IP Library Granted Patent US 12,228,779
Granted Patent B2
US 12,228,779 · App. 18/505,282 · Granted Feb 18, 2025

Interchangeable telecommunications enclosure components

Inventor: Philippe Coenegracht (Hasselt, BE)
Assignee: COMMSCOPE CONNECTIVITY BELGIUM BVBA
G02B6/4446G02B6/4441G02B6/4447G02B6/4452
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Quick Facts
Patent No.
US 12,228,779
App. No.
18/505,282
Granted
Feb 18, 2025
Kind
B2
Abstract

Aspects of the present disclosure relate to selectable and interchangeable covers, frames, and lids for a plurality of different telecommunications module frames. The selectable covers can vary, for example, with respect to size, shape, and number arrangement, and configuration of ports to provide for different selectable combinations of module assemblies.

Claims (62)

1. A method of assembling a telecommunications enclosure system, comprising:

providing a housing defining an interior volume;

providing a plurality of covers configured to be mounted to the housing to cover an opening defined by the housing, the plurality of covers including:

a first cover having a first spatial arrangement of first connector ports configured to receive first fiber optic connectors for connecting first optical fibers terminated at the first fiber optic connectors to first other optical fibers within the interior volume when the first cover is mounted to the housing and covers the opening; and

a second cover having a second spatial arrangement of second connector ports configured to receive second fiber optic connectors for connecting second optical fibers terminated at the second fiber optic connectors to second other optical fibers within the interior volume when the second cover is mounted to the housing and covers the opening,

the first spatial arrangement being different from the second spatial arrangement;

selecting, based on a desired connectorization for the telecommunications enclosure system, one of the first cover and the second cover, to provide a selected cover of the plurality of covers; and

mounting the selected cover to the housing such that the selected cover covers the opening and such that the selected cover and the housing form an environmentally sealed enclosure,

wherein at least one of the first cover and the second cover includes a plate and a block extending from the plate, the block fully surrounding all of the first connector ports or all of the second connector ports such that the first connector ports or the second connector ports are all positioned within the block.

2. The method of claim 1 ,

wherein the first spatial arrangement includes a plurality of first rows of the first connector ports, each of the first rows including a plurality of the first connector ports; and

wherein the second spatial arrangement includes only a single row of the second connector ports and no other connector ports.

3. The method of claim 2 , wherein the second spatial arrangement is a single row of N of the second connector ports and the first spatial arrangement is two rows each having fewer than N of the first connector ports, N being a positive integer greater than 2.

4. The method of claim 1 , wherein the block enters the interior volume when the at least one of the first cover or the second cover is mounted to the housing and covers the opening.

5. The method of claim 1 , wherein the first connector ports and the second connector ports are configured to receive ruggedized fiber optic connectors.

6. The method of claim 1 , wherein the first connector ports and the second connector ports are configured to receive non-ruggedized fiber optic connectors.

7. The method of claim 1 ,

wherein one of the first connector ports and the second connector ports are configured to receive ruggedized fiber optic connectors and not non-ruggedized fiber optic connectors; and

wherein the other of the first connector ports and the second connector ports are configured to received non-ruggedized fiber optic connectors and not ruggedized fiber optic connectors.

8. The method of claim 1 , wherein a side of the housing includes an input port adapted to receive a non-connectorized portion of a cable.

9. The method of claim 1 , wherein at least one or more of the first cover and the second cover includes an input port adapted to receive a non-connectorized portion of a fiber optic cable.

10. The method of claim 1 , wherein each of the first cover and the second cover includes plugs adapted to removably plug the first connector ports and the second connector ports.

11. The method of claim 1 , wherein the housing includes a closable top, the top being closable with a lid.

12. The method of claim 1 , further comprising:

mounting other fiber optic connectors terminating the second optical fibers in the first connector ports of the first cover or mounting second fiber optic connectors terminating the second other optical fibers in the second connector ports of the second cover.

13. The method of claim 1 , wherein mounting the selected cover to the housing causes the selected cover to engage the housing around a perimeter of the opening.

14. The method of claim 1 ,

wherein the opening defined by the housing is in a first side of the housing;

wherein a second side of the housing is adapted to mount the housing to a structure; and

wherein the first side and the second side are oblique to each other.

15. The method of claim 1 , wherein one or more of the first cover and the second cover includes a plate and a ring or a wall protruding from the plate into the interior of the housing when the first cover or the second cover is mounted to the housing and covers the opening.

16. The method of claim 1 , further comprising mounting adapters to the selected cover for receiving the first fiber optic connectors or the second fiber optic connectors via the first connector ports or the second connector ports into the adapters.

17. The method of claim 1 ,

wherein the first cover includes a plate;

wherein the first connector ports include rings protruding from the plates and threads positioned on inner surfaces of the rings, the threads being configured to threadably receive corresponding threads of the first fiber optic connectors.

18. The method of claim 1 , wherein a form factor of apertures of the first connector ports configured to receive the first fiber optic connectors is different from a form factor of apertures of the second connector ports configured to receive the second fiber optic connectors.

19. A method of assembling a telecommunications enclosure system, comprising:

providing a housing defining an interior volume;

providing a plurality of covers configured to be mounted to the housing to cover an opening defined by the housing, the plurality of covers including:

a first cover having a first spatial arrangement of first connector ports configured to receive first fiber optic connectors for connecting first optical fibers terminated at the first fiber optic connectors to first other optical fibers within the interior volume when the first cover is mounted to the housing and covers the opening; and

a second cover having a second spatial arrangement of second connector ports configured to receive second fiber optic connectors for connecting second optical fibers terminated at the second fiber optic connectors to second other optical fibers within the interior volume when the second cover is mounted to the housing and covers the opening,

the first spatial arrangement being different from the second spatial arrangement;

selecting, based on a desired connectorization for the telecommunications enclosure system, one of the first cover and the second cover, to provide a selected cover of the plurality of covers; and

mounting the selected cover to the housing such that the selected cover covers the opening and such that the selected cover and the housing form an environmentally sealed enclosure,

wherein each of the first cover and the second cover includes a plate and wings extending from the plate; and

wherein the mounting includes pressing the wings around a rim of the opening.

20. A method of assembling a telecommunications enclosure system, comprising:

providing a housing defining an interior volume;

providing a plurality of covers configured to be mounted to the housing to cover an opening defined by the housing, the plurality of covers including:

a first cover having a first spatial arrangement of first connector ports configured to receive first fiber optic connectors for connecting first optical fibers terminated at the first fiber optic connectors to first other optical fibers within the interior volume when the first cover is mounted to the housing and covers the opening; and

a second cover having a second spatial arrangement of second connector ports configured to receive second fiber optic connectors for connecting second optical fibers terminated at the second fiber optic connectors to second other optical fibers within the interior volume when the second cover is mounted to the housing and covers the opening,

the first spatial arrangement being different from the second spatial arrangement;

selecting, based on a desired connectorization for the telecommunications enclosure system, one of the first cover and the second cover, to provide a selected cover of the plurality of covers; and

mounting the selected cover to the housing such that the selected cover covers the opening and such that the selected cover and the housing form an environmentally sealed enclosure,

wherein the first spatial arrangement includes a plurality of first rows of the first connector ports, each of the first rows including a plurality of the first connector ports;

wherein the second spatial arrangement includes only a single row of the second connector ports and no other connector ports;

wherein the second spatial arrangement is the single row of N of the second connector ports and the first spatial arrangement is two rows each having fewer than N of the first connector ports, N being a positive integer greater than 2;

wherein the first connector ports and the second connector ports are configured to receive ruggedized fiber optic connectors;

wherein at least one of the first cover and the second cover includes a plate and a block extending from the plate, the block fully surrounding all of the first connector ports or all of the second connector ports such that the first connector ports or the second connector ports are all positioned within the block;

wherein each of the first cover and the second cover includes plugs adapted to removably plug the first connector ports and the second connector ports, respectively;

wherein the first connector ports include rings protruding outwardly from the plate of the first cover and fully surrounding first apertures having a first form factor configured to receive the first fiber optic connectors; and

wherein the second connector ports include second apertures having a second form factor configured to receive the second fiber optic connectors, the first form factor and the second form factor being different from each other.

Continuity (5)
Continuation 17746700 · May 17, 2022
Continuation 16486383
Provisional Application 62522435 · Jun 20, 2017
Provisional Application 62459376 · Feb 15, 2017
Related Publication 20240142734A1 · May 2, 2024
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Cited By (1)
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