Optical waveguides – Accessories – Splice box and surplus fiber storage/trays/organizers/ carriers
Reexamination Certificate
2000-02-08
2001-12-04
Kim, Ellen E. (Department: 2874)
Optical waveguides
Accessories
Splice box and surplus fiber storage/trays/organizers/ carriers
C385S134000
Reexamination Certificate
active
06327414
ABSTRACT:
TECHNICAL FIELD OF THE INVENTION
The present invention relates to an optical fiber distribution apparatus and method for providing a readily rearrangeable interconnection point directly between two fiber cables.
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
In telecommunication networks from a telecommunication company's central office to its subscribers, existing copper installations are being replaced with optical fiber out to a plurality of fiber nodes that convert the optical signals to electrical signals for transmission to the subscriber over copper drops. As more fiber nodes are added to networks, it becomes increasingly difficult for the central office to handle all the distribution needs of the network. In order to move fiber distribution downstream of the central office into the network, commonly used central office type fiber distribution frames can be used; however, such frames require large amounts of space and even larger cabinets and vaults to house them. They also use jumpers interposed between the feeder cable and distribution cable to allow for reconfigurations. Besides increasing the amount of space needed, the use of jumpers adds another connection point that contributes to connection loss in the network. Other types of fiber interconnection products such as splice closures are limited to mating complements of the feeder cable to complements of the distribution cable and any reconfiguration is limited to fibers within the same complement.
Accordingly a need exists for a fiber distribution apparatus that can be used downstream of the central office to provide a flexible point of demarcation between feeder fibers from the central office and distribution fibers leading to optical nodes. More specifically, a need exists for a compact fiber distribution apparatus that allows any distribution fiber to be joined to any feeder fiber whether at initial installation or later reconfiguration and without the need for jumpers or large space requirements.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
The present invention provides a fiber distribution interface apparatus that in its various aspects can have the advantages of 1) high density of connections between distribution and feeder fibers, 2) ease of disconnecting and reconnecting distribution/feeder joints to effect changes in the network, 3) the flexibility to connect any one feeder fiber to any one distribution fiber regardless of what complement (ganged group of fibers in a cable) either fiber comes from, 4) achieving such flexibility in making/changing connections without jumpers, 5) achieving such with minimum fiber movement, 6) achieving such with simple initial installation—constant length buffer tube fan outs, and 7) accommodating variety of joining and storage options.
Specifically, one aspect of the present invention provides a method of interposing a readily rearrangeable interconnection point between a first fiber cable and a second fiber cable. An end of the first fiber cable is routed to a panel. The first fiber cable has a plurality of first fiber complements and each first fiber complement has a plurality of first fibers. A series of subsets of the plurality of first fiber complements is routed to a corresponding series of trays mounted on the panel. The first fibers of each subset are routed to joint locations in the subset's respective tray.
An end of the second fiber cable is routed to the panel. The second fiber cable has a plurality of second fiber complements and each second fiber complement has a plurality of second fibers. The second fibers from the second fiber complements are fanned out to create equal length fan out tubes containing at least one fiber. At least a first portion of the fan out tubes are routed to the series of trays. The second fibers in the first portion of fan out tubes are routed to joint locations in the tray. The first portion of the second fibers are joined to corresponding first fibers to create fiber joints, and the fiber joints are located in the trays.
Another aspect of the present invention is an interconnection apparatus for providing a readily rearrangeable interconnection point between a first fiber cable and a second fiber cable. Each fiber cable is of the type having multiple complements of multiple fibers. The apparatus comprises a panel and a series of splice trays. Each splice tray is pivotally mounted to the panel defining a pivot axis. An array of fan out blocks is mounted on the panel. Each fan out block has a complement end for receiving a complement and a fan out end opposite thereto. A plurality of equal length fan out tubes extend from the fan out ends of the array of fan out blocks. A series of fiber guides are located relative to the series of trays and relative to the fan out blocks such that any fan out tube can be routed to any tray without unmanaged slack by routing the fan out tube through the appropriate number of fiber guides before routing the fan out tube to a particular tray.
Another aspect of the present invention is a stubbed interconnection apparatus that provides a readily rearrangeable interconnection point between a first fiber cable and a second fiber cable. Each fiber cable is of the type having multiple complements of multiple fibers. The apparatus comprises a panel and a stack of splice trays. Each splice tray is pivotally mounted to the panel defining a pivot axis. A cable stub installed in the apparatus has a first end for splicing to the first cable, a second end opposite thereto for splicing to the second cable, and a single fiber zone at a midpoint along the stub where single fibers from the cable are separated from each other. At least a portion of the single fiber zone is located in the series of trays.
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patent: 5740298 (1998-04-01), Macken et al.
patent: 5835660 (1998-11-01), Jung et al.
patent: 5870519 (1999-02-01), Jenkins et al.
Burrous Robert A.
Strause Kevin L.
CCS Holdings, Inc.
Kim Ellen E.
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