Independently translatable modules and fiber optic equipment trays in fiber optic equipment

Abstract

Fiber optic equipment that supports independently translatable fiber optic modules and/or fiber optic equipment trays containing one or more fiber optic modules is disclosed. In some embodiments, one or more fiber optic modules are disposed in a plurality of independently translatable fiber optic equipment trays which are received in a tray guide system. In this manner, each fiber optic equipment tray is independently translatable within the guide system. One or more fiber optic modules may also be disposed in one or more module guides disposed in the fiber optic equipment trays to allow each fiber optic module to translate independently of other fiber optic modules in the same fiber optic equipment tray. In other embodiments, a plurality of fiber optic modules are disposed in a module guide system disposed in the fiber optic equipment that translate independently of other fiber optic modules disposed within the module guide system.

What is claimed is: 
     
         1 . A fiber optic apparatus, comprising:
 a chassis having opposite front and rear ends that are spaced apart from one another in a longitudinal direction;   a guide system disposed within the chassis and in receipt of a plurality of fiber optic equipment trays each independently translatable in the longitudinal direction about the chassis;   each of the plurality of fiber optic equipment trays being in receipt of at least one fiber optic module;   a plurality of fiber routing trays each disposed in a front end of a fiber optic equipment tray among the plurality of fiber optic equipment trays; and   each of the at least one fiber optic module having a front end, a rear end, and an inside, an at least one fiber optic adapter disposed through the front end, and at least one optical fiber provided within the inside of the at least one fiber optic module connected to the at least one fiber optic adapter.   
     
     
         2 . The fiber optic apparatus of  claim 1 , wherein each of the plurality of fiber routing trays are hingedly attached via a hinge mechanism to a front end of a fiber optic equipment tray among the plurality of fiber optic equipment trays. 
     
     
         3 . The fiber optic apparatus of  claim 2 , wherein the hinge mechanism allows a fiber routing tray of the plurality of fiber routing trays to tilt about a front end of a fiber optic equipment tray among the plurality of fiber optic equipment trays when released. 
     
     
         4 . The fiber optic apparatus of  claim 1 , further comprising a plurality of fiber routing guides disposed in each of the plurality of fiber routing trays. 
     
     
         5 . The fiber optic apparatus of  claim 1 , further comprising at least one module guide disposed in each of the plurality of fiber optic equipment trays, wherein the at least one module guide receives at least one fiber optic module. 
     
     
         6 . The fiber optic apparatus of  claim 1 , further comprising at least one module locking feature disposed adjacent a front end of each of the plurality of fiber optic equipment trays, each of the at least one module locking feature configured to interlock a fiber optic module to a fiber optic equipment tray among the plurality of fiber optic equipment trays when the fiber optic module is disposed adjacent the front end of the fiber optic equipment tray. 
     
     
         7 . The fiber optic apparatus of  claim 6 , wherein the at least one module locking feature is comprised of a detent feature attached to the fiber optic equipment tray and configured to interlock with a module latch disposed in the fiber optic module. 
     
     
         8 . The fiber optic apparatus of  claim 1 , wherein each of the plurality of fiber optic equipment trays is independently translatable about the chassis during operative access of the at least one fiber optic module. 
     
     
         9 . The fiber optic apparatus of  claim 1 , wherein the chassis is 1-U sized. 
     
     
         10 . The fiber optic apparatus of  claim 1 , wherein each of the plurality of fiber optic equipment trays further comprises a lip section for routing optical fibers connected to the at least one fiber optic module received in the fiber optic equipment tray. 
     
     
         11 . A fiber optic apparatus, comprising:
 a chassis having opposite front and rear ends that are spaced apart from one another in a longitudinal direction; and   a guide system disposed within the chassis and receiving a plurality of fiber optic modules each independently translatable about the chassis in the longitudinal direction, wherein   
       the guide system includes a plurality of module guides, and
 for each fiber optic module of the plurality of fiber optic modules,
 the fiber optic module extends laterally between, and is movably supported by both of, adjacent module guides of the plurality of module guides, wherein the adjacent module guides are spaced apart from one another in a lateral direction that extends crosswise to the longitudinal direction, the adjacent module guides, which support the fiber optic module, are adapted for guiding the fiber optic module so that the fiber optic module is independently translatable in the longitudinal direction relative to other of the plurality of fiber optic modules, 
 the fiber optic module includes at least one fiber optic adapter that extends in the lateral direction while the fiber optic module extends laterally between, and is movably supported by both of, the adjacent module guides which support the fiber optic module; and 
 the fiber optic module having a front end, a rear end, and an inside, the at least one fiber optic adapter disposed through the front end, and at least one optical fiber provided within the inside of the fiber optic module connected to the at least one fiber optic adapter. 
 
 
     
     
         12 . The fiber optic apparatus of  claim 11 , wherein the guide system is comprised of a plurality of module guides each configured to receive at least one fiber optic module among the plurality of fiber optic modules. 
     
     
         13 . The fiber optic apparatus of  claim 11 , wherein the plurality of module guides are arranged in one or more columns of module guides disposed in the chassis. 
     
     
         14 . The fiber optic apparatus of  claim 11 , wherein the plurality of module guides are arranged in one or more rows of module guides disposed in the chassis. 
     
     
         15 . The fiber optic apparatus of  claim 11 , wherein the plurality of module guides each comprises:
 a first module guide disposed on a first end of the chassis;   a second module guide disposed on a second end of the chassis opposite the first end; and   at least one intermediate module guide disposed in the chassis between the first module guide and the second module guide.   
     
     
         16 . The fiber optic apparatus of  claim 11 , wherein the plurality of module guides is comprised of a plurality of module rail guides each configured to receive at least one module rail of a fiber optic module. 
     
     
         17 . The fiber optic apparatus of  claim 11 , wherein each of the plurality of module guides further comprises at least one fiber optic equipment tray guide receiving at least one fiber optic equipment tray. 
     
     
         18 . The fiber optic apparatus of  claim 17 , further comprising at least one module locking feature disposed adjacent a front end of the at least one fiber optic equipment tray and configured to interlock a fiber optic module among the plurality of fiber optic modules to the at least one fiber optic equipment tray when the fiber optic module is disposed adjacent the front end of the at least one fiber optic equipment tray. 
     
     
         19 . The fiber optic apparatus of  claim 18 , wherein the at least one module locking feature is comprised of a detent feature attached to the at least one fiber optic equipment tray and configured to interlock with a module latch disposed in the fiber optic module. 
     
     
         20 . The fiber optic apparatus of  claim 11 , wherein each of a plurality of fiber optic equipment trays is independently translatable about the chassis during operative access of at least one fiber optic module.