Optical waveguides – Accessories – Splice box and surplus fiber storage/trays/organizers/ carriers
Reexamination Certificate
1998-09-09
2001-07-17
Bovernick, Rodney (Department: 2874)
Optical waveguides
Accessories
Splice box and surplus fiber storage/trays/organizers/ carriers
Reexamination Certificate
active
06263141
ABSTRACT:
FIELD OF THE INVENTION
The present invention is concerned with management of optical fiber cables. The management device of the present invention has particular application in the telecommunications industry with respect to storing excess cable lengths.
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
Cable storage devices are known including, for example, a device shown in U.S. Pat. No. 4,792,203 issued to ADC Telecommunications, Inc. The device of U.S. Pat. No. 4,792,203 includes various features for organizing the fibers. One fiber organizing feature is two spools shaped to control the bend radii of the fibers so that the minimum bend radii is not exceeded. Storing excess lengths of fibers, organizing them and protecting them from damage is desired by the device. There is a continued need in the art for further management devices which address concerns in the telecommunications industry such as ease of use, size, reliability, cost, and protection of the fibers.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
In one preferred embodiment, a cable management device is provided which includes a housing defining an enclosed interior. A movable door for accessing the interior is preferably provided. A tray is moveably mounted, such as by rotation, to the housing and disposed within the interior. The tray preferably has a pie-piece shape and includes a base having an apex area which defines a pivot axis, and a curved outer peripheral edge. Upstanding wall portions extend upwardly from the base and define selectable cable guideways. An access opening in the upstanding wall portions permits a cable to enter, and exit, the tray. An outside wall of the upstanding wall portions defines an enclosed interior. A plurality of centrally located, isolated inner walls of the upstanding wall portions are positioned on the base within the interior. A plurality of the inner walls have outwardly curved wall segments. At least one pair of inner walls is spaced from a further inner wall so as to provide the operator with selectable guideways for the cable length to be stored. Preferably, two pairs of the inner walls are arranged on opposite sides of the base such that the outwardly curved wall segments face in the same direction for each pair. Preferably, the curved inner walls include crescent shapes.
Preferably, the tray is symmetrical about a central axis through the apex and parallel to the base. Further auxiliary inner walls are provided to define additional cable guideways. The inner walls, and the outside wall may include tabs for assisting with cable positioning in the desired guideways.
In another arrangement, three inner walls with outwardly curved wall segments are positioned on one side of the tray, and at least one further inner wall with an outwardly curved wall segment is positioned at a spaced apart location from the first three.
A further aspect of the invention relates to one or more tray supports which support the outer peripheral edge of the tray during rotation. The tray supports are mounted to the housing. Preferably, plural tray supports are provided in a spaced apart manner to support the tray at several locations.
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ADC Telecommunications FL2000 Splice Panel Installation Instructions, 12 pages, Issue 5, Jan. 1998.
ADC Telecommunications FlexLight 2000™ System Planning and Application Guide, 1st Edition, Issue 1, Apr. 1994, 44 pages.
ADC Telecommunications brochure entitled “AGX 72 Fiber Outside Plant Panel,” 4 pages, dated Jan. 1995.
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ADC Telecommunications Inc.
Bovernick Rodney
Merchant & Gould P.C.
Stahl Michael J.
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