IP Library Granted Patent US 8,494,329
Granted Patent B2
US 8,494,329 · App. 12/688,688 · Granted Jul 23, 2013

Fiber optic module and chassis

Inventors: Ponharith Nhep (Savage, MN); Steven C. Zimmel (Minneapolis, MN)
Assignee: ADC Telecommunications, Inc.
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Quick Facts
Patent No.
US 8,494,329
App. No.
12/688,688
Filed
Jan 15, 2010
Granted
Jul 23, 2013
Kind
B2
Art Unit
2883
USPC
385/135
Abstract

A telecommunications assembly includes a chassis with a top wall, a bottom wall, a front opening, a rear opening, and first and second transverse sidewalls extending between the front and rear openings, the top wall and bottom walls defining slots. Upper mounting guides defining upper key slots between adjacent upper guides and lower mounting guides defining lower key slots between adjacent lower guides are mounted to the top and bottom walls. The upper and lower guides define snap-fit structures inserted into the slots defined on the top and bottom walls for mounting the upper and lower guides to the chassis. At least one of the upper and the lower mounting guides defines adapter mounts for slidably receiving fiber optic adapters through the rear opening. Fiber optic modules are slidably received within the chassis through the front opening and each module is slidably inserted into the upper and lower key slots of the chassis, each module removable from the chassis through the front opening. A fiber optic adapter that is separate from the module may be slidably received within the chassis through the rear opening into one of the adapter mounts, the fiber optic adapter removable through the rear opening. The module may include at least one connector that protrudes from the module that is adapted to be inserted into the adapter when the module is inserted into the chassis.

Claims (17)

1. A telecommunications module comprising:

a housing including a main housing portion and a removable cover cooperatively defining an interior, the main housing portion defining a first sidewall, a front wall, a rear wall, a first wall, and an opposing second wall, the cover defining a second sidewall of the housing when mounted on the main housing portion to close off the interior, a height of the telecommunications module defined between the first wall and the second wall, the height being between 2 and 3 inches and configured to fit within one standard unit (RU) of rack space in a standard telecommunications rack;

the housing including at least one signal output location defined on the front wall of the main housing portion;

an optical component located within the interior, the optical component configured to receive a fiber optic input signal coming in from a signal input location of the housing and output a fiber optic output signal going toward the signal output location defined on the front wall of the main housing portion, wherein the telecommunications module is configured such that the signal input location can be defined by either an optional signal input location on the front wall or an optional signal input location on the rear wall of the main housing portion;

wherein the optional signal input location on the front wall is defined by a selectively breakable portion of the telecommunications module, wherein the selectively breakable portion of the telecommunications module is defined by a protrusion of the cover that extends from the second sidewall toward the main housing portion, the protrusion received within a recess defined on the front wall, the protrusion being selectively breakable to expose the recess.

2. A telecommunications module according to claim 1 , wherein the protrusion includes two breakable portions separated by a break line, the breakable portions including a base portion and a tip portion, wherein, if one input cable carrying a fiber optic input signal is to enter the housing, the tip portion is adapted to be selectively broken off and if two input cables carrying fiber optic input signals are to enter the housing, the protrusion is selectively broken off at the base portion to remove the entire protrusion.

3. A telecommunications module according to claim 1 , wherein the optional signal input location on the rear wall is defined by at least one fiber optic connector extending from the rear wall of the main housing portion toward an exterior of the housing.

4. A telecommunications module according to claim 1 , wherein the optical component is a fiber optic splitter that splits the fiber optic input signal into a plurality of the fiber optic output signals.

5. A telecommunications module according to claim 1 , wherein the housing includes a flexible cantilever arm extending from the front wall of the main housing portion for providing a snap fit connection with a piece of telecommunications equipment.

6. A telecommunications module according to claim 1 , wherein the main housing portion includes a cable exit projecting outwardly from the housing, the cable exit defining the at least one signal output location.

7. A telecommunications module according to claim 1 , wherein the main housing portion includes a cable management structure in the form of a spool for guiding a cable carrying the fiber optic output signal toward the signal output location.

8. A telecommunications module comprising:

a housing including a main housing portion and a removable cover cooperatively defining an interior, the main housing portion defining a first sidewall, a front wall, a rear wall, a first wall, and an opposing second wall, the cover defining a second sidewall of the housing when mounted on the main housing portion to close off the interior, a height of the telecommunications module defined between the first wall and the second wall, the height being between 2 and 3 inches and configured to fit within one standard unit (RU) of rack space in a standard telecommunications rack;

the housing including at least one signal output location defined on the front wall of the main housing portion;

an optical component located within the interior, the optical component configured to receive a fiber optic input signal coming in from a signal input location of the housing and output a fiber optic output signal going toward the signal output location defined on the front wall of the main housing portion, wherein the telecommunications module is configured such that the signal input location can be defined by either an optional signal input location on the front wall or an optional signal input location on the rear wall of the main housing portion;

a clamp structure located within the interior for removably mounting the optical component to the main housing portion;

wherein the optional signal input location on the front wall of the main housing portion is defined by a selectively breakable portion of the telecommunications module, wherein the selectively breakable portion of the telecommunications module is defined by a protrusion of the cover that extends from the second sidewall toward the main housing portion, the protrusion received within a recess defined on the front wall, the protrusion being selectively breakable to expose the recess.

Assignments (19)
RELEASE OF SECURITY INTEREST AT REEL/FRAME 049905/0504 Recorded Dec 19, 2024
From: JPMORGAN CHASE BANK, N.A., AS COLLATERAL AGENT
To: ARRIS ENTERPRISES LLC (F/K/A ARRIS ENTERPRISES, INC.); ARRIS TECHNOLOGY, INC.; ARRIS SOLUTIONS, INC.; COMMSCOPE, INC. OF NORTH CAROLINA; COMMSCOPE TECHNOLOGIES LLC; RUCKUS WIRELESS, LLC (F/K/A RUCKUS WIRELESS, INC.)
Reel/Frame 071477/0255 →
PARTIAL TERMINATION AND RELEASE OF SECURITY INTEREST IN PATENTS RECORDED AT R/F 060752/0001 Recorded Apr 13, 2023
From: WILMINGTON TRUST
To: COMMSCOPE TECHNOLOGIES LLC; COMMSCOPE, INC. OF NORTH CAROLINA; ARRIS ENTERPRISES LLC
Reel/Frame 063322/0209 →
RELEASE OF SECURITY INTEREST Recorded Apr 7, 2023
From: WILMINGTON TRUST, NATIONAL ASSOCIATION
To: COMMSCOPE TECHNOLOGIES LLC; COMMSCOPE, INC. OF NORTH CAROLINA; ARRIS ENTERPRISES LLC
Reel/Frame 063270/0220 →
PARTIAL TERMINATION AND RELEASE OF SECURITY INTEREST IN PATENTS Recorded Jul 15, 2022
From: WILMINGTON TRUST, NATIONAL ASSOCIATION, AS COLLATERAL AGENT
To: COMMSCOPE TECHNOLOGIES LLC; ARRIS ENTERPRISES LLC; COMMSCOPE, INC. OF NORTH CAROLINA
Reel/Frame 060671/0324 →
PARTIAL RELEASE OF ABL SECURITY INTEREST Recorded Jul 13, 2022
From: JPMORGAN CHASE BANK, N.A.
To: COMMSCOPE TECHNOLOGIES LLC; ARRIS ENTERPRISES LLC; COMMSCOPE, INC. OF NORTH CAROLINA
Reel/Frame 060649/0305 →
ASSIGNMENT OF ASSIGNOR'S INTEREST Recorded Jul 13, 2022
From: COMMSCOPE TECHNOLOGIES LLC
To: BISON PATENT LICENSING, LLC
Reel/Frame 060641/0312 →
PARTIAL RELEASE OF TERM LOAN SECURITY INTEREST Recorded Jul 13, 2022
From: JPMORGAN CHASE BANK, N.A.
To: COMMSCOPE TECHNOLOGIES LLC; ARRIS ENTERPRISES LLC; COMMSCOPE, INC. OF NORTH CAROLINA
Reel/Frame 060649/0286 →
SECURITY INTEREST Recorded Nov 19, 2021
From: ARRIS SOLUTIONS, INC.; ARRIS ENTERPRISES LLC; COMMSCOPE TECHNOLOGIES LLC; COMMSCOPE, INC. OF NORTH CAROLINA; RUCKUS WIRELESS, INC.
To: WILMINGTON TRUST
Reel/Frame 060752/0001 →
TERM LOAN SECURITY AGREEMENT Recorded Jul 3, 2019
From: COMMSCOPE, INC. OF NORTH CAROLINA; COMMSCOPE TECHNOLOGIES LLC; ARRIS ENTERPRISES LLC; ARRIS TECHNOLOGY, INC.; RUCKUS WIRELESS, INC.; ARRIS SOLUTIONS, INC.
To: JPMORGAN CHASE BANK, N.A.
Reel/Frame 049905/0504 →
PATENT SECURITY AGREEMENT Recorded Jul 3, 2019
From: COMMSCOPE TECHNOLOGIES LLC
To: WILMINGTON TRUST, NATIONAL ASSOCIATION, AS COLLATERAL AGENT
Reel/Frame 049892/0051 →
ABL SECURITY AGREEMENT Recorded Jul 3, 2019
From: COMMSCOPE, INC. OF NORTH CAROLINA; COMMSCOPE TECHNOLOGIES LLC; ARRIS ENTERPRISES LLC; ARRIS TECHNOLOGY, INC.; RUCKUS WIRELESS, INC.; ARRIS SOLUTIONS, INC.
To: JPMORGAN CHASE BANK, N.A.
Reel/Frame 049892/0396 →
RELEASE OF SECURITY INTEREST Recorded Apr 9, 2019
From: JPMORGAN CHASE BANK, N.A.
To: REDWOOD SYSTEMS, INC.; ALLEN TELECOM LLC; ANDREW LLC; COMMSCOPE, INC. OF NORTH CAROLINA; COMMSCOPE TECHNOLOGIES LLC
Reel/Frame 049260/0001 →
RELEASE OF SECURITY INTEREST Recorded Apr 9, 2019
From: JPMORGAN CHASE BANK, N.A.
To: REDWOOD SYSTEMS, INC.; ALLEN TELECOM LLC; ANDREW LLC; COMMSCOPE, INC. OF NORTH CAROLINA; COMMSCOPE TECHNOLOGIES LLC
Reel/Frame 048840/0001 →
PATENT SECURITY AGREEMENT (ABL) Recorded Jan 13, 2016
From: COMMSCOPE TECHNOLOGIES LLC
To: JPMORGAN CHASE BANK, N.A., AS COLLATERAL AGENT
Reel/Frame 037514/0196 →
PATENT SECURITY AGREEMENT (TERM) Recorded Jan 13, 2016
From: COMMSCOPE TECHNOLOGIES LLC
To: JPMORGAN CHASE BANK, N.A., AS COLLATERAL AGENT
Reel/Frame 037513/0709 →
ASSIGNMENT OF ASSIGNOR'S INTEREST Recorded Oct 29, 2015
From: COMMSCOPE EMEA LIMITED
To: COMMSCOPE TECHNOLOGIES LLC
Reel/Frame 037012/0001 →
ASSIGNMENT OF ASSIGNOR'S INTEREST Recorded Oct 26, 2015
From: TYCO ELECTRONICS SERVICES GMBH
To: COMMSCOPE EMEA LIMITED
Reel/Frame 036956/0001 →
ASSIGNMENT OF ASSIGNOR'S INTEREST Recorded Jul 6, 2015
From: ADC TELECOMMUNICATIONS, INC.
To: TYCO ELECTRONICS SERVICES GMBH
Reel/Frame 036060/0174 →
ASSIGNMENT OF ASSIGNOR'S INTEREST Recorded Apr 1, 2010
From: NHEP, PONHARITH; ZIMMEL, STEVEN C.
To: ADC TELECOMMUNICATIONS, INC.
Reel/Frame 024176/0769 →
Continuity (2)
Provisional Application 61145020 · Jan 15, 2009
Related Publication 20110019964A1 · Jan 27, 2011