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EP-4737969-A2 - FIBER OPTIC TRAY SYSTEMS

EP4737969A2EP 4737969 A2EP4737969 A2EP 4737969A2EP-4737969-A2

Abstract

An enclosure (10) defines a mutually orthogonal coordinate system having a longitudinal axis (12), a lateral axis (14), and a transverse axis (16). The enclosure (10) includes a plurality of trays (12) stacked along the transverse axis. Each of the plurality of trays (12) is independently movable relative to the enclosure (10) along the longitudinal axis. Each tray (12) includes a tray body, a plurality of alignment rails, and a plurality of fiber optic modules (60) having varying widths. The tray body extends along the longitudinal axis (14) between a front and a rear and extends along the lateral axis (16) between a first side and a second side. Each of the plurality of alignment rails protrudes from the tray body along the transverse axis (18) and the alignment rails are spaced apart from each other along the lateral axis (16). One or more of the plurality of fiber optic modules (60) includes an outer housing with at least one alignment channel defined in the outer housing. The at least one alignment channel is provided on at least one of the plurality of alignment rails to align the fiber optic module (60) on the tray (12).

Inventors

  • GUZZO, LOU

Assignees

  • AFL Telecommunications LLC

Dates

Publication Date
20260506
Application Date
20200312

Claims (15)

  1. An enclosure (10) defining a mutually orthogonal coordinate system having a longitudinal axis (14), a lateral axis (16), and a transverse axis (18), the enclosure (10) comprising: a plurality of trays (12) stacked along the transverse axis (18), each of the plurality of trays (12) being independently movable relative to the enclosure (10) along the longitudinal axis (14) and comprising: a tray body (20), the tray body (20) extending along the longitudinal axis (14) between a front (22) and a rear (24) and extending along the lateral axis (16) between a first side (26) and a second side (28); a plurality of alignment rails (40), each of the plurality of alignment rails (40) protruding from the tray body (20) along the transverse axis (18) and spaced apart from each other along the lateral axis (16); and a plurality of fiber optic modules (60) having varying widths (61', 61", 61"'), one or more of the plurality of fiber optic modules (60) comprising an outer housing (62) and at least one alignment channel (70) defined in the outer housing (62), wherein the at least one alignment channel (70) is provided on at least one of the plurality of alignment rails (40) to align the fiber optic module (60) on the tray (12).
  2. The enclosure (10) of claim 1, the outer housing (62) extending along the longitudinal axis (14) between a front (63) and a rear (64), extending along the lateral axis (16) between a first side (65) and a second side (66), and extending along the transverse axis (18) between a top (68) and a bottom (67), wherein the at least one alignment channel (70) is defined in the bottom (67) of the outer housing (62).
  3. The enclosure (10) of claim 1, wherein each of the trays (12) further comprises at least one cutout (30) defined in the tray body (20).
  4. The enclosure (10) of claim 1, wherein the tray body (20) of each of the plurality of trays (12) is formed from sheet metal.
  5. The enclosure (10) of claim 1, wherein each of the plurality of trays (12) further comprises a plurality of fiber management features (32), e.g., fiber management rings, located at the front of the tray (12).
  6. The enclosure (10) of claim 1, wherein each of the plurality of trays (12) further comprises a plurality of alignment clips (42).
  7. The enclosure (10) of claim 6, wherein each of the plurality of alignment clips (42) is aligned with one of the plurality of alignment rails (40).
  8. The enclosure (10) of claim 1, the outer housing (62) extending along the longitudinal axis (14) between a front (63) and a rear (64), extending along the lateral axis (16) between a first side (65) and a second side (66), and extending along the transverse axis (18) between a top (68) and a bottom (67), wherein each of the plurality of fiber optic modules (60) includes at least one fiber optic adaptor (69) extending from the outer housing (62) from the front (63), the rear (64), or both.
  9. The enclosure (10) of claim 1, wherein each of the plurality of trays (12) includes a plurality of retainer features (50, 52) disposed at a rear of the tray body (20), and wherein the one or more of the plurality of fiber optic modules (60) further comprises at least one retainment feature (74, 76), wherein the at least one retainment feature (74, 76) is interfaced with at least one of the plurality of retainer features (50, 52) to retain the fiber optic module (60) on the tray (12).
  10. The enclosure (10) of claim 1, wherein the one or more of the plurality of fiber optic modules (60) further comprises at least one retainer plug (74) insertable into any one of a plurality of retainer clips (50) of the tray (12) and/or at least one retainer tab (76) insertable into any one of one or more retainer slots (52) of the tray (12).
  11. The enclosure (10) of claim 10, wherein each retainer plug (74) and/or each retainer tab (76) extends from a rear (64) of the outer housing (62) along the longitudinal axis (14).
  12. The enclosure (10) of claim 1, wherein the varying widths (61', 61", 61‴) include a first width (61'), a second width (61"), and a third width (6"'), wherein the first width (61') is less than the second width (61"), and the second width (61") is less than the third width (61'"), and wherein the plurality of fiber optic modules (60) are interchangeably aligned in the tray (12).
  13. The enclosure (10) of claim 1, wherein each of the plurality of trays (12) further comprises a plurality of alignment clips (42), wherein the one or more of the plurality of fiber optic modules (60) comprising the alignment channel (70) defined in the outer housing (62) is aligned on corresponding alignment clips (42).
  14. The enclosure (10) of claim 13, wherein one or more of the plurality of fiber optic modules (60) not comprising an alignment channel (70) defined in an outer housing (62) is provided between neighboring alignment clips (42).
  15. The enclosure (10) of claim 1, wherein the one or more of the plurality of fiber optic modules (60) are alignable in the plurality of trays (12) in a plurality of relative configurations, and wherein in each of the plurality of relative configurations each of the plurality of alignment channels (70) is provided on one of the plurality of alignment rails (40) of one of the plurality of trays (12).

Description

PRIORITY STATEMENT The present application claims priority to U.S. Patent Application Serial No. 16/448,699, filed June 21, 2019, and to U.S. Provisional Patent Application Serial No. 62/827,291, filed April 1, 2019, both of which are incorporated by reference herein in their entireties. FIELD The present disclosure relates generally to fiber optic tray systems, and more particularly to trays and modules having modular features which allow for differently-sized modules to be interchangeably aligned and retained on the trays. BACKGROUND Large data centers frequently deploy racks, cabinets, or enclosures which contain components for facilitating data communication, such as fiber optic connection components. For example, such racks, cabinets, or enclosures frequently contain a significant number of fiber optic modules, each of which facilitates multiple fiber optic connections. In many cases, the fiber optic modules are mounted on trays. The trays may be movable relative to the racks, cabinets, or enclosures, and the modules may be movable relative to the trays, to facilitate ease of installation and maintenance of the modules and fiber optic connections therein. Currently known trays and modules utilize various rail systems or other components to retain the modules to the trays. However, a significant limitation of such known designs is that only a single size and shape of module may be utilized with a tray so that the various components of the tray and module fit together to retain the module to the tray. In many cases, it would be desirable to utilize differently-sized fiber optic modules on a tray. For example, it would be desirable to utilize differently-sized modules on the same tray and/or replace a module of one size with a module of a different size. Accordingly, improved trays, modules, and tray systems are desired in the art. BRIEF DESCRIPTION Aspects and advantages of the invention will be set forth in part in the following description, or may be obvious from the description, or may be learned through practice of the invention. In accordance with one embodiment, a fiber optic tray system defining a mutually orthogonal coordinate system having a longitudinal axis, a lateral axis, and a transverse axis is provided. The fiber optic tray system includes a tray. The tray includes a tray body, the tray body extending along the longitudinal axis between a front and a rear and extending along the lateral axis between a first side and a second side. The tray further includes a plurality of alignment rails, each of the plurality of alignment rails protruding from the tray body along the transverse axis. The tray further includes a plurality of retainer features disposed at the rear of the tray body. The fiber optic tray system further includes a fiber optic module, the fiber optic module including an outer housing and at least one retainment feature. The at least one retainment feature is interfaced with at least one of the plurality of retainer features to retain the fiber optic module on the tray. The fiber optic module may further comprise at least one alignment channel defined in the outer housing. The at least one alignment channel may be provided on at least one of the plurality of alignment rails to align the fiber optic module on the tray. The plurality of alignment rail may each extend along the longitudinal axis and may be spaced apart from each other along the lateral axis. In accordance with another embodiment, an enclosure defining a mutually orthogonal coordinate system having a longitudinal axis, a lateral axis, and a transverse axis is provided. The enclosure comprises a plurality of trays stacked along the transverse axis, each of the plurality of trays being independently movable relative to the enclosure along the longitudinal axis and comprising: a tray body, the tray body extending along the longitudinal axis between a front and a rear and extending along the lateral axis between a first side and a second side; a plurality of alignment rails, each of the plurality of alignment rails protruding from the tray body along the transverse axis and spaced apart from each other along the lateral axis; and a plurality of fiber optic modules having varying widths, one or more of the plurality of fiber optic modules comprising an outer housing and at least one alignment channel defined in the outer housing, wherein the at least one alignment channel is provided on at least one of the plurality of alignment rails to align the fiber optic module on the tray. The outer housing may extend along the longitudinal axis between a front and a rear. The outer housing may extend along the lateral axis between a first side and a second side. The outer housing may extend along the transverse axis between a top and a bottom. The at least one alignment channel may be defined in the bottom of the outer housing. Each of the trays may further comprise at least one cutout defined in the tray body. The tray body of ea