Fiber optic enclosure with internal cable spool

• US 10,247,897 B2
• Filed: 01/19/2018
• Issued: 04/02/2019
• Est. Priority Date: 08/06/2007
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: CommScope Technologies, LLC (CommScope Holding Company, Inc.)
• Original Assignee: CommScope Technologies, LLC (CommScope Holding Company, Inc.)
• Inventors: Kowalczyk, Scott C., Coan, Jonathan Walter, Kaml, Jonathan R.
• Primary Examiner(s): Pak, Sung H
• Application Number:
  US15/875,620
• Publication Number:
  US 20180143391A1
• Time in Patent Office: 438 Days
• Field of Search: None
• CPC Class Codes: G02B 6/3897 Connectors fixed to housings, casing, frames or circuit boards G02B6/44528 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: G02B 6/4441 Boxes
• CPC Class Codes: G02B 6/4446 Cable boxes, e.g. splicing boxes with two or more multi fibre cables
• CPC Class Codes: G02B 6/445 with lateral pivoting cover
• CPC Class Codes: G02B 6/4452 Distribution frames
• CPC Class Codes: G02B 6/44528 Patch-cords; Connector arrangements in the system or in the box routing arrangements H04Q1/00
• CPC Class Codes: G02B 6/4453 Cassettes
• CPC Class Codes: G02B 6/4454 with splices
• CPC Class Codes: G02B 6/4457 Bobbins; Reels
• CPC Class Codes: G02B 6/4471 Terminating devices demountable connectors G02B6/3807; Cable clamps
• CPC Class Codes: G02B 6/44775 Cable seals e.g. feed-through cable seals integrated to the box seals G02B6/4444; pulling eyes G02B6/44465
• CPC Class Codes: G02B 6/46 Processes or apparatus adapted for installing or repairing optical fibres or optical cables installation of cables containing electric conductors and optical fibres H02G
• CPC Class Codes: G02B 6/47 Installation in buildings

Abstract

A fiber optic enclosure assembly includes a housing having an interior region and a bearing mount disposed in the interior region of the housing. A cable spool is connectedly engaged with the bearing mount such that the cable spool selectively rotates within the housing. A termination module disposed on the cable spool so that the termination module rotates in unison with the cable spool. A method of paying out a fiber optic cable from a fiber optic enclosure includes rotating a cable spool, which has a subscriber cable coiled around a spooling portion of the cable spool, about an axis of a housing of the fiber optic enclosure until a desired length of subscriber cable is paid out. A termination module is disposed on the cable spool.

Claims

1. A fiber optic enclosure comprising:

a housing including a cover, the housing defining an interior region;

a spool mountable within the housing;

a fiber optic cable coiled about a spooling portion of the spool, the fiber optic cable including at least one optical fiber, the fiber optic cable including a first portion coiled in a first coil about the spooling portion of the spool, the fiber optic cable also including a second portion coiled in a second coil at a slack storage location of the spool;

the spool including a curved wall surface that extends along at least a portion of the second coil, the curved wall surface being part of an outer guide wall disposed at a peripheral edge of the spool;

a fiber optic connector coupled to the at least one optical fiber of the fiber optic cable; and

the first portion of the fiber optic cable being payable from the spool while the spool is positioned within the housing, wherein the spool rotates relative to the housing about an axis of rotation as the first portion of the fiber optic cable is paid nut from the spool, and wherein the fiber optic connector rotates in concert with the spool as the first portion of the fiber optic cable is paid out from the spool.

2. The fiber optic enclosure of claim 1, further comprising at least one cable management finger that projects from the curved wall surface for assisting in retaining the second coil on the spool.

3. The fiber optic enclosure of claim 1, wherein the curved wall surface projects from an axial end of the spool in a direction parallel to the axis of rotation of the spool.

4. The fiber optic enclosure of claim 1, further comprising at least one cable finger that projects from the outer guide wall for assisting in retaining the second coil on the spool.

5. The fiber optic enclosure of claim 1, wherein the housing has a front and a rear, wherein the rear of the housing is adapted to face toward a wall when the housing is mounted to the wall, wherein the spool has a front axial end that faces in a direction away from the rear of the housing when the spool is mounted in the housing, and wherein the second coil is located at the front axial end.

6. The fiber optic enclosure of claim 1, wherein the fiber optic connector is supported on the spool when the first portion or the fiber optic cable is paid out from the spool.

7. The fiber optic enclosure of claim 1, further comprising a fiber optic adapter coupled to the fiber optic connector, wherein the fiber optic adapter rotates in concert with the spool as the first portion of the fiber optic cable is paid out from the spool.

8. The fiber optic enclosure of claim 1, wherein the fiber optic cable includes a plurality of optical fibers, wherein a plurality of fiber optic connectors terminate the plurality of optical fibers of the fiber optic cable, and wherein the plurality of fiber optic connectors rotate in concert with the spool as the first portion of the fiber optic cable is paid out from the spool.

9. The fiber optic enclosure of claim 8, further comprising a plurality of fiber optic adapters, wherein the plurality of fiber optic connectors are secured within the plurality of fiber optic adapters when the first portion of the fiber optic cable is paid out.

10. The fiber optic enclosure of claim 9, wherein the plurality of fiber optic adapters are arranged in a termination module, and wherein the termination module is carried with the spool so as to be rotatable with the spool when the first portion of the fiber optic cable is paid out.

11. The fiber optic enclosure of claim 1, wherein the fiber optic cable is routed from the spooling portion to the slack storage location through an opening in the spool.

12. The fiber optic enclosure of claim 1, wherein the opening in the spool is through an axial end flange of the spool.

13. A fiber optic enclosure comprising:

a housing including a cover, the housing defining an interior region;

a spool mountable within the interior region of the housing;

a fiber optic cable coiled about a spooling portion of the spool, the fiber optic cable including at least one optical fiber, the fiber optic cable including a first portion coiled in a first coil about the spooling portion of the spool, the fiber optic cable also including a second portion coiled in a second coil at a slack storage location of the spool;

the spool including a cable management finger that assists in retaining the second coil at the slack storage location;

a fiber optic connector coupled to the at least one optical fiber or the fiber optic cable; and

the first portion of the fiber optic cable being payable from the spool while the spool is positioned within the interior of the housing, wherein the spool rotates relative to the housing about an axis of rotation as the first portion of the fiber optic cable is paid out from the spool, and wherein the fiber optic connector rotates in concert with the spool as the first portion of the fiber optic cable is paid out from the spool.

14. The fiber optic enclosure of claim 13, wherein the housing has a front and a rear, wherein the rear of the housing is adapted to face toward a wall when the housing is mounted to the wall, wherein the spool has a front axial end that faces in a direction away from the rear of the housing when the spool is mounted in the housing, and wherein the second coil is located at the front axial end.

15. The fiber optic enclosure of claim 13, wherein the fiber optic connector is supported on the spool when the first portion of the fiber optic cable is paid out from the spool.

16. The fiber optic enclosure of claim 13, further comprising a fiber optic adapter coupled to the fiber optic connector, wherein the fiber optic adapter rotates in concert with the spool as the first portion of the fiber optic cable is paid out from the spool.

17. The fiber optic enclosure of claim 13, wherein the fiber optic cable includes a plurality or optical fibers, wherein a plurality of fiber optic connectors terminate the plurality of optical fibers of the fiber optic cable, and wherein the plurality of fiber optic connectors rotate in concert with the spool as the first portion of the fiber optic cable is paid out from the spool.

18. The fiber optic enclosure of claim 17, further comprising a plurality of fiber optic adapters, wherein the plurality of fiber optic connectors are secured within the plurality of fiber optic adapters when the first portion of the fiber optic cable is paid out from the spool.

19. The fiber optic enclosure of claim 18, wherein the plurality of fiber optic adapters are arranged in a termination module, and wherein the termination module is carried with the spool so as to be rotatable with the spool when the first portion of the fiber optic cable is paid out from the spool.

20. The fiber optic enclosure of claim 13, wherein the fiber optic cable is routed from the spooling portion to the slack storage location through an opening in the spool.

21. The fiber optic enclosure of claim 20, wherein the opening in the spool is through an axial end flange of the spool.

22. The fiber optic enclosure of claim 13, further comprising a manual lock to retain the spool in a fixed rotational position relative to the housing, the manual lock being actuable even when some of the first portion of the fiber optic cable remains on the spool.

23. The fiber optic enclosure of claim 16, further comprising a manual lock to retain the spool in a fixed rotational position relative to the housing, the manual lock being actuable even when some of the first portion of the fiber optic cable remains on the spool and without moving the fiber optic adapter relative to the spool.