IP Library Granted Patent US 12,298,574
Granted Patent B2
US 12,298,574 · App. 17/408,239 · Granted May 13, 2025

Optical fiber management system

Inventors: Walter Mark Hendrix (Richardson, TX); James Patrick Nolan (Yorkville, IL); Nathan Eric Benton (Wickenburg, AZ); Syed Babar Abbas (Richardson, TX); Keith Samuel Maranto (Frankfort, IL); Elizabeth Grace Dabdoub (Bartlett, IL)
G02B6/4292G02B6/3897G02B6/4452
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Quick Facts
Patent No.
US 12,298,574
App. No.
17/408,239
Granted
May 13, 2025
Kind
B2
Abstract

An apparatus forms a module. The apparatus includes a housing configured to load the module through a front end of a panel. The apparatus includes a connector cluster. The apparatus includes a set of tabs corresponding to a set of securing members that secure the module to a panel.

Claims (57)

1. An apparatus comprising a module, the module comprising:

a housing configured to load the module through a front end of a panel, the housing comprising:

sides and a bottom that extend between a front end and a rear end of the housing;

a set of inversely shaped guides recessed into the sides of the housing at the front end;

a relief receptor positioned at the rear end of the module; and

a set of tabs extending from the sides of the housing at the front end and corresponding to a set of securing members that secure the module to a faceplate of a panel;

a connector cluster positioned at the front end of the housing and removably retained between the walls within the set of inversely shaped guides; and

a strain relief insertable into the relief receptor at a rear end of the module and configured to be coupled to a trunk cable.

2. The apparatus of claim 1 , further comprising:

a panel, wherein:

the module is configured to extend between a front end of the panel and a rear end of the panel; and

the module is configured to be one of a set of at least ten modules horizontally juxtaposed within the panel.

3. The apparatus of claim 1 , further comprising:

a plurality of openings in the sides of the housing configured to provide access to cables within the module.

4. The apparatus of claim 1 , wherein the strain relief further comprises:

a first portion and a second portion connected by a hinge.

5. The apparatus of claim 1 , wherein the connector cluster comprises a plurality of multi-fiber couplers for fiber optic cables that are stacked between the set of inversely shaped guides.

6. The apparatus of claim 1 , wherein the connector cluster comprises a set of electrical couplers.

7. The apparatus of claim 1 , wherein the connector cluster comprises sixteen LC couplers, within a 1 U height, of 192 couplers of the panel comprising a set of twelve modules including the module.

8. The apparatus of claim 1 , wherein the connector cluster comprises eight MPO couplers, within a 1 U height, of 96 couplers of the panel comprising a set of twelve modules, including the module, providing 3456 fibers using the 96 couplers.

9. An apparatus comprising:

a housing configured to load the module through a trunk end of a panel, the housing comprising:

sides and a bottom that extend between a front end and a rear end of the housing;

a set of inversely shaped guides recessed into the sides of the housing at the front end;

a relief receptor positioned at the rear end of the module; and

a connector cluster positioned at the front end of the housing and removably retained between the walls within the set of inversely shaped guides;

a reversible polarity based on an orientation of the module with respect to the panel; and

a strain relief insertable into the relief receptor at a rear end of the module and configured to be coupled to a trunk cable.

10. The apparatus of claim 9 , further comprising:

the panel, wherein the panel comprises a spring clip; and

wherein the module further comprises a first recess configured to receive the spring clip of the panel to secure the module to the panel.

11. The apparatus of claim 9 , further comprising:

the module configured to extend between a front end of the panel and a rear end of the panel; and

the module configured to be one of a set of at least ten modules horizontally juxtaposed within the panel.

12. The apparatus of claim 10 , further comprising:

a second recess configured to receive the spring clip when the module is inserted to the panel with an opposite polarity compared to the first recess of the apparatus.

13. The apparatus of claim 10 , further comprising:

a button configured to mechanically connect to the spring clip and release the module from the panel by applying a force to the spring clip.

14. The apparatus of claim 9 , wherein the connector cluster comprises a plurality of multi-fiber couplers for fiber optic cables that are stacked between the set of inversely shaped guides.

15. The apparatus of claim 9 , wherein the connector cluster comprises four ethernet couplers of 48 ethernet couplers in the panel, and wherein the panel comprises a 1 U height and is configured for a 19-inch rack.

16. The apparatus of claim 9 , wherein the connector cluster comprises sixteen LC couplers, within a 1 U height, of 192 couplers of the panel comprising a set of twelve modules including the module.

17. The apparatus of claim 9 , wherein the connector cluster comprises eight MPO couplers, within a 1 U height, of 96 couplers of the panel comprising a set of twelve modules, including the module, providing 3456 fibers using the 96 couplers.

18. A method comprising:

installing a trunk cable to a module, wherein the module comprises:

a housing configured to load the module through a front end of a panel, the housing comprising:

sides and a bottom that extend between a front end and a rear end of the housing;

a set of inversely shaped guides recessed into the sides of the housing at the front end;

a relief receptor positioned at the rear end of the module; and

a set of tabs extending from the sides of the housing at the front end; and

at least one securing member corresponding to the set of tabs and configured to secure the module to a faceplate of a panel,

a connector cluster positioned at the front end of the housing and removably retained between the walls within the set of inversely shaped guides,

a strain relief insertable into the relief receptor at a rear end of the module and configured to be coupled to a trunk cable; and

fitting the module to the panel through one of a front of the panel and a rear of the panel based on a configuration of the at least one securing member.

19. The apparatus of claim 1 , further comprising:

a slack housing fit in the housing of the module and configured to hold slack cable within the module.

20. The apparatus of claim 9 , further comprising:

a slack housing fit in the housing of the module and configured to hold slack cable within the module.

Assignments (9)
SECURITY INTEREST Recorded Apr 15, 2026
From: VIAPHOTON LLC
To: PHOENIX MERCHANT AGENT, LP
Reel/Frame 075423/0589 →
RELEASE OF PATENT SECURITY INTEREST RECORDED AT R/F 72590/0868 Recorded Apr 15, 2026
From: PHOENIX MERCHANT AGENT, LP
To: VIAPHOTON LLC
Reel/Frame 075423/0696 →
CHANGE OF NAME Recorded Apr 8, 2026
From: VIAPHOTON, INC.
To: VIAPHOTON LLC
Reel/Frame 075352/0418 →
SECURITY INTEREST Recorded Sep 17, 2025
From: VIAPHOTON INC.
To: PHOENIX MERCHANT AGENT, LP, AS ADMINISTRATIVE AGENT
Reel/Frame 072590/0868 →
SECURITY INTEREST Recorded Oct 7, 2024
From: VIAPHOTON, INC.
To: ECLIPSE BUSINESS CAPITAL LLC
Reel/Frame 068823/0344 →
RELEASE OF SECURITY INTEREST Recorded Sep 12, 2024
From: SIGNATURE BANK; CUSTOMERS BANK
To: VIAPHOTON INC.
Reel/Frame 068575/0950 →
SECURITY INTEREST Recorded Apr 1, 2022
From: VIAPHOTON INC.
To: SIGNATURE BANK
Reel/Frame 059476/0183 →
SECURITY INTEREST Recorded Apr 1, 2022
From: VIAPHOTON INC.
To: SIGNATURE BANK
Reel/Frame 059466/0985 →
ASSIGNMENT OF ASSIGNOR'S INTEREST Recorded Nov 11, 2021
From: HENDRIX, WALTER MARK; NOLAN, JAMES PATRICK; BENTON, NATHAN ERIC; ABBAS, SYED BABAR; MARANTO, KEITH SAMUEL; DABDOUB, ELIZABETH GRACE
To: VIAPHOTON, INC.
Reel/Frame 058090/0359 →
Continuity (2)
Provisional Application 63068255 · Aug 20, 2020
Related Publication 20220057585A1 · Feb 24, 2022
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