Outside plant fiber distribution apparatus and method

Abstract

An outside plant fiber distribution apparatus includes a frame member and a plurality of fiber optic modules mounted to the frame member. The frame member includes upper and lower module mounting brackets. Each module includes a front and two mounting flanges, each mountable to one of the upper and lower module mounting brackets. At least one of the modules is configured as a connection module including a plurality of connection locations disposed along the front of the module. A rear of the module includes a cable notch region for receipt of a cable. At least one of the modules defines a storage module including first and second spools. In an interconnect system, the storage module includes a cable clamp for holding a second cable, the cables are connected through the connection locations of the connection module. In a cross-connect system, two connection modules are provided, and patch cords are used to connect the fronts of the connection modules. The modules may also house splices, and/or optical couplers, such as splitters and wave division multiplexers.

1. A connection module comprising:
 a housing including a front and two mounting flanges, a rear of the housing spaced from the front, a top spaced apart from a bottom, the top and the bottom positioned adjacent to the mounting flanges, and opposed spaced apart sides;    a plurality of connection locations having exposed openings along the front;    the bottom, the rear, and the opposed sides defining a cable notch region wherein the cable notch region defines an opening for receiving a first cable; and    a cable clamp extending from the rear in the cable notch region.    
     
     
       2. The connection module of  claim 1 , wherein the connection locations include a plurality of adapters configured and arranged for connection to an optical fiber connector, the adapters positioned at an angle having a component angle in the direction of the bottom of the housing. 
     
     
       3. The connection module of  claim 2 , further comprising clips which are snap fit to the front of the housing, the clips each holding at least one adapter. 
     
     
       4. The connection module of  claim 1 , wherein the connection locations include a plurality of adapters, and further comprising a first cable connected to the housing by the clamp, and interior cables optically connected to the adapters, the interior cables optically connected to a splice, the splice optically connected to the first cable. 
     
     
       5. The connection module of  claim 1 , wherein the connection locations include a plurality of adapters, and further comprising a first cable connected to the housing by the clamp, and interior cables optically connected to the adapters, the interior cables optically connected to a optical coupler, the optical coupler optically connected to the first cable. 
     
     
       6. The connection module of  claim 5 , wherein the optical coupler includes a splitter. 
     
     
       7. The connection module of  claim 5 , wherein the optical coupler includes a wavelength division multiplexer. 
     
     
       8. The connection module of  claim 6 , further comprising a splice between the first cable and the splitter. 
     
     
       9. The connection module of  claim 7 , further comprising a splice between the first cable and the wavelength division multiplexer. 
     
     
       10. A telecommunications connection device, comprising:
   a )  a housing having a front and a rear, the housing defining an interior, an exterior and an opening;        b )  an outside plant telecommunications cable including a plurality of optical fibers, the outside plant telecommunications cable secured to the exterior of the housing and extending in a first direction relative to the housing;        c )  optical connectors linked to the optical fibers of the outside plant telecommunications cable and positioned within the housing interior;        d )  a plurality of adapters providing connection locations at the housing, the adapters including:      i )  first ends accessible from within the interior of the housing for receiving the optical connectors linked to the optical fibers of the outside plant telecommunications cable; and        ii )  second ends accessible from outside the housing for receiving optical connectors located outside of the housing, the second ends of the adapters being accessible from the front of the housing and being angled generally toward the first direction.       
     
     
       11. The telecommunications connection device of  claim 10 , wherein the outside plant telecommunications cable is an underground cable that extends from underground to the housing. 
     
     
       12. The telecommunications connection device of  claim 10 , wherein the cable is secured to the housing exterior via a clamp. 
     
     
       13. The telecommunications connection device of  claim 10 , wherein the plurality of adapters includes at least three rows of adapters, each of the rows including at least three adapters. 
     
     
       14. The telecommunications connection device of  claim 10 , wherein the outside plant telecommunications cable enters the housing through the opening. 
     
     
       15. The telecommunications connection device of  claim 10 , wherein the optical connectors positioned within the housing interior are linked to the optical fibers of the outside plant telecommunications cable via at least one of a splice, a splitter, an internal fiber, and a wave division multiplexer. 
     
     
       16. The telecommunications connection device of  claim 10 , wherein at least one of the optical fibers of the outside plant telecommunications cable is linked to at least one of the optical connectors via a splice. 
     
     
       17. The telecommunications connection device of  claim 10 , wherein at least one of the optical fibers of the outside plant telecommunications cable is linked to at least one of the optical connectors positioned within the interior without a splicing component. 
     
     
       18. The telecommunications connection device of  claim 10 , wherein the housing is mounted to another structure with the first direction being a downward direction. 
     
     
       19. A telecommunications connection device, comprising:
   a )  a housing having a front, a rear, first and second sides, and first and second ends, the housing defining an interior and an opening having a width that extends only a portion of the distance between the first and second sides;        b )  an outside plant telecommunications cable including a plurality of optical fibers that enter the housing through the opening, the outside plant telecommunications cable extending in a first direction substantially perpendicular to an axis running from the first side to the second side;        c )  the housing having a tab extending outwardly in a second direction from the second end of the housing, wherein the second direction is generally opposite the first direction, wherein the tab defines at least one aperture that extends therethrough in a front - to - rear direction;        d )  optical connectors linked to the optical fibers of the outside plant telecommunications cable and positioned within the housing interior;        e )  a plurality of adapters providing connection locations at the housing, the adapters including:      i )  first ends accessible from within the interior of the housing for receiving the optical connectors linked to the optical fibers of the outside plant telecommunications cable; and        ii )  second ends accessible from outside the housing for receiving optical connectors located outside of the housing, the adapters being angled such that the second ends of the adapters face forwardly and toward the first direction.       
     
     
       20. The telecommunications connection device of  claim 19 , wherein the outside plant telecommunications cable is an underground cable that extends from underground to the housing. 
     
     
       21. The telecommunications connection device of  claim 19 , wherein the opening has at least a portion that is circular. 
     
     
       22. The telecommunications connection device of  claim 19 , wherein the housing includes an exterior, and wherein the outside plant telecommunications cable is secured to the exterior of the housing. 
     
     
       23. The telecommunications connection device of  claim 19 , further including an attachment member coupled to an exterior of the housing, the attachment member adapted to secure the outside plant telecommunications cable to the exterior of the housing. 
     
     
       24. The telecommunications connection device of  claim 19 , wherein the outside plant telecommunications cable enters the housing through the opening. 
     
     
       25. The telecommunications connection device of  claim 19 , wherein the optical connectors positioned within the housing interior are linked to the optical fibers of the outside plant telecommunications cable via at least one of a splice, a splitter, an internal fiber, and a wave division multiplexer. 
     
     
       26. The telecommunications connection device of  claim 19 , wherein the housing is mounted to another structure with the first direction being a downward direction. 
     
     
       27. A telecommunications connection device, comprising:
   a )  a housing having a front and a rear, the housing defining an interior and an opening;        b )  an outside plant telecommunications cable, the outside plant cable including a plurality of optical fibers that enter the housing through the opening, the outside plant telecommunications cable extending in a first direction relative to the housing;        c )  interior fibers positioned within the housing, each interior fiber having an optical connector linked thereto;        d )  at least one splice component positioned within the housing for splicing at least one of the optical fibers of the outside plant telecommunications cable to at least one of the interior fibers; and        e )  a plurality of adapters providing connection locations at the front of the housing, the adapters including:      i )  first ends accessible from within the interior of the housing for receiving the optical connectors of the interior fibers; and        ii )  second ends accessible from outside the housing for receiving optical connectors located outside of the housing, the second ends of the adapters being angled generally toward the first direction.       
     
     
       28. The telecommunications connection device of  claim 27 , wherein the outside plant telecommunications cable is an underground cable that extends from underground to the housing. 
     
     
       29. The telecommunications connection device of  claim 27 , wherein the outside plant telecommunications cable enters the housing through the opening. 
     
     
       30. The telecommunications connection device of  claim 27 , wherein the housing has an exterior, and wherein the outside plant telecommunications cable is secured to the exterior of the housing. 
     
     
       31. The telecommunications connection device of  claim 30 , wherein the housing is configured such that when the housing is mounted to another structure, the front of the housing faces outwardly from the structure. 
     
     
       32. The telecommunications connection device of  claim 27 , wherein the housing is mounted to another structure with the first direction being a downward direction. 
     
     
       33. A telecommunications connection device, comprising:
   a )  a housing having a front and a rear, the housing defining an interior and an opening;        b )  an outside plant telecommunications cable, the outside plant cable including a plurality of optical fibers that enter the housing through the opening, the outside plant telecommunications cable extending in a first direction relative to the housing;        c )  a tab that projects outwardly from the housing in a second direction, the second direction being generally opposite from the first direction, and wherein the tab defines at least one aperture that extends therethrough in a front - to - rear direction;        d ) interior fibers positioned within the housing, each interior fiber having an optical connector linked thereto, the interior fibers being spliced to the optical fibers of the outside plant telecommunications cable; and        e )  a plurality of adapters providing connection locations at the front of the housing, the adapters including:      i )  first ends accessible from within the interior of the housing for receiving the optical connectors optically connected to the optical fibers of the outside plant telecommunications cable; and        ii )  second ends accessible from outside the housing for receiving optical connectors located outside of the housing, the second ends of the adapters being angled generally toward the first direction.       
     
     
       34. The telecommunications connection device of  claim 33 , wherein the outside plant telecommunications cable is an underground cable that extends from underground to the housing. 
     
     
       35. The telecommunications connection device of  claim 33 , wherein the outside plant telecommunications cable enters the housing through the opening. 
     
     
       36. The telecommunications connection device of  claim 33 , wherein the housing has an exterior, and wherein the outside plant telecommunications cable is secured to the exterior of the housing. 
     
     
       37. The telecommunications connection device of  claim 36 , wherein the housing is configured such that when the housing is mounted to another structure, the front of the housing faces outwardly from the structure. 
     
     
       38. The telecommunications connection device of  claim 33 , wherein each of the optical fibers of the outside plant telecommunications cable is linked to a splice. 
     
     
       39. The telecommunications connection device of  claim 33 , wherein the housing is mounted to another structure with the first direction being a downward direction. 
     
     
       40. An optical connection device comprising:
   a housing defining an interior, the housing including a first end positioned opposite from a second end and a front and rear sides that extend between the first and second ends, the housing defining an axis that extends from the first end to the second end of the housing;        an outside plant cable secured to the housing, the outside plant cable including an optical fiber, and the outside plant cable extending away from the housing in a first direction that extends generally along the axis of the housing;        a plurality of adapters mounted to the housing, the adapters each including a first end and a second end, the first ends of the adapters receiving first fiber optic connectors from inside the interior of the housing, the second ends of the adapters forming connection locations configured to receive second fiber optic connectors from outside the housing, the adapters being angled such that the second ends face forwardly and toward the first direction; and        interior optical fibers optically coupled to the optical fiber of the outside plant cable by a splitter, the interior optical fibers being linked to the first fiber optic connectors received within the first ends of the adapters.     
     
     
       41. The optical connection device of  claim 40 , wherein the housing includes an exterior, and wherein the outside plant telecommunications cable is secured to the exterior of the housing. 
     
     
       42. The optical connection device of  claim 41 , further including an attachment member coupled to an exterior of the housing, the attachment member adapted to secure the outside plant telecommunications cable to the exterior of the housing. 
     
     
       43. The optical connection device of  claim 41 , wherein the housing is mounted to another structure with the first direction being a downward direction. 
     
     
       44. The optical connection device of  claim 41 , further comprising a tab that projects outwardly from the housing in a second direction, the second direction being generally opposite from the first direction, and wherein the tab defines at least one aperture that extends therethrough in a front- to - rear direction.   
     
     
       45. The optical connection device of  claim 41 , wherein the housing is configured such that when the housing is mounted to another structure, the front of the housing faces outwardly from the structure.