WO2013120508A1

WO2013120508A1 - Patch panel, optical fiber distribution system and method for reconfiguring the same

Info

Publication number: WO2013120508A1
Application number: PCT/EP2012/052428
Authority: WO
Inventors: Ludwig Vleugels
Original assignee: Gigacom Benelux Bvba; Bv Twentsche Kabelfabriek (Tkf)
Priority date: 2012-02-13
Filing date: 2012-02-13
Publication date: 2013-08-22

Abstract

The invention relates to a patch panel for an optical fiber distribution system, to the optical fiber distribution system and to a method for reconfiguring such an optical fiber distribution system. The Patch panel (1) comprising a panel frame (10), a plurality of adapters (11, 12,...) mounted in the panel frame, each of the adapters being configured to receive an optical connector or a dust cap, and a guiding element (3) positioned adjacent to an adapter (11) of the plurality of adapters (11, 12,...) at one side (111) of said adapter (11), such that on said side (111) of the adapter (11) an optical connector (2) or a dust cap (22) approaching said adapter (11) is mechanically guided into alignment with said adapter (11) by the guiding element (3).

Description

Title:

Patch panel, optical fiber distribution system and method for reconfiguring the same.

Description:

The invention relates to a patch panel for an optical fiber distribution system, to the optical fiber distribution system and to a method for reconfiguring such an optical fiber distribution system.

Optical fiber distribution systems or so called optical distribution frames act as terminal points for optical communication lines. They allow the creation of arbitrary interconnections between incoming and outgoing optical fibers. An optical distribution system usually comprises one or more patch panels, each having a number of adapters. Each adapter is formed to accommodate two optical connectors, each of which holds the end of an optical fiber. The two connectors are inserted into the adapter such that the fiber ends come very close to each other or even abut, in order to allow optical signals to pass from one to the other with minimal or no signal loss. When an adapter is not loaded with two connectors, one or two dust caps may take the place of one or both missing connectors in order to prevent dust or dirt from entering the adapter. A dust cap usually has the same features as a connector except that it does not carry an optical fiber end.

When setting up such an optical fiber distribution system, a number of connectors carrying fibers are inserted into the adapters from one side, the back side, of the patch panel(s). The other side of the patch panel, the front side, is accessible by a human and/or by an automated or semi-automated robotic system for configuring the distribution system by placing connectors carrying fibers or dust caps into the adapters. When setting up the distribution system, it may be pre-configured. Accessing the front side of the patch panel allows configuring or reconfiguring the system by taking a connector from one adapter or from a parked position, which may be implemented in form of an adapter as well (a parking adapter), and placing it into a different adapter of the patch panel or of a different patch panel. Some embodiments of such an optical fiber distribution system and of a method for reconfiguring the system are described in detail in

WO2011 /160906. Therein, it is disclosed that a robotic system may be utilized to grab an optical connector or a dust cap, carry it to a desired adapter and insert it into said adapter. The advantage of such a robotic system is that reconfiguring the distribution system may be performed automatically, following a predetermined program, or semi-automatically, controlled at least partly by a human operator. The reconfiguration may then be controlled from a distance.

A problem which may arise when employing a robotic system for

reconfiguration is due to a possible misalignment of the connector or dust cap with respect to the adapter, in which it is supposed to be placed. The misalignment may express itself in a tilting angle between the connector and the adapter such that the connector would have to be rotated before being able to slide into the adapter. Such a misalignment may be due to an error in the fixation of the patch panel, due to a malfunction of a gripper, which is gripping and holding the connector or dust cap, or due to other circumstances. Such a misalignment will often hinder or even prevent the connector from being placed correctly into the adapter. In some cases the connector may be even dropped by the gripper. In other cases there might be an inferior optical connection built between the connector and the corresponding counter- connector. In any case, an operator might be forced to attend to the system and correct the error. It is thus the object of the invention to provide devices and methods for correcting a misalignment of the connector or dust cap during a

reconfiguration procedure in an optical fiber distribution system, while keeping the overall costs for the system and for its maintenance low. According to the invention, this object is met by a patch panel having the features of claim 1 , by an optical fiber distribution system having the features of claim 12, and by a method for reconfiguring an optical fiber distribution system having the features of claim 13. Advantageous embodiments of the invention are stated in the subordinate claims.

The invention is based on the concept of correcting for the misalignment of a connector when it approaches its destination adapter by way of a guiding element. In the following, whenever an optical connector is mentioned, the same features with respect to the adapter may apply to a dust cap which may be placed inside the adapter instead of the optical connector. The dust cap will prevent unwanted matter to enter the adapter when not equipped with a connector.

When the connector is held and moved closer to the adapter, it will at some point touch the guiding element positioned adjacent to the adapter. Either the tip or a mid-portion of the connector may initially touch the guiding element. Depending on how rigidly the connector is held, the mechanical contact and a slight or forceful push of the connector against the guiding element will lead the connector to rotate or pivot around a point or an axis it is being held at. The guiding element has to have the proper form and be positioned such that such a pivoting will lead the connector to be better aligned than before it touched the guiding element, or ideally completely aligned with the adapter.

The guiding element is a separate element from the adapter, i.e. it is not just an extension of walls of the adapter. It may be of the same or of similar material as the adapter, or it may be of a different material. Advantageously, the patch panel may be fitted with one or multiple guiding elements after the manufacturing of the patch panel or even after the installation of the entire distribution system. Thus, the addition of the guiding element to a patch panel may be done in a retrofitting or upgrading process. In any case, it is preferred that the guiding element is mounted to a panel frame of the patch panel. In one embodiment, the guiding element may have a guiding surface, which is substantially aligned with an inside surface of the adapter. When touching this guiding surface, the connector is guided into alignment with said inside surface of the adapter, thus making it easier for the connector to be pushed into the adapter. The guiding surface being aligned with the inside surface means that the two surfaces are flush with each other or collinear with each other. There is no need of the two surfaces to touch each other; instead there may be a gap between the guiding element and the adapter.

In an easily implementable embodiment, the guiding element may be a guiding plate, i.e. it may have a small thickness compared to dimensions perpendicular to that thickness. It may for example be a sheet element, possibly cut or stamped out of a metal sheet, such as an Aluminum or Copper sheet, or out of a plastic sheet. The guiding element in the embodiment as a guiding plate may be placed such that its surface, extending perpendicular to the thickness of the plate, is oriented parallel to the optical axis. The guiding plate may be mounted or fixed to the panel frame of the patch panel around the adapter, having a cut-out section to accommodate and partly surround the adapter.

The adapter itself may be a simplex or a duplex adapter. In the first case, the adapter may accept a single adapter carrying a single optical fiber on each side, while a duplex adapter may allow connecting two pair of connectors each carrying an optical fiber. The duplex adapter may also be able to

accommodate a single duplex connector, carrying two optical fibers on each side. Accordingly, corresponding simplex or duplex dust caps may be used instead of the connectors.

In an advanced embodiment, the guiding element comprises a protruding section, which extends over said side of said adapter perpendicular to an optical axis defined by said adapter such that an optical connector or a dust cap approaching said adapter is mechanically guided into alignment with said adapter by the guiding element before forming an overlap with said adapter. Once the approaching optical connector forms a complete overlap with the adapter and at the same time the connector and the adapter are in alignment, then the connector will only have to traverse parallel to the optical axis in order to be inserted into the adapter. The guiding element extending along the side of the adapter, even without a protruding section, will also be able to mechanically guide the connector into alignment with the adapter when the overlap between the connector and the adapter, i.e. between a face of the connector and an opening of the adapter, is not complete but only partial. The protruding section of the guiding element, however, protrudes in a way from the side of the adapter that it may guide the connector into alignment with the adapter even when there is no overlap between the connector and the adapter. During the reconfiguration of the distribution system, the connector may be moved to touch the protruding section of the guiding element for initial alignment of the connector, and then moved along the guiding element towards the adapter in order to form an overlap between the connector and the adapter. The protruding section of the guiding element may protrude into a gap between the adapter and a further adapter. According to one efficient embodiment, the guiding element is furthermore positioned adjacent to one or more further adapters of the plurality of adapters at one side of said or each further adapter, such that on said side of said further adapter(s) an optical connector or dust cap approaching said further adapter(s) is mechanically guided into alignment with said further adapter(s) by the guiding element. In other words, the guiding element acts as a guiding element for two or multiple adapters. Depending on the shape and mounting design of the guiding element, this may lead to advantages in cost and material, for example by saving on the fabrication and mounting of additional guiding elements.

One example of a guiding element acting as guiding element for two different connectors, is one which acts as guiding element for two adapters abutting each other on one side. In this case, the abutting or touching adapters share the same section of the guiding element. The guiding surface for the adapter is on one side of the guiding element, while the guiding surface of the further adapter is on the other side of the guiding element. Advantageously, the guiding element has a thickness substantially equal to a thickness of a wall element between an adapter opening of said adapter and a further adapter opening of said further adapter. The said wall may actually be comprised of two walls, namely the abutting outside walls of the two abutting adapters. Substantially equal means in this case, that the thickness difference may be at least below 5%, 10% or 20%.

Another example of a guiding element acting as guiding element for two different connectors, is one which acts as guiding element for two adapters, which are positioned at a distance from each other such that a gap is formed between the adapter and the further adapter. If the guiding element has the form of a guiding plate, the two adapters might have to be placed parallel to each other, i.e. one inside surface of the adapter has to be placed collinearly to the one inside surface of the further adapter. A preferred embodiment provides for a further guiding element being positioned adjacent to said adapter at a further side of said adapter, such that on said further side of the adapter an optical connector or dust cap

approaching said adapter is mechanically guided into said adapter by the further guiding element. In particular the further guiding element may be positioned at an opposite side of the connector with respect to the first guiding element. In both cases, the connector is guided into alignment with the adapter from two different sides. This feature might me much more

advantageous if the adapter is in fact a duplex adapter, while the connector is a simplex connector. In this case, the guiding element may guide the connector when approaching one adapter opening, while the further guiding element may guide the connector when approaching the other adapter opening of the duplex adapter. During the reconfiguration of the distribution system, the optical connector will be gripped with a gripping element, advantageously controlled by a robotic system. Then, the optical connector is moved to approach the adapter. At that time, the connector is brought into mechanical contact with the guiding element and pushed against the guiding element to align it with the adapter. The connector may be pushed against the guiding element for alignment at a section of the guiding element situated over the adapter opening, i.e.

extending along the optical axis away from the opening and to the side of the opening in order to expose the opening. Or the connector may be pushed against the guiding element for alignment at a protrusion portion of the guiding element as described above, for example at a gap between the adapter and a further adapter.

In the following, the invention is explained with reference to the figures on the basis of exemplary embodiments. Therein,

Fig. 1 shows a perspective view on a patch panel;

Fig. 2 shows a front view of the patch panel of Fig. 1 ;

Fig. 2a shows a magnified image of an adapter with bordering guiding

elements of the patch panel of Fig. 2;

Fig. 3 shows a side view on the patch panel of Fig. 1 without connectors; Fig. 4 shows a side view on the patch panel of Fig. 1 with connectors and dust caps;

Fig. 5 shows an exploded view of the patch panel of Fig. 1 ;

Fig. 6 shows an optical fiber distribution system having a plurality of patch panels mounted in a distribution system frame;

Fig. 7 shows an optical fiber distribution system having a plurality of patch panels having an embodiment different from the ones shown in Fig. 6; Fig. 8 shows an optical fiber distribution system having a plurality of patch panels mounted in a distribution system frame and enclosed in a distribution system cabinet; and

Fig. 9 shows a flow chart of a method for reconfiguring an optical fiber

distribution system according to one embodiment. A perspective view on the patch panel 1 according to one embodiment is shown in Fig. 1. The patch panel 1 comprises a panel frame 10 and adapters 11 mounted to the panel frame 10. The panel frame has the form of a box with a front plate on which the adapters are mounted as well as side plates and a back plate, which together with the front plate form an enclosure housing fibers that enter the panel frame 10 from a side and lead to optical connectors on the backside of the adapters. The backsides of the adapters 11 as well as the connectors inserted from the back and the fibers leading to them are therefore enclosed in the panel frame 1 and thus not visible in Fig. 1.

On the visible front side, as it can be seen in Fig. 1 , all adapters 11 are filled with either optical connectors 2, each carrying an optical fiber 21 , or with dust caps 22. The outside dimensions of the dust caps 22 should be identical or at least very similar to the ones of the connectors 2, at least in as far as required in order to allow them to be placed into and held by the adapters 11. Each of the adapters 11 shown in Fig. 1 is a duplex adapter, having space for two simplex connectors 2, each of which carries a single optical fiber. The adapters 11 are arranged closely together in rows of ten. Three such rows of ten adapters 11 are formed on the face plate of the panel frame 10.

It should be noted that the patch panel (which may also be referred to as a connector module) can be built with any suitable number of rows per panel frame and any suitable number of adapters per row.

Between each two adapters 11 abutting each other along one row, a guiding element 3 in form of a guiding plate is arranged. Together with the two guiding elements 3 at the ends of the rows of adapters 11 , there are eleven guiding elements 3 visible in Fig. 1. A front view onto the front face of the patch panel 1 is shown in Fig. 2. Therein, it is visible that two rows of adapters 11 are spaced apart to form a gap 4 between them. Each guiding element 3 reaches over all three rows and the gaps between them. An enlarged view of the adapter 11 mounted on the panel frame 10 is shown in Fig. 2a. One exemplary guiding element 3 therefore has a guiding surface 30 which is aligned with an inside surface 110 of a corresponding adapter 11 at the side 111 of the adapter. At the same time, a further guiding surface of the guiding element 3 opposite the guiding surface is in alignment with an inside surface 112 of a further adapter 12, which is abutting the adapter 11.

As can be seen in Fig. 2, the guiding surface 3 also reaches across to the other rows of adapters such that it forms a guiding surface being in alignment with yet another adapter 13, which is distanced apart from the first adapter 11. Therefore, the guiding element 3 shown in Fig. 1 and 2 is in fact acting as a guiding element for six different adapters 11 , 12, 13, ...

Back to Fig. 2a, one can see that the adapter 11 has two different guiding elements 3. A guiding element 3 having a guiding surface 30 in alignment with the inside surface 110 of the adapter 11 on one side 111 , and a further guiding element 3' having a further guiding surface 30' on a further side 112 of the same adapter 11. The guiding surface 30 of the guiding element 3 is facing the further guiding surface 30' of the further guiding element 3'. Furthermore, each of the two guiding elements 3, 3' has protrusion sections extending over the sides 111 , 112 of the adapter 11 in this view.

Fig. 3 and 4 each show a side view on the patch panel 1 of Fig. 1 and 2. In Fig. 3, there are no connectors 2 or dust caps 22 placed in the adapters 11 , 12, while in the case shown in Fig. 4, five connectors 2 each carrying an optical fiber 21 can be seen inserted into corresponding adapters 11 , 12. The rest of the adapters 11 are filled with dust caps 22. The connector 2 configuration shown in Fig. 4 is in fact the same as the configuration shown in Fig. 1 and 2. An exploded view of the patch panel of Fig. 1 is shown in Fig. 5. Each guiding element 3 is mounted on the panel frame 10 by way of mounting means 31. In the embodiment shown here, the mounting means 31 comprise holes formed in the face plate of the panel frame 10 and small pegs formed on the guiding elements 3 to be inserted into the holes in the face plate to fix the guiding elements 3 into place. The guiding elements 3 further have cut-outs 32 or windows cut into them to accommodate the adapters 11. An optical fiber distribution system 7 according to one embodiment is shown in Fig. 6. It comprises a distribution system frame 70 having a number of patch panels 1 mounted to it; in the presently shown case there are eight patch panels 1. The guiding elements 3 are indicated only on a patch panel 1 in the top left corner of the distribution system frame 70, however, all eight patch panels 1 may be provided with guiding elements 3 mounted on them.

The guiding elements 3 shown in Fig. 6 are oriented in the same direction with respect to the adapters 11 , 12, as shown in the Fig. 1 to 5. They reach across three rows of adapters 11 and therefore extend along the width of the patch panel 1 , and are oriented vertically. A different embodiment of the optical fiber distribution system 7 is shown in Fig. 7. Therein, the rows of adapters 11 , i.e. adapters which abut each other in pairs, are oriented vertically, so that the guiding elements 3 reach over eight rows of adapters 11 and are therefore oriented horizontally, extending along the length of the patch panel 1.

An optical fiber distribution system 7 comprising a distribution system frame 70 arranged and enclosed inside of a distribution system cabinet 71 is shown in Fig. 8. A method 200 for reconfiguring an optical fiber distribution system according to one embodiment is described with reference to a flow chart shown in Fig. 9. According to this embodiment, in a first step 201 , the optical connector is gripped by way of gripping means. Later on, the adapter is approached 202 with an optical connector. Once close enough, the connector is brought into contact with the guiding element 203, while pushing 204 the optical connector against the guiding element. This pushing step 204 will lead the connector to be guided into alignment with the adapter. Once there is alignment between the connector and the adapter, the connector is pushed 205 into the adapter. Reference Numerals:

I patch panel

10 panel frame

I I adapter

1 10 inside surface of adapter

I I I one side of adapter

1 12 further side of adapter

12, 13 further adapters

121 , 131 sides of further adapters

2 optical connector or dust cap

21 optical fiber

22 dust cap

3 guiding element

30 guiding surface of guiding element

31 mounting means

32 cut-outs

3' further guiding element

30' guiding surface of further guiding element 4 gap between adapter and further adapter

(gap between adapter rows)

7 optical fiber distribution system

70 distribution system frame

71 distribution system cabinet

200 method for reconfiguring optical fiber distribution system

201 gripping optical connector

202 approaching adapter with optical connector

203 bringing optical connector into contact with guiding element

204 pushing optical connector against guiding element

205 pushing optical connector into adapter

Claims

Claims:

1 . Patch panel (1 ) comprising:

- a panel frame (10),

- a plurality of adapters (1 1 , 12, ...) mounted in the panel frame, each of the adapters being configured to receive an optical connector (2) or a dust cap (22), and

- a guiding element (3) positioned adjacent to an adapter (1 1 ) of the plurality of adapters (1 1 , 12, ...) at one side (1 1 1 ) of said adapter (1 1 ), such that on said side (1 1 1 ) of the adapter (1 1 ) an optical connector (2) or a dust cap approaching said adapter (1 1 ) is mechanically guided into alignment with said adapter (1 1 ) by the guiding element (3).

2. Patch panel (1 ) according to claim 1 , characterized by that a guiding

surface (30) of the guiding element (3) is substantially aligned with an inside surface (1 10) of said adapter (1 1 ).

3. Patch panel (1 ) according to claim 1 or 2, characterized by that the

guiding element (3) is a guiding plate.

4. Patch panel (1 ) according to one of the previous claims, characterized by that said guiding element (3) is mounted to the panel frame.

5. Patch panel (1 ) according to one of the previous claims, characterized by that said adapter (1 1 ) is a simplex or a duplex adapter.

6. Patch panel (1 ) according to one of the previous claims, characterized by that said guiding element (3) comprises a protruding section, which extends over said side (1 1 1 ) of said adapter (1 1 ) perpendicular to an optical axis defined by said adapter (1 1 ) such that an optical connector (2) or a dust cap (22) approaching said adapter (1 1 ) is mechanically guided into alignment with said adapter (1 1 ) by the guiding element (3) before forming an overlap with said adapter (1 1 ).

7. Patch panel (1 ) according to one of the previous claims, characterized by that the guiding element (3) is furthermore positioned adjacent to one or more further adapters (12, 13) of the plurality of adapters (1 1 , 12, ...) at one side (121 , 131 ) of said or each further adapter (12, 13), such that on said side (121 , 131 ) of said further adapter(s) (12, 13) an optical connector (2) or dust cap (22) approaching said further adapter(s) (12, 13) is mechanically guided into alignment with said further adapter(s) (12, 13) by the guiding element (3).

8. Patch panel (1 ) according to claim 7, characterized by that said further adapter (12) or one of said further adapters (12, 13) is abutting said adapter (1 1 ) on said side (1 1 1 ).

9. Patch panel (1 ) according to claim 8, characterized by that said guiding element (3) has a thickness substantially equal to a thickness of a wall element between an adapter opening of said adapter (1 1 ) and a further adapter opening of said further adapter (12).

10. Patch panel (1 ) according to one of the claims 7 to 9, characterized by that said further adapter (13) or one of said further adapters (12, 13) is positioned at a distance from said adapter (1 1 ) such that a gap (4) is formed between said adapter (1 1 ) and said further adapter (13).

1 1 . Patch panel (1 ) according to one of the previous claims, characterized by that a further guiding element (3' ) is positioned adjacent to said adapter (1 1 ) at a further side (1 12) of said adapter (1 1 ), such that on said further side (1 12) of the adapter (1 1 ) an optical connector (2) or dust cap approaching said adapter (1 1 ) is mechanically guided into said adapter

(1 1 ) by the further guiding element (3' ).

12. Optical fiber distribution system comprising a patch panel (1 ) according to one of the previous claims.

13. Method for reconfiguring an optical fiber distribution system (7), whereby the optical fiber distribution system (7) comprises a patch panel (1 ) with a panel frame (10), a plurality of adapters (1 1 , 12, ...) mounted in the panel frame (10), each of the adapters (1 1 , 12, ...) being configured to receive an optical connector (2) or dust cap, and a guiding element (3) positioned adjacent to an adapter (1 1 ) of the plurality of adapters (1 1 , 12, ...) at one side (1 1 1 ) of said adapter (1 1 ), the method comprising the following steps:

- Gripping the optical connector (2) or dust cap (22) by means of a gripping element;

- Approaching said adapter (1 1 ) with the optical connector (2);

- Bringing said optical connector (2) or dust cap (22) into mechanical contact with the guiding element (3) on said side (1 1 1 ) of the adapter (1 1 );

- Pushing said optical connector (2) or dust cap (22) against said guiding element (3) such that said optical connector (2) or dust cap (22) is mechanically guided into alignment with said adapter (101 ) by the guiding element (3); and

- Pushing said optical connector (2) or dust cap (22) into said adapter (1 1 ).

14. Method according to claim 13, characterized by pushing said optical

connector (2) or dust cap (22) against said guiding element (3) at a section over an adapter opening of said adapter (1 1 ).

15. Method according to claim 13, characterized by pushing said optical

connector (2) or dust cap (22) against said guiding element (3) at a gap (4) between said adapter (1 1 ) and a further adapter (13).