Patent Publication Number: US-2002009278-A1

Title: Optic fiber management module and furniture incorporating same

Description:
FIELD OF THE INVENTION  
       [0001] The present invention relates to fiber optics and in particular to an optic fiber management module to be installed within a furniture system to distribute optical fiber to individual workstations. The present invention also relates to a furniture system incorporating an optic fiber management module.  
       BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION  
       [0002] In today&#39;s office environment, portable workstations are replacing permanent walled offices. Workstations of this nature allow offices to be reconfigured quickly to meet changing needs. In order to be effective, these portable workstations need to provide suitable connections for workstation equipment such as computers, telephones etc. to communication networks. Unfortunately, current furniture system designs have failed to keep pace with office environment needs.  
       [0003] It is therefore an object of the present invention to provide a novel optic fiber management module and a furniture system incorporating the same.  
       SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION  
       [0004] According to one aspect of the present invention there is provided an optic fiber management module comprising:  
       [0005] an optic fiber distributor to receive a multi-fiber optic cable and to fan out individual optic fibers of said cable to individual first connectors; and  
       [0006] a plurality of optic fiber sources each of which includes an optic fiber, each optic fiber having one end coupled to a respective one of said first connectors and an opposite end having a second connector thereon, each said optic fiber being extendible from said respective first connector to an end use thereby to bring the second connector to said end use.  
       [0007] Preferably, the one end of each optic fiber has a connector thereon to mate releasably with the respective one of the first connectors. It is also preferred that each of the optic fiber sources includes a spool loaded with a length of optic fiber. In one embodiment, the optic fiber management module further includes a bracket on which the optic fiber distributor and optic fiber sources are mounted. A plurality of posts extends from the bracket, with each post removably supporting a plurality of spools.  
       [0008] Preferably, the fiber optic distributor includes a third connector to receive releasably the multi-fiber optic cable and a plurality of optic fibers interconnecting the third connector and the first connectors. It is also preferred that the first and second connectors are MTJR connectors and the third connector is an MTP connector.  
       [0009] According to another aspect of the present invention there is provided a furniture system comprising:  
       [0010] a plurality of workstations; and  
       [0011] an optic fiber management module mounted on one of said workstations, said optic fiber management module including:  
       [0012] a mounting bracket;  
       [0013] an optic fiber distributor on said mounting bracket to receive a multi-fiber optic cable and to fan out individual optic fibers of said cable to individual first connectors; and  
       [0014] a plurality of optic fiber sources on said mounting bracket each of which includes an optic fiber, each optic fiber having one end coupled to a respective one of said first connectors and an opposite end having a second connector thereon, each said optic fiber extending from said respective first connector to a respective one of said workstations thereby to bring the second connector to said respective one of said workstations.  
       [0015] The present invention provides advantages in that the optic fiber management module allows furniture systems to be wired easily and effectively with optic fiber thereby to facilitate the connection of workstation equipment to communication networks. 
     
    
    
     BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS  
     [0016] An embodiment of the present invention will now be described more fully with reference to the accompanying drawings in which:  
     [0017]FIG. 1 is a perspective view of an optic fiber management module in accordance with the present invention;  
     [0018]FIG. 2 is a perspective view of a mounting bracket forming part of the optic fiber management module of FIG. 1;  
     [0019]FIG. 3 is a perspective view of an optic fiber distributor forming part of the optic fiber management module of FIG. 1;  
     [0020]FIG. 4 is a side elevational view of a furniture system incorporating the optic fiber management module of FIG. 1; and  
     [0021]FIG. 5 is a side elevational view of another furniture system incorporating the optic fiber management module of FIG. 1. 
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT  
     [0022] Turning now to FIGS.  1  to  3 , an optic fiber management module in accordance with the present invention is shown and is generally identified by reference numeral  10 . As can be seen, optic fiber management module  10  includes a steel mounting bracket  12  having a rectangular base  14  with flanges  16  running along its opposite major side edges. Spaced, elongate mounting holes  18  are provided in the flanges  16  to enable the bracket  12  to be secured to a workstation.  
     [0023] A pair of upright spaced, hollow spool posts  24  is welded to the base  14  nearer one of its ends. A pair of upstanding tabs  26  also extends from the base  14  nearer the other of its ends. Each tab  26  has a hole  28  provided therethrough. Secured to the tabs  26  by way of fasteners (not shown) is an optic fiber distribution module  30  designed to “fan out” optic fiber from a multi-fiber optic cable.  
     [0024] The optic fiber distribution module  30  includes an optic fiber distributor  34  as best illustrated in FIG. 3. Optic fiber distributor  34  includes a body  34   a  having an MTP connector  36  one on side of the body  34   a . A plurality, (in this example twelve), of MTRJ connectors  38  is provided on an opposite side of the body  34   a . Optic fibers (not shown) within the body  34   a  connect the MTP connector  36  to the individual MTRJ connectors  38 . In this manner, the individual fibers of a multi-fiber optic cable coupled to the MTP connector  36  can be fanned out to the individual MTRJ connectors  38 . A shallow U-shaped cover  32  overlies the optic fiber distributor  34  in a manner so that the MTP connector  36  and the MTRJ connectors  38  remain exposed.  
     [0025] A plurality of optic fiber spools  40  are removably loaded onto each of the spool posts  24 . In this particular example, three optic fiber spools  40  are shown loaded onto each spool post  24  for illustrative purposes. Each optic fiber spool  40  is preloaded with an appropriate length of optic fiber  42 . The ends of each optic fiber  42  have MTRJ connectors fitted thereon. In this way, one end of each optic fiber  42  can be releasably coupled to an MTRJ connector  38 . Each optic fiber  42  can be unwound from the spool  40  so that its other end terminates at a desired location.  
     [0026] In the present embodiment, the optic fiber management module  30  is designed to be used with a furniture system to allow the individual fibers in a multi-fiber optic cable to be fanned out to individual workstations of the furniture system.  
     [0027] Turning now to FIG. 4, a furniture system  50  including a plurality of workstations  52  is shown. The optic fiber management module  10  is secured to the back of one of the workstations  52  via fasteners (not shown) passing through the mounting holes  18  in the flanges  16  of bracket  12 .  
     [0028] Spools  40  with the appropriate lengths of optic fiber  42  necessary to wire the workstations  52  are loaded onto the spool posts  24 . Each spool  40  is associated with one of the workstations  52  and includes an appropriate length of optic fiber sufficient to extend between its associated workstation  52  and one of the MTRJ connectors  38 . The optic fiber  42  loaded on each spool  40  is unreeled from the spool  40  so that one of its ends is positioned at its associated workstation  52 . As the optic fiber  42  is unreeled from the spool  40 , it is laid in wiring channels  56  provided by the workstations. The end of the optic fiber  42  is then terminated either at an MTRJ connector  58  provided on the workstation  52  or at an MTRJ connector on workstation equipment (not shown). Although not shown, a grommet accommodated by the workstation  52  is used to secure the optic fiber  42  to the workstation  52 . The other end of the optic fiber  42  is unhooked from the spool  40  and its MTRJ connector is coupled to one of the MTRJ connectors  38  of the optic fiber distributor  34 . With the furniture system  50  wired in this manner, the optic fiber distribution module  30  can be coupled to a computer server  60  via multi-fiber optic cable  64  extending between a zone box  62  and the MTP connector  36  and between the zone box  62  and the computer server  60 .  
     [0029] In an alternative embodiment as shown in FIG. 5, each spool  40  is loaded with the same length of optic fiber  42 . A bracket (not shown) having a plurality of MTRJ connectors thereon is secured to the first workstation  52 . The optic fiber  42  of each spool  40  is coupled to one of the MTRJ connectors on the bracket and to one of the MTRJ connectors  38  of the optic fiber distributor  34 . Standard patch cords are then laid in the wiring channels  56  and run from the MTRJ connectors on the bracket to the individual workstations  52 .  
     [0030] As will be appreciated, the optic fiber management module  10  allows furniture systems to be wired with optic fiber in an easy and efficient manner. Although a preferred embodiment of the present invention has been described, those of skill in the art will appreciate that variations and modifications may be made without departing from the spirit and scope thereof as defined by the appended claims.