Optical fiber organizer

Details Optical fiber organizer Optical fiber organizer

1998-08-26

2001-10-16

Spyrou, Cassandra (Department: 2872)

Optical waveguides

Accessories

Splice box and surplus fiber storage/trays/organizers/ carriers

C385S071000, C385S134000, C385S136000, C385S137000

Reexamination Certificate

active

06304707

ABSTRACT:

FIELD OF THE INVENTION
The present invention relates to the organization of optical fibers, e.g. in an optical fiber cable splice closure.
Many different designs of optical fiber organizer are known. For example, WO 95/07480 (Raychem) discloses a base for an optical fiber organizer, which comprises: a first passage along one longitudinal edge portion for incoming fibers; a second passage along an opposite longitudinal edge portion for outgoing fibers; a plurality of first fiber guides separated from one another along the length of the base and extending from the first passage across the base towards the second passage where fibers in said guides are directed away from the plane of the base; and a plurality of second fiber guides separated from one another along the length of the base and extending from the second passage across the base towards the first passage where fibers in said guides are directed away from the plane of the base.
WO 95/07475 (British Telecom) discloses an optical fiber management system comprising a plurality of splice trays arranged in a stack. Each splice tray has a main body portion for holding at least one splice, and for storing fibers leading to the splice(s), and a fiber entry/exit portion for feeding fiber to/from the main body portion. Each tray is mounted in the stack so as to be movable from a stacked position, in which it is aligned with the other trays, to first and second operating positions in which the fiber entry/exit portion and the main body portion respectively are accessible.
WO 95/25978 (Raychem) discloses an apparatus for arranging a plurality of stacks of optical fiber splice organizers in a closure, comprising a frame and at least two optical fiber splice organizer supports located on the frame, each organizer support being arranged to support a stack of organizers. The frame may be elongate and the organizer supports may each support a stack of organizers which extends laterally with respect to the frame. The organizer supports may be in one or more pairs, the supports of each pair being arranged back-to-back.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
According to a first aspect, the invention provides a kit of parts for forming an optical fiber organizer, comprising at least two different modules selected from the following different modules:
(i) a storage module comprising a support plate supporting at least one optical fiber storage means;
(ii) a breakout module comprising a support plate supporting at least one optical fiber breakout means; and
(iii) a guide module comprising a support plate supporting a plurality of projections between which optical fibers may be guided;
whereby each module is attachable either directly or indirectly to each other module such that their support plates are arranged side-by-side and thereby together form a larger support plate.
Preferably, the kit further comprises a support to which each module may be attached. By attachment of each module to the support, indirect attachment of each module to the or each other module results.
According to a second aspect, the invention provides a kit of parts for forming an optical fiber organizer, comprising:
(a) a support; and
(b) at least two different modules selected from the following different modules:
(i) a storage module comprising a support plate supporting at least one optical fiber storage means;
(ii) a breakout module comprising a support plate supporting at least one optical fiber breakout means;
(iii) a guide module comprising a support plate supporting a plurality of projections between which optical fibers may be guided;
whereby the modules are attachable to the support side-by-side such that their support plates together form a larger support plate.
The support preferably comprises a frame. Additionally or alternatively, the support may comprise a plurality of interconnectable parts.
Each optical fiber storage means preferably comprises a tray. By an “optical fiber storage tray” is meant any generally flat optical fiber storage means, normally having two major surfaces, which storage means stores lengths of optical fiber and preferably also stores one or more splices, splitters, connections or other optical or optoelectronic devices associated with the optical fiber(s). By “generally flat” is meant that the tray will normally be substantially larger in two of its dimensions than its third dimension. Furthermore, the tray need not have a substantially uniform thickness. Optical fiber storage trays are sometimes called “cassettes”. The major surfaces of the tray may be discontinuous (e.g. having holes or in the form of a mesh or a frame), and this also includes the possibility that the “surface” is only present at edges of the tray. Advantageously, each optical fiber storage tray may be hinged with respect to the support plate which supports it. Each optical fiber storage module preferably includes a plurality of optical fiber storage trays.
According to a third aspect, the invention provides a kit of parts for forming an optical fiber organizer, comprising:
(a) a support frame; and
(b) a plurality of modules, each of which comprises a support plate supporting at least one of the following:
(i) a plurality of hinged optical fiber storage trays;
(ii) at least one optical fiber breakout means;
(iii) at least one optical fiber guide means;
whereby the modules are attachable to the support frame side-by-side such that their support plates together form a larger support plate.
In preferred embodiments of the invention, the support frame comprises at least two spaced-apart parts to which each module may be attached such that its support plate substantially spans the gap between the spaced-apart parts. Each spaced-apart part is preferably elongate in shape. Advantageously, the support frame may further comprise at least one elongate cross-member which extends between the two elongate parts.
Each module, preferably the support plate of the module, preferably includes one or more attachment devices by which it may be attached to the support. Preferably each attachment device is interlockable with the support.
Each storage module is preferably able to store at least one loop of optical fiber without bending the fiber below its critical bend radius. For example, in embodiments in which the storage module includes one or more optical fiber storage trays, each tray preferably stores at least one loop of optical fiber. The storage trays or other storage means may also store optical fiber splices, splitters or other passive or active devices.
The or each optical fiber breakout means preferably comprises a first passage for retaining a first tube carrying a plurality of optical fibers, and a plurality of second passages for retaining a plurality of second tubes each of which carries at least one optical fiber extending from the first tube. The or each optical fiber breakout module preferably includes a plurality of optical fiber breakout means.
According to a fourth aspect of the present invention, there is provided a kit of parts for forming an optical fiber organizer, comprising:
(a) one or more optical fiber storage tray(s);
(b) at least one optical fiber guide element, to which said one or more optical fiber storage tray(s) may be directly or indirectly attached, the or each guide element including one or more optical fiber guide(s) arranged to guide at least part of the length of at least one optical fiber, which length extends, in use, between the exterior of the organizer and said storage tray(s); and
(c) a base, to which a plurality of said guide elements may be directly or indirectly attached, the base comprising a frame.
According to a fifth aspect of the invention, there is provided a kit of parts for forming an optical fiber organizer, comprising:
(a) at least two optical fiber storage tray(s);
(b) at least two optical fiber guide elements, to each of which at least one said optical fiber storage tray may be directly or indirectly attached, each guide element including one or more optical fiber guide(s) arranged to guide at least part of the length of at least on

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