Optical waveguides – Accessories – Splice box and surplus fiber storage/trays/organizers/ carriers
Reexamination Certificate
1999-05-05
2001-08-21
Sanghavi, Hemang (Department: 2874)
Optical waveguides
Accessories
Splice box and surplus fiber storage/trays/organizers/ carriers
C385S136000, C385S137000
Reexamination Certificate
active
06278829
ABSTRACT:
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to optical fiber communication apparatus and more specifically to apparatus for supporting bundles of fiber optics and for providing routing support to individual optical fibers of a bundle.
2. Description of Related Art Including Information Disclosed Under 37 CFR 1.97 and 1.98
The telecommunications industry is using more and more optical or light fibers in lieu of copper wire. Optical fibers have an extremely high band width thereby allowing significantly more information than can be carried by a copper wire.
However, of course, for most cities there already exists an infrastructure of copper wiring for telephonic communications, which infrastructure is only slowly being upgraded and improved by modem techniques. As a result, upgrading present communications systems to include more and more optical fiber transmission paths typically occurs as an upgrading event. Therefore, an optical fiber distribution terminal cabinet may initially have a single panel for the distribution of optical fibers. Eventually, however, additional panels or equipment also requiring the use of optical fibers will likely occur. The continuing adding of more and more optical fibers, optical fiber panels, and equipment creates a need for apparatus to provide neat and convenient techniques for routing the fibers for ready identification and connections.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
It is an object of this invention to provide inexpensive equipment to aid in the installation of fiber-optical equipment.
It is a further object of this invention to provide equipment which can be added to existing equipment and provide support for additional bundles of optical fibers.
It is yet another object of the invention to provide apparatus for supporting individual fibers as the fibers are routed from one location to another.
The present invention accomplishes these and other objects by providing fiber-optic routing and support apparatus which comprises an optical fiber distribution unit having a multiplicity of optical fibers, each of which has a first end and a terminal end. The multiplicity of fibers are bundled together and the bundle is coiled and attached to a support member. An attaching bracket secured to the support member allows mounting of the bracket and bundle of fiber-optical cables to the frame of a distribution cabinet or terminal where the fibers are to be used. The bracket used for mounting the distribution unit defines a hook portion which hooks over a portion of the cabinet frame so as to support and mount the bundle of optical fibers. Spaced from the hooked member is included a spring catch which is located to engage another portion of the support frame. The apparatus farther comprises a support rail which defines a plurality of support notches and is secured to the cabinet frame. At least one spool member, typically made of plastic, is received and supported by one of the notches in the support rail such that it is positioned and located to support at least one of the optical fibers leading from the bundle as the optical fiber is routed to a terminal point. In a preferred embodiment, the support spool includes a fiber-optic support post and the fiber-optic support post in turn defines a circumferential attaching groove at one of its ends. In addition, the support rail has a front face and a side face which form an “L” cross-sectional shape. The support notch which is defined in the front face of the rail further defines a throat portion extending from an entrance groove defined in the side face of the rail such that the circumferential groove of the spool passes through the throat portion to the support notch. The spool may further define a backing plate attached to the first end of the spool, which backing plate has a larger area than the cross section of the spool. The backing plate is then received by the entrance groove defined in the side face of the support rail.
In one preferred embodiment, the coiled bundle of optical fibers attached to the support member will have the first end terminated in a second optical fiber panel to be added to the distribution cabinet and the terminal ends will have a connector suitable for connecting to terminals on the existing fiber-optic panel.
REFERENCES:
patent: 5100221 (1992-03-01), Carney et al.
patent: 5339379 (1994-08-01), Kutsch et al.
patent: 5430823 (1995-07-01), Dupont et al.
patent: 5640482 (1997-06-01), Barry et al.
patent: 5758002 (1998-05-01), Walters
patent: 5913006 (1999-06-01), Summach
patent: 9312154 (1994-06-01), None
patent: 582744A1 (1994-02-01), None
patent: 2738354 (1997-03-01), None
Bergeron David L.
Bradshaw Janet A.
BuAbbud George H.
Smith Carl
Wilson Stephen J.
Jones, Day, Reavis and Pogue
Marconi Communications Inc.
Rojas Omar
Sanghavi Hemang
LandOfFree
Optical fiber routing and support apparatus does not yet have a rating. At this time, there are no reviews or comments for this patent.
If you have personal experience with Optical fiber routing and support apparatus, we encourage you to share that experience with our LandOfFree.com community. Your opinion is very important and Optical fiber routing and support apparatus will most certainly appreciate the feedback.
Profile ID: LFUS-PAI-O-2542247