FR3120265A3 - FIBER OPTIC WALL SOCKET - Google Patents

Abstract

FIBER OPTIC WALL SOCKET An improved fiber optic wall outlet is disclosed. The fiber optic socket (100) comprises a housing (1) comprising: a first fiber storage area (2) and a second fiber storage area (3), the first and second fiber storage areas being adjacent and connected by one or more openings (4) in a common wall (5); an incoming cable area (6) connected to the first fiber storage area (2) and designed to receive one or more incoming optical fiber cables (7); a splice area (8) contained within the second fiber storage area (3); and an adapter mounting area (10) connected to the second fiber storage area (3) and adapted to contain one or more fiber optic adapters (11) for connection to one or more outgoing fiber optic cables ( 9). The fiber optic outlet further includes a moveable cover (14) coupled to the housing and configured to extend over at least a portion of the second fiber storage area (3) in a first position to enclose the second area fiber storage. Figure for abstract: Figure 1

Description

FIBER OPTIC WALL OUTLET

This application relates to a fiber optic wall outlet, and in particular to an improved wall outlet for last mile telecommunications applications.

Wall outlets are commonly used in end customer premises to provide a means for connection to a network, usually via an electrical socket in the wall outlet into which a cable or similar is connected. In the case of fiber optics, wall outlets are used in the FTTx (fiber to the to the premises/home/building/cabinet/node) part of the network to connect the end customer to the optical network. Typically, these fiber optical wall outlets are installed inside the customer's home, apartment, business premises or the like.

In newly constructed greenfield builds, wall outlets are often integrated with other structural elements directly in the walls, however for older brownfield builds wall outlets need to be applied externally to the existing structure. There are multiple wall outlet products available on the market for brownfield applications, however these are complex in assembly, operation and installation, leading to high cost and low user satisfaction. In addition, known products fail to take into consideration other key factors such as toolless childproof opening and closing, simple no-failure installation, clear separation between incoming and outgoing cables, and an appropriate visual appearance for a domestic environment.

We have appreciated that it would be desirable to provide an improved fiber optic wall outlet, in particular a single piece design with a low cost, that allows end customer connections to an optical network.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

In this aim, proposed below is a fiber optic outlet comprising:

a housing including:

a first fiber storage area and a second fiber storage area, the first and second fiber storage areas being adjacent and connected via one or more openings in a shared wall;

an incoming cable area connected to the first fiber storage area and suitable for receiving one or more incoming fiber optic cables;

a splicing area contained within the second fiber storage area; and

an adapter mount area connected to the second fiber storage area and suitable for containing one or more fiber optic adapters for connection to one or more outgoing fiber optic cables; and

a movable cover coupled to the housing and configured to extend over at least part of the second fiber storage area when in a first position to enclose the second fiber storage area.

According to optional embodiments, the outlet further comprises one or several of the following features, taken individually or according to any possible combination:

• when viewed in a direction perpendicular to the shared wall:
  • the first fiber storage area and the second fiber storage area overlap;
  • the incoming cable area and adapter mount area overlap;
  • a first section of the external perimeter of the housing surrounds the first fiber storage area and the second fiber storage area; and
  • a second section of the external perimeter of the housing surrounds the incoming cable area and the adapter mount area.
• the first section of the external perimeter of the housing is curved; and the second section of the external perimeter of the housing is linear.
• the first section of the external perimeter of the housing is substantially circular; and at least part of the second section of the external perimeter of the housing extends in a radial direction from the first section of the external perimeter of the housing.
• either:
  • the housing and movable cover are formed as a single piece, with the movable cover coupled to the housing via a living hinge; gold
  • the housing is formed as a single piece and the movable cover is formed as a separate piece which is removably coupled to the housing.
• the living hinge includes a retaining means configured to retain the movable cover in an open position; and/or the movable cover includes a snap-fit locking mechanism to engage with the housing and retain the movable cover in the first position.
• the first fiber storage area and the incoming cable area are positioned on a rear side of the shared wall; and the second fiber storage area and the adapter mount area are positioned on a front side of the shared wall.
• the incoming cable area and adapter mount area are adjacent and form two parallel entrance channels into the first fiber storage area and the second fiber storage area respectively.
• the first fiber storage area and the second fiber storage area include one or more guide channels with a curved path, the one or more guide channels suitable for directing one or more incoming fiber optic cables from the incoming cable area to the splicing area, and/ or directing one or more outgoing fiber optic cables from the splicing area to the adapter mount area.
• the one or more guide channels are formed by the external perimeter of the housing and/or one or more internal guide elements that are mounted on and protrude from the shared wall.
• the curvature of the one or more guide channels follows the curvature of the external perimeter of the housing.
• the one or more guide channels include one or more retaining tabs configured to retain optical fibers within the one or more guide channels.
• the adapter mount area includes one or more seating elements which are suitable for receiving the one or more fiber optic adapters and holding the one or more fiber optic adapters in position.
• the splicing area is located on the shared wall and includes one or more support structures suitable for supporting one or more spliced sections of one or more optical fibers.
• the housing comprises one or more mounting elements for affixing the fiber optic outlet to a wall, such that the first fiber storage area is positioned against the wall and at least partially enclosed by the wall.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

Embodiments of the invention will now be described in relation to the accompanying drawings, in which:

shows a front isometric view of a fiber optic outlet in an exemplary embodiment of the invention;

shows a rear isometric view of a fiber optic outlet in an exemplary embodiment of the invention;

shows a rear view of a fiber optic outlet in an exemplary embodiment of the invention;

shows a front view of a fiber optic outlet in an exemplary embodiment of the invention;

shows a side view of a fiber optic outlet in an exemplary embodiment of the invention.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION

The invention will now be described in relation to a first embodiment of the invention, as shown in Figures 1 to 5. Figures 1 to 5 show a front isometric view, a rear isometric view, a rear view, a front view, and a side view respectively of a fiber optic outlet 100.

The fiber optic outlet 100, also referred to as the wall outlet or the fiber optic wall outlet, includes a housing 1 which forms the main body of the device. The housing 1 includes two fiber storage compartments: a first fiber storage area 2 and a second fiber storage area 3, which are connected via one or more openings 4 in a shared wall 5. The one or more openings 4 are present in the wall to allow optical fibers to pass between the first and second fiber storage areas 2.3.

The housing 1 also includes an incoming cable area 6, which is connected to the first fiber storage area 2, as shown in Figures 2 and 3. In the first embodiment, the first fiber storage area 2 has a circular cross section, and the incoming cable area 6 has a rectangular cross section, and protrudes radially from the first fiber storage area 2. The shared wall 5 may also extend into the incoming cable area 6, such that at least part of one wall of the incoming cable area 6 includes the shared wall 5. The incoming cable area 6 is positioned on the same side of the shared wall 5 as the first fiber storage area 2.

The incoming cable area 6 is suitable for receiving one or more incoming fiber optic cables 7. The incoming cable area 6 forms a channel which directs the one or more incoming fiber optic cables 7 into the first fiber storage area 2. In the first embodiment, the one or more incoming fiber optic cables 7 are bundled into one cable surrounded by one insulating coating, as shown in . However, the one or more incoming fiber optic cables 7 may be split into any number of separate incoming cables. The incoming cable area 6 receives the one or more incoming fiber optic cables 7 through an external opening, which may include a gripping element, or bush element or the like to receive the cable.

The one or more incoming fiber optic cables 7 pass into first fiber storage area 2. The one or more incoming fiber optic cables 7 may be follow a set path or be coiled within or within the first fiber storage area 2, the details of which will be discussed further later. The one or more incoming fiber optic cables 7 are then able to pass through the one or more openings 4 in the shared wall 5 and into the second fiber storage area 3. Any number of openings may be provided in the shared wall. Each of the one or more incoming fiber optic cables 7 may either pass through a different opening 4 in the shared wall 5, or may all pass through the same opening, or any other possible combination thereof.

In the present embodiment the first fiber storage area 2 and the incoming cable area 6 are mounted on a rear side of the shared wall 5. The second fiber storage area 3 is mounted on a front side of the shared wall 5. The one or more openings 4 therefor allow the one or more incoming fiber optic cables 7 to be transferred from the rear side of the housing 1 (and of the shared wall 5) to the front side of the housing 1.

The housing 1 also includes an adapter mount area 10, which is connected to the second fiber storage area 3, as shown in Figures 1 and 4. In the first embodiment, the second fiber storage area 3 has a circular cross section, and the adapter mount area 10 has a rectangular cross section, and protrudes radially from the first fiber storage area 2. In other words the shape of the second fiber storage area 3 and the adapter mount area 10 is the same as, and overlaps with, the first fiber storage area 2 and the incoming cable area 6. The shape of the housing 1 will be discussed in more detail later.

The shared wall 5 may also extend into the adapter mount area 10, such that at least part of one wall of the adapter mount area 10 includes the shared wall 5. The adapter mount area 10 is positioned on the same side of the shared wall 5 as the second fiber storage area 3, in this case the front side of the shared wall 5. The adapter mount area 10 and the incoming cable area 6 may therefore share a common section of the shared wall 5.

The second fiber storage area 3 includes a splicing area 8 in which the one or more incoming fiber optic cables 7 may be connected to one or more outgoing fiber optic cables 9 via splicing. The splicing area 3 may be mounted on the shared wall 5, and may be integral with the shared wall 5. The one or more outgoing fiber optic cables 9 may be follow a set path or be coiled within or within the second fiber storage area 3 , the details of which will be discussed further later. The one or more outgoing fiber optic cables 9 are directed to the adapter mount area 10.

The adapter mount area 10 is suitable for containing one or more fiber optic adapters 11. In the present embodiment, four fiber optic adapters 11 are included, arranged in two layers each including two fiber optic adapters. However any number and arrangement of fiber optic adapters may be used. The one or more fiber optic adapters 11 may be held in place by various means. In the present embodiment, the one or more fiber optic adapters 11 are seated into one or more seating elements 12, which hold the one or more fiber optic adapters 11 in the desired location. When fully installed, the one or more outgoing fiber optic cables 9 are connected to the one or more fiber optic adapters 11 within the adapter mount area 10. The one or one or more fiber optic adapters 11 therefore provide a number of connection points into the fiber optic outlet 100. When installed, the customer can connect one or more customer cables 13 to the one or more fiber optic adapters 11, which therefore connects the one or more customer cables 13 to the fiber optic network via the one or more outgoing fiber optic cables 9, the splicing area 8 and the one or more incoming fiber optic cables 7. The one or more seating elements 12 fix the one or more fiber optic adapters 11 in place to facilitate the customer plugging in/unplugging one or more customer cables 13 to/from the one or more fiber optic adapters 11 in order to connect to/disconnect from the fiber optic network.

The one or more fiber optic adapters 11 may be any type of fiber optic connector, for example SC or LC connectors may be used. SC type connectors are shown for exemplary purposes in Figures 1 to 5. Typically the one or more fiber optic adapters 11 will be a female type connector, and the one or more external customer cables 13 that are to be plugged into the wall outlet will terminate at the corresponding male connector. However, in some embodiments, the connectors could be configured with the male connector in the adapter mount area 10 if desired.

Typically for installation of the fiber optic outlet 100, a technician would feed the one or more incoming fiber optic cables 7 into the incoming cable area 6 and first fiber storage area 2, and then through the one or more openings 4 in the shared wall 5 The technician would then appropriately splice the one or more incoming fiber optic cables 7 to the one or more outgoing fiber optic cables 9. Various splicing arrangements could be used, as desired. The splicing area 8 provides a means for the optical fibers to be fixed down onto the shared wall 5 to both protect the spliced sections and prevent entanglement of the optical fibers. For example the splicing area 8 may include one or more support structures suitable for supporting the spliced sections of the optical fibers.

The one or more outgoing fiber optic cables 9 may be supplied with the one or more fiber optic adapters 11 attached. If not the technician could attach the one or more fiber optic adapters 11 to the one or more outgoing fiber optic cables 9. The technician would then insert the one or more fiber optic adapters 11 into the adapter mount area 10 and, in this embodiment, into the one or more seating elements 12. In other embodiments, the housing 1 may be supplied with the one or more fiber optic adapters 11 already inserted into the adapter mount area 10.

In the fiber optic outlet 100 of the present embodiment, the incoming cable area 6 and the adapter mount area 10 are adjacent and aligned such that they form two parallel entrance channels into the first fiber storage area 2 and the second fiber storage area 3 respectively. This means that the one or more fiber optic adapters 11 and one or more incoming fiber optic cables 7 are adjacent and parallel and when installed. Therefore the one or more incoming fiber optic cables 7 and the one or more fiber optic adapters 11, and hence the one or more customer cables 13, exit the fiber optic outlet at a single point and follow the same path. This provides a number of benefits, including a positive impact on the visual appearance of the complete set up on the wall of the customer's premises, as well as reducing the risk of accidental cable pull.

Moreover, the above described configuration of the housing 1 means that there is clear separation between the incoming and outgoing fiber optic cables. The first fiber storage area 2 and the incoming cable area 6 are positioned on the rear side of the shared wall 5, such that the one or more incoming fiber optic cables 7 are located towards the rear of the device. The second fiber storage area 3 and the adapter mount area 10 are positioned on the front side of the shared wall 5, meaning that the one or more fiber optic adapters 11 and hence the one or more customer cables 13 are located towards the front of the device. Clear separation between incoming and outgoing cables is beneficial for maintenance, aesthetics and correct operation by the user.

The fiber optic outlet 100 also includes a movable cover 14. The movable cover 14 encloses the second fiber storage area when in a first position. The movable cover 14 may be held shut by a snap-fit locking mechanism 16,17 built into the movable cover 14 and/or housing 1. The movable cover in the present embodiment is integrally formed with the housing 1 and connected by means of living hinge 15, such that the entire fiber optic outlet 100 is made from a single piece. However, in some embodiments although the housing 1 is formed as a single piece, the movable cover 14 may be a separate piece which is detachable from the housing 1. When the movable cover 14 is a separate piece, additional snap-fit locking mechanisms may be required to attach the movable cover 14 to the housing 1. In both cases, the snap-fit locking mechanism 16.17 provides an intuitive, toolless, childproofing closing mechanism. The snap-fit locking mechanism also allows future access to the internal compartments in the wall outlet, if required.

When the movable cover is attached to the housing 1 by a living hinge 5, the living hinge 5 may include an open position retaining means, to retain the movable cover in an open position. The retaining means proves beneficial during installation, preventing obstruction by the movable cover. The movable cover 14, whether integrally formed or removably coupled to the housing 1, conceals and protects the optical fibers and splicing sections from damage or dust/dirt, whilst not impeding access during installation.

Forming the housing 1 as a single piece allows for simplified manufacture, via molding for example, and results in a low manufacturing cost. Moreover, installation is quicker and simpler when the number of components in the fiber optic outlet is reduced, resulting in no-failure installation. All of the components of the housing 1 discussed above can be formed as a single integral piece, namely: the first fiber storage area 2, second fiber storage area 3, one or more openings 4, shared wall 5, incoming cable area 6, splicing area 8, adapter mount area 10 and one or more seating elements 12 can all be included in the integrally formed housing 1. In the embodiment of Figures 1 to 5 the movable cover 14, living hinge 15, and snap-fit locking mechanism 16, 17 are also integrally formed with the housing 1 to form the entire fiber optic outlet 100 as a single piece. The one or more guide channels 18, one or more internal guide elements 19, one or more retaining tabs 20 and one or more mounting elements 21, which will be discussed below, may also be formed integrally with the housing 1.

The fiber optic outlet 100 is shaped to provide the specific functionality of the wall outlet, as well as provide a compact wall outlet. The external perimeter of the housing 1 has a first curved section and a second linear section, such that overall shape of the fiber optic outlet 100 is substantially paddle-shaped. The first section of the external perimeter of the housing 1 surrounds the first and second fiber storage areas 2,3 and the second section of the external perimeter of the housing 1 surrounds the incoming cable area 6 and the adapter mount area 10.

The shape of the device forces the one or more incoming fiber optic cables 7 and the one or more customer cables 13 to enter/leave the fiber optic outlet 100 at a single point and follow a single path. This has a positive impact on the visual appearance of the complete set up on the wall of a customer's home or apartment, as well as reducing the risk of accidental cable pull. Moreover, the shape of the first and second fiber storage areas 2,3 accommodates the radius of curvature of the optical fibers inside the housing 1 above the minimum bend radius, to prevent damage to the optical fibers, or any attenuation or leaking of the signal . The external perimeter of the housing 1 may follow the minimum footprint the fiber optic outlet could have whilst ensuring the optical fibers are not bent beyond their minimum bending radius, thus providing a compact device.

The paddle-like shape of the fiber optic outlet 100 also provides an attractive external appearance, which is an important factor given the fact that the device is installed in an often visible location in a customer's home or apartment. Typically the fiber optic outlet 100 would be mounted on a wall with the second section of the external perimeter of the housing 1, in other words the incoming cable area 6 and the adapter mount area 10, directed downwards, to prevent dust or dirt entering the housing 1 or the one or more fiber optic adapters 11 in the adapter mount area 10.

As shown in , the fiber optic outlet 100 of the present embodiment is also shaped such that the side profile of the housing 1 is narrower towards the top of the first and second fiber storage areas 2,3, the top of the device being opposite the incoming cable area 6 and the adapter mount area 10. The housing 1 is wider towards bottom of the fiber optic outlet 100, the bottom of the device being towards the incoming cable area 6 and the adapter mount area 10. The side profile of the movable cover 14 may be substantially curved so as to follow the edge of the side profile of the housing 1. This side profile of the present embodiment reduces the size of the fiber optic outlet 100, as well as minimizing the distance that the top of the fiber optic outlet 100 protrudes from the wall, and also adding to the aesthetics of the device.

Other shapes for the fiber optic outlet 100 could be designed, for example an elliptical first section of the perimeter could be used, such that the cross-sections of the first and second fiber storage areas 2,3 are elliptical.

In the present embodiment, the housing 1 of the fiber optic outlet 100 further includes one or more guide channels 18 in both the first and second fiber storage areas 2,3. The one or more guide channels 18 direct the one or more incoming fiber optic cables 7 from the incoming cable area 6 to the splicing area 8, and from the splicing area 8 to the one more fiber optic adapters 11 in the adapter mount area 10. The one or more guide channels 18 may facilitate coiling of the optical fibers within the housing 1.

The one or more guide channels 18 are curved to maintain the radius of curvature of the optical fibers inside the housing above the minimum bend radius, so as to prevent damage to the optical fibers or any attenuation or leaking of the carried signal. The one or more guide channels 18 also prevent tangling of fibers within housing 1, forcing the fibers to follow a preferred set path within the housing 1.

The one or more guide channels 18 are formed between the internal walls or housing 1, in other words the external perimeter of the housing, and one or more internal guide elements 19. The one or more internal guide elements 19 are mounted on the shared wall 5, and consist of additional internal walls as shown in Figures 1 to 4. Alternatively, the one or more internal guide elements 19 may include alternative means for directing the optical fibers, such as one or more pegs or hooks that protrude from the shared wall 5, or the like.

Forming the one or more guide channels 18 in part through the internal walls of the external perimeter of the housing 1 maximizes the utilization of space within the housing, contributing to a compact device. The one or more internal guide elements 19 may be formed integrally with the shared wall. As shown by the innermost coil of optical fibers in , the one or more internal guide elements 19 may form a guide channel 18 by themselves, without the internal walls of the external perimeter of the housing 1.

The one or more guide channels 18 may optionally include one or more retaining tabs 20. The one or more retaining tabs help retain the optical fibers within the one or more guide channels 18, thus ensuring the correct path is followed and the optical fibers do not accidentally tangle inside the device or bend beyond the minimum bending radius.

The fiber optic outlet 100 of the present embodiment further includes one or more mounting elements 21. In the present embodiment, the mounting elements 21 are a pair of holes through the device, through which screws can be inserted to fix the housing 1 to a wall . The one or more mounting elements 21 mean that technician can easily fix the fiber optic outlet 100 to the desired wall at the appropriate stage of the installation process. The one or more mounting elements 21 facilitate the simple, no-failure installation of the fiber optic outlet.

In the housing 1 of the fiber optic outlet 100 of the present embodiment, the first and second fiber storage areas 2,3 both have one side opposite to the shared wall 5 that is open. In other words the first fiber storage area 2 is open on the rear side of the housing 1 and the second fiber storage area 3 is open on the front side of the housing 1. The movable cover 14 covers the open side of the second fiber storage area 3 when in the first position to at least partially enclose the second fiber storage area 3. When mounted on a wall, the wall at least partially encloses the open side of the first fiber storage area 2. Using the wall that the fiber optic outlet 100 is mounted on to enclose the first fiber storage area 2 reduces the amount of material required for an enclosed housing, and helps keep the device more flush with the wall.

In some embodiments, the one or more mounting elements 21 may be configured for connection to a DIN rail. Implementing DIN-rail fixing geometries in the housing 1 provides installation flexibility both on the wall and to a DIN rail.

The fiber optic outlet 100 can be mounted onto the wall at any appropriate stage after the one or more incoming fiber optic cables 7 have been threaded through the first fiber storage area 2 and into the second fiber storage area. The fiber optic outlet 100 may be mounted to the wall after the one or more incoming and outgoing fiber optic cables have been correctly spliced and the one or more fiber optic adapters 11 inserted have been inserted into the adapter mount area 10.

The present invention provides an improved fiber optic wall outlet 100 to allow end customer connections to an optical network, with a single piece design that can be manufactured and installed at low cost.

Although the fiber optic outlet 100 has been illustrated in Figures 1 to 5 with optical fibers and fiber optic adapters included, this had been included for illustrative purposes. The present invention may be manufactured or provided without any optical fibers or fiber optic adapters included.

Various modifications to the described embodiment are possible and will occur to those skilled in the art without departing from the scope of the invention which is defined by the following claims.

Reference Numerals List

Fiber optic outlet 100, Housing 1, First fiber storage area 2, Second fiber storage area 3, One or more openings 4, Shared wall 5, Incoming cable area 6, One or more incoming fiber optic cables 7, Splicing area 8, One or more outgoing fiber optic cables 9, Adapter mount area 10, One or more fiber optic adapters 11, One or more seating elements 12, One or more customer cables 13, Movable cover 14, Living hinge 15, Snap-fit locking mechanism 16,17 , One or more guide channels 18, One or more internal guide elements 19, One or more retaining tabs 20, One or more mounting elements 21.

Claims (15)

A fiber optic outlet (100) comprising:
a housing (1) including:
a first fiber storage area (2) and a second fiber storage area (3), the first and second fiber storage areas being adjacent and connected via one or more openings (4) in a shared wall (5);
an incoming cable area (6) connected to the first fiber storage area (2) and suitable for receiving one or more incoming fiber optic cables (7);
a splicing area (8) contained within the second fiber storage area (3); and
an adapter mount area (10) connected to the second fiber storage area (3) and suitable for containing one or more fiber optic adapters (11) for connection to one or more outgoing fiber optic cables (9); and
a movable cover (14) coupled to the housing and configured to extend over at least part of the second fiber storage area (3) when in a first position to enclose the second fiber storage area. The fiber optic outlet (100) of claim 1 wherein when viewed in a direction perpendicular to the shared wall (5):
the first fiber storage area (2) and the second fiber storage area (3) overlap;
the incoming cable area (6) and adapter mount area (10) overlap;
a first section of the external perimeter of the housing surrounds the first fiber storage area (2) and the second fiber storage area (3); and
a second section of the external perimeter of the housing surrounds the incoming cable area (6) and the adapter mount area (10). The fiber optic outlet (100) of claim 2 wherein:
the first section of the external perimeter of the housing is curved; and
the second section of the external perimeter of the housing is linear. The fiber optic outlet (100) of either of claims 2 or 3 wherein:
the first section of the external perimeter of the housing is substantially circular; and
at least part of the second section of the external perimeter of the housing extends in a radial direction from the first section of the external perimeter of the housing. The fiber optic outlet (100) of any preceding claim wherein either:
the housing (1) and movable cover (14) are formed as a single piece, with the movable cover coupled to the housing via a living hinge (15); gold
the housing (1) is formed as a single piece and the movable cover (14) is formed as a separate piece which is removably coupled to the housing. The fiber optic outlet (100) of claim 5 wherein:
the living hinge (15) includes a retaining means configured to retain the movable cover (14) in an open position; and/or
the movable cover (14) includes a snap-fit locking mechanism (16) to engage with the housing (1) and retain the movable cover in the first position. The fiber optic outlet (100) of any preceding claim wherein:
the first fiber storage area (2) and the incoming cable area (6) are positioned on a rear side of the shared wall (5); and
the second fiber storage area (3) and the adapter mount area (10) are positioned on a front side of the shared wall (5). The fiber optic outlet (100) of any preceding claim wherein the incoming cable area (6) and adapter mount area (10) are adjacent and form two parallel entrance channels into the first fiber storage area (2) and the second fiber storage area ( 3) respectively. The fiber optic outlet (100) of any preceding claim wherein the first fiber storage area (2) and the second fiber storage area (3) include one or more guide channels (18) with a curved path, the one or more guide channels suitable for directing one or more incoming fiber optic cables (7) from the incoming cable area (6) to the splicing area (8), and/or directing one or more outgoing fiber optic cables (9) from the splicing area (8) to the adapter mount area (10). The fiber optic outlet (100) of claim 9 wherein the one or more guide channels are formed by the external perimeter of the housing (1) and/or one or more internal guide elements (19) that are mounted on and protrude from the shared wall(5). The fiber optic outlet (100) of either of claims 9 or 10 wherein the curvature of the one or more guide channels (18) follows the curvature of the external perimeter of the housing (1). The fiber optic outlet (100) of any of claims 9 to 11 wherein the one or more guide channels (18) include one or more retaining tabs (20) configured to retain optical fibers within the one or more guide channels (18). The fiber optic outlet (100) of any preceding claim wherein the adapter mount area (10) includes one or more seating elements (12) which are suitable for receiving the one or more fiber optic adapters (11) and holding the one or more fiber optical adapters in position. The fiber optic outlet (100) of any preceding claim wherein the splicing area (8) is located on the shared wall (5) and includes one or more support structures suitable for supporting one or more spliced sections of one or more optical fibers. The fiber optic outlet (100) of any preceding claim wherein the housing (1) comprises one or more mounting elements (21) for affixing the fiber optic outlet to a wall, such that the first fiber storage area (2) is positioned against the wall and at least partially enclosed by the wall.