Terminal enclosure with modular aspects and modules for interfacing with the terminal enclosure
Aspects of the present disclosure relate to a modular fiber optic distribution system for enhancing installation flexibility and for facilitating adding components to a terminal housing over time so as to delay cost. The system is configured to allow components (e.g., inserts, add-on modules, etc.) to be readily added to the terminal housing over time to expand capacity, provide upgrades and to provide forward and backward compatibility.
1. An add-on module adapted to be mounted at a terminal port of a terminal, the terminal port having a terminal port form factor, the add-on module comprising:
a module housing including a main housing body and a connection interface portion unitarily formed with the main housing body, the connection interface portion being configured to mate with the terminal port, the connection interface portion defining a connection interface form factor that matches the terminal port form factor, the add-on module also including a plurality of exterior connector ports provided at the main housing body, the plurality of exterior connector ports each including a twist-to-lock coupling element; and
an interface fiber optic connector mounted at the connection interface portion and adapted to optically couple with a corresponding terminal fiber optic connector provided at the terminal port when the connection interface portion is mated with the terminal port;
wherein the interface fiber optic connector is mounted at a position within the connection interface portion and is carried with the module housing.
2. The add-on module of claim 1 , further comprising a seal for providing sealing at the terminal port between the connection interface portion of the add-on module and the terminal.
3. The add-on module of claim 2 , wherein the seal is mounted about the connection interface portion of the add-on module.
4. The add-on module of claim 1 , wherein the connection interface portion projects from the main housing body and has a smaller transverse cross-sectional profile than the main housing body.
5. The add-on module of claim 1 , wherein the add-on module includes at least three of the exterior connector ports provided at the main housing body.
6. The add-on module of claim 1 , wherein the add-on module includes at least four of the exterior connector ports provided at the main housing body.
7. The add-on module of claim 1 , wherein the exterior connector ports each include an interface configured for interconnecting with a mating twist-to-lock fastener of a ruggedized connector.
8. The add-on module of claim 1 , wherein the add-on module can be optically coupled to the terminal fiber optic connector and mechanically coupled to the terminal without having to access an interior of the terminal.
9. The add-on module of claim 1 , wherein the interface fiber optic connector is a single-fiber fiber optic connector or a multi-fiber fiber optic connector.
10. The add-on module of claim 1 , wherein the module housing contains a passive optical power splitter with optical outputs coupled to the exterior connector ports.
11. The add-on module of claim 1 , wherein the module housing contains a wavelength division multiplexer with optical outputs coupled to the exterior connector ports.
12. The add-on module of claim 1 , wherein the module housing contains an optical break-out arrangement with optical break-out lines coupled to the exterior connector ports.
13. The add-on module of claim 1 , wherein the plurality of exterior connector ports each include internal threads configured to engage with corresponding external threads defined by the twist-to-lock coupling element.