The Conventional Fiber Adapter Plates Need To Improve

Optical fiber has been used as a medium for telecommunication as well as networking because it's flexible enough and could be bundled as cables. Optical fiber has been especially advantageous for long-distance communications because light propagates through the fiber with little attenuation compared to electrical signals carried by conventional wire cables. Over short distances, for instance networking within a building, optical fiber interconnect cables save space in cable ducts because a single fiber can carry more data than a single electrical cable.

Interconnect cables are generally used as intra-equipment jumpers or patch cords. For example, some typical applications include patching active electronics to nearby patch panels, cable cross-connection on distribution frames, and connecting work area outlets to terminal equipment. Fiber optic patch cords comprise a length of cable with a plug or connector on one, or both ends, and can also be referred to as connectorized fiber optic cables. A patch panel typically comprises a connecting hardware system (e.g., racks, adapter plates, arrays of adapters, etc.) that facilitates cable termination and cabling administration via the use and administration of standard-conforming adapters. The following figure is a 12 port fiber patch panel, which is a component of fiber cable installation

Various fiber optic cable connector and adapter designs can be used to meet the requirements of corresponding Fiber Optic Connector Intermateability Standard (FOCIS) documents. Note that the term adapter, when used in reference with optical fiber, has been defined by the optical fiber industry and standards organizations as a mechanical termination device designed to align and join two like optical connectors.

In some designs, fiber adapter plates provide the means to support and align the interconnection of connectorized fiber optic cables in structured voice or data cabling networks. Conventionally, fiber adapter plates use a metal or plastic plate or support panel having a number of cutouts to accept discrete fiber optic adapters which are typically linked to the adapter plate by screws or clips. Therefore, these adapter plates use a removable attaching mechanism (e.g., screws, clips, latches, etc.) to attach the adapter plate to an enclosure or patch panel.

However, such conventional adapter plates suffer from drawbacks due to the assembly of so many discrete parts. For example, alignment of the connecting optical fibers is crucial to minimize loss across the adapter. While internal fiber optical interface details (e.g., alignment, cable separation, etc.) are specified by rigid standards, the adapter to adapter plate connection is more springy. As a result, excessive tolerances can result in additional mechanical play between the adapter and the adapter plate which can, sometimes, to enable excessive stresses and bend radii of the connecting fiber optic cables.

As a further example, such conventional assemblies by their nature require costly assembly steps. As a cost saving measure, some of the assembly steps can be passed on to the end user. However, this can lead to increasing set up time, having costs of its own, and can result in end user frustration. Furthermore, conventional adapter plate panels are often unlabeled or stamped with labels that are hard for the end user to ascertain, specially when the adapter plate is fully outfitted with adapters and cabling.

It is thus desired to provide fiber adapter plates that improve upon these and other deficiencies of conventional fiber adapter plates.

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Related articles: How To Use A Fiber Optic Patch Panel.