Fiber optic local convergence points for multiple dwelling units

Abstract

There are provided fiber optic local convergence points (“LCPs”) adapted for use with multiple dwelling units (“MDUs”) that facilitate relatively easy installation and/or optical connectivity to a relatively large number of subscribers. The LCP includes a housing mounted to a surface, such as a wall, and a cable assembly with a connector end to be optically connected to a distribution cable and a splitter end to be located within the housing. The splitter end includes at least one splitter and a plurality of subscriber receptacles to which subscriber cables may be optically connected. The splitter end of the cable assembly of the LCP may also include a splice tray assembly and/or a fiber optic routing guide. Furthermore, a fiber distribution terminal (“FDT”) may be provided along the subscriber cable to facilitate installation of the fiber optic network within the MDU.

The invention claimed is: 
     
       1. A fiber optic splitter module for optically connecting at least one input optical fiber and a plurality of output optical fibers, the splitter module comprising:
 a housing having at least one opening therethrough, wherein the opening defines an opening axis generally orthogonal to the opening; and   a splitter within the housing, wherein the input optical fiber is optically connected to the plurality of output optical fibers by the splitter, wherein the splitter defines a splitter axis generally aligned with the input optical fiber and the plurality of output optical fibers;   wherein the splitter axis is generally orthogonal to the opening axis; and   wherein the splitter module defines a density of output optical fiber splits per unit of volume of the housing of at least 5 splits/in 3 .   
     
     
       2. A splitter module according to  claim 1 , wherein the input optical fiber and the plurality of output optical fibers are routed within the housing generally without a slack loop. 
     
     
       3. A fiber optic splitter module for optically connecting at least one input optical fiber and a plurality of output optical fibers, the splitter module comprising:
 a housing having at least one opening therethrough, wherein the opening defines an opening axis generally orthogonal to the opening; and   a splitter within the housing, wherein the input optical fiber is optically connected to the plurality of output optical fibers by the splitter, wherein the splitter defines a splitter axis generally aligned with the input optical fiber and the plurality of output optical fibers;   wherein the splitter axis is generally orthogonal to the opening axis; and   wherein the splitter module defines a density of output optical fiber splits per unit of volume of the housing from about 4 splits/in 3  to about 10 splits/in 3 .   
     
     
       4. A fiber optic splitter module for optically connecting at least one input optical fiber and a plurality of output optical fibers, the splitter module comprising:
 a housing having at least one opening therethrough, wherein the opening defines an opening axis generally orthogonal to the opening; and   a splitter within the housing, wherein the input optical fiber is optically connected to the plurality of output optical fibers by the splitter, wherein the splitter defines a splitter axis generally aligned with the input optical fiber and the plurality of output optical fibers;   wherein the splitter axis is generally orthogonal to the opening axis; and   wherein at least one optical fiber of the plurality of output optical fibers comprises a microstructured optical fiber comprising a core region and a cladding region surrounding the core region, the cladding region comprising an annular hole-containing region comprised of non-periodically disposed holes.   
     
     
       5. A splitter module according to  claim 4 , wherein the microstructured fiber has an 8 mm macrobend induced loss at 1550 nm of less than 0.2 dB/turn. 
     
     
       6. A splitter module according to  claim 1 , wherein at least one optical fiber of the plurality of output optical fibers comprises a microstructured optical fiber comprising a core region and a cladding region surrounding the core region, the cladding region comprising an annular hole-containing region comprised of non-periodically disposed holes. 
     
     
       7. A splitter module according to  claim 6 , wherein the microstructured fiber has an 8 mm macrobend induced loss at 1550 mm of less than 0.2 dB/turn. 
     
     
       8. A splitter module according to  claim 3 , wherein the input optical fiber and the plurality of output optical fibers are routed within the housing generally without a slack loop. 
     
     
       9. A splitter module according to  claim 3 , wherein at least one optical fiber of the plurality of output optical fibers comprises a microstructured optical fiber comprising a core region and a cladding region surrounding the core region, the cladding region comprising an annular hole-containing region comprised of non-periodically disposed holes. 
     
     
       10. A splitter module according to  claim 9 , wherein the microstructured fiber has an 8 mm macrobend induced loss at 1550 mm of less than 0.2 dB/turn. 
     
     
       11. A splitter module according to  claim 4 , wherein the input optical fiber and the plurality of output optical fibers are routed within the housing generally without a slack loop. 
     
     
       12. Fiber optic local convergence point (“LCP”), wherein the LCP adapted for use with at least one input optical fiber and a plurality of output optical fibers, the LCP comprising:
 a cover; 
 an LCP housing comprising an interior cavity defined by a back wall and a plurality of sides and by the cover that is selectively moveable relative to the housing from an opened position to a closed position to thereby provide access to the interior cavity when the cover is in the opened position, wherein the LCP housing comprises at least one opening through the LCP housing for the passage of the at least one input optical fiber and the plurality of output optical fibers; 
 a plurality of receptacles adapted to selectively receive fiber optic connectors that are optically connected to the plurality of output optical fibers; and 
 a splitter module that optically connects the plurality of output optical fibers from said optical splitter with the plurality of receptacles, said splitter module comprising:
 a housing having a volume; and 
 an optical splitter within the housing, wherein the optical splitter is configured to optically connect the at least one input optical fiber for carrying an input optical signal and to split the input optical signal into a plurality of output optical signals, each of the plurality of output optical signals carried by a respective output optical fiber of the plurality of output optical fibers, wherein the at least one input optical fiber comprises a bend performance fiber such that with a macrobend of 8 mm to 12 mm the induced loss at a wavelength of 1550 nm is less than 1 dB/turn, wherein the splitter module defines a density of output optical fiber splits per unit of volume of at least 5 splits/in 3 , and wherein at least one of the output optical fibers comprises a connectorized end.  
 
 
     
     
       13. The LCP according to claim 12, wherein the induced loss is less than 0.5 dB/turn.  
     
     
       14. The LCP according to claim 12, wherein the induced loss is less than 0.2 dB/turn.  
     
     
       15. The LCP according to claim 12, wherein the induced loss is less than 0.05 dB/turn.  
     
     
       16. The LCP according to claim 12, wherein the induced loss is less than 0.01 dB/turn.  
     
     
       17. The LCP according to claim 12, wherein the at least one of the plurality of output optical fibers is configured to connect at its connectorized end to a subscriber optical fiber.  
     
     
       18. The LCP according to claim 12, wherein the optical splitter is configured to split the input optical signal carried by the at least one input optical fiber into 8 output optical signals.  
     
     
       19. The LCP according to claim 12, wherein the optical splitter is configured to split the input optical signal carried by the at least one input optical fiber into 16 output optical signals.  
     
     
       20. The LCP according to claim 12, wherein the optical splitter is configured to split the input optical signal carried by the at least one input optical fiber into 32 output optical signals.  
     
     
       21. The LCP according to claim 12, wherein the optical splitter is configured to split the input optical signal carried by the at least one input optical fiber into 64 output optical signals.  
     
     
       22. The LCP according to claim 12, wherein the splitter module is joined to the interior surface of the cover.  
     
     
       23. The LCP according to claim 12, wherein the splitter module is joined to the interior surface of the cover with one or more fasteners.  
     
     
       24. The LCP according to claim 12 further comprising:
 a splice tray assembly to splice the input optical fiber into a pig tail.    
     
     
       25. The LCP according to claim 12 further comprising:
 routing guides adapted to route the plurality of output optical fibers about the perimeter of the interior cavity from the splitter module to the plurality of receptacles.    
     
     
       26. The LCP according to claim 12 further comprising:
 an access cover joined to the LCP housing and generally positioned within the interior cavity of the LCP housing when the cover is in the closed position, wherein the access cover is selectively moveable relative to the housing from an opened position to a closed position to thereby provide access to a provider portion when the access cover is in the opened position and wherein the access cover defines an interior surface facing the back wall of the LCP housing when the access cover defines the closed position.    
     
     
       27. Fiber optic local convergence point (“LCP”), wherein the LCP adapted for use with at least one input optical fiber and a plurality of output optical fibers, the LCP comprising:
 a cover; 
 an LCP housing comprising an interior cavity defined by a back wall and a plurality of sides and by the cover that is selectively moveable relative to the housing from an opened position to a closed position to thereby provide access to the interior cavity when the cover is in the opened position, wherein the LCP housing comprises at least one opening through the LCP housing for the passage of the at least one input optical fiber and the plurality of output optical fibers; 
 a plurality of receptacles adapted to selectively receive fiber optic connectors that are optically connected to the plurality of output optical fibers; and 
 a splitter module that optically connects the plurality of output optical fibers from said optical splitter with the plurality of receptacles, said splitter module comprising:
 a housing having a volume; and 
 an optical splitter within the housing, wherein the optical splitter is configured to receive an input optical signal and to split the input optical signal into a plurality of output optical signals, each of the plurality of output optical signals carried by a respective output optical fiber of the plurality of output optical fibers, wherein the at least one input optical fiber comprises a bend performance fiber such that with a macrobend of 8 mm to 12 mm the induced loss at a wavelength of 1550 nm is less than 1 dB/turn, and wherein the splitter module defines a density of output optical fiber splits per unit of volume of at least 5 splits/in 3 .  
 
 
     
     
       28. Fiber optic local convergence point (“LCP”), wherein the LCP adapted for use with at least one input optical fiber and a plurality of output optical fibers, the LCP comprising:
 a cover; 
 an LCP housing comprising an interior cavity defined by a back wall and a plurality of sides and by the cover that is selectively moveable relative to the housing from an opened position to a closed position to thereby provide access to the interior cavity when the cover is in the opened position, wherein the LCP housing comprises at least one opening through the LCP housing for the passage of the at least one input optical fiber and the plurality of output optical fibers; 
 a plurality of receptacles adapted to selectively receive fiber optic connectors that are optically connected to the plurality of output optical fibers; and 
 a splitter module that optically connects the plurality of output optical fibers from said optical splitter with the plurality of receptacles, said splitter module comprising:
 a housing having a volume, wherein the housing defines an opening therethrough, wherein the at least one input optical fiber is received by the housing through the opening, wherein the at least one input optical fiber is configured to carry an input optical signal, wherein the plurality of output optical fibers received by the housing through the at least one opening, and wherein the plurality of output optical fibers are configured to carry a plurality of output optical signals; and 
 an optical splitter within the housing, wherein the optical splitter is configured to receive the input optical signal and to split the input optical signal into the plurality of output optical signals, each of the plurality of output optical signals carried by a respective output optical fiber of the plurality of output optical fibers, 
 wherein the at least one input optical fiber comprises a bend performance fiber such that with a macrobend of 8 mm to 12 mm the induced loss at a wavelength of 1550 nm is less than 1 dB/turn, and wherein the splitter module defines a density of output optical fiber splits per unit of volume of at least 5 splits/in 3 , and 
 wherein at least one of the plurality of output optical fibers comprises a connectorized end.