IP Library › Granted Patent US 11,385,429
Granted Patent B2
US 11,385,429 · App. 16/757,226 · Granted Jul 12, 2022

Fiber optic connection cassette

Inventors: Kristofer Bolster (Jordan, MN); Matthew J. Holmberg (Le Center, MN); Jill Anne Malecha (New Prague, MN); Loren J. Mattson (Richfield, MN)
Assignee: CommScope Technologies LLC
G02B6/4454G02B6/3874G02B6/3897G02B6/4471
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Quick Facts
Patent No.
US 11,385,429
App. No.
16/757,226
Filed
Apr 17, 2020
Granted
Jul 12, 2022
Kind
B2
Art Unit
2883
USPC
385/135
Abstract

A fiber optic cassette may include a cassette body defining a front end, a rear end, and an enclosed interior. Multiple identical apertures are included on the front end of the cassette body, where each aperture is configured to accept a fiber optic adapter. The cassette may further include an optical component located in an enclosed interior of the cassette body and configured to process a signal received from a fiber optic connector coupled to one of the fiber optic adapters, a crimp tube mounted to the front end of the cassette body, and at least one fiber optic cable attached to the crimp tube, extending from the cassette and configured to carry the signal processed by the optical component. The fiber optic cable may include a jacket, a strength member crimped to the crimp tube, and optical fibers extending past the crimp tube into the interior of the cassette body, wherein the mounting structure for mounting the crimp tube to the cassette body is receivable within one of the identical apertures.

Claims (48)

1. A fiber optic cassette, comprising:

a cassette body defining a front end, a rear end, and an enclosed interior;

at least one signal entry/exit port at the front end of the cassette body, the at least one signal entry/exit port defined by a fiber optic adapter;

an optical component located in the enclosed interior of the cassette body and configured to process a signal received from a fiber optic connector coupled to the fiber optic adapter;

at least one crimp tube mounted to the front end of the cassette body; and

at least one fiber optic cable attached to the at least one crimp tube, extending from the cassette and configured to carry the signal processed by the optical component, wherein the at least one fiber optic cable comprises:

a jacket;

a strength member crimped to the crimp tube; and

multiple optical fibers extending past the at least one crimp tube into the interior of the cassette body,

wherein the at least one fiber optic cable comprises multiple 24-fiber cables each carrying multiple optical fibers extending past the at least one crimp tube into the interior of the cassette body and wherein the at least one crimp tube comprises multiple crimp tubes mounted to the front end of the cassette body, wherein each fiber optic cable of the fiber optic cassette comprises a separate strength member crimped to a separate crimp tube of the multiple crimp tubes mounted to the cassette body.

2. The fiber optic cassette of claim 1 , wherein the at least one signal entry/exit port comprises:

a first signal entry/exit port configured to relay a main wavelength; and

a second signal entry/exit port configured to relay an express wavelength.

3. The fiber optic cassette of claim 2 , wherein the optical component is configured to combine the main wavelength and the express wavelength into a combination signal carried by the at least one fiber optic cable.

4. The fiber optic cassette of claim 1 , wherein the fiber optic adapter comprises an LC adapter.

5. The fiber optic cassette of claim 1 , wherein the multiple optical fibers of the at least one fiber optic cable are broken out by an optical fan-out before each of the multiple optical fibers is terminated by a separate fiber optic connector.

6. The fiber optic cassette of claim 5 , wherein the separate fiber optic connector comprises an LC connector.

7. The fiber optic cassette of claim 1 , wherein the at least one fiber optic cable comprises at least four 24-fiber cables.

8. The fiber optic cassette of claim 1 , wherein the optical component comprises a fiber optic splitter.

9. The fiber optic cassette of claim 1 , wherein the optical component comprises a fiber optic filter.

10. The fiber optic cassette of claim 1 , wherein the optical component comprises a multiplexer/demultiplexer.

11. The fiber optic cassette of claim 1 , wherein the fiber optic cassette is configured to be mounted in a stationary mount that does not move relative to a chassis.

12. The fiber optic cassette of claim 1 , wherein the fiber optic cassette is configured to be mounted in a sliding mount that slides relative to a chassis.

13. The fiber optic cassette of claim 1 , wherein the at least one signal entry/exit port is positioned adjacent the at least one fiber optic cable at the front end of the cassette body.

14. The fiber optic cassette of claim 1 , wherein the cassette defines a plurality of signal entry/exit ports at the front end of the cassette body and at least one port for receiving a pigtail adapter structure defining the at least one crimp tube mounted to the front end of the cassette body, all of the signal entry/exit ports and the at least one pigtail adapter receiving port defining an identical configuration.

15. A fiber optic cassette, comprising:

a cassette body defining a front end, a rear end, and an enclosed interior;

at least one signal entry/exit port at the front end of the cassette body, the at least one signal entry/exit port defined by a fiber optic adapter, wherein the at least one signal entry/exit port comprises:

a first signal entry/exit port configured to relay a main wavelength; and

a second signal entry/exit port configured to relay an express wavelength;

an optical component located in the enclosed interior of the cassette body and configured to process a signal received from a fiber optic connector coupled to the fiber optic adapter;

at least one crimp tube mounted to the front end of the cassette body; and

at least one fiber optic cable attached to the at least one crimp tube, extending from the cassette and configured to carry the signal processed by the optical component, wherein the at least one fiber optic cable comprises:

a jacket;

a strength member crimped to the at least one crimp tube; and

optical fibers extending past the at least one crimp tube into the interior of the cassette body,

wherein the at least one fiber optic cable comprises multiple 24-fiber cables each carrying optical fibers extending past the at least one crimp tube into the interior of the cassette body and wherein the at least one crimp tube comprises multiple crimp tubes mounted to the front end of the cassette body, wherein each fiber optic cable of the fiber optic cassette comprises a separate strength member crimped to a separate crimp tube of the multiple crimp tubes mounted to the cassette body.

16. The fiber optic cassette of claim 15 , wherein the optical component is configured to combine the main wavelength and the express wavelength into a combination signal carried by the at least one fiber optic cable.

17. A fiber optic cassette, comprising:

a cassette body defining a front end, a rear end, and an enclosed interior;

at least one signal entry/exit port at the front end of the cassette body, the at least one signal entry/exit port defined by a fiber optic adapter in the form of an LC adapter;

an optical component located in the enclosed interior of the cassette body and configured to process a signal received from a fiber optic connector coupled to the fiber optic adapter;

at least one crimp tube mounted to the front end of the cassette body; and

at least one fiber optic cable attached to the at least one crimp tube, extending from the cassette and configured to carry the signal processed by the optical component, wherein the at least one fiber optic cable comprises:

a jacket;

a strength member crimped to the at least one crimp tube; and

optical fibers extending past the at least one crimp tube into the interior of the cassette body,

wherein the at least one fiber optic cable comprises multiple 24-fiber cables each carrying optical fibers extending past the at least one crimp tube into the interior of the cassette body and wherein the at least one crimp tube comprises multiple crimp tubes mounted to the front end of the cassette body, wherein each fiber optic cable of the fiber optic cassette comprises a separate strength member crimped to a separate crimp tube of the multiple crimp tubes mounted to the cassette body.

Assignments (7)
RELEASE OF SECURITY INTEREST AT REEL/FRAME 058843/0712 Recorded Jan 12, 2026
From: JPMORGAN CHASE BANK, N.A., AS COLLATERAL AGENT
To: ARRIS ENTERPRISES LLC; COMMSCOPE NORTH CAROLINA, LLC (F/K/A COMMSCOPE, INC. OF NORTH CAROLINA); COMMSCOPE TECHNOLOGIES LLC
Reel/Frame 074591/0389 →
RELEASE OF SECURITY INTEREST AT REEL/FRAME 058875/0449 Recorded Dec 19, 2024
From: JPMORGAN CHASE BANK, N.A., AS COLLATERAL AGENT
To: ARRIS ENTERPRISES LLC (F/K/A ARRIS ENTERPRISES, INC.); COMMSCOPE, INC. OF NORTH CAROLINA; COMMSCOPE TECHNOLOGIES LLC
Reel/Frame 069743/0057 →
SECURITY INTEREST Recorded Dec 17, 2024
From: ARRIS ENTERPRISES LLC; COMMSCOPE TECHNOLOGIES LLC; COMMSCOPE INC., OF NORTH CAROLINA; OUTDOOR WIRELESS NETWORKS LLC; RUCKUS IP HOLDINGS LLC
To: APOLLO ADMINISTRATIVE AGENCY LLC
Reel/Frame 069889/0114 →
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 Nov 15, 2021
From: ARRIS ENTERPRISES LLC; COMMSCOPE TECHNOLOGIES LLC; COMMSCOPE, INC. OF NORTH CAROLINA
To: JPMORGAN CHASE BANK, N.A.
Reel/Frame 058875/0449 →
ABL SECURITY AGREEMENT Recorded Nov 15, 2021
From: ARRIS ENTERPRISES LLC; COMMSCOPE TECHNOLOGIES LLC; COMMSCOPE, INC. OF NORTH CAROLINA
To: JPMORGAN CHASE BANK, N.A.
Reel/Frame 058843/0712 →
ASSIGNMENT OF ASSIGNOR'S INTEREST Recorded Apr 17, 2020
From: BOLSTER, KRISTOFER; HOLMBERG, MATTHEW J.; MALECHA, JILL ANNE; MATTSON, LOREN J.
To: COMMSCOPE TECHNOLOGIES LLC
Reel/Frame 052430/0448 →
Continuity (4)
Provisional Application 62573743 · Oct 18, 2017
Provisional Application 62577005 · Oct 25, 2017
Provisional Application 62658030 · Apr 16, 2018
Related Publication 20210191059A1 · Jun 24, 2021
Cited By (2)
US 12,585,070 US 12,663,601