Patent Document

CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS 
       [0001]    The present application claims the benefit of U.S. Provisional Patent Application No. 61/233,558, filed Aug. 13, 2009, the entire contents of which is hereby incorporated by reference. 
     
    
     FIELD OF THE INVENTION 
       [0002]    The present invention is directed toward a fiber management component that includes a housing having a built-in support for holding a first portion of an optical fiber connection element and a second optical fiber connection element, and, more specifically, toward a fiber management component having a built-in support having a first receiver for slidably receiving a ferrule and a second receiver for releasably securing a spring push. 
       BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
       [0003]    A known type of optical fiber management component is connectable to a trunk cable and includes a plurality of adapters having female receptacles. Multiple optical fibers from the trunk cable are fanned out inside the component and individually connected to the adapters. Male connectors can be plugged into the female receptacles to form a connection between a fiber optic cable attached to the male connector and one of the fibers of the trunk cable. 
         [0004]    A modular fiber optic management component that may be mounted on a panel in a rack is sold under the trade name InstaPATCH by the assignee of the present application. This component is essentially a metal or plastic case in which a fan-out assembly is mounted. The fan-out assembly is a fixture constructed to hold a fan-out cable in a desired configuration with one connectorized end in a position to connect to a trunk cable and with connectors terminated on the side with the individual optical fibers ready to be connected to adapters. The fixture keeps the fibers organized and substantially prevents them from exceeding their minimum bend radius. The fixture also includes an opening for receiving an adapter which connects the end of the trunk cable to the end of the fan-out cable in the management component. 
         [0005]      FIG. 5  illustrates a conventional fan-out cable  500  having a connector  502  for connecting the fan-out cable  500  to another fiber optic cable, such as a trunk cable (not shown). The connector  502  includes a housing  504  having an inner housing portion  506  and an outer housing portion  508 , which inner housing portion  506  supports a ferrule  510 . The ferrule  510  includes narrow body portion  514  and a wide body portion  516  meeting the narrow body portion at a shoulder  518  which shoulder  518  abuts an inner wall of housing  504  leaving an end portion  520  of the ferrule  510  and two alignment pins  522  exposed outside the housing  504 . 
         [0006]    Fan-out cable  500  comprises a plurality of individual optical fibers  524  that form a bundle  526  which connects to ferrule  510 . The ferrule  510  holds the optical fibers with their end faces exposed on one end of the ferrule to facilitate a connection with the optical fibers of a similar ferrule positioned against ferrule  510 . A spring  527  surrounds the bundle  526 , and a spring push  528  having a body portion  530  and first and second flexible arms  532  having barbed ends  534  is connected to the bundle  526 . The barbed ends  534  of the flexible arms  532  engage openings  536  in the housing  504  to secure the fan-out cable  500  to the housing  504 . When connected in this manner, spring  527  is compressed between the body portion  530  of spring push  528  and an end of ferrule  510  and biases the ferrule  510  against the housing  504 . 
         [0007]    To connect ferrule  510  to a second ferrule in a second connector (not illustrated), the connectors are placed into openings on opposite ends of an adapter which holds the ends of the two ferrules (and the exposed optical fibers on the ferrules) against one another. Ferrule  510  is slidably mounted in inner housing portion  506 , and can be slid into housing  504  to accommodate slight axial mismatches when two connectors are placed into an adapter. This compresses spring  527  and flexes bundle  526 , but does not interfere with the use of the optical fibers. Outer housing portion  508  includes first and second flexible members  538  which can be pressed into outer housing portion  508  against barbed ends  534  of spring push  528  to push the barbed ends  534  out of openings  536  and thereby release spring push  528  from the housing  504 . 
         [0008]    The connector at the end of a fan-out cable contributes significantly to the cost of the fan-out cable, and the cost of the connector body of the connector is a significant portion of the cost of the connector. It would therefore be desirable to reduce the cost of fan-out cables and connectors therefore while still providing for efficient connections between optical cables, such as fan-out cables and trunk cables, at a fiber management device. 
       SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
       [0009]    These problems and others are addressed by embodiments of the present invention, a first aspect of which comprises a fiber management component that includes a housing having an interior, a floor in the interior and a first wall having an aperture communicating with the interior. A support is supported by the housing floor and has first and second elongated guide members extending toward the aperture. The first and second elongated guide members define a first receiver for slidably supporting a fan-out cable ferrule and a second receiver for releasably receiving a fan-out cable spring push. 
         [0010]    Another aspect of the invention comprises a fiber management component that includes a housing having an interior, a floor in the interior and a first wall having an aperture communicating with the interior. A platform is connected to the housing and has a first portion having a bore with a first end facing the aperture and a second portion comprising a channel extending toward the bore, the channel being configured to releasably secure a fan-out cable spring push to the platform. 
         [0011]    A further aspect of the invention comprises a fiber management device that includes a housing having an interior, a floor in the interior and a first wall having an aperture communicating with the interior, where the floor includes a connector arrangement for slidably supporting a ferrule and for engaging a spring push. 
     
    
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
         [0012]    These and other aspects of embodiments of the invention will be better understood after a reading of the following detailed description together with the attached drawings wherein: 
           [0013]      FIG. 1  is a perspective view of a fiber management device according to an embodiment of the present invention. 
           [0014]      FIG. 2  is an elevational view of a portion of a fan-out cable connector including a ferrule and a spring push. 
           [0015]      FIG. 3  is a top plan view of a portion of the fiber management device of  FIG. 1  with the fan-out cable of  FIG. 2  connected thereto. 
           [0016]      FIG. 4  is a perspective view of a fiber management device according to another embodiment of the present invention. 
           [0017]      FIG. 5  is an elevational view of a conventional fan-out cable connector having a connector housing. 
       
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION 
       [0018]    The present invention now is described more fully hereinafter with reference to the accompanying drawings, in which embodiments of the invention are shown. This invention may, however, be embodied in many different forms and should not be construed as limited to the embodiments set forth herein; rather, these embodiments are provided so that this disclosure will be thorough and complete, and will fully convey the scope of the invention to those skilled in the art. 
         [0019]    Like numbers refer to like elements throughout. In the figures, the thickness of certain lines, layers, components, elements or features may be exaggerated for clarity. Broken lines illustrate optional features or operations unless specified otherwise. 
         [0020]    The terminology used herein is for the purpose of describing particular embodiments only and is not intended to be limiting of the invention. Unless otherwise defined, all terms (including technical and scientific terms) used herein have the same meaning as commonly understood by one of ordinary skill in the art to which this invention belongs. It will be further understood that terms, such as those defined in commonly used dictionaries, should be interpreted as having a meaning that is consistent with their meaning in the context of the specification and relevant art and should not be interpreted in an idealized or overly formal sense unless expressly so defined herein. Well-known functions or constructions may not be described in detail for brevity and/or clarity. 
         [0021]    As used herein, the singular forms “a”, “an” and “the” are intended to include the plural forms as well, unless the context clearly indicates otherwise. It will be further understood that the terms “comprises” and/or “comprising,” when used in this specification, specify the presence of stated features, integers, steps, operations, elements, and/or components, but do not preclude the presence or addition of one or more other features, integers, steps, operations, elements, components, and/or groups thereof. As used herein, the term “and/or” includes any and all combinations of one or more of the associated listed items. As used herein, phrases such as “between X and Y” and “between about X and Y” should be interpreted to include X and Y. As used herein, phrases such as “between about X and Y” mean “between about X and about Y.” As used herein, phrases such as “from about X to Y” mean “from about X to about Y.” 
         [0022]    It will be understood that when an element is referred to as being “on”, “attached” to, “connected” to, “coupled” with, “contacting”, etc., another element, it can be directly on, attached to, connected to, coupled with or contacting the other element or intervening elements may also be present. In contrast, when an element is referred to as being, for example, “directly on”, “directly attached” to, “directly connected” to, “directly coupled” with or “directly contacting” another element, there are no intervening elements present. It will also be appreciated by those of skill in the art that references to a structure or feature that is disposed “adjacent” another feature may have portions that overlap or underlie the adjacent feature. 
         [0023]    Spatially relative terms, such as “under”, “below”, “lower”, “over”, “upper”, “lateral”, “left”, “right” and the like, may be used herein for ease of description to describe one element or feature&#39;s relationship to another element(s) or feature(s) as illustrated in the figures. It will be understood that the spatially relative terms are intended to encompass different orientations of the device in use or operation in addition to the orientation depicted in the figures. For example, if the device in the figures is inverted, elements described as “under” or “beneath” other elements or features would then be oriented “over” the other elements or features. The device may be otherwise oriented (rotated 90 degrees or at other orientations) and the descriptors of relative spatial relationships used herein interpreted accordingly. 
         [0024]      FIG. 1  illustrates a portion of a fiber management component comprising a housing  10  with a floor  12  and a rear wall  14  in an interior  16  of the housing  10 . The rear wall  14  includes a first aperture  18  and a second aperture  20 . A support  22  is mounted in the interior  16  on floor  12  and has a first end  24  proximate first aperture  18  and a second end  26  longitudinally spaced from first end  24  in housing interior  16 . A first receiver  28  is provided at first end  24  of support  22  and a second receiver  30  is provided at second end  26  of support  22 . First receiver  28  comprises a bore  34  having a first end  36  at first end  24  of the support  22  and a second end  38  facing the second end  26  of support  22 . Second receiver  30  comprises a channel  40  having first and second sidewalls  42  having inner sides  44  and outer sides  46  which channel  40  extends from an end wall  47  surrounding the second end  38  of bore  34  to the second end  26  of support  22 . Sidewalls  42  each include a notch  48  spaced from the second end  26  of support  22 , and protrusions  50  on their outer sides  46 . A web  52  supports support  22  on floor  16  such that first end  24  of support  22  is directed toward first aperture  18 . An additional support substantially identical to support  22  may be, and generally would be, provided in front of second aperture  20 , but is omitted in  FIG. 1  for clarity of illustration. 
         [0025]      FIG. 2  illustrates a fan-out cable  60  that can be mounted to support  22  as discussed further below. Fan-out cable  60  comprises a plurality of individual optical fibers  62  having terminal connectors  64  which optical fibers  62  are joined to form a bundle  66 . The bundle  66  is connected to a ferrule  68  in a conventional manner so that the end faces (not illustrated) of the individual fibers  62  are exposed at an end face  70  of ferrule  68  for connection to fibers at an end face of a second ferrule (not illustrated) held against ferrule  68  by an adapter (not illustrated). Two alignment pins  72  project from end face  70  of ferrule  68  which mate with openings in a second ferrule to properly align the first and second ferrules and their associated optical fibers. Ferrule  68  has a narrow portion  74  and a wide portion  76  at a second end  78  opposite end face  70  which wide portion  76  forms a shoulder  80  where it joins to narrow portion  74 . A spring  82  is placed over bundle  66  before it is connected to ferrule  68 , and a spring push  84  is secured to bundle  66 . 
         [0026]    Spring push  84  comprises a body portion  86  that slidably attaches to bundle  66 . First and second flexible legs  88  extend from body portion  86  each of which flexible legs  88  terminates in a barbed end portion  90 . A push wall  92  on body portion  86  between the flexible legs  88  engages spring  82  when the fan-out cable  60  is connected to support  22 . 
         [0027]    Fan-out cable  60  has some elements in common with the conventional fan-out cable  500  illustrated in  FIG. 5 ; however, unlike a conventional fan-out cable, fan-out cable  60  does not include a connector housing. Instead, fan-out cable  60  is connectable to support  22  in the housing  10  of the fiber management component. Eliminating the connector housing from the fan-out cable  60  reduces the cost of the fan-out cable and reduces the number of discrete elements that require assembly in a fiber management component. 
         [0028]    The connection of fan-out cable  60  to the support  22  of  FIG. 1  will now be described with reference to  FIG. 3 . The ferrule  68  of the fan-out cable  60  is placed into channel  40  of support  22  and moved into bore  34  until the wide portion  76  of the ferrule  68  abuts against end wall  47  of channel  40 . The length of narrow portion  74  of ferrule  68  is selected so that end face  70  and alignment pins  72  of ferrule  68  project slightly from the first end  36  of the bore  34 . As ferrule  68  moves into first receiver  28 , bundle  66  and spring  82  enter the channel  40  followed by the barbed end portions  90  of the first and second flexible legs  88  of spring push  84 . The angled ends of the barbed end portions  90  engage the inner sides  44  of channel side walls  42  and force the first and second flexible legs  88  toward each other as the spring push  84  moves toward the second end  38  of the first receiver  28 . The wide portion  76  of ferrule  68  engages end wall  47  of channel  40  before the barbed end portions  90  of the flexible legs  88  of the spring push  84  reach the first and second notches  48  of the sidewalls  42 . As spring push  84  is moved further along, the spring  82  is compressed between the second end  78  of ferrule  68  and the push wall  92  of the spring push  84 . When the barbed end portions  90  of the flexible legs  88  reach notches  48  in the sidewalls  42  of the channel  40 , the flexible legs  88  flex away from one another as the barbed end portions  90  enter the notches  48  thereby securing the fan-out cable  60  to the support  22 . 
         [0029]    Ferrule  68  is spring biased against end wall  47  of the channel  40 , but can move toward second end  26  of support  22  if a force is applied against the end face  70 , such as when end face  70  is being pressed against the mating face of a second ferrule (not illustrated). Thus, the ability to accommodate slight axial mismatch between two connectors placed in an adapter is maintained. Protrusions  50  are provided on the outer sides  46  of sidewalls  42  to engage a suitable adapter (not illustrated) for connecting the fan-out cable  60  to a trunk cable (not illustrated). 
         [0030]      FIG. 4  illustrates another embodiment of the present invention in which the same reference numerals are used to identify elements common to the embodiment of  FIGS. 1-3 . In this embodiment, support  22  is connected to rear wall  14  of housing  10  by first and second support arms  100 , thereby removing the need for web  52  and providing additional space beneath support  22  for possible fiber management use. 
         [0031]    The present invention has been described herein in terms of presently preferred embodiments. However, modifications and additions to these embodiments will become apparent to those of ordinary skill in the relevant art upon a reading of the foregoing description. It is intended that all such additions and modifications comprise a part of the present invention to the extent they fall within the scope of the several claims appended hereto.

Technology Category: 3