Fiber optic module and system including rear connectors

Abstract

A telecommunications assembly including a housing and a plurality of modules mounted within the housing. The modules includes a rear face in which is mounted at least one fiber optic connector. Within an interior of the housing are positioned at least one fiber optic adapters. Inserting the module through a front opening of the housing at a mounting location positions the connector of the module for insertion into and mating with the adapter of the housing. The adapters within the interior of the housing are mounted to a removable holder. A method of mounting a telecommunications module within a chassis.

What is claimed is: 
     
         1 . A fiber optic telecommunications assembly comprising:
 (a) a chassis defining at least one mounting location;   (b) at least one fiber optic adapter corresponding to each mounting location of the chassis, the fiber optic adapter including a front end and a rear end, each end of the at least one fiber optic adapter configured to receive a mating fiber optic connector, the front end positioned to receive a fiber optic connector of a telecommunications module that is to be inserted into the chassis and mounted at the at least one mounting location; and   (c) a telecommunications module mounted to the chassis at one of the mounting locations, the telecommunications module including:
 (i) a module housing; 
 (ii) a fiber optic connector for inputting a fiber optic signal into the telecommunications module, the fiber optic connector having an interface end that is accessible from outside the module housing, the fiber optic connector including a ferrule; 
 (iii) an input fiber routed from the fiber optic connector into the module housing; and 
 (iv) an output fiber routed toward a fiber output location of the module housing; 
 (v) wherein the fiber optic connector of the telecommunications module includes an inner housing mounted inside an outer housing, the inner housing supporting the ferrule, the ferrule defining a connector axis that extends longitudinally through the ferrule, the outer housing being anchored to the module housing by a connection that restricts movement of the outer housing relative to the module housing along the connector axis; 
   (d) wherein the telecommunications module is mounted to the chassis at one of the mounting locations such that the ferrule of the fiber optic connector of the telecommunications module engages the at least one fiber optic adapter of the corresponding mounting location when the telecommunications module is mounted to the chassis.   
     
     
         2 . The assembly of  claim 1 , wherein the telecommunications module includes an optical component positioned within the module housing such that the input fiber is routed from the fiber optic connector to the optical component and the output fiber is routed from the optical component to the fiber output location of the module housing. 
     
     
         3 . The assembly of  claim 2 , wherein the optical component is a fiber optic splitter, wherein the input fiber is routed from the fiber optic connector of the telecommunications module to the fiber optic splitter and a plurality of the output fibers are routed from the optical splitter to the fiber output location for being output from the module housing. 
     
     
         4 . The assembly of  claim 2 , wherein the module housing defines a front end and a rear end, the interface end of the fiber optic connector facing in a rearward direction and the fiber output location positioned at the front end of the module housing. 
     
     
         5 . The assembly of  claim 4 , wherein the fiber optic connector is mounted to the module housing at an intermediate mounting location forwardly offset from the rear end of the module housing and rearwardly offset from the front end of the module housing. 
     
     
         6 . The assembly of  claim 5 , wherein the input fiber is routed from the fiber optic connector to the optical component along a fiber routing path that extends forwardly from the fiber optic connector and then extends rearwardly into a rear fiber routing region of the module housing before extending to the optical component, the rear fiber routing region being positioned rearwardly with respect to the intermediate mounting location. 
     
     
         7 . The assembly of  claim 6 , wherein the fiber routing path includes a fiber loop positioned at least partially in the rear fiber routing region. 
     
     
         8 . The assembly of  claim 7 , wherein a majority of the fiber loop is positioned within the rear fiber routing region. 
     
     
         9 . The assembly of  claim 6 , wherein the optical component is positioned at least partially in the rear fiber routing region. 
     
     
         10 . The assembly of  claim 6 , wherein the optical component is positioned completely in the rear fiber routing region. 
     
     
         11 . The assembly of  claim 4 , wherein the module housing defines a top end and a bottom end, the front end of the module housing being angled rearwardly as the front end extends from the top end toward the bottom end. 
     
     
         12 . The assembly of  claim 1 , wherein the telecommunications module further comprises a latch for removably coupling the telecommunications module to the chassis. 
     
     
         13 . The assembly of  claim 12 , wherein the latch includes a flexible portion that is elastically deflectable for coupling and removing the telecommunications module to and from the chassis, respectively. 
     
     
         14 . The assembly of  claim 1 , wherein the module housing defines a top end and a bottom end, the module housing further comprising a mounting flange extending beyond each of the top end and the bottom end, one mounting flange having at least a portion that extends farther than the other mounting flange. 
     
     
         15 . The assembly of  claim 1 , wherein the fiber optic connector of the telecommunications module is an SC style connector. 
     
     
         16 . The assembly of  claim 1 , wherein the at least one fiber optic adapter is removably mounted to the chassis. 
     
     
         17 . The assembly of  claim 1 , wherein the chassis defines a plurality of mounting locations and a plurality of the telecommunications modules are mounted to the chassis. 
     
     
         18 . The assembly of  claim 1 , wherein the fiber optic connector is directly mounted to the module housing without the use of an intermediate fiber optic adapter.