Adapter plate for use with cable adapters

Details Adapter plate for use with cable adapters Adapter plate for use with cable adapters

1996-05-23

2002-03-05

Reichard, Dean A. (Department: 2831)

Electricity: conductors and insulators

Boxes and housings

With electrical device

C174S060000, C174S067000

Reexamination Certificate

active

06353183

ABSTRACT:

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
1. Field of the Invention
The invention relates generally to cable distribution enclosures and in particular to a cable distribution center that has a high cable density and provides easy access to cable adapters.
2. Prior Art
After cable is brought into a building for use in transmitting signals for telephone (voice), cable (video), or computers (data), those signals must be distributed throughout the building to typically each desk that requires access to the information being transmitted. To facilitate that distribution, an enclosure is typically utilized to house and manage the dispersal of the fiber. In many cases, as many as 72 fibers are distributed within a single enclosure and several of these enclosures are attached to a rack. In larger systems, a room full of these racks serves as a central hub from which thousands of fibers are distributed. Due to the increasing need for more and more fibers, space has become an issue; hence the need for enclosures with the ability to effectively distribute a higher fiber count within basically the same volume has arisen.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
The above-discussed and other drawbacks and deficiencies of the prior art are overcome or alleviated by the rack mountable cable distribution enclosure of the invention. The cable distribution enclosure provides a high-density fiber solution for terminating up to 144 fibers, all within a 4 RMS space on a 19″ or 23″ rack. The enclosure is made from high grade steel and both front and rear access doors are durable smoked polycarbonate. These front and rear doors utilize releasable hinges that can therefore be removed by activating the hinge release mechanism. Also, both of these doors are lockable by way of customer-supplied locks. Fiber entry is made available at both sides, at the front and rear of enclosure, and conveniently-located cable tie anchor points are provided for securing incoming cables.
A sliding tray facilitates front and rear adapter access via a unique system of push-pull latches and brackets. The fibers are connected through the use of snap-in adapter plates. Each adapter plate is capable of accommodating up to (6) duplex adapters (2 ports per adapter) such that, with all (12) plates installed, the fiber count=6×2×12=144. The 4 and 6-port adapter plates include molded-in icon pockets to assist in color coding and port identification. The mounting surface of the adapter plate is angled so as to minimize fiber bend radius and to also reduce the potential of eye damage by minimizing the chance of looking straight into the activated fibers while working around the cable distribution enclosure. These adapter plates are reversible to thus enable angling fiber cable to either the left or right.
The cable distribution enclosure provides an effective system for distributing and managing up to 144 fibers within the same rack space that is normally utilized for a maximum of 72 fibers. There are additional features designed into the cable distribution enclosure which, when compared to other 72-port enclosures, facilitate the installation of the fiber, improve upon management of the fibers, and/or reduce the manufacturing cost.


REFERENCES:
patent: 1930610 (1933-10-01), Despard
patent: 2427349 (1947-09-01), Boynton
patent: 2934590 (1960-04-01), Thompson et al.
patent: 3135535 (1964-06-01), Shepard
patent: 3652781 (1972-03-01), Robbins
patent: 4273957 (1981-06-01), Kolling, Jr.
patent: 4502754 (1985-03-01), Kawa
patent: 4558172 (1985-12-01), Zetena
patent: 4595255 (1986-06-01), Bhatt et al.
patent: 4630886 (1986-12-01), Lauriello et al.
patent: 4673246 (1987-06-01), Schembri
patent: 4699455 (1987-10-01), Erbe et al.
patent: 4702551 (1987-10-01), Coulombe
patent: 4708430 (1987-11-01), Donaldson et al.
patent: 4728171 (1988-03-01), Schofield et al.
patent: 4747020 (1988-05-01), Brickley et al.
patent: 4748540 (1988-05-01), Henneberg et al.
patent: 4752110 (1988-06-01), Blanchet et al.
patent: 4765710 (1988-08-01), Burmeister et al.
patent: 4792203 (1988-12-01), Nelson et al.
patent: 4805980 (1989-02-01), Mackenroth
patent: 4818054 (1989-04-01), George et al.
patent: 4824196 (1989-04-01), Bylander
patent: 4840448 (1989-06-01), Ghandeharizadeh
patent: 4861134 (1989-08-01), Alameel et al.
patent: 4874904 (1989-10-01), De Santi
patent: 4962989 (1990-10-01), Jung et al.
patent: 5011257 (1991-04-01), Wettengel et al.
patent: 5024498 (1991-06-01), Becker et al.
patent: 5046811 (1991-09-01), Jung et al.
patent: 5066149 (1991-11-01), Wheeler et al.
patent: 5067784 (1991-11-01), Debortoli et al.
patent: 5218519 (1993-06-01), Welch et al.
patent: 5283713 (1994-02-01), Nagafuji et al.
patent: RE34955 (1995-05-01), Anton et al.
patent: 5594206 (1997-01-01), Klas et al.
patent: 0 293 183 (1988-11-01), None
patent: 2 166 262 (1986-04-01), None
AT&T FIber Optics Products, Feb. 1995, pp. 8A-20, 8C-52, 8C-53 and 8C-55.
AMP Incorporated Pamphlet, Sep. 1996, pp. 72, 75 and 76.

Affiliated with

Also associated with

Rating

Adapter plate for use with cable adapters does not yet have a rating. At this time, there are no reviews or comments for this patent.

If you have personal experience with Adapter plate for use with cable adapters, we encourage you to share that experience with our LandOfFree.com community. Your opinion is very important and Adapter plate for use with cable adapters will most certainly appreciate the feedback.

Rate now

Comments { 0 }

Profile ID: LFUS-PAI-O-2888653