Patent ID: 6920274

Claim:
A modular fiber optic system comprising: (a) a plurality of fiber optic modules including: (1) a module housing including two spaced-apart major sides extending parallel to one another, the major sides interconnected by two spaced-apart minor sides, extending parallel to one another, the major and minor sides extending between front and rear ends of the housing, the front end being open and defined by edges of the two major sides, each of the major sides including a plurality of apertures at the front end; (2) a front flange on one end of the front end; (3) two side flanges extending in opposite directions from one of the major sides; (4) a plurality of fiber optic adapters mounted to the front end, each adapter including two projections, each projection received in one of the apertures in each of the major sides; (5) a fiber optic coupler mounted within the module housing; (6) cables connecting the fiber optic adapters and the fiber optic couplers; (b) a chassis housing including: (1) first and second spaced apart ends, and first and second spaced apart sides extending between the ends to define an interior, the chassis housing defining an open front, the first and second ends extending generally horizontally, the first and second sides extending generally vertically; (2) a plurality of longitudinal guides positioned in the interior of the housing for slideably receiving the side flanges of the fiber optic modules through the open front; (c) a retention mechanism for retaining each fiber optic module with the chassis housing when each fiber optic module is partially removed from the interior of the chassis housing through the open front; (d) a lock for locking the front flange of each of the fiber optic modules to the chassis housing when the fiber optic modules are in the fully inserted positions.