BACKGROUND

Passive optical networks are becoming prevalent in part because service providers want to deliver high bandwidth communication capabilities to customers. Passive optical networks are a desirable choice for delivering high speed communication data because they may not employ active electronic devices, such as amplifiers and repeaters, between a central office and a subscriber termination. The absence of active electronic devices may decrease network complexity and/or cost and may increase network reliability.

As demand for telecommunications increases, optical fiber services are being extended in more and more areas. To more efficiently extend the fiber optic service into areas where current and future customers are located, telecommunications enclosures are integrated throughout the network of telecommunications cables. Such enclosures provide connection locations where one or more optical fibers of the multi-fiber cable may be connected to end users/subscribers. Also, the enclosures are adapted to house and protect telecommunications components such as splices, termination panels, power splitters, and wavelength division multiplexers.

Improvements are desired.

SUMMARY

In accordance with other aspects of the disclosure, a telecommunications enclosure includes a base defining a splice region; and a cover coupled to the base to move between a closed position and an open position. The cover and the base cooperate to define an interior when the cover is in the closed position. The cover provides access to the interior when in the open position. Ruggedized adapters are disposed on the cover. Each ruggedized adapter has a first port accessible from an inner side of the cover and a second port accessible from an outer side of the cover. Modular elements such as splitter modules may be disposed at the inner side of the cover. Each splitter module may include an optical device in the form of a splitter disposed therein. An input fiber may be coupled to one end of the splitter, and a plurality of connectorized splitter output pigtails may be coupled to another end the splitter, the output pigtails leading to the ruggedized adapters on the cover. The input fiber is routed from the splice region of the base. In certain examples, the cover defines at least one pocket at the inner side. The modular elements such as the splitter modules are disposed in the pocket(s). In one example, the ruggedized adapters are disposed on the cover in a first row and a second row, and the pocket is defined between the first row and the second row of adapters. In certain examples, a second splitter module is carried by the cover. The second splitter module may extend parallel to the first splitter module. The ruggedized adapters and the splitter modules may be angled relative to the cover.

According to another aspect of the disclosure, the base of the enclosure may define an anchor location at which an input cable (e.g., a feeder cable, a branch cable, etc.) can be anchored. The enclosure also includes a gasket disposed at the base to enable ingress of the input cable and to inhibit ingress of contaminants. The cover is configured to cooperate with the base to activate the gasket.

The input fiber from the splice region of the base is routed to a splitter module on the cover.

In accordance with other aspects of the disclosure, a method of connecting a feeder fiber to a plurality of output fibers includes: routing the feeder fiber into an enclosure having a base and a cover; routing the feeder fiber to a splice region defined at an inner side of the base; mounting a splitter module to an inner side of the cover; routing an input fiber of the splitter module from the splice region; and plugging connectorized ends of splitter output pigtails from the splitter module into inner ports of ruggedized adapters on the cover. The splitter module(s), the ruggedized adapters, and the splitter output pigtails may all be carried together by the cover.

In certain examples, the method also includes splicing the feeder fiber to the input fiber at the splice region, wherein the input fiber is routed to the splitter module.

In certain examples, the method also includes activating a sealing arrangement by moving the cover relative to the base to a closed position to limit ingress of contaminants.

According to another aspect, the disclosure is directed to an enclosure comprising a base defining a splice region, a cover coupled to the base to move between a closed position and an open position, the cover and the base cooperating to define an interior when the cover is in the closed position, the cover providing access to the interior when in the open position, a plurality of ruggedized adapters disposed on the cover, each ruggedized adapter having an inner port accessible from an inner side of the cover and an outer port accessible from an outer side of the cover, a removable module disposed at the inner side of the cover, at least one input fiber being routed from the splice region of the base to the removable module, wherein the at least one input fiber is output from the module as a pigtail having a connectorized end that is connected to an inner port of one of the ruggedized adapters, a cable input location for receiving an input cable that includes at least one tube surrounding at least one fiber that carries the same signal as the at least one input fiber being routed from the splice region to the removable module, the input cable being anchored to the base at the cable input location, and a tube holder that is slidably mounted to the base past the cable input location, the tube holder configured to keep separate an unused fiber-carrying tube that is stored within the base in a loop from a fiber-carrying tube whose fiber leads toward the splice region of the base for further routing toward the removable module.

According to another aspect, the disclosure is directed to a method of connecting a fiber of an input cable entering a telecommunications enclosure to a drop fiber exiting the enclosure, the method comprising routing the input cable into the enclosure having a base and a pivotable cover, separating a tube of the input cable that carries a fiber to be processed within the enclosure from unused tubes of the input cable using a slidably movable tube holder, storing the unused tubes of the input cable in a loop within the enclosure, routing the fiber to a splice tray carried by the base, splicing the fiber to a second fiber within the splice tray and routing the second fiber to a removable module that is positioned within an interior side of the cover, outputting the second fiber from the removable module as a connectorized pigtail, and plugging a connectorized end of the pigtail to the drop fiber via a ruggedized adapter carried by the cover.

A variety of additional inventive aspects will be set forth in the description that follows. The inventive aspects can relate to individual features and to combinations of features. It is to be understood that both the forgoing general description and the following detailed description are exemplary and explanatory only and are not restrictive of the broad inventive concepts upon which the embodiments disclosed herein are based.

