications equipment frame of  FIG. 1 ; 
         FIG. 3  is a side view of the telecommunications equipment frame of  FIG. 1 ; 
         FIG. 4  is a top view of the telecommunications equipment frame of  FIG. 1 ; 
         FIG. 5  is an exploded perspective view of the telecommunications equipment frame, shown without the equipment; 
         FIG. 6  is a front perspective view of two of the telecommunications equipment frames of  FIG. 1  positioned side by side in a row; 
         FIG. 7  is a front view of the telecommunications equipment frames of  FIG. 6 ; 
         FIG. 8  is a rear perspective view of the telecommunications equipment frames of  FIG. 6 ; 
         FIGS. 9A-E  show various cable routings associated with the patch cords of the telecommunications equipment frame of  FIGS. 1-8 . 
         FIG. 10  is a front perspective view of the telecommunications equipment frame of  FIG. 1 , without any equipment; 
         FIG. 11  is a rear perspective view of the frame of  FIG. 10 ; 
         FIG. 12  is a front perspective view of the frame of  FIG. 10  including telecommunications equipment; 
         FIG. 13  is a rear perspective view of the frame of  FIG. 12 ; 
         FIG. 14  is a front perspective view of a second embodiment of a telecommunications frame including telecommunications equipment; 
         FIG. 15  is a front view of the telecommunications equipment frame of  FIG. 14 ; 
         FIG. 16  is a side view of the telecommunications equipment frame of  FIG. 14 ; 
         FIG. 17  is a top view of the telecommunications equipment frame of  FIG. 14 ; 
         FIG. 18  is an exploded perspective view of the telecommunications equipment frame of  FIG. 14 , shown without the equipment; 
         FIG. 19  is a front perspective view of two of the telecommunications equipment frames of  FIG. 14  positioned side-by-side in a row; 
         FIG. 20  is a front view of the telecommunications equipment frames of  FIG. 19 ; 
         FIG. 21  is a rear perspective view of the telecommunications equipment frames of  FIG. 19 ; 
         FIG. 22  is a front perspective view of a third embodiment of a telecommunications frame including telecommunications equipment; 
         FIG. 23  is a front view of the telecommunications equipment frame of  FIG. 22 ; 
         FIG. 24  is a side view of the telecommunications equipment frame of  FIG. 22 ; 
         FIG. 25  is a top view of the telecommunications equipment frame of  FIG. 22 ; 
         FIG. 26  is an exploded perspective view of the telecommunications equipment frame of  FIG. 22 , shown without the equipment; 
         FIG. 27  is a front perspective view of two of the telecommunications equipment frames of  FIG. 22  positioned side-by-side in a row; 
         FIG. 28  is a front view of the telecommunications equipment frames of  FIG. 27 ; 
         FIG. 29  is a rear perspective view of the telecommunications equipment frames of  FIG. 27 ; 
         FIG. 30  is an enlarged view of a portion of the incoming and outgoing cables and the telecommunications equipment in a rear perspective view; 
         FIG. 31  is a front perspective view of another embodiment of a telecommunications equipment frame configured to hold telecommunications equipment; 
         FIG. 32  is a rear perspective view of the telecommunications equipment frame of  FIG. 31 . 
         FIG. 33  is a front elevational view of the telecommunications equipment frame of  FIG. 31 . 
         FIG. 34  is a rear perspective view of the telecommunications equipment frame of  FIG. 31  with a splice equipment assembly exploded rearwardly from the frame and a cover exploded away from the splice equipment assembly. 
         FIG. 35  is a perspective view of an example splice equipment assembly with an access cover removed so that the interior is visible. 
         FIG. 36  is a first perspective view of an example splice tray assembly including a plurality of splice trays mounted to a frame. 
         FIG. 37  is a second perspective view of the example splice tray assembly of  FIG. 36  showing one splice tray in an access position and the remaining splice trays in a stowed position, a cover being removed from the splice tray in the access position so that splice holders are visible. 
         FIG. 38  is an elevational view of the splice equipment assembly of  FIG. 35  with the splice tray assemblies removed for ease in viewing the cable routing paths. 
         FIG. 39  is another perspective view of the splice equipment assembly of  FIG. 35  showing examples of the first cable routing paths. 
         FIG. 40  is a perspective view of an example splice equipment assembly of  FIG. 35  showing examples of the second cable routing paths. 
     
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS 
     Referring now to  FIGS. 1-13 , a telecommunications equipment frame  10 , or frame  10 , is shown. Frame  10  holds equipment  12  for which various cables run to and from for telecommunications connectivity. As will be described below in the example embodiments, equipment  12  has incoming and outgoing cables  14 , as well as patch cables or patch cords  16  which connect different pieces of equipment  12  to each other, or to other telecommunications equipment. The preferred embodiments use fiber optic cables  14 ,  16 . 
     Frame  10  includes a top  18 , a bottom  20 , a right side  22 , and a left side  24 . In the example embodiments, frame  10  is defined as including a front  26 , and a rear  28 . In the example embodiments, the patch cords  16  typically are managed and connected to equipment  12  on front  26  of frame  10 . The incoming and outgoing cables  14  are typically managed on rear  28  of frame  10 . The patch cord  16  can also be managed on rear  28  of frame  10 . 
     Frame  10  includes a central zone  40 . Central zone  40  includes an upper equipment zone  42  and a lower cable tray zone  44 . On either side of central zone  40  are slack storage zones  46 . In the illustrated embodiment, frame  10  includes two slack storage zones  46  which are mirror images of one another. Slack storage zone  46  includes cable management fingers  48  in a vertical column dividing the slack storage zone  46  from the central zone  40  in the area of the equipment zone  42 . Management fingers support cables exiting horizontally from equipment  12 . 
     Slack storage zone  46  further includes a first cable channel  80 , a second cable channel  82 , a third cable channel  84 , and a fourth cable channel  86 . These channels are generally vertically oriented for handling cables in various manners, as will be described herein. With respect to cable tray zone  44 , the illustrated preferred embodiments include three front trays in the form of a first front tray  60 , a second front tray  62 , and a third front tray  64 . On a rear of frame  10 , three trays are also provided in the form of a first rear tray  70 , a second rear tray, and a third rear tray  74 . At a minimum, one front tray and one rear tray are useful for cable routing with respect to frame  10  and other frames  10  lined up in a row. 
     Frame  10  defines various cable pathways for the patch cables to move within frame  10 , to move between frames  10  and to exit from frame  10 . In general, frame  10  defines three horizontal front cable pathways  102 ,  104 ,  106 . Frame  10  also further defines three rear horizontal pathways  112 ,  114 ,  116 . Frame  10  further defines three front to rear pathways also extending in a horizontal direction. The front-to-rear pathways  122 ,  124 ,  126  allow for cable communication between the front horizontal pathways  102 ,  104 ,  106  and the rear horizontal pathways  112 ,  114 ,  116 . 
       FIG. 7  shows cables or cords A-D as examples. Cable A extends from the front to the rear and back to the front. Cable B shows how cables exit the frame to go elsewhere in the facility. Cable C shows how a cable can go between two frames  10 . Cable D shows how a cable can pass through the two frames  10  to other frames or locations. Other variations are possible. 
     Central zone  40  includes a base  140 , two vertical uprights  142 , and a top bar  144 . Vertical uprights  142  are configured for receiving equipment  12 , such as with fasteners. 
     Slack storage zone  46  includes a slack storage body  148 , including a first side  150  spaced from a second side  152  and connected by a back  154 . 
     Slack storage zone  46  includes a lower divider  160 , a first divider  162  and a second divider  164  for defining the various channels  80 ,  82 ,  84 ,  86 . 
     Various cable management spools and/or radius limiters are utilized in slack storage zone  46  including a lower spool  180 , a column of middle spools  182 , a second lower spool  184 , and an upper radius limiter  5  and lower  186 ,  188 . Lower divider  160  encourages a technician to use a proper spool  182  for slack storage. 
     Front trays  60 ,  62 ,  64  generally all include a base  200 , an opening  202 , opposite ends  204 ,  206 , and a front flange  208 . In the illustrated embodiment, each of the front trays  60 ,  62 ,  64  have different lengths. Front trays  60 ,  62  have rounded ends  204 ,  206  in a downward direction for cable radius limiter protection. In other embodiments, the front trays  60 ,  62 ,  64  can all have the same length (see  FIGS. 22-29 ). 
     Frame  10  also includes a main front base  220 , and a main rear base  222  for engaging the floor of the facility. 
     Guides  240  define the front to rear passages  122 ,  124 ,  126 . Guides  240  are received in openings  202  of front trays  60 ,  62 ,  64 . Guides  240  include a base  242  with uprights  244  to provide cable radius limiter protection. 
     Rear trays  70 ,  72 ,  74  all generally include a base  260 , a first flange  262 , a spaced apart second flange  264  defining a channel, and two ends  266 ,  268 . 
     Frame  10  also includes rear mounting strips  280  and a plurality of rear brackets  282 ,  284  for managing cables on rear  28  of frame  10 , such as the incoming and outgoing cables  14 . Brackets  282  are shown as U-shaped, and brackets  284  are shown as planar shapes. 
     When two or more frames  10  are positioned side by side, the troughs of rear  28  frame  10  generally align to present a continuous trough surface extending between adjacent frames. More than two frames can be provided and allow for cabling to extend between one frame to any other frame in the same row. Front trays  116  also align. 
     Patch cables are managed on the front  26  of frame  10  utilizing the slack storage zones  46  and the front trays  60 ,  62 ,  64 . The front to rear pathways  122 ,  124 ,  126  allow for patch cables to move between front  26  and rear  28  of frame  10 . With such a feature, patch cables can extend between different frames also using rear trays  70 ,  72 ,  74 . 
     A technician can utilize the front trays  60 ,  62 ,  64  as desired for managing patch cables within frame  10 , or between adjacent frames in a row. Also, the technician can have patch cables  16  exit frame  10  vertically and enter a cable management system, such as fiber trough system positioned above frames  10  and be transported to other areas within the facility, or to another row of frames  10 . One such system is a Fiberguide Trough System by CommScope of Hickory, N.C. Equipment  12  can be any or a variety of equipment, such as passive or active equipment. In one example embodiment, equipment  12  is a chassis with internal blades including connectivity equipment, such as connectors and adapters. Breakout modules and splitter modules can also be used. Further details pertaining to the bladed chasses can be found in U.S. Publication No. 2018-0224621 and U.S. Pat. No. 9,709,765, the disclosures of which are hereby incorporated herein by reference. 
       FIGS. 9A-E  show various examples of patch cords  14  and possible pathways for the cords to follow. Cord  302  exits the equipment  12  to the left, to trough  60 , pathway  102  and then pathway  122  to the rear  28  of frame  10 . Cord  304  exits the equipment  12  to the right, to trough  62  to pathway  104  and then pathway  124  to the rear  28  of frame  10 . Cord  306  exits the equipment  12  to the left, to channel  86  and then out of frame  10 . Cord  308  exits the equipment  12  to the right, to trough  64  to pathway  106  and then horizontally to another frame  10 . Cords  310 ,  312  exit the equipment  12  to the left, to trough  62 , pathway  104  and then pathway  124  to the rear  28  of frame  10 , for management together. Cord  314  exits the equipment  12  to the left, to trough  64 , pathway  106  and then pathway  126  to the rear  28  of frame  10 . Cord  316  exits the equipment  12  to the right, to channel  84  to pathway  126  and then horizontally out of frame  10  to another frame. Cords  318 ,  320  exit the equipment  12  to the left, to troughs  60  and  62  respectively, pathways  102  and  104  respectively and then pathways  122  and  124  respectively to the rear  28  of frame  10 , for management separately. 
     A second embodiment of frame  1010  is shown in  FIGS. 14-21 . Similar functionality and structure is provided as in frame  10 . 
     A third embodiment of frame  2010  is shown in  FIGS. 22-30 . Similar functionality and structure is provided as in frame  10 . In this embodiment, the front trays  2060 ,  2062 ,  2064  all have the same length and align to form complete troughs when more than one frame  2010  is provided in a row. 
     With the various embodiments of frames  10 ,  1010 ,  2010 , a technician can manage cables to and from equipment using both the front side and the rear side of the frames. The patch cords linking equipment  12  can be managed solely on the front side or with a combination of the front side trays and the rear side trays. The trays are located below the equipment. The trays are easily accessible for the cables via the cable slack storage systems. The equipment zone defines an obstructed space for a variety of sizes of equipment, such as in the vertical direction and in a depth direction. No front or rear troughs interfere with the equipment during assembly of the frame. No rear troughs need to be specially placed behind the equipment. All of the rear troughing is positioned in the cable tray zone away from the equipment zone. With the cable slack zones allowing for cables to pass to the trays, the technician has a variety of routing options. Such options include side to side, front to back, or out the top of the frame. Such a frame is more versatile than one designed for certain equipment with a defined height and depth. In the disclosed frames, a wide variety of equipment heights and depths can be handled without modifications to the frame. 
     A fourth embodiment  3010  of a frame (e.g., a telecommunications equipment frame) is shown in  FIGS. 31-34 . Similar functionality and structure is provided as in frame  10  except that the central zone  3040  of the frame  3010  includes a larger upper equipment zone  3042  and a smaller lower cable tray zone  3044 . For example, the cable tray zone  3044  include only one front tray  3064  and one rear tray  3074 . 
     Equipment  3012  are mountable at the upper equipment zone  3042 . Equipment  3012  has incoming and outgoing cables  3014 , as well as patch cables or patch cords which connect different pieces of equipment  3012  to each other, or to other telecommunications equipment. The patch cords  3016  typically are managed and connected to equipment  3012  on a front  3026  of frame  3010 . The incoming and outgoing cables  3014  are typically managed on a rear  3028  of frame  3010 . The patch cord  3016  also can be managed on the rear  3028  of frame  3010 . 
     On either side of central zone  3040  are slack storage zones  3046 . In the illustrated embodiment, frame  3010  includes two slack storage zones  3046  which are mirror images of one another. Slack storage zone  3046  includes cable management fingers  3048  in a vertical column dividing the slack storage zone  3046  from the central zone  3040  in the area of the equipment zone  3042 . Management fingers support cables exiting horizontally from equipment  3012 . 
     Slack storage zone  3046  includes a first cable channel  3080 , a second cable channel  3082 , a third cable channel  3084 , and a fourth cable channel  3086 . These channels are generally vertically oriented for handling cables. Each slack storage zone  3046  includes a lower divider  3160 , a first divider  3162  and a second divider  3164  for defining the various channels  3080 ,  3082 ,  3084 ,  3086 . Various cable management spools and/or radius limiters are utilized in each slack storage zone  3046  including a lower spool  3180 , a column of middle spools  3182 , one or more second lower spools  3184 , an upper radius limiter  3186 , and a lower radius limiter  3188 . The lower divider  3160  encourages a technician to use a proper spool  3182  for slack storage. 
     In accordance with some aspects of the disclosure, a splice equipment assembly  3200  can be mounted at the rear  3028  of the frame  3010 . For example, the splice equipment assembly  3200  can be mounted at the rear  3028  to one side of the central zone  3040 . Cables on rear  3028  of frame  3010 , such as the incoming and outgoing cables  3014 , can be spliced to one or more trunk cables  3008  routed to the frame  3010 . 
     Frame  3010  also may include one or more rear mounting strips and/or a plurality of rear brackets  3282 ,  3284  at the rear of the frame  3010  at the opposite side of the central zone  3040 . Brackets  3282  are shown as U-shaped, and brackets  3284  are shown as planar shapes. 
     As shown in  FIG. 34 , the splice equipment assembly  3200  includes a body  3202  and a cover  3204 . The body  3202  defines an interior  3206  accessible through an access aperture  3208 . The cover  3204  is movable to selectively cover and expose the access aperture  3208 . In some examples, the cover  3204  is pivotable relative to the body  3202 . In other examples, the cover  3204  is removable from the body  3202  (e.g., by lifting the cover  3204  to free tabs of the cover  3204  from slots defined by the body  3202 ). 
     The body  3202  also defines a trunk cable port arrangement  3210  through which the trunk cables  3008  may extend into the interior  3206  of the splice equipment assembly  3200  and at least one equipment cable port  3212  through which the incoming and outgoing cables  3014  of the equipment  3012  may extend into the interior  3206  of the splice equipment assembly  3200 . One or more splice trays  3224  are disposed within the interior  3206 . The trunk cables  3008  are optically coupled to the incoming and outgoing cables  3014  at the splice trays  3224 . A user may access the splice trays  3224  through the access aperture  3208 . 
     In certain examples, the incoming and outgoing cables  3014  include fibers or fiber ribbons disposed within protective sleeving (e.g., mesh sleeves). The protective sleeving may have first ends disposed within the equipment  3012  and second ends that are disposed within the splice equipment assembly  3200  when the incoming and outgoing cables  3014  are routed to the splice trays  3224  within the splice equipment assembly  3200 . In certain examples, the second ends of the protective sleeving may be routed to the respective splice trays  3224 . In an example, the second ends of the protective sleeving may be anchored to the respective splice trays  3224 . 
     In certain implementations, a conduit C may be positioned around the incoming and outgoing cables  3014  between the equipment  3012  and the splice equipment assembly  3200 . In certain examples, the conduit C includes a corrugated tube (e.g., a plastic tube). In certain examples, the conduit C is slit to enable lateral mounting of the conduit C about the cables  3014 . In some examples, the conduit C surrounds the protective sleeving disposed about the incoming and outgoing cables  3014 . In other examples, the incoming and outgoing cables  3014  within the conduit C do not have protective sleeving. 
     In some examples, the conduit C extends to the equipment cable port  3212 . In certain examples, the conduit C extends at least partially through the equipment cable port  3212 . In an example, an end of the conduit C is secured at the equipment cable port  3212  (e.g., clamped at a plug received in the equipment cable port  3212 ). In other examples, the conduit C extends through the equipment cable port  3212  and into an interior  3206  of the splice equipment assembly  3200 . In some examples, the conduit C extends from an interior of the equipment  3012 . In other examples, the conduit C extends from an exterior of the equipment  3012  adjacent an exit cable port. 
     In certain implementations, the body  3202  of the splice equipment assembly  3200  includes a rear wall  3230 , a first side wall  3232 , an opposite second side wall  3234 , a bottom wall  3236 , and a top wall  3238 . In certain examples, the access aperture  3208  is generally defined by edges of the first side wall  3232 , the second side wall  3234 , the bottom wall  3236 , and the top wall  3238 . Retaining lips  3240  may extend into the access aperture  3208  from the bottom wall  3236  and/or from the top wall  3238 . 
     In certain examples, the trunk cable port arrangement  3210  is disposed at the top wall  3238 . In some examples, the trunk cable port arrangement  3210  includes a single aperture through which multiple trunk cables  3008  may extend. In other examples, the trunk cable port arrangement  3210  includes a plurality of apertures through which respective trunk cables may extend. In some examples, the trunk cable port arrangement  3210  is environmentally sealed. In other examples, the trunk cable port arrangement  3210  may include a non-sealing cover  3214  to inhibit dust or other such contaminants from entering the splice enclosure. In an example, the cover  3214  includes a brush-style element extending across the one or more apertures of the trunk cable port arrangement  3210 . 
     In certain implementations, the trunk cables  3008  may be anchored within the interior  3206  of the splice equipment assembly  3200 . For example, an anchor block  3260  may be disposed within the splice equipment assembly  3200  (e.g., at the rear wall  3230 ). One or more clamps  3262  are mounted to the anchor block  3260  to hold the trunk cables  3008  to the anchor block  3260 . In certain examples, the anchor block  3260  is disposed at an upper portion of the splice module interior  3206  adjacent the trunk cable port arrangement  3210 . 
     In some implementations, the splice equipment assembly  3200  has a height H M  that extends along a majority of a height H C  of the upper equipment zone  3042 . In certain implementations, the height H M  is substantially the same as the height H C  of the upper equipment zone  3042 . In certain examples, the height H M  of the splice equipment assembly  3200  extends along a majority of a height of the frame  3010 . In certain examples, the height H M  of the splice equipment assembly  3200  is sufficient to enable spacing of the equipment cable ports  3212  along the side of the upper equipment zone  3042  so that incoming and outgoing cables  3014  can extend generally straight between the respective equipment  3012  and a respective equipment cable port  3212  (e.g., see  FIG. 33 ). 
     As shown in  FIGS. 35-37 , the splice trays  3224  can be organized into one or more splice tray assemblies  3220 . Each splice tray assembly  3220  includes one or more splice trays  3224  coupled to a mounting frame  3222 . In certain examples, the mounting frame  3222  secures to the rear wall  3230 . In certain examples, the trays  3224  are staggered along the mounting frame  3222  for easier access. For example, each tray  3224  may be mounted at a different position along a ramped surface of the frame  3222 . In certain examples, the splice trays  3224  are removably mounted to the frame  3222  so that one or more of the trays  3224  can be removed from the frame  3222  and moved to a nearby work surface without disconnecting the already spliced cables. 
     In certain implementations, each splice tray  3224  has a first major side and a second major side. The first major side includes splice holders  3226  at which optical splices can be stored. A removable cover  3228  can be disposed at the first major side to cover the splice holders (see  FIG. 37 ). 
     Each tray  3224  may be separately movable relative to the frame  3222  between a stowed position and an access position. For example, in  FIG. 37 , a forward-most tray  3224  is disposed in the access position while the remaining trays  3224  of the splice tray assembly  3220  are disposed in the stowed position. When in the access position, the first major side of the tray  3224  is accessible to a technician. When in the stowed position, the first major side faces the rear of the splice equipment assembly  3200  while the second major side faces the access aperture  3208 . 
     Referring to  FIGS. 35 and 38-40 , certain implementations of the splice equipment assembly  3200  includes a cable routing arrangement  3250  that facilitates routing the cables  3008 ,  3014  from the cable ports  3210 ,  3212  to the splice trays  3224 . In some implementations, the cable routing arrangement  3250  includes various routing guides that define at least a first routing path P 1  between the trunk cable port arrangement  3210  and at least one splice tray  3224  and a second routing path P 2  between an equipment cable port  3212  and the at least one splice tray  3224  (see  FIG. 38 ). 
     In certain implementations, the second routing path P 2  is configured such that the incoming and outgoing cables  3014  of the equipment  3012  have a common length. For example, in such implementations, the incoming and outgoing cables  3014  routed to equipment  3012  mounted at a top of the frame  3222  have common lengths with the incoming and outgoing cables  3014  routed to equipment  3012  mounted at a middle of the frame  3222 . In certain examples, sufficient slack length of each incoming and outgoing cables  3014  is accommodated along the second routing path P 2  to enable the incoming and outgoing cables  3014  to have common lengths. 
     In certain implementations, the first routing path P 1  extends at least partially along the first side wall  3232  and does not extend along the second side wall  3234  while the second routing path P 2  extends at least partially along the second side wall  3234  and does not extend along the first side wall  3232 . In certain examples, the first routing path P 1  extends at least partially along the rear wall  3230 . In certain examples, the second routing path P 2  extends at least partially along the rear wall  3230 . In certain implementations, none of the routing paths P 1 , P 2  extend circumferentially around the splice trays  3224 . In certain implementations, the first routing path P 1  and the second routing path P 2  do not cross or otherwise overlap each other. Advantageously, by not crossing or otherwise overlapping the routing paths P 1 , P 2 , a splice tray  3224  to which fibers are routed can be more easily removed from the splice equipment assembly  3200  without disconnecting the fibers from the splice tray  3224 . 
     In certain implementations, multiple groups  3220  of splice trays  3224  are disposed within the interior  3206  of the splice equipment assembly  3200 . In some such implementations, separate first routing paths lead from the trunk cable port arrangement  3210  to the respective splice tray assemblies  3220  and separate second routing paths lead from certain ones of the equipment ports  3212  to the respective splice tray assemblies  3220 . 
     In certain examples, the interior  3206  of the splice equipment assembly  3200  includes a plurality of regions, each region has a respective splice tray assembly  3220 . In examples, each region has respective first and second cable routing paths P 1 , P 2  to the splice tray assembly  3220 . In an example, each region has a respective set of equipment cable ports  3212 . In the example shown, a first region R 1  is disposed above a second region R 2 . In other examples, the splice equipment assembly  3200  may include additional regions. In certain examples, the regions are disposed in a vertical column. 
     In certain implementations, the first routing path P 1  is configured such that the trunk cables  3008  have a common length. For example, the trunk cables  3008  routed to the splice tray assembly  3220  at the first region R 1  have a common length with the trunk cables  3008  routed to the splice tray assembly  3220  at the second region R 2 . In certain examples, sufficient slack length of each trunk cables  3008  is accommodated along the first routing path P 1  to enable the trunk cables  3008  to have common lengths. 
     For example, in  FIG. 36 , one first routing path P 1   a  extends from the trunk cable port arrangement  3210  towards a first splice tray assembly  3220   a  ( FIG. 35 ) in the first region R 1  and another first routing path P 1   b  extends from the trunk cable port arrangement  3210  towards a second splice tray assembly  3220   b  ( FIG. 35 ) in the second region R 2 . One second routing path P 2   a  extends from an equipment cable port  3212  towards the first splice tray assembly  3220   a  in the first region R 1  and another second routing path P 2   b  extends from another equipment cable port  3212  towards the second splice tray assembly  3220   b  in the second region R 2 . 
     In certain implementations, the splice tray splice tray assemblies  3220  are disposed within the interior  3206  so that for each first routing path P 1 , a majority of the path does not overlap with the other first routing paths P 1 . In certain implementations, the splice tray assemblies  3220  are disposed within the interior  3206  so that for each second routing path P 2 , a majority of the path does not overlap with the other second routing paths P 2 . In certain examples, the first splice tray assembly  3220   a  is disposed above the second splice tray assembly  3220   b . In such examples, one set of first and second cable routing paths P 1   a , P 2   a  may be disposed above a majority of another set of first and second cable routing paths P 1   b , P 2   b.    
     In certain implementations, one of the second routing paths P 2   a  is provided for fibers extending from any of a first set  3212   a  ( FIG. 39 ) of the equipment cable ports  3212  and another of the second cable routing paths P 2   b  is provided for fibers extending from any of a second set  3212   b  ( FIG. 39 ) of the equipment cable ports  3212 . 
     In certain implementations, the cable routing arrangement  3250  includes a combination of bend radius limiters  3252 ,  3256  and cable clips  3254 . For example, various bend radius limiters  3252 ,  3256  may be disposed at upper and/or lower portions of the cable routing paths P 1 , P 2  to create multiple loops or layers within the path. The cable clips  3254  manage the fibers along the paths P 1 , P 2 . 
     In the example shown in  FIGS. 38 and 39 , an example first cable routing path P 1   a  extends from the trunk cable port arrangement  3210  and at least partially down the rear wall  3230 . The first cable routing path P 1  loops back up an inner surface of the first side wall  3232  towards the rear, loops over a bend radius limiter  3252 , and extends back down the inner surface of the first side wall  3232 . Finally, the first cable routing path P 1  extends from the first side wall  3232 , around a spool  3256  or other bend radius limiter and up towards a splice tray  3224 . Cable clips  3254  may be disposed at the rear wall  3230  and the inner surface of the first side wall  3232  to hold the fibers at the respective walls. A half spool  3252  or other bend radius limiter may be disposed at the real wall  3230  above the first splice tray assembly  3220  of splice trays  3224  to guide the fibers from the trunk cable to a side of the splice trays  3224 . In certain examples, the spool  3256  is sufficiently deep to facilitate routing the trunk cable fibers to any of the splice trays  3224  in the splice tray assembly  3220 . 
     In the example shown in  FIGS. 38 and 40 , an example second cable routing path P 2   a  extends from the equipment cable ports  3212 , up an inner surface of the second side wall  3234 , over a half-spool  3252  or other bend radius limiter, down the inner surface of the second side wall  3234 , around a spool  3256  or other bend radius limiter, and up to the splice trays  3224 . In certain examples, additional half-spools  3252  or other bend radius limiters may be disposed at the inner surface of the second side wall  3234  to separate the fibers routed up the second side wall  3234  and the fibers routed down the second side wall  3234 . The additional radius limiters also may guide the equipment cable fibers from the equipment cable ports  3212  to the upward section of the path towards the rear side of the second side wall  3234 . 
     In some implementations, optical splicing between the equipment cable fibers and the trunk cable fibers is performed while the splice tray  3224  is mounted to the frame  3222  within the splice equipment assembly  3200 . For example, the desired splice tray  3224  can be pivoted or otherwise moved to the access position, the cover  3228  can be removed, and the optical splices can be mounted to the tray  3224 . In other implementations, the splice tray  3224  is removed from the splice equipment assembly  3200  to optically splice the equipment cable fibers and the trunk cable fibers. For example, the fibers routed to the splice tray  3224  can be unhooked from the radius limiter  3256  to enable the splice tray  3224  to be removed from the frame  3222  and moved to a work station external of the splice equipment assembly  3200 . 
     Various examples have been described in detail with reference to the drawings, wherein like reference numerals represent like parts and assemblies throughout the several views. Any examples set forth in this disclosure are not intended to be limiting and merely set forth some of the many possible ways for implementing the broad inventive aspects disclosed herein.