Articulable rack mount assembly for an equipment rack of a fiber optic network

Abstract

A rack mount assembly for an equipment rack of a fiber optic network is disclosed. The equipment rack includes a front side with a first vertical frame member opposing a second vertical frame member. The rack mount assembly includes at least one rail member configured to be coupled to the equipment rack and an adapter module configured to be movably supported from the equipment rack by the at least one rail member. The adapter module includes at least one clip configured to releasably coupled the adapter module to the at least one rail member. The adapter module further includes an adapter bank is configured to receive a plurality of adapters where optical connections are made between optical fibers of fiber optic cables. The adapter module is pivotable relative to the equipment rack such that the adapter module is movable between a lowered position and a raised position.

Description

Attorney Docket No.: HI24-105 ARTICULABLE RACK MOUNT ASSEMBLY FOR AN EQUIPMENT RACK OF A FIBER OPTIC NETWORK Priority

[0001] This application claims the benefit of priority of U.S. Provisional Application No.63 / 705,135, filed on October 9, 2024, the content of which is relied upon and incorporated herein by reference in its entirety. Technical Field

[0002] This disclosure relates generally to an equipment rack that holds network equipment to which fiber optic cables are connected, and more particularly to a rack mount assembly for use in an equipment rack of a fiber optic network. Background

[0003] The large amount of data and other information transmitted over the internet has led businesses and other organizations to develop large scale data centers for organizing, processing, storing and / or disseminating large amounts of data. Data centers contain a wide range of network equipment including, for example, servers, networking switches, routers, storage subsystems, etc. Data centers further include a large amount of cabling and equipment racks to organize and interconnect the network equipment in the data center. Modern data centers may include multi- building campuses having, for example, one primary or main building and a number of auxiliary buildings in close proximity to the main building. All the buildings on the campus are interconnected by a local fiber optic network.

[0004] To manage the interconnectivity of a data center, the network equipment within the buildings on the data center campus is often arranged into structured data halls having a large number of spaced-apart rows of equipment racks. Each of the rows is, in turn, configured to receive a number of equipment racks or cabinets (e.g., twenty racks or cabinets) which hold the network equipment. In some data center architectures, at the front of each row, a main patch panel or intermediate distribution frame connects high-fiber-count distribution cables from the building’s distribution frame to lower-fiber-count distribution cables that extend to the network equipment. The distribution cables may be supported by overhead trays or baskets that organize and route the fiber optic cables along the row of equipment racks, ensuring clean,Attorney Docket No.: HI24-105 efficient cable management. Technicians connect the network equipment held in the various equipment racks of the row to these distribution cables during data center construction, typically using numerous fiber optic cables that require organization in each equipment rack.

[0005] Equipment racks typically contain vertical spacing that is divided into rack units “U”, where 1 rack unit (“1U” or “1RU”) is equal to 1.75 inches (4.45 cm), as set out in known industry standards for telecommunications equipment, such as ANSI / EIA RS-310-D and / or IEC 60297-2. The rack units within equipment racks may be filled with vertically arranged patch panels that house network equipment connected to fiber optic distribution cables of the data center. With potentially many patch panels facilitating thousands of optical connections in a single equipment rack, cable routing and management can become chaotic, time-consuming, and prone to errors. Thus, a major challenge in equipment racks is effective space management to maximize the fiber optic connections that can be made per equipment rack. While current cabling infrastructure generally meets industry needs, the growing density of cables and connections in a single equipment rack is creating a demand for more adaptable and reliable cable management systems.

[0006] Therefore, a need exists for a fiber optic cable management solution that is not only cost efficient to manufacture, but also capable of providing secure, organized, and strain-relieved management of fiber optic cables within high-density equipment racks, ensuring ease of installation and access in increasingly complex fiber optic networks. Summary

[0007] In one aspect of the disclosure, a rack mount assembly for an equipment rack is disclosed. The rack mount assembly includes at least one rail member that is configured to be operatively coupled to the equipment rack, and an adapter module configured to be movably supported from the equipment rack by the at least one rail member. The adapter module includes a first deck having at least one first clip configured to releasably couple the first deck to the at least one rail member, and an adapter bank extending from the first deck to a distal end of the adapter bank. The adapter module is configured to receive a plurality of adapters for making optical connections between optical fibers of fiber optic cables, and is pivotable relative toAttorney Docket No.: HI24-105 the equipment rack such that the adapter module is movable between a lowered position and a raised position.

[0008] According to one embodiment of the rack mount assembly, the distance the adapter bank extends from the first deck to the distal end may define the height of the adapter bank.

[0009] According to another embodiment of the rack mount assembly, the height of the adapter bank may be 1U or close to 1U (e.g., 85-100% of 1U). Those skilled in the art will appreciate that in such embodiments, the 1U height is a nominal height; there may be slight variations based on tolerances common in the field.

[0010] According to another embodiment of the rack mount assembly, the adapter bank may include at least one adapter row and a plurality of divider walls. Each adapter row may include a plurality of adapter ports each configured to receive an adapter, and each divider wall may extend from the first deck toward the distal end of the adapter bank to separate the adapter ports of each adapter row. In some embodiments there may be a plurality of adapter rows, and in certain embodiments each divider wall may extend between the first deck and the distal end of the adapter bank to separate the adapter ports of each adapter row.

[0011] According to another embodiment of the rack mount assembly, the first deck may include an opening configured to pass one or more fiber optic cables for connection to the plurality of adapters.

[0012] According to another embodiment of the rack mount assembly, the at least one rail member may include a first rail member and a second rail member. In this embodiment, the first deck of the adapter module may be releasably couplable to the first rail member with the at least one first clip, and the adapter module may include at least one second clip on or adjacent the adapter bank and configured to releasably couple the adapter module to the second rail member.

[0013] According to another embodiment of the rack mount assembly, the adapter module may be slidable along the lengths of the first rail member and the second rail member. Additionally, in some embodiments the at least one first clip and the first rail member may be configured to define a hinge joint when coupled together to allow the adapter module to pivot between the lowered position and the raised position. Embodiments are also possible where the at least one second clip and the second rail member are configured to define a hinge joint when coupled together toAttorney Docket No.: HI24-105 allow the adapter module to pivot between the lowered position and another raised position.

[0014] According to another embodiment of the rack mount assembly, the equipment rack may include a first vertical frame member and a second vertical frame member, and the rack mount assembly may include a first mounting bracket configured to be operatively coupled to the first vertical frame member of the equipment rack, and a second mounting bracket configured to be operatively coupled to the second vertical frame member of the equipment rack. In this embodiment, the first rail member and the second rail member may be operatively coupled between the first mounting bracket and the second mounting bracket to support the adapter module therebetween.

[0015] According to another embodiment of the rack mount assembly, the rack mount assembly may further include a tray slidably supported between the first mounting bracket and the second mounting bracket, and the first rail member and the second rail member may be operatively coupled to the first and second mounting brackets by the tray.

[0016] According to another embodiment of the rack mount assembly, the adapter module may be one of a plurality of adapter modules that are movably supported by the first rail member and the second rail member to form a row of adapter modules in the equipment rack.

[0017] According to another embodiment of the rack mount assembly, the at least one second clip may be defined by the first deck adjacent the adapter bank.

[0018] According to another embodiment of the rack mount assembly, the adapter module further may further comprise a second deck that extends from the distal end of the adapter bank to a front of the adapter module. Additionally, the first deck may extend from the adapter bank to a rear of the adapter module, the first deck and the second deck may be spaced apart by the adapter bank, and the front of the adapter bank may include the at least one second clip.

[0019] According to another embodiment of the rack mount assembly, the adapter module may include a front wall that defines the front of the adapter module and that extends from the second deck to a free end of the front wall, with the free end including the at least one second clip.Attorney Docket No.: HI24-105

[0020] According to another embodiment of the rack mount assembly, the second deck may include an opening that encompasses at least eighty percent of a total surface area of the second deck.

[0021] According to another embodiment of the rack mount assembly, the at least one first clip and the at least one second clip may be horizontally aligned when the adapter module is operatively coupled to both the first rail member and the second rail member.

[0022] According to another embodiment of the rack mount assembly, the equipment rack may include a front, and the rack mount assembly may further include a mounting bracket configured to operatively couple the rack mount assembly to the front of the equipment rack. The mounting bracket may include at least one bushing sleeve configured to receive the at least one rail member to define a hinge joint with the adapter module, and the adapter module may be movable relative to the equipment rack about the hinge joint between a stowed position and a deployed position.

[0023] According to another embodiment of the rack mount assembly, the mounting bracket may be configured to be operatively coupled to the equipment rack at a location outside of a vertical rack unit space between the first vertical frame member and the second vertical frame member of the equipment rack.

[0024]

[0025] In another aspect of the disclosure, an equipment rack in a fiber optic network having one or more fiber optic cables containing one or more optical fibers is disclosed. The equipment rack includes one or more of the rack mount assemblies described above mounted in the equipment rack, and the one or more optical fibers are routed to the one or more rack mount assemblies.

[0026] In another aspect of the disclosure, a method of installing a rack mount assembly in the equipment rack of the fiber optic network is disclosed. The rack mount assembly includes the adapter module having the at least one clip and the adapter bank with the plurality of adapters. The method includes operatively coupling at least one rail member to the equipment rack, engaging the at least one clip of the adapter module to the at least one rail member, routing one or more fiber optic cables with the adapter bank of the adapter module for connection to the plurality of adapters, and pivoting the adapter module from a raised position to aAttorney Docket No.: HI24-105 lowered position in which the adapter module is operatively coupled to the rack mount assembly.

[0027] According to one embodiment of the method, the at least one rail member may include the first rail member and the second rail member, the at least one clip may include the first clip and the second clip, engaging the at least one clip of the adapter module to the at least one rail member may include engaging the first clip with the first rail member, and pivoting the adapter module from the raised position to the lowered position in which the adapter module is operatively coupled to the rack mount assembly may include engaging the second clip with the second rail member. In this embodiment, the method may further include disengaging the second clip of the adapter module from the second rail member, and pivoting the adapter module from the lowered position to the raised position.

[0028] According to another embodiment of the method, the method may further include sliding the adapter bank along the first rail member and the second rail member to adjust a lateral position of the adapter bank within the equipment rack.

[0029] According to another embodiment of the method, the rack mount assembly may include the mounting bracket with at least one bushing sleeve configured to receive the at least one rail member to define a hinge joint with the adapter module, operatively coupling the at least one rail member to the equipment rack may include operatively coupling the at least one rail member to the equipment rack with the mounting bracket at the location outside of the rack unit space of the equipment rack. In this embodiment, the method may further include pivoting the adapter module about the hinge joint between the stowed position and the deployed position.

[0030] Additional features and advantages are set forth in the detailed description which follows, and in part will be readily apparent to those skilled in the technical field of optical connectivity. In that regard, elements that are understood to be well known to persons skilled in the art may not have been shown or described in detail to avoid unnecessarily obscuring the disclosure. It is to be understood that the foregoing general description, the following detailed description, and the accompanying drawings are merely exemplary and intended to provide an overview or framework to understand the nature and character of the claims.Attorney Docket No.: HI24-105 Brief Description of the Drawings

[0031] The accompanying drawings are included to provide a further understanding and are incorporated in and constitute a part of this specification. The drawings illustrate one or more embodiment(s), and together with the description serve to explain principles and operation of the various embodiments. Features and attributes associated with any of the embodiments shown or described may be applied to other embodiments shown, described, or appreciated based on this disclosure.

[0032] Fig.1 is a schematic view of a data center campus according to an embodiment of the disclosure.

[0033] Fig.2 is a partial perspective view of an embodiment of a data hall of the data center of Fig.1.

[0034] Fig.3 is a perspective view of an embodiment of a row of equipment racks of the data hall of Fig.2.

[0035] Fig.4 is a perspective view of an exemplary equipment rack, illustrating an ecosystem of rack mount assemblies according to embodiments of the disclosure.

[0036] Figs.5 and 6 are perspective views of an adapter module of a rack mount assembly according to an embodiment of the disclosure where the adapter module includes an upper deck and adapter bank for fiber optic cable management.

[0037] Figs.7 and 8 are perspective views of an adapter module of a rack mount assembly according to another embodiment of the disclosure where the adapter module includes an upper deck, a lower deck, and an adapter bank for cable management.

[0038] Figs.9 and 10 are perspective views of an adapter module of a rack mount assembly according to another embodiment of the disclosure where the adapter module includes an upper deck, a lower deck, and an adapter bank with additional ports for adapters.

[0039] Fig.11 is a perspective view of a rack mount assembly including a plurality of adapter modules of Figs.5 and 6 for installation in a 1U space of the equipment rack of Fig.4.

[0040] Fig.12 is a perspective view of a rack mount assembly including a plurality of adapter modules of Figs.9 and 10 for installation in a 1U space of the equipment rack of Fig.4.Attorney Docket No.: HI24-105

[0041] Fig.13 is a perspective view of a rack mount assembly installed in a sliding tray of the equipment rack of Fig.4, the rack mount assembly including a plurality of adapter modules of Figs.7 and 8.

[0042] Fig.14 is a perspective view of a rack mount assembly installed in a sliding tray of the equipment rack of Fig.4, the rack mount assembly including a plurality of adapter modules of Figs.5 and 6.

[0043] Fig.15 is a perspective view of a rack mount assembly including an adapter module of Figs.7 and 8 for installation in a 0U space of the equipment rack of Fig.4 with a bracket according to one embodiment of the disclosure.

[0044] Fig.16 is a perspective view of a rack mount assembly including an adapter module of Figs.5 and 6 for installation in a 0U space of the equipment rack of Fig.4 with a bracket according to another embodiment of the disclosure.

[0045] Fig.17 is a perspective view of a rack mount assembly including an adapter module of Figs.7 and 8 for installation in a 0U space of the equipment rack of Fig.4 with a bracket according to another embodiment of the disclosure.

[0046] Fig.18 is a perspective view of a rack mount assembly including an adapter module of Figs.9 and 10 for installation in a 0U space of the equipment rack of Fig. 4 with a bracket assembly according to another embodiment of the disclosure.

[0047] Figs.19 and 20 are perspective views of an adapter module of a rack mount assembly according to another embodiment of the disclosure.

[0048] Fig.21 is a perspective view of a rack mount assembly including a plurality of adapter modules of Figs.19 and 20 for installation in a 1U space of the equipment rack of Fig.4. Detailed Description

[0049] Various embodiments of the present disclosure are further clarified by examples in the description below, which pertain to a rack mount assembly for an equipment rack of a fiber optic network. Embodiments of the rack mount assembly include an articulable adapter module, which may be constructed as a single piece, featuring an adapter bank that is configured to receive adapters for establishing optical connections between the connectors of fiber optic cables routed to the equipment rack. The number of adapters that the adapter bank is configured to receive may vary based on the embodiment, and particular embodiments describedAttorney Docket No.: HI24-105 below and shown in the figures are merely exemplary in this regard. The rack mount assembly may also include one or more rails to which the adapter module is configured to be releasably coupled to support the adapter module in the equipment rack. Accordingly, the adapter module may be configured to be releasably coupled to the one or more rails and movable along or about the one or more rails to provide the adapter module with sliding translation and pivoting articulation relative to the equipment rack.

[0050] In one embodiment, the adapter module may articulate or pivot in one movement direction about a movement axis defined by one rail, while also sliding laterally in another movement direction relative to the rail along the same movement axis. In another embodiment, the one or more rails and adapter module may slide and / or articulate relative to the equipment rack, providing additional range of motion of the adapter module relative to the equipment rack. To that end, the adapter module may be movable relative to the equipment rack between at least a lowered position, where the adapter module may remain during normal use, and a raised position where the adapter module may be moved for maintenance or assembly. The adapter module may further be movable between a deployed position, in which the adapter module is pivoted outwardly away from the equipment rack, and a stowed position, in which the adapter module is pivoted inwardly to rest adjacent the equipment rack.

[0051] The ability to move the adapter module relative to the equipment rack allows for additional versatility for making optical connections in the equipment rack between optical fibers. The modular nature of the rack mount assembly provides for more fiber optic connectivity within the footprint of an equipment rack. To that end, the rack mount assembly may be mounted within the usable rack unit space of the equipment rack. However, in one embodiment, the rack mount assembly may be considered a “zero-U” or “0U” assembly, meaning the rack mount assembly is operatively coupled to the equipment rack at a location outside of the usable vertical racking or patchwork space. These and other benefits and advantages of the present disclosure are described in greater detail below.

[0052] To provide context for the present disclosure, Fig.1 illustrates an exemplary data center 10, such as a hyper scale data center (“HSDC”). The data center 10 may include a collection of buildings (referred to as a data center campus) having a main building 12 and one or more auxiliary buildings 14 in close proximity to theAttorney Docket No.: HI24-105 main building 12. While three auxiliary buildings 14 are shown, there may be more or less depending on the size of the campus. The data center 10 provides for a local fiber optic network 16 that interconnects the auxiliary buildings 14 with the main building 12. The local fiber optic network 16 allows network equipment 18 in the main building 12 to communicate with various network equipment (not shown) in the auxiliary buildings 14. In the exemplary embodiment shown, the local fiber optic network 16 includes trunk cables 20 extending between the main building 12 and each of the auxiliary buildings 14. Conventional trunk cables 20 generally include a high fiber-count arrangement of optical fibers for passing data and other information through the local fiber optic network 16. In the example illustrated in Fig.1, the trunk cables 20 from the auxiliary buildings 14 are routed to one or more distribution cabinets 22 housed in the main building 12 (one shown).

[0053] Within the main building 12, a plurality of fiber optic cables 24 are routed between the network equipment 18 and the one or more distribution cabinets 22. The fiber optic cables 24 generally include a high fiber-count arrangement of optical fibers for passing data and other information from the distribution cabinets 22 to the network equipment 18. Although only the interior of the main building 12 is schematically shown in Fig.1 and discussed above, each of the auxiliary buildings 14 may house similar equipment for similar purposes. Thus, although not shown, each of the trunk cables 20 may be routed to one or more distribution cabinets 22 in one of the auxiliary buildings 14 in a manner similar to that described above. Furthermore, each of the auxiliary buildings 14 may include fiber optic cables 24 that extend between network equipment 18 and the one or more distribution cabinets 22 of the auxiliary building 14.

[0054] As illustrated in more detail by Figs.2 and 3, the network equipment 18 in the main building 12 or an auxiliary building 14 may be arranged in one or more data halls 26 that generally include a plurality of spaced-apart rows 28 on one or both sides of an access pathway 30. The arrangement of the data halls 26 into rows 28 helps organize the large amount of equipment, fiber optic cables, fiber optic connections, etc. Each of the rows 28 includes a plurality of equipment racks 32 (sometimes referred to as cabinets) generally arranged one next to the other along the row 28. In one common arrangement, and as further illustrated in Fig.2, eachAttorney Docket No.: HI24-105 row 28 may include an intermediate distribution frame 34 at the head end of the row 28 closest to the access pathway 30.

[0055] The intermediate distribution frame 34 may represent a termination point of at least some of the optical fibers carried by one or more of the fiber optic cables 24. Although the intermediate distribution frame 34 is shown as being positioned above the row 28, in other embodiments the intermediate distribution frame 34 may be in a cabinet (not shown) at the head end of the row 28 or in the equipment rack 32 at the head end of the row 28. In yet other embodiments, the intermediate distribution frame 34 may be located within the associated row 28, such as in the middle of the row 28, and be above, below, or within one of the equipment racks 32. In a conventional arrangement, one or more distribution cables 36 may be connected to the intermediate distribution frame 34 of a row 28 and routed along a cable tray 38 generally disposed above the row 28. The network equipment 18 in the equipment racks 32 may then be optically connected to the one or more distribution cables 36 to provide the interconnectivity of the network equipment 18 (e.g., equipment racks 32) of data center 10.

[0056] With this in mind and now referring to Fig.4, an exemplary equipment rack 32 of data center 10 is shown in isolation. The equipment rack 32 is illustrated with an ecosystem of rack mount assemblies 40a-40h in accordance with embodiments of the present disclosure, each of which is described in more detail below. In that regard, the equipment rack 32 may be configured to support one or more rack mount assemblies 40a-40h to which feeder cables can be routed to be organized for optical connection to patch cables. The feeder cables may include one or more distribution cables 36 routed into the exemplary equipment rack 32, as shown in Fig.3.

[0057] With continued reference to Fig.4, certain structural components, but not necessarily all components, of the exemplary equipment rack 32 are shown to illustrate the rack mount assemblies 40a-40h according to embodiments of the disclosure. In that regard, the equipment rack 32 includes a housing 42 that defines a front 44 and a rear 46 of the equipment rack 32. The housing 42 encloses an interior space within the equipment rack 32 where feeder cables may be routed for connection, such as to network equipment or other fiber optic cables. As shown in Fig.4, the equipment rack 32 may include one or more (e.g., two) vertical frame members 48 supported at the front 44 of housing 42 between which one or more rack mount assemblies 40a-40d can be operatively coupled. The space between theAttorney Docket No.: HI24-105 vertical frame members 48 may define the vertical rack unit space, which may be measured in rack units “U”, where 1U is 1.75 inches (4.45 cm). Access to attach, remove, or manipulate the rack mount assemblies 40a-40h, as well as to make connections between fiber optic cables and other network equipment in the equipment rack 32, is typically from the front 44 of equipment rack 32.

[0058] Note that the example equipment rack 32 may be a cabinet or similar structure due to the vertical frame members 48 being within the housing 42. In some embodiments walls or other framework of the housing 42 may even define the vertical frame members 48. In other embodiments the equipment rack 32 may be an open structure (i.e., no housing 42), and therefore include vertical frame members 48 and other framework defining the front 44 and rear 46 of the equipment rack 32.

[0059] In general, the rack mount assemblies 40a-40h may be used to organize and manage fiber optic cables received into the equipment rack 32 and optical connections between the fiber optic cables. In that regard, the rack mount assemblies 40a-40h may function like a patch panel in that feeder cables can be routed into the equipment rack 32 from the rear 46 (or top) and connected to one or more adapter modules of a rack mount assembly 40a-40h. Fiber optic cables, such as patch cables, may be optically connected to the feeder cables received into the equipment rack 32 at one or more adapter modules of a rack mount assembly 40a- 40h. The patch cables may be routed from the rack mount assemblies 40a-40h to a piece of network equipment, such as a server, for example.

[0060] As described in further detail below, certain rack mount assemblies 40a-40d may be configured for installation within a rack unit space, while certain other rack mount assemblies 40e-40h may be configured for installation outside of the rack unit space (referred to herein as a 0U rack unit assembly). In either case, each rack mount assembly 40a-40h may include at least one rail member to which the adapter module is configured to be releasably coupled to support the adapter module from the equipment rack 32. The adapter modules according to embodiments of the present disclosure may be modular, and may be implemented in different rack mount assembly configurations as desired. As such, exemplary embodiments of different adapter modules are described in detail below, followed by descriptions of the different rack mount assembly configurations utilizing each type of adapter module.Attorney Docket No.: HI24-105

[0061] Referring now to Figs.4-6, an adapter module 52a is shown in accordance with one embodiment of the present disclosure. The adapter module 52a includes a generally planar support structure, referred to herein as a deck 54a, which extends from the front 56 to the rear 58 of the adapter module 52a. At the front 56, the adapter module 52a includes an adapter bank 60 that extends from the deck 54a of adapter module 52a to a distal end (e.g., a base 62) of the adapter bank 60 to define the height thereof. The height of the adapter bank 60 may be 1U, for example. Thus, a rack mount assembly including the adapter module 52a may occupy 1U of rack space when installed in the equipment rack 32. As described in further detail below, the deck 54a of adapter module 52a may include one or more rear clips 64a (e.g., two clips 64a) that are configured to releasably engage a rail member of a rack mount assembly 40a, 40d, 40f. Further, the adapter bank 60 of adapter module 52a may include one or more front clips 64b (e.g., one front clip 64) that is configured to releasably engage another rail member of the rack mount assembly 40a, 40d, 40f. The adapter module 52a may be a unitary molded plastic component, formed as an integral structure through a single manufacturing process. Alternatively, the deck 54a and adapter bank 60 may be separately formed components that are assembled (e.g., coupled) together to form the adapter module 52a.

[0062] As shown in Figs.5 and 6, the adapter bank 60 includes a plurality of adapter ports 68 each configured to receive an individual adapter 70 therein for optically connecting optical fibers of fiber optic cables, as described above. To that end, each adapter 70 may be configured to receive and connect a particular type of fiber optic connector on the end of each fiber optic cable being connected, such as an MMC, MPO, LC, or any other suitable connector. The adapters 70 may be configured to receive and connect a single pair of fiber optic connectors (which themselves may be simplex, duplex, or multifiber connectors) or multiple pairs of fiber optic connectors (e.g., a “ganged” adapter configuration). In the embodiment shown, the adapter bank 60 of adapter module 52a includes a stack of two rows of adapter ports 68. Each row of adapter ports 68 spans a width of the adapter bank 60 between a pair of side walls 74. The side walls 74 extend outwardly at an angle (e.g., obtuse angle) from the deck 54a of adapter module 52a to the base 62 of adapter bank 60. The adapter bank 60 may further include one or more divider walls 76 positioned between the side walls 74 and spaced apart evenly along the width of the adapter bank 60. Like the side walls 74, each divider wall 76 may extendAttorney Docket No.: HI24-105 generally at an angle between the deck 54a and the base 62 of adapter bank 60. The spaces between adjacent divider walls 76 may define adapter bays. A crossmember 78 may extend between each pair of divider walls 76, or a divider wall 76 and side wall 74, to divide each adapter bay into two individual adapter ports 68 within each row of adapter ports 68. In the embodiment shown, the adapter bank 60 includes a total of eight adapter ports 68 per row. The stack of two rows of adapter ports 68 thus provides the adapter module 52a with sixteen adapter ports 68 in total.

[0063] The adapter bank 60 of the exemplary adapter module 52a depicted by Figs.5 and 6 includes one clip 64b that is configured to releasably engage a rail member of a rack mount assembly 40a, as briefly described above. The clip 64b extends or projects from the base 62 of adapter bank 60, and may be in the form of a C-shaped channel / sleeve that extends the width of the adapter bank 60. The clip 64b may also be referred to as a snap-on collar. In that regard, the clip 64b includes an incomplete circular profile along its length, forming a C-shape when viewed in transverse cross-section. The clip 64b may extend over a majority (e.g., about 240 to 330 degrees) of a full circle, for example. The clip 64b thus includes an opening 80 that extends along the length of the clip 64b that spans the missing portion (e.g., about 30 to 120 degrees) of the full circle, allowing for radial installation of the clip 64b onto the rail member. That is, the clip 64b may be pressed onto a rail member to receive the rail member into the opening 80 of clip 64b to operatively couple the adapter bank 60 of adapter module 52a to the rail member. To that end, clip 64b may be configured to elastically deform during installation, followed by recovery to grip the rail member, thereby operatively coupling the adapter module 52a to the rail member. However, the grip of the clip 64b on the rail member, while secure, may allow sufficient play for the adapter module 52a to slide and pivot relative to, and thus be moveably supported by, the rail member, as described in further detail below.

[0064] The deck 54a of adapter module 52a may include an opening 82a defined therein through which one or more fiber optic cables are configured to be routed for connection to the plurality of adapters 70 supported by the adapter bank 60. The fiber optic cables received through the opening 82a may include feeder cables received into the rear 46 (or top) of the equipment rack 32, for example. As shown, the opening 82a may encompass 50% or more, and preferably 80% or more of theAttorney Docket No.: HI24-105 total surface area of the deck 54a of adapter module 52a. The term “surface area” may be used herein in a general sense to refer to the overall footprint area associated with a side or surface of a structure, such as the deck 54a of adapter module 52a. Additionally, the opening 82a of adapter module 52a may provide a significant material reduction benefit by decreasing the overall weight of the adapter module 52a. This weight reduction may be particularly advantageous in equipment racks 32 having many adapter modules 52a, as the weight reduction from the adapter modules 52a may allow for the support of additional cabling within the equipment rack 32. Consequently, this increased capacity may allow for a greater number of optical connections to be made within the equipment rack 32.

[0065] With continued reference to Figs.5 and 6, the opening 82a may define, or be defined by, a pair of arms 84a that extend from a front portion 86 of deck 54a to a rear portion 88 of deck 54a. In the embodiment shown, the front portion 86 of deck 54a may include a handle 90a that is provided by an extension of the front portion 86 of deck 54a for gripping and manipulating the adapter module 52a. A fiber optic cable, received through the opening 82a in the deck 54a, may be secured to one or more arms 84a and / or rear portion 88 of deck 54a using fasteners such as straps or zip ties, for example.

[0066] The rear portion 88 of deck 54a may include the one or more clips 64a that are configured to releasably couple the adapter module 52a to a rail member of a rack mount assembly 40a to provide the adapter module 52a with sliding translation and pivoting articulation relative to the equipment rack 32. The rail member of rack mount assembly 40a may thereby moveably support the adapter module 52a. As shown, the clips 64a may be spaced apart so as to be arranged on either side of the rear portion 88 of deck 54a. In particular, one clip 64a may be located proximate to the end of one arm 84a of deck 54a while the other clip 64a may be located proximate to the end of the other arm 84a of deck 54a. As described above with respect to the front clip 64b, each rear clip 64a may be in the form of a generally C-shaped snap-on collar to allow for radial installation of the clip 64a onto the rail member and to provide movable support to the adapter module 52a. Each clip 64a may therefore include an opening 80 that extends along the length of the clip 64a. The opening 80 may span a portion (e.g., about 30 to 120 degrees) of a full circle sufficient to allow for radial installation of the clip 64a onto the rail member. Although each rear clip 64a in the embodiment shown is configured with the opening 80 facingAttorney Docket No.: HI24-105 in a rearward direction from the adapter module 52, in other embodiments each rear clip 64a may be configured so that the opening 80 faces downwards, similar to the opening 80 of each front clip 64b.

[0067] Referring now to Figs.7 and 8, where like reference numerals represent like features compared to the embodiment of the adapter module 52a described above with respect to Figs.5 and 6, an adapter module 52b is shown in accordance with another embodiment of the present disclosure. The primary difference between the embodiment of the adapter module 52a shown in Figs.5 and 6 and the adapter module 52b shown in Figs.7 and 8 is the inclusion of a lower deck 54b that defines and extends from the base 62 of adapter bank 60 to the front 56 of adapter module 52b. Specifically, the deck 54a (otherwise referred to as the upper deck 54a) extends (e.g., horizontally) between the adapter bank 60 and the rear 58 of adapter module 52b. The adapter bank 60 extends (e.g., vertically) between the upper deck 54a and the lower deck 54b of adapter module 52b. Thus, the upper deck 54a and the lower deck 54b are spaced apart (e.g., vertically) by the adapter bank 60 such that the height of the adapter bank 60 determines the separation between the upper deck 54a and the lower deck 54b of adapter module 52b.

[0068] The lower deck 54b of adapter module 52b may include an opening 82b defined therein. In particular, the opening 82b may encompass 50% or more, and preferably 80% or more of the total surface area of the lower deck 54b of adapter module 52b. The opening 82b, like opening 82a, may provide a significant material reduction benefit by decreasing the overall weight of the adapter module 52b, for example. Furthermore, the opening 82b may define, or be defined by, a pair of arms 84b that extend from the base 62 of adapter bank 60 (which defines a rear portion of lower deck 54b) to a front wall 110 of adapter module 52b. The side walls 74 of adapter bank 60 may extend between the respective arms 84a of upper deck 54a and the corresponding arms 84b of lower deck 54b. Similarly, the divider walls 76 of adapter bank 60 may extend between the front portion 86 of upper deck 54a and the rear portion of lower deck 54b. The lower deck 54b may support one or more fiber optic cables, such as patch cables, that are optically connected to the feeder cables at the adapter bank 60. To that end, fiber optic cables may be secured to the arms 84b and / or front wall 110 of lower deck 54b using fasteners such as straps or zip ties, for example.Attorney Docket No.: HI24-105

[0069] With continued reference to Figs.7 and 8, the front wall 110 of adapter module 52b may extend upwardly from the lower deck 54b to a free end 112 of the front wall 110 to define the height thereof. The free end 112 of front wall 110 may include one or more (e.g., three) clips 64c. The clips 64c may be configured to releasably couple the adapter module 52b to a rail member of a rack mount assembly (e.g., rack mount assembly 40b) to provide the adapter module 52b with sliding translation and pivoting articulation relative to the equipment rack 32. As shown, the height of the front wall 110 may be generally the same as the height of the adapter bank 60. As a result, the free end 112 of front wall 110 and the clips 64c may be generally aligned horizontally with the upper deck 54a and corresponding clips 64a when installed in an equipment rack 32. The height of the front wall 110 may be 1U, for example. In the embodiment shown, the front wall 110 of adapter module 52b includes three clips 64c. The clips 64c are spaced apart along the front wall 110, with clips 64c being arranged on either side of the front wall 110 and one clip 64c being positioned centrally therebetween. As shown, each clip 64c is in the form of a generally C-shaped snap-on collar, as described above with respect to the other clips 64a, 64b, that provides movable support to the adapter module 52b when engaged with a rail member of a rack mount assembly.

[0070] Referring now to Figs.9 and 10, where like reference numerals represent like features compared to the embodiment of the adapter module 52b described above with respect to Figs.7 and 8, an adapter module 52c is shown in accordance with another embodiment of the present disclosure. The primary difference between the embodiment of the adapter module 52b shown in Figs.7 and 8 and the adapter module 52c shown in Figs.9 and 10 is that the size of the adapter module 52c is increased to include additional adapter ports 68 which facilitate more optical connections per adapter module 52c. In that regard, the adapter bank 60 of adapter module 52c includes two rows of adapter ports 68 with a total of sixteen adapter ports 68 per row. Thus, the two rows of adapter ports 68 provide the adapter module 52c with thirty two adapter ports 68 in total. The construction of the adapter module 52c essentially comprises two of the previously described adapter modules 52b, arranged side-by-side, to define the adapter module 52c. The adapter module 52c may be formed as a single unitary molded plastic component, for example. Thus, while the adapter module 52c is wider to accommodate the additional adapter ports 68 per row, the adapter module 52c may still have a height of 1U.Attorney Docket No.: HI24-105

[0071] With continued reference to Figs.9 and 10, the upper deck 54a of adapter module 52c may include a pair of openings 82a defined therein. The pair of openings 82a may collectively encompass 50% or more, and preferably 80% or more of the total surface area of the upper deck 54a of adapter module 52c. The pair of openings 82a may also define, or be defined by, three arms 84a that extend from the front portion 86 of upper deck 54a to the rear portion 88 of upper deck 54a. The adapter module 52c may include a plurality of clips 64a (e.g., three clips 64a) that are spaced apart along the rear portion 88 of upper deck 54a. By way of example, two clips 64a may be placed symmetrically on either side of the rear portion 88 and one clip 64a positioned centrally therebetween such that each clip 64a is located proximate to the end of a respective arm 84a.

[0072] The lower deck 54b of adapter module 52c may include a pair of openings 82b defined therein. The pair of openings 82b, together, may encompass 50% or more, and preferably 80% or more of the total surface area of the lower deck 54b of adapter module 52c. The pair of openings 82b may define, or be defined by, the arms 84b that extend from the rear portion of lower deck 54b to the front wall 110. The front wall 110 may include one or more clips 64c (e.g., five clips 64c), which may be evenly spaced apart along the free end 112 of front wall 110.

[0073] Turning now to Fig.11, where like reference numerals represent like features compared to the embodiments described above with respect to Figs.1-10, a rack mount assembly 40a including a plurality of adapter modules 52a is shown in accordance with an embodiment of the present disclosure. With brief reference to Fig.4, the rack mount assembly 40a may be configured to be operatively coupled to the equipment rack 32 so as to occupy 1U of rack space therein. The rack mount assembly 40a may span a horizontal width of the rack space of the rack unit, such as 19, 21, or 23 inches, for example. In that regard, the rack mount assembly 40a may include a pair of mounting brackets 122a between which a rear rail member 126a and a front rail member 126b are coupled to operatively support the one or more adapter modules 52a between the rail members 126a, 126b and within the equipment rack 32.

[0074] As shown in Fig.4, one mounting bracket 122a may be configured to be operatively coupled to one vertical frame member 48 of equipment rack 32 (e.g., using screws, bolts, or other suitable fasteners), while the other mounting bracketAttorney Docket No.: HI24-105 122a may be configured to be operatively coupled to the other vertical frame member 48. The rail members 126a, 126b may span the distance between the mounting brackets 122a and thus the width of the rack space. The rack mount assembly 40a may be operatively coupled to the equipment rack 32 via the mounting brackets 122a such that each rail member 126a, 126b is in a fixed position relative to the equipment rack 32. Therefore, the rack mount assembly 40a may be referred to as a fixed rack mount assembly. In the embodiment shown, each rail member 126a, 126b is in the form of a rod, such as a metal rod, although other suitable types of rail member may be used.

[0075] In the exemplary embodiment shown in Fig.11, the rack mount assembly 40a includes a row of five adapter modules 52a. Each adapter module 52a includes sixteen adapter ports 68 to accommodate sixteen adapters 70. Therefore, the rack mount assembly 40a includes eighty adapter ports 68 to accommodate eighty adapters 70. While the rack mount assembly 40a is shown with five adapter modules 52a, fewer adapter modules 52a may be installed in the rack mount assembly 40a. As a result, the full width of the 1U rack space does not need to be dedicated to adapter modules 52a, and the adapter modules 52a provide modularity in that respect. When fewer than the full capacity of adapter modules 52a are used with the rack mount assembly 40a, the rail members 126a, 126b may provide more open space in the equipment rack 32, allowing for the installation of additional electronic devices, such as servers, and offering easier access. This is in contrast to a tray, for instance, which may occupy more space and be more difficult to work around, e.g., by blocking access and cable routing.

[0076] The adapter module 52a may be configured to be releasably coupled to the rail members 126a, 126b of rack mount assembly 40a for use. To install each adapter module 52a in the rack mount assembly 40a, the clips 64a associated with the deck 54a of adapter module 52a may be pressed into engagement with the rear rail member 126a to operatively couple the rear 58 of adapter module 52a thereto, as shown. Subsequently, the adapter module 52a may be lowered and the clip 64b associated with the base 62 of adapter bank 60 pressed into engagement with the front rail member 126b to operatively couple the front 56 of adapter module 52a thereto. To accommodate the vertical offset arrangement of the clips 64a, 64b of adapter module 52a (i.e., being offset by the height of the adapter bank 60), the rail members 126a, 126b may also be arranged have a vertical offset. For example, andAttorney Docket No.: HI24-105 as shown in Fig.11, the front rail member 126b may be lower (e.g., near the bottom of the mounting brackets 122a) than the rear rail member 126a, which may be near the top of the mounting brackets 122a.

[0077] The engagement between the clips 64a, 64b and respective rail members 126a, 126b may allow each adapter module 52a to slide laterally along the rail members 126a, 126b, left or right, in a movement direction as indicated by directional arrows A1. The adapter module 52a may be moved laterally in this regard to adjust a lateral position of the adapter module 52a within the equipment rack 32, for example. Furthermore, the engagement between the clips 64a and the rear rail member 126a may define a hinge joint, allowing the adapter module 52a to articulate (e.g., pivot) in another movement direction (as indicated by directional arrow A2) about a movement axis 130a, which is defined in the depicted embodiment by the rear rail member 126a. In that regard, the clip 64b may be disengaged from the front rail member 126b and the adapter module 52a raised or rotated upward from a lowered position to a raised position to improve visibility and access to front of the adapters 70 and the adapter module 52a. This may be useful when plugging the connectors of cables (e.g., patch cables) into the front side of the adapters 70 during installation and / or for maintenance, for example. Each adapter module 52a of rack mount assembly 40a may be configured to pivot from the lowered position in a direction toward the rear 46 of equipment rack 32. Lifting the adapter module 52a in this manner may slacken the fiber optic feeder cables routed from the rear 46 of equipment rack 32 to each adapter module 52a, thereby reducing strain on the cables during maintenance or installation activities.

[0078] Optionally, in some embodiments the rack mount assembly 40a may also be configured so that the engagement between the clips 64b and the front rail member 126b likewise define a hinge joint, allowing the adapter module 52a to articulate (e.g., pivot) in another movement direction (as indicated by directional arrow A2’) about a movement axis 130a’, which is defined in the depicted embodiment by the front rail member 126b. In that regard, the clip 64a may be configured with the opening 80 facing more downwards than rearwards, as mentioned above. This may allow the clip 64a to be disengaged from the rear rail member 126a and the adapter module 52a to be raised or rotated forward and upward from a lowered position to a raised position to improve visibility and access to the rear side of the adapters 70.Attorney Docket No.: HI24-105 This may be useful when plugging the connectors of cables (e.g., feeder cables) into the rear side of the adapters 70 during installation and / or for maintenance, for example. Each adapter module 52a of rack mount assembly 40a may be configured to pivot from the lowered position in a direction toward the front 44 of equipment rack 32.

[0079] Referring now to Fig.12, where like reference numerals represent like features compared to the embodiments described above with respect to Figs.1-11, a rack mount assembly 40b including a plurality of adapter modules 52c is shown in accordance with another embodiment of the present disclosure. The rack mount assembly 40b is configured to be operatively coupled to the equipment rack 32 with mounting brackets 122b so as to occupy 1U of rack space therein. Thus, the rack mount assembly 40b may be considered a fixed rack mount assembly. In the embodiment shown, the rack mount assembly 40b includes two adapter modules 52c. Each adapter module 52c includes thirty two adapter ports 68 to accommodate thirty two adapters 70. Therefore, the rack mount assembly 40b includes sixty four adapter ports 68 to accommodate sixty four adapters 70. While the rack mount assembly 40b is shown with two adapter modules 52c, fewer adapter modules 52c may be installed in the rack mount assembly 40b. Different but compatible embodiments of the adapter modules may also be installed in the rack mount assembly 40b, e.g., one single-width adapter module 52b and two double-width adapter modules 52c (not shown).

[0080] The engagement between the clips 64a, 64c and respective rail members 126a, 126b may allow the adapter module 52c to slide laterally along the rail members 126a, 126b, left or right, in the movement direction as indicated by directional arrows A1 in Fig.12. The rail members 126a, 126b may thereby moveably support the adapter module 52c. Furthermore, the engagement between the clips 64a and the rear rail member 126a may also define a hinge joint, allowing the adapter module 52c to articulate (e.g., pivot) in another movement direction, as indicated by directional arrow A2, about the movement axis 130a defined by the rear rail member 126a. In that regard, the clips 64c at the front 56 of adapter module 52c may be disengaged from the front rail member 126b and the adapter module 52c raised or rotated upward from a lowered position, as shown in Fig.12, to a raised position to improve visibility and access to the adapters 70 of adapter module 52c. To accommodate the horizontal or level arrangement of the adapter clips 64a, 64c,Attorney Docket No.: HI24-105 the rail members 126a, 126b may also have a horizontal or level arrangement. As shown, the front rail member 126b is positioned at about the same height along the mounting brackets 122b as the rear rail member 126a. Accordingly, the adapter clips 64a, 64c may be horizontally aligned when the adapter module 52c is operatively coupled to both rail members 126a, 126b.

[0081] Optionally, in some embodiments the rack mount assembly 40b may also be configured so that the engagement between the clips 64c and the front rail member 126b likewise define a hinge joint, allowing the adapter module 52c to articulate (e.g., pivot) in another movement direction (as indicated by directional arrow A2’) about a movement axis 130a’, which is defined in the depicted embodiment by the front rail member 126b. In that regard, the clip 64a may be configured with the opening 80 facing more downwards than rearwards, as mentioned above. This may allow the clip 64a to be disengaged from the rear rail member 126a and the adapter module 52a to be raised or rotated forward and upward from a lowered position to a raised position to improve visibility and access to the rear side of the adapters 70. This may be useful when plugging the connectors of cables (e.g., feeder cables) into the rear side of the adapters 70 during installation and / or for maintenance, for example. Each adapter module 52c of rack mount assembly 40b may be configured to pivot from the lowered position in a direction toward the front 44 of equipment rack 32.

[0082] Referring now to Fig.13, where like reference numerals represent like features compared to the embodiments described above with respect to Figs.1-12, a rack mount assembly 40c including a plurality of adapter modules 52b is shown in accordance with an embodiment of the present disclosure. In the embodiment shown, the rack mount assembly 40c further includes a tray 132a that is configured to be operatively coupled to the equipment rack 32 with mounting brackets 122c so as to occupy 1.5U of rack space therein. The tray 132a includes a bottom panel 134 and a pair of side walls 136 each including a respective guide rail assembly 138. Each mounting bracket 122c is operatively coupled to a corresponding side wall 136 of tray 132a via a respective guide rail assembly 138 such that the tray 132a is slidable out from (and back into) the equipment rack 32, as indicated by directional arrows A3, providing the adapter modules 52b with additional movement relative to the equipment rack 32. That is, the tray 132a is slidably supported between the pairAttorney Docket No.: HI24-105 of mounting brackets 122c. The rail members 126a, 126b of rack mount assembly 40c are operatively coupled to, and extend between the side walls 136 of tray 132a.

[0083] In the embodiment shown, the rack mount assembly 40c includes a row of four adapter modules 52b. Each adapter module 52b includes sixteen adapter ports 68 to accommodate sixteen adapters 70. Therefore, the rack mount assembly 40c includes sixty four adapter ports 68 to accommodate sixty four adapters 70. However, while the rack mount assembly 40c is shown with four adapter modules 52b, fewer adapter modules 52b may be installed in the rack mount assembly 40c to provide open, unused space within the equipment rack 32 and proximate to the tray 132a. Like the embodiments described above, the engagement between the clips 64a, 64c and the rail members 126a, 126b, respectively, allows each adapter module 52b to slide laterally along the rail members 126a, 126b, left or right, as indicated by directional arrows A1 in Fig.13. The engagement between the clips 64a and the rear rail member 126a also defines a hinge joint, allowing the adapter modules 52b to articulate (e.g., pivot), as indicated by directional arrow A2, about the movement axis 130a defined by the rear rail member 126a.

[0084] Referring now to Fig.14, where like reference numerals represent like features compared to the embodiments described above with respect to Figs.1-13, a rack mount assembly 40d including a plurality of adapter modules 52a is shown in accordance with an embodiment of the present disclosure. In the embodiment shown, the rack mount assembly 40d further includes a tray 132b that is configured to be operatively coupled to the equipment rack 32 with mounting brackets 122d so as to occupy 1.5U of rack space therein. The tray 132b includes a bottom panel 134, a front wall 140, and a pair of side walls 136. Each side wall 136 includes a respective guide rail assembly 138 via which a mounting bracket 122d is operatively coupled to the tray 132b such that the tray 132b is slidable out from (and back into) the equipment rack 32, as indicated by directional arrows A3. This sliding feature may provide the adapter modules 52a with additional movement relative to the equipment rack 32. To accommodate the vertical offset arrangement of the adapter clips 64a, 64b of adapter modules 52a (i.e., being offset by the height of the adapter bank 60), the rear rail member 126a and front rail member 126c also have a vertical offset arrangement. As shown in Fig.14, the front rail member 126c is operatively coupled to the bottom panel 134 of tray 132b while the rear rail member 126a extends between the side walls 136 of tray 132b.Attorney Docket No.: HI24-105

[0085] With continued reference to Fig.14, the rack mount assembly 40d includes a row of four adapter modules 52a. Each adapter module 52a includes sixteen adapter ports 68 to accommodate sixteen adapters 70. Therefore, the rack mount assembly 40d includes sixty four adapter ports 68 to accommodate sixty four adapters 70. However, fewer adapter modules 52a may be installed in the rack mount assembly 40d. Like the embodiments described above, the engagement between the clips 64a, 64b and respective rail members 126a, 126c allow each adapter module 52a to slide laterally along the rail members 126a, 126c, left or right, as indicated by directional arrows A1 in Fig.14. The engagement between the clips 64a and the rear rail member 126a also defines a hinge joint, allowing the adapter modules 52a to articulate (e.g., pivot), as indicated by directional arrow A2, about the movement axis 130a defined by the rear rail member 126a.

[0086] Turning now to Fig.15, where like reference numerals represent like features compared to the embodiments described above with respect to Figs.1-14, a rack mount assembly 40e including an adapter module 52b is shown in accordance with another embodiment of the present disclosure. With brief reference to Fig.4, the rack mount assembly 40e is configured to be operatively coupled to the equipment rack 32 outside of the rack unit space. Therefore, the rack mount assembly 40e may be referred to as a 0U rack mount assembly 40e. As shown in Fig.15, the rack mount assembly 40e includes a mounting bracket 122e that supports a rail member 126d to which the adapter module 52b is releasably coupled. The mounting bracket 122e is configured to be operatively coupled to the equipment rack 32, such as to the housing 42 at the front 44 of equipment rack 32, to movably support the adapter module 52b therefrom, as shown in Fig.4.

[0087] With continued reference to Fig.15, the rail member 126d may be generally U-shaped, with an upper leg 154a and a lower leg 154b, both of which extend from a central base portion 158 of rail member 126d. The mounting bracket 122e includes a bushing sleeve 160 that is configured to receive the base portion 158 of rail member 126d, allowing for rotation of the rail member 126d relative to the mounting bracket 122e. The bushing sleeve 160 and the rail member 126d thereby define a hinge joint. The adapter module 52b is configured to be releasably coupled to the rail member 126d between the upper leg 154a and lower leg 154b. To install the adapter module 52b, the clips 64a associated with the upper deck 54a of adapterAttorney Docket No.: HI24-105 module 52b may be pressed into engagement with the upper leg 154a of rail member 126d to operatively couple the rear 58 of adapter module 52b thereto. Subsequently, the adapter module 52b may be lowered and the one or more clips 64c associated with the front wall 110 of adapter module 52b pressed into engagement with the lower leg 154b of rail member 126d to operatively couple the front 56 of adapter module 52b to the rail member 126d. To prevent the adapter module 52b from inadvertently sliding off the rail member 126d, the end of each of the upper leg 154a and lower leg 154b may include a stop 162.

[0088] The rack mount assembly 40e may enable the adapter module 52b to move about two different movement axes 130b, 130c relative to the equipment rack 32. In particular, the engagement between the rail member 126d and the bushing sleeve 160 of mounting bracket 122e may define a hinge joint about which the adapter module 52b can pivot. Specifically, the adapter module 52b may be movable or pivotable about a movement axis 130b defined by the bushing sleeve 160 between a deployed position (e.g., Fig.15) and a stowed position. In the deployed position, the adapter module 52b may be pivoted outwardly away from the equipment rack 32, e.g., to facilitate installation or maintenance activities. The adapter module 52b may be moveable from the deployed position to the stowed position (as indicated by directional arrow A4) in which the adapter module 52b is pivoted approximately 180° to rest adjacent to the mounting bracket 122e and against the equipment rack 32. The adapter module 52b may also be positionable in any position between the deployed and stowed positions.

[0089] Additionally, engagement between the clips 64a and the upper leg 154a of rail member 126d may allow the adapter module 52b to articulate (e.g., pivot) in a movement direction, as indicated by directional arrow A5, about a movement axis 130c defined by the upper leg 154a of rail member 126d. In that regard, the one or more clips 64c may be disengaged from the lower leg 154b of rail member 126d and the adapter module 52b raised or rotated upward from a lowered position, as shown in Fig.15, to a raised position that improves visibility and access to the adapters 70 and the adapter module 52b for maintenance or assembly operations, for example.

[0090] Referring now to Fig.16, where like reference numerals represent like features compared to the embodiments described above with respect to Figs.1-15, a rack mount assembly 40f including an adapter module 52a is shown in accordance with another embodiment of the present disclosure. The rack mount assembly 40fAttorney Docket No.: HI24-105 may be a 0U rack mount assembly configured to be operatively coupled to the equipment rack 32 outside of the rack unit space. Compared to the embodiment of rack mount assembly 40e described with respect to Fig.15, the rack mount assembly 40f includes a different mounting bracket 122f for mounting the adapter module 52a at a different location on the housing 42 of equipment rack 32. Additionally, due to the vertical offset arrangement of the adapter clips 64a, 64b (i.e., the offset caused by the height of the adapter bank 60), the rail member 126e includes an offset portion 170 that extends between the lower leg 154b and the base portion 158 of rail member 126e. The offset portion 170 offsets the lower leg 154b from the upper leg 154a, ensuring proper alignment with the clips 64a, 64b of adapter module 52a. The rack mount assembly 40f may enable the adapter module 52a to be moved about the two different movement axes 130b, 130c relative to the equipment rack 32, as described above.

[0091] Referring to Fig.17, where like reference numerals represent like features compared to the embodiments described above with respect to Figs.1-16, a rack mount assembly 40g including an adapter module 52b is shown in accordance with another embodiment of the present disclosure. The rack mount assembly 40g may be a 0U rack mount assembly that is configured to be operatively coupled to the equipment rack 32 outside of the rack unit space. In particular, the rack mount assembly 40g may include a mounting bracket 122g for mounting the adapter module 52b to one of the vertical frame members 48 of equipment rack 32, as shown in Fig.4. The rack mount assembly 40g may thereby enable the adapter module 52b to be moved along the two different movement axes 130b, 130c relative to the equipment rack 32, as described above.

[0092] Referring to Fig.18, where like reference numerals represent like features compared to the embodiments described above with respect to Figs.1-17, a rack mount assembly 40h including an adapter module 52c is shown in accordance with another embodiment of the present disclosure. The rack mount assembly 40h may be a 0U rack mount assembly that is configured to be operatively coupled to the equipment rack 32 outside of the rack unit space. In particular, the rack mount assembly 40h may include a mounting bracket assembly 180 for mounting the adapter module 52c to one of the vertical frame members 48 of equipment rack 32, as shown in Fig.4, for articulation of the adapter module 52c thereabout.Attorney Docket No.: HI24-105

[0093] With continued reference to Fig.18, the mounting bracket assembly 180 may include a bracket body 182 for operatively coupling the bracket assembly to the equipment rack 32, and a bracket-side hinge plate 184a. The bracket-side hinge plate 184a may be operatively coupled to the bracket body 182 by a hinge pin. The bracket body 182, hinge plate 184a, and hinge pin may thereby define a hinge joint and movement axis 130d about which the hinge plate 184a can pivot relative to the bracket body 182, as indicated by directional arrow A7. For example, the bracket body 182 may be configured for operative coupling to either of the vertical frame members 48 of equipment rack 32. The mounting bracket assembly 180 may further include a mount-side hinge plate 184b that is operatively coupled to the bracket-side hinge plate 184a via another hinge pin. The bracket and mount-side hinge plates 184a, 184b, and hinge pin may thereby define another hinge joint and movement axis 130e about which the mount-side hinge plate 184b moves relative to the bracket-side hinge plate 184a and bracket body 182, as indicated by directional arrow A8. An upper rail member 126f and lower rail member 126g may be operatively coupled to the mount-side hinge plate 184b to support the adapter module 52c, as shown. To install the adapter module 52c on the mounting bracket assembly 180, the adapter module 52c may be slid onto, or otherwise engaged with, the rail members 126f, 126g to engage respective clips 64c, 64a and rail members 126f, 126g.

[0094] The rack mount assembly 40h may enable the adapter module 52c to be moved about three different movement axes 130d-130f relative to the equipment rack 32. In particular, the mounting bracket assembly 180 may provide articulating movement of the adapter module 52c about the two movement axes 130d, 130e described above. Additionally, the engagement between the clips 64a and the lower rail member 126g may allow the adapter module 52c to articulate (e.g., pivot) in a movement direction, as indicated by directional arrow A6, about a movement axis 130f defined by the lower rail member 126g. In that regard, the clips 64c may be disengaged from the upper rail member 126f, allowing the adapter module 52c to be lowered or flipped downward to improve visibility and access to the adapters 70 and the adapter module 52c for maintenance or assembly operations, for example.

[0095] Figs.19 and 20 depict an alternative embodiment of the adapter module 52a of Figs.5 and 6 in which the adapter bank 60 extends upward rather than downward from the deck 54a, and where like reference numerals represent like featuresAttorney Docket No.: HI24-105 compared to the embodiments described above with respect to Figs.1-18. The adapter bank 60 includes a base 62 (defined by the front portion 86 of the deck 54a in the illustrated embodiment), a top 66, and a plurality of adapter ports 68 therebetween each configured to receive an individual adapter 70. The adapter bank 60 extends from the deck 54a of adapter module 52a to a distal end (e.g., the top 66) of adapter bank 60 to define the height thereof. In the depicted embodiment, the adapter bank 60 includes a stack of two rows of adapter ports 68 spanning the width of the adapter bank 60 between the pair of side walls 74. The side walls 74 extend outwardly at an angle (e.g., an acute angle) from the deck 54a of adapter module 52a to the top 66 of adapter bank 60 to define the height thereof. The adapter bank 60 may further include the one or more divider walls 76 positioned between the side walls 74. The divider walls 76 may be spaced apart evenly along the width of the adapter bank 60 and extend generally at an angle between the base 62 and top 66 of adapter bank 60. The spaces between adjacent divider walls 76 may define adapter bays. A crossmember 78 may extend between each pair of divider walls 76, or divider wall 76 and side wall 74, to divide each adapter bay into two individual adapter ports 68 within each row of adapter ports 68. In the embodiment shown, the adapter bank 60 includes eight adapter ports 68 per row so that the stack of two rows of adapter ports 68 provides the adapter module 52a with sixteen adapter ports 68 in total.

[0096] The adapter module 52a may include clips 64a, 64b configured to releasably engage respective rail members 126a-126d of a rack mount assembly 40a, 40d, 40f as described above such that the adapter module 52a can slide and pivot relative to the rail members 126a-126d. The clips 64b are defined by the front portion 86 of the deck 54a adjacent (or more specifically, below) the adapter bank 60. In other embodiments, the clips 64b may be defined by the front portion 86 of the deck 54a slightly behind the adapter bank 60 (yet still adjacent the adapter bank 60). The deck 54a of adapter module 52a may include the opening 82a defined therein through which one or more fiber optic cables can be routed. The opening 82a may define, or be defined by, the pair of arms 84a that extend from the front portion 86 of deck 54a to the rear portion 88 of deck 54a. A fiber optic cable, received through the opening 82a in the deck 54a, may be secured to the arms 84a and / or rear portion 88 of deck 54a using fasteners such as straps or zip ties, for example. In theAttorney Docket No.: HI24-105 embodiment shown, the adapter module 52a may also include a handle 90b (shown in ghost form) that extends from the top 66 of adapter bank 60 for gripping and manipulating the adapter module 52a.

[0097] Fig.21 depicts an alternative embodiment of the rack mount assembly 40a including a plurality of the adapter modules 52a of Figs.19 and 20 shown in accordance with another embodiment of the present disclosure, where like reference numerals represent like features compared to the embodiments described above with respect to Figs.1-20. The rack mount assembly 40a may be operatively coupled to the equipment rack 32 so as to occupy 1U of rack space therein and span the horizontal width of the rack space. The rack mount assembly 40a may include a pair of mounting brackets 122a between which the rear and front rail member 126a, 126b are coupled to operatively support the one or more adapter modules 52a within the equipment rack 32. The rack mount assembly 40a may be operatively coupled to the equipment rack 32 via the mounting brackets 122a such that the rail members 126a, 126b are in a fixed position relative to the equipment rack 32.

[0098] The adapter module 52a may be configured to be releasably coupled to the rail members 126a, 126b of rack mount assembly 40a. To install an adapter module 52a in the rack mount assembly 40a, the clips 64a associated with the deck 54a of the adapter module 52a may be pressed into engagement with the rear rail member 126a to operatively couple the rear 58 of adapter module 52a thereto. Subsequently, the adapter module 52a may be lowered and the clip 64b associated with the base 62 of adapter bank 60 pressed into engagement with the front rail member 126b to operatively couple the front 56 of adapter module 52a thereto. To accommodate the horizontal arrangement of the clips 64a, 64b of adapter module 52a, and in contrast to the vertical offset depicted by Fig.11, the rail members 126a, 126b may be arranged horizontally relative to each other so that the front rail member 126b is at about the same height as the rear rail member 126a, e.g., near the bottom of the mounting brackets 122a.

[0099] As with the embodiment depicted by Fig.11, engagement between the clips 64a, 64b and respective rail members 126a, 126b may allow each adapter module 52a to slide laterally along the rail members 126a, 126b, left or right, in the movement direction as indicated by directional arrows A1. The adapter module 52a may be moved laterally in this regard to adjust a lateral position of the adapter module 52a within the equipment rack 32, for example. Furthermore, theAttorney Docket No.: HI24-105 engagement between the clips 64a and the rear rail member 126a may define a hinge joint that allows the adapter module 52a to articulate (e.g., pivot) in another movement direction, as indicated by directional arrow A2, about the movement axis 130a defined in the depicted embodiment by the rear rail member 126a. In that regard, the clip 64b may be disengaged from the front rail member 126b and the adapter module 52a raised or rotated upward from a lowered position to a raised position. The raised position may improve visibility and access to the front of the adapters 70 and the adapter module 52a. This may be useful when plugging the connectors of cables (e.g., patch cables) into the front side of the adapters 70 during installation and / or for maintenance, for example. Each adapter module 52a of rack mount assembly 40a may be configured to pivot from the lowered position in a direction toward the rear 46 of equipment rack 32. Lifting the adapter module 52a in this manner may slacken the fiber optic feeder cables routed from the rear 46 of equipment rack 32 to each adapter module 52a, thereby reducing strain on the cables during maintenance or installation activities.

[0100] As mentioned in connection with the embodiment shown in Fig.11, in some embodiments the rack mount assembly 40a may also be configured so that the engagement between the clips 64b and the front rail member 126b likewise define a hinge joint, allowing the adapter module 52a to articulate (e.g., pivot) in another movement direction (as indicated by directional arrow A2’) about a movement axis 130a’, which is defined in the depicted embodiment by the front rail member 126b. In that regard, the clip 64a may be configured with the opening 80 facing more downwards than rearwards, as mentioned above. This may allow the clip 64a to be disengaged from the rear rail member 126a and the adapter module 52a to be raised or rotated forward and upward from a lowered position to a raised position to improve visibility and access to the rear side of the adapters 70. This may be useful when plugging the connectors of cables (e.g., feeder cables) into the rear side of the adapters 70 during installation and / or for maintenance, for example. Each adapter module 52a of rack mount assembly 40a may be configured to pivot from the lowered position in a direction toward the front 44 of equipment rack 32.

[0101] While the present disclosure has been illustrated by the description of specific embodiments thereof, and while the embodiments have been described in considerable detail, it is not intended to restrict or in any way limit the scope of theAttorney Docket No.: HI24-105 appended claims to such detail. The various features discussed herein may be used alone or in any combination within and between the various embodiments. Additional advantages and modifications will readily appear to those skilled in the art. The disclosure in its broader aspects is therefore not limited to the specific details, representative apparatus and methods and illustrative examples shown and described. Accordingly, departures may be made from such details without departing from the scope of the disclosure.

Claims

Attorney Docket No.: HI24-105 What is claimed is:

1. A rack mount assembly for an equipment rack, comprising: at least one rail member that is configured to be operatively coupled to the equipment rack; and an adapter module configured to be movably supported from the equipment rack by the at least one rail member, the adapter module including: a first deck having at least one first clip configured to releasably couple the first deck to the at least one rail member, and an adapter bank extending from the first deck to a distal end of the adapter bank, and being configured to receive a plurality of adapters for making optical connections between optical fibers of fiber optic cables, wherein the adapter module is pivotable relative to the equipment rack such that the adapter module is movable between a lowered position and a raised position.

2. The rack mount assembly of claim 1, wherein a distance the adapter bank extends from the first deck to the distal end defines a height of the adapter bank.

3. The rack mount assembly of claim 2, wherein the height of the adapter bank is approximately 1U.

4. The rack mount assembly of any of claims 1-3, wherein the adapter bank includes at least one adapter row and a plurality of divider walls, each adapter row of the at least one adapter row includes a plurality of adapter ports each configured to receive an adapter, and each divider wall extends from the first deck toward the distal end of the adapter bank to separate the adapter ports of each adapter row.

5. The rack mount assembly of claim 4, wherein the at least one adapter row comprises a plurality of adapter rows.Attorney Docket No.: HI24-105 6. The rack mount assembly of claim 5, wherein each divider wall extends between the first deck and the distal end of the adapter bank to separate the adapter ports of each adapter row.

7. The rack mount assembly of any of claims 1-6, wherein the first deck includes an opening configured to pass one or more fiber optic cables for connection to the plurality of adapters.

8. The rack mount assembly of any of claims 1-7, wherein: the at least one rail member includes a first rail member and a second rail member, the first deck of the adapter module is releasably couplable to the first rail member with the at least one first clip, and the module includes at least one second clip configured to releasably couple the adapter module to the second rail member.

9. The rack mount assembly of claim 8, wherein the adapter module is slidable along a length of the first rail member and the second rail member.

10. The rack mount assembly of claim 8 or 9, wherein the at least one first clip and the first rail member are configured to define a hinge joint when coupled together to allow the adapter module to pivot between the lowered position and the raised position.

11. The rack mount assembly of claim 10, wherein the at least one second clip and the second rail member are configured to define a hinge joint when coupled together to allow the adapter module to pivot between the lowered position and another raised position.

12. The rack mount assembly of any of claims 8-11, wherein the equipment rack includes a first vertical frame member and a second vertical frame member, and further comprising: a first mounting bracket configured to be operatively coupled to the first vertical frame member of the equipment rack; andAttorney Docket No.: HI24-105 a second mounting bracket configured to be operatively coupled to the second vertical frame member of the equipment rack, wherein the first rail member and the second rail member are operatively coupled between the first mounting bracket and the second mounting bracket to support the adapter module therebetween.

13. The rack mount assembly of claim 12, further comprising a tray slidably supported between the first mounting bracket and the second mounting bracket, wherein the first rail member and the second rail member are operatively coupled to the first mounting bracket and the second mounting bracket by the tray.

14. The rack mount assembly of any of claims claim 8-13, wherein the adapter module is one of a plurality of adapter modules that are movably supported by the first rail member and the second rail member to form a row of adapter modules in the equipment rack.

15. The rack mount assembly of any of claims 8-14, wherein the at least one second clip is defined by the first deck adjacent the adapter bank.

16. The rack mount assembly of any of claims 8-14, wherein: the adapter module further comprises a second deck that extends from the distal end of the adapter bank to a front of the adapter module, the first deck extends from the adapter bank to a rear of the adapter module, the first deck and the second deck are spaced apart by the adapter bank, and the front of the adapter bank includes the at least one second clip.

17. The rack mount assembly of claim 16, wherein the adapter module includes a front wall that defines the front of the adapter module and that extends from the second deck to a free end of the front wall, the free end including the at least one second clip.Attorney Docket No.: HI24-105 18. The rack mount assembly of claim 16 or 17, wherein the second deck includes an opening that encompasses at least eighty percent of a total surface area of the second deck.

19. The rack mount assembly of any of claims 8-18, wherein the at least one first clip and the at least one second clip are horizontally aligned when the adapter module is operatively coupled to both the first rail member and the second rail member.

20. The rack mount assembly of any of claims 1-19, wherein the equipment rack includes a front, and further comprising: a mounting bracket configured to operatively couple the rack mount assembly to the front of the equipment rack, the mounting bracket including at least one bushing sleeve configured to receive the at least one rail member to define a hinge joint with the adapter module, the adapter module being movable relative to the equipment rack about the hinge joint between a stowed position and a deployed position.

21. The rack mount assembly of claim 19, wherein the equipment rack further includes a first vertical frame member and a second vertical frame member, and the mounting bracket is configured to be operatively coupled to the equipment rack at a location outside of a vertical rack unit space between the first vertical frame member and the second vertical frame member of the equipment rack.

22. An equipment rack in a fiber optic network having one or more fiber optic cables containing one or more optical fibers, comprising: one or more rack mount assemblies of any of claims 1-21 mounted in the equipment rack, wherein the one or more optical fibers are routed to the one or more rack mount assemblies.

23. A method of installing a rack mount assembly in an equipment rack of a fiber optic network, the rack mount assembly including an adapter module having at least one clip and an adapter bank with a plurality of adapters, the method comprising:Attorney Docket No.: HI24-105 operatively coupling at least one rail member to the equipment rack; engaging the at least one clip of the adapter module with the at least one rail member; routing one or more fiber optic cables to the adapter bank of the adapter module for connection to the plurality of adapters; and pivoting the adapter module from a raised position to a lowered position in which the adapter module is operatively coupled to the rack mount assembly.

24. The method of claim 23, wherein the at least one rail member includes a first rail member and a second rail member, the at least one clip includes a first clip and a second clip, engaging the at least one clip of the adapter module to the at least one rail member includes engaging the first clip with the first rail member, pivoting the adapter module from the raised position to the lowered position in which the adapter module is operatively coupled to the rack mount assembly includes engaging the second clip with the second rail member, the method further comprising: disengaging the second clip of the adapter module from the second rail member; and pivoting the adapter module from the lowered position to the raised position.

25. The method of claim 24, further comprising: sliding the adapter bank along the first rail member and the second rail member to adjust a lateral position of the adapter bank within the equipment rack.

26. The method of claim 23, wherein the rack mount assembly further comprises a mounting bracket including at least one bushing sleeve configured to receive the at least one rail member to define a hinge joint with the adapter module, operatively coupling the at least one rail member to the equipment rack includes operatively coupling the at least one rail member to the equipment rack with the mounting bracket at a location outside of a rack unit space of the equipment rack, the method further comprising: pivoting the adapter module about the hinge joint between a stowed position and a deployed position.

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