US 12,321,033 B2
Optical distribution system and related methods
Michael Todd Faulkner, Granite Falls, NC (US); and Lars Kristian Nielsen, Denver, NC (US)
Assigned to Corning Research & Development Corporation, Corning, NY (US)
Filed by CORNING RESEARCH & DEVELOPMENT CORPORATION, Corning, NY (US)
Filed on Mar. 11, 2024, as Appl. No. 18/601,174.
Application 18/601,174 is a continuation of application No. 18/187,727, filed on Mar. 22, 2023, granted, now 11,971,597.
Claims priority of provisional application 63/324,412, filed on Mar. 28, 2022.
Prior Publication US 2024/0210645 A1, Jun. 27, 2024
This patent is subject to a terminal disclaimer.
Int. Cl. G02B 6/00 (2006.01); G02B 6/44 (2006.01); G02B 6/50 (2006.01)
CPC G02B 6/4452 (2013.01) [G02B 6/4454 (2013.01); G02B 6/4471 (2013.01); G02B 6/50 (2013.01)] 20 Claims
OG exemplary drawing
 
1. An optical distribution system for connecting buildings of a network, comprising:
a backbone cable carrying a plurality of optical fibers, wherein the plurality of optical fibers carried by the backbone cable comprises F optical fibers;
an enclosure configured to provide a sealed interior into which an end portion of the backbone cable extends;
a plurality of tether cables having optical fibers connected to the optical fibers of the backbone cable within the sealed interior of the enclosure, wherein each tether cable of the plurality of tether cables extends from the enclosure; and
a plurality of multiport terminals that each receive an end portion of a respective tether cable of the plurality of tether cables, wherein each multiport terminal of the plurality of multiport terminals is configured to maintain a sealed interface with the respective tether cable and includes a plurality of connection ports configured to receive a plurality of outdoor optical connectors on a front side of the plurality of connection ports, and wherein the optical fibers of the respective tether cable are pre-terminated with connection interfaces that are each received in a back side of a respective connection port of the plurality of connection ports;
wherein:
CF=number of optical fibers of the plurality of tether cables that are terminated by each connection interface of the plurality of connection interfaces,
P=number of connection ports on each multiport terminal of the plurality of multiport terminals, and
T=number of multiport terminals in the plurality of multiport terminals; and
further wherein:
CF≥12
P≥12, and
T≥12, such that
F≥1,728.