3M Innovative Properties Company

Steven C Bove

Sidney J Berglund

Kenneth J Vidacovich

A fiber optic connection system having a housing which receives a plurality of novel splice trays which are adaptable for use in either interconnection or cross-connection of the fibers. Each splice tray is formed of an upper tray section (having a reel for storing excess fiber slack in the first group of fibers and a splice area with clips for retaining splice elements) and a lower tray section which is either an interconnect card or a cross-connect card. The interconnect card has another reel for storing excess fiber slack in the second group of fibers, while the cross-connect card has no such reel but rather has walls for guiding the group of second fibers to a common exit point on the cross-connect card. The lower tray section is removably attached to the upper tray section whereby an existing splice tray can be modified from an interconnection configuration to a cross-connection configuration and vice-versa. The housing includes a pair of rails having holes therein for receiving pins on the edge of each splice tray whereby the trays may be pivotally attached to the rails in a page-type array. A stabilizer bar having several tabs is attached to the lower rail to releasably secure the splice trays in one of three predetermined positions.

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Leander, TX, United States of America

Steven C Bove