Patent ID: 7327926

Claim:
An optical fiber distribution system, comprising: a support structure with an upper end, a lower end, and a longitudinal axis; a first opening located adjacent the lower end of the support structure, the first opening being for receiving an input cable carrying an input signal and a second opening located adjacent the lower end of the support structure, the second opening being for receiving an output cable carrying an output signal; a plurality of fiber optic splitters located adjacent the upper end of the support structure, each fiber optic splitter configured to split the input signal into a plurality of secondary signals, each fiber optic splitter including an input location for receiving a connector terminated to the input cable and an output location for outputting a cable carrying one of the secondary signals; a plurality of adapters arranged generally radially about the longitudinal axis, the plurality of adapters located below the plurality of fiber optic splitters, each adapter including a first connection end for receiving the connector terminated to the cable carrying one of the secondary signals, each adapter also including a second connection end for receiving a connector terminated to the output cable; an excess connector storage structure for storing a cable carrying one of the secondary signals coming from the splitters that is not connected to an adapter, the excess connector storage structure providing a termination location for a cable without providing a continuous optical path for one of the secondary signals; a cable management structure, at least a portion of which is located between the plurality of fiber optic splitters and the plurality of adapters for directing a cable going from the output location of the splitters to either an adapter of the plurality of adapters or to the excess connector storage structure.