Abstract:
A two layer splitter tray ( 18 ) has a cover ( 32 ) which mounts to a base ( 34 ). The base ( 34 ) and the cover ( 32 ) define openings for one or more splitters ( 88 ). The base ( 34 ) and cover ( 32 ) include cable management devices ( 42, 64 ) for managing the cable and fiber inputs and outputs, and the splices. Further splice trays ( 16 ) can be used with the splitter tray ( 18 ) for splicing to the splitter outputs. Other trays ( 100, 200 ) include a partial cover ( 140, 240 ) and openings for optical components and for adhesive attachment of parts.

Description:
This application is a National Stage Application of PCT/EP2013/064175, filed 4 Jul. 2013, which claims benefit of U.S. Provisional Ser. No. 61/699,513, filed 9 Jul. 2012 and U.S. Provisional Ser. No. 61/791,206, filed 15 Mar. 2013 and which applications are incorporated herein by reference. To the extent appropriate, a claim of priority is made to each of the above disclosed applications. 
    
    
     BACKGROUND 
     The present invention relates to the management of optical fiber connections and in particular concerns optical fiber organizers including fiber trays. 
     An optical fiber organizer typically comprises optical fiber storage trays. The trays include various cable and fiber guides, and various guide walls and retaining tabs are provided for guiding incoming and outgoing fibers and cables to and from an organizer assembly. The trays are mounted on the support side by side in a one dimensional array in pivotal mounts. A cable with an optical fiber is fixed to the support and the fiber is guided to the respective tray. The tray includes a fixing arrangement for fixing optical fiber splices. 
     SUMMARY 
     Low profile splitter or filter trays are provided in which recesses and/or openings are provided in the tray base and/or the tray cover to fit over components on the tray without adding additional thickness to the tray. 
     In one system, a fiber organizer includes a plurality of splice trays, and a separate splitter tray for storing the splitter and splicing the input towards the splitter in a demarcation area. Splitter outputs are routed on the splice trays by additional tray inlets. The splitter can be fixed on the tray with an open fixation area. 
     The splitter tray is a two layer tray with only the top layer to be accessible to the installer. On the bottom of the splitter tray one or more the splitters are fixed and the splitter input is routed to the top layer of the splitter tray. On the bottom layer the splitter outputs are routed through the additional side entrance and fed through a hole in the support or groove plate. At the back of the groove plate the splitter outputs are divided toward the splice trays through further holes in the groove plate. On the splice trays, the splitter outputs are routed into the additional side entrance and fixed in this entrance port. 
     The splitter housing can be fixed wherein the splitter tray does not have a top and bottom covering, and the splitter is affixed to sidewalls in an opening. Alternatively, the splitter can be positioned in an unpacked state and top and bottom planes can be created. The present splitter tray is advantageous over separate splitter and splitter input splice trays, or locating the splitter in an area not on a tray. 
     The splitter tray is flexible allowing multiple cable routing configurations. 
     The splice trays are flexible allowing multiple cable routing configurations. 
     Additional trays are disclosed with recesses or openings in one or both of a tray base and a tray cover to receive a component, such as a splice or a filter. The cover only covers a portion of the tray in some embodiments. Fiber fixation areas are located under the cover in some embodiments. 
    
    
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
         FIG. 1  is a top perspective view of an organizer including a plurality of splice trays with a lower tray including splitter and splice functions; 
         FIG. 2  is a bottom perspective view of the organizer of  FIG. 1 ; 
         FIG. 3  is a rear view of the organizer of  FIG. 1 ; 
         FIG. 4  is a rear view of the organizer of  FIG. 3  without the cover; 
         FIG. 5  is a perspective view of the organizer of  FIG. 4 ; 
         FIG. 6  is a top perspective view of the splitter tray; 
         FIG. 7  is a bottom perspective view of the splitter tray; 
         FIG. 8  is a top view of the cover of the splitter tray; 
         FIG. 9  is a bottom view of the cover of  FIG. 5 ; 
         FIG. 10  is a top view of the base of the splitter tray; 
         FIG. 11  is a bottom view of the base of  FIG. 10 ; 
         FIG. 12  is a top perspective view of the splitter tray with the cover separated from the base; 
         FIG. 13  is a bottom perspective view of the splitter tray with the cover separated from the base; 
         FIGS. 14-21  show various cable routings on the splitter tray and the splice tray; 
         FIG. 22  is a top perspective view of an embodiment of a filter tray, shown without the cover; 
         FIG. 23  shows the tray of  FIG. 22 , including the cover; 
         FIG. 24  shows the tray of  FIG. 22  without the filters; 
         FIG. 25  shows the cover used with the tray of  FIG. 22 ; 
         FIG. 26  is a cross-sectional side view showing the filters in the tray, without the cover; 
         FIG. 27  shows in cross-sectional view in greater detail the tray, the filters, and the cover; 
         FIG. 28  shows the filter as one example filter usable in the tray of  FIGS. 22-27 ; 
         FIG. 29  is a top perspective view of an embodiment of a splitter tray, shown without the cover; 
         FIG. 30  shows the tray of  FIG. 29  including the cover; 
         FIG. 31  shows the tray of  FIG. 29  without the splitter; 
         FIG. 32  shows the cover used with the tray of  FIG. 29 ; 
         FIG. 33  is a cross-sectional side view showing the splitter in the tray, without the cover; 
         FIG. 34  shows in cross-sectional view in greater detail the tray, the splitter, and the cover; 
         FIG. 35  shows the splitter as one example splitter usable in the tray of  FIGS. 29-34 ; 
         FIGS. 36-39  show various routings of the input and output fibers to the trays of  FIGS. 22-35 . 
     
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION 
     Referring now to the figures, organizer  10  includes a support plate  12 . Support plate  12  pivotally mounts plurality of trays  14 . Upper trays  16  are splice trays. A lower tray  18  is a splitter tray. The trays  14  are pivotally mounted to allow selective access to a desired tray by a technician. 
     Splice trays  16  include areas for cable routing including various cable management devices  20  and splice holders  22 . Entrances and exits  26  are provided on each splice tray  16 . 
     Referring now to  FIGS. 6-13 , splitter tray  18  includes a cover  32  and a base  34 . Cover  32  snaps to base  34  with snaps  36 . Openings  40  define splitter mounting locations. In one implementation, splitter mounting locations  40  are completely open from a top to a bottom of splitter tray  18 . Cover  32  further includes cable management devices  42  for managing cables or fibers. Cover  32  also includes splice holders  44 . Cover  32  further defines entrances exits  46 . Base  34  includes a lower support surface  60  and an outer rim  62 . Base  34  includes cable management devices  64  for managing cables and fibers. Base  34  also includes entrances and exits  66 . Cover  32  further defines the hinge elements  70  for hingedly mounting splitter tray  18  to support plate  12 . Adjacent to splitter mounting locations  40 , base  34  includes a plurality of ribs  76 . Adjacent to ribs  76  are two openings  78  in cover  32 . In use, input fibers and output fibers are brought to base  34  and glued at the entrance and exit locations  66 . Adhesive can be inserted through openings  78  to hold the splitters  88  ( FIG. 14 ). Splitter  88  is positioned in one of the splitter mounting locations  40 . As shown, two splitters  88  can be provided. Each splitter  88  can be affixed with tape and/or potted with glue in glue areas  80 . 
     Various cable routing possibilities are provided the splitter input can be glued at one entrance, and the splitter outputs can be glued at one of the exits on an opposite side of base  34 . Glue areas  68  are provided on base  34 . The outputs can pass through the support plate for entry adjacent to a desired splice tray. Cover  32  can include input slack and a splice for splicing to an input cable. 
     A further option is to glue the inputs and the outputs on opposite sides of the cover  32  and route the input slack on cover  32  in an opposite direction toward splice holders  22 . The outputs would pass through alternative openings in support plate  12  for passage to the splice trays  16 . 
     A third option is that the inputs and outputs are affixed on the same side of cover  32  and the cable management devices  64  reroute one or the other of the inputs and outputs to allow for passage to a splitter. Cover  32  is used to manage slack for the input cable. 
       FIGS. 14 and 15  show one fiber routing option.  FIGS. 16 and 17  show another fiber routing option.  FIGS. 18 and 19  show another fiber routing option. 
       FIGS. 14 and 15  show a fiber input from the splice to the splitter FI, and a fiber output(s) from the splitter FO.  FIGS. 14 and 15  also show glue areas GA for the fibers. 
       FIGS. 16 and 17  show an alternative arrangement for the glue areas GA, fiber input FI, and fiber output FO. 
       FIGS. 18 and 19  show an alternative arrangement for the glue areas GA, fiber input FI, and fiber output FO. 
     A rear of support plate  12  can be provided with a cover  92  which can be affixed in place with snaps, adhesive, or a security label. The output fibers can be directed to the splice trays through openings  90  and can be glued to each splice tray at the entrance area. 
       FIG. 20  shows the routing of fiber from a fiber splice on splice tray  16  with the splice output shown as fiber FO.  FIG. 21  shows a rear of support plate  12 . 
     The organizer  10  allows for a variety of fiber and cable routing options for the inputs and the outputs of splitter trays  18  and the inputs and outputs of splice trays  16 . A user can enter and exit from different sides, the opposite different sides, the same side or the opposite side. 
     In one implementation, the splice trays  16  and the splitter tray  18  are the same thickness. In one example, the trays are four millimeters thick. 
     In the example shown, there are eight splice trays  16 , and one splitter tray  18  on support plate  12 . 
     By creating splitter mounting locations  40  in the form of openings through the cover  32  and the base  34 , a thinner splitter tray  18  is created. 
     By affixing cover  32  to base  34  after assembly, a technician is provided with limited access to the splitter  88  and the splitter inputs and outputs, except as they enter and exit the tray. 
     Cable management devices  20 ,  42 ,  64 , rim  62  and the various entrances and exits can be provided with appropriate curves or other structures to manage the cables. Fingers, bend radius limiting shapes, and S-bend devices can be provided. 
     Referring now to  FIGS. 22-28 , a filter tray  100  is shown. Tray  100  includes a base  102  a splice holder area  104  and a filter holder area  106 . Cable routing areas include an outer routing area  108  and an inner routing area  110 . Outer routing area  108  includes glue areas  112 ,  114  for fiber retention. Tray  100  defines hinge elements  120 . Tray includes a cover  140  which is sized to fit over filter holder area  106  and outer routing area  108 . As shown, cover  140  leaves inner routing area  110  exposed to help reduce the thickness of tray  10 . Slots  150  are provided in base  102  of tray  100 . Further slots  154  are provided in cover  140 . As illustrated, three filters  160  are shown in filter tray  100 . 
     Base  102  includes a notch  144  on outer rim  142  for receipt of cover  140 . This feature helps reduce the profile or height. Cover  140  also includes an inner notch  146  for receipt of a portion  156  of tray base  102 . 
     Cover  140  includes openings  158  for filing glue areas  112 ,  114 . Vent openings  162  are provided in cover  140  to allow for air venting during gluing. Cover  140  also includes openings  164  to apply glue and/or for venting in the filter area. Cover  140  is glued to base  102  and is not removable. 
     Splice holder area  104  can be used as desired. One use is for splicing to the incoming fibers. 
     Filter  160  is one example component. Others are possible. Filter  160  has a one fiber (pass)  166 , and two fibers (common-reflect)  168 . Tubular housing  170  is 3.8 mm in diameter in one example. Tray  100  is approximately 4.0 mm thick, in the illustrated example. 
     Referring now to  FIGS. 29-35 , a splitter tray  200  is shown with similar features to filter tray  100 . Tray  200  has a base  202 . A splitter holder area  206  is shown with a pocket  207  for holding a splitter  260 . Splitter  260  is a splitter of a known type, with the outer housing removed to reduce its profile. In a similar manner, cover  240  covers outer routing area  208  leaving inner routing area  210  exposed. Cover  240  is glued to base  202  and is not removable. 
     Splitter  260  includes an input fiber  262 , a chip  264  for splitting, and output fibers  266 . Chip  264  has a reduced profile due to the removal of the outer housing traditionally positioned around a splitter. If desired, splitter  260  can be glued into pocket  207 . 
     Both of trays  100 ,  200  include fiber access entrances/exits  180  for use as desired by the installing technician. 
     As shown in  FIGS. 36-39 , various cable routing pathways are provided which are applicable to both the filter tray  100  and the splitter tray  200 . The glue areas  112 ,  114  can be used for fiber retention. 
     PARTS LIST 
       10  Organizer 
       12  Support Plate 
       14  Trays 
       16  Splice Trays 
       18  Splitter Tray 
       20  Cable Management Devices 
       22  Splice Holders 
       24  Entrances/exits 
       32  Cover 
       34  Base 
       36  Snaps 
       40  Splitter Mounting Locations 
       42  Cable Management Devices 
       44  Splice Holder 
       46  Entrances/exits 
       60  Lower Support 
       62  Rim 
       64  Cable Management Devices 
       66  Entrances/exits 
       68  Glue Areas 
       70  Hinge Elements 
       76  Ribs 
       78  Openings 
       80  Glue areas 
       88  Splitters 
       90  Openings 
       92  Cover 
       100  Filter tray 
       102  Base 
       104  Splice holder area 
       106  Filter holder area 
       108  Outer routing area 
       110  Inner routing area 
       112  Glue area 
       114  Glue area 
       120  Hinge elements 
       140  Cover 
       142  Rim 
       144  Notch 
       146  Inner notch 
       150  Slots 
       154  Slots 
       156  Portion 
       158  Openings 
       160  Filters 
       162  Vent openings 
       164  Openings 
       166  Fiber (pass) 
       168  Fibers (common-reflect) 
       170  Tubular housing 
       180  Entrances/exits 
       200  Splitter tray 
       202  Base 
       206  Splitter holder area 
       207  Pocket 
       208  Outer routing area 
       210  Inner routing area 
       240  Cover 
       260  Splitter 
       262  Input fiber 
       264  Chip 
       266  Output fibers