TELECOMMUNICATIONS TERMINAL

• US 20040123998A1
• Filed: 12/30/2002
• Published: 07/01/2004
• Est. Priority Date: 12/30/2002
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Corning Research & Development Corporation (Corning Incorporated)
• Original Assignee: 3M Innovative Properties Company (3M Company)
• Inventors: Parikh, Rutesh D., Berglund, Sidney J., Ball, Shirley E.
• Granted Patent: US 6,777,617 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 174/92
• CPC Class Codes: G02B 6/4446 Cable boxes, e.g. splicing boxes with two or more multi fibre cables
• CPC Class Codes: H02G 15/113 Boxes split longitudinally in main cable direction
• CPC Class Codes: H02G 15/117 for multiconductor cables

Abstract

A terminal for use with telecommunication cables has a splice closure and a terminal closure joined to the splice closure. The splice closure encloses opened areas of the cable, while the terminal closure encloses a connection device for establishing connection between telecommunication lines in the splice closure and a drop line. In various embodiments, a frame is mounted within the splice closure for retaining non-spliced lines of the telecommunication cable away from spliced lines; a storage member is located within the terminal closure for retaining excess lengths of the drop line; a drop line strain relief bracket is mounted within the terminal closure; and a memory device is incorporated into the terminal for storing information about the terminal.

Claims

1. A terminal for a telecommunication cable having a plurality of telecommunication lines, the terminal comprising:

a splice closure;

a frame mounted within the splice closure, the frame having a retention member for retaining non-spliced telecommunication lines of a telecommunication cable away from spliced telecommunication lines of a telecommunication cable within the splice closure;

a terminal closure joined to the splice closure; and

a connection device within the terminal closure for establishing connection between the spliced telecommunication lines in the splice closure and a drop line.

2. The terminal of claim 1, wherein the telecommunication cable is a fiber optic cable having a plurality of optical fibers.

3. The terminal of claim 1, wherein the frame further comprises mounting brackets for attachment to the telecommunication cable.

4. The terminal of claim 3, wherein the mounting brackets further comprise strain relief members for attachment to a strength member of the telecommunication cable.

5. The terminal of claim 1, further comprising a splice tray having a communication line for connection to spliced telecommunication lines of the telecommunication cable.

6. The terminal of claim 5, wherein the splice tray and spliced telecommunication lines are positioned adjacent a first side of the frame and the non-spliced telecommunication lines are retained adjacent a second side of the frame opposite the first side of the frame.

7. The terminal of claim 1, wherein the frame further comprises an isolation port for directing the spliced telecommunication lines to a first side of the frame and the non-spliced telecommunication lines to a second side of the frame.

8. The terminal of claim 1, further comprising a hanger secured to the splice closure for suspending the splice closure and terminal closure from a support cable.

9. The terminal of claim 1, wherein the connection device comprises a fiber optic connector for connection to fiber optic drop cables.

10. The terminal of claim 1, where in the connection device comprises a terminal block for connection to electrically conductive drop cables.

11. The terminal of claim 1, wherein the connection device comprises a splice.

12. The terminal of claim 11, wherein the splice is held in a splice tray.

13. The terminal of claim 1, further comprising a memory device mounted to the terminal for storing information about the terminal.

14. The terminal of claim 13, wherein the information about the terminal comprises at least one of terminal location, terminal owner identification, terminal installation date, service provider information, cable type, splice type, connector type, number of connectors available.

15. A terminal for a telecommunication cable having a plurality of telecommunication lines, the terminal comprising:

a splice closure for enclosing spliced telecommunication lines in a telecommunication cable;

a terminal closure joined to the splice closure;

a connection device within the terminal closure for connection between the spliced telecommunication lines in the splice closure and a drop line extending outside of the terminal closure;

a storage member within the terminal closure for retaining excess lengths of the drop line; and

a strain relief bracket within the terminal closure for connection to the drop line.

16. The terminal of claim 15, wherein the terminal closure further comprises a sealing member surrounding the drop line extending outside of the terminal closure.

17. The terminal of claim 16, wherein the sealing member is integral with the strain relief bracket.

18. The terminal of claim 15, wherein the strain relief bracket further comprises a first strain relief member for attachment to an exterior sheath of the drop line.

19. The terminal of claim 15, wherein the strain relief bracket further comprises a second strain relief member for attachment to a strength member of the drop line.

20. The terminal of claim 15, wherein the storage member comprises at least one reclosable fastener.

21. The terminal of claim 15, wherein the storage member comprises an enclosable tray.

22. The terminal of claim 21, wherein the enclosable tray comprises:

a first storage area for retaining excess lengths of the drop line;

a second storage area for retaining excess lengths of a communication line extending between the splice closure and the terminal closure; and

a third storage area for retaining the connection device.

23. The terminal of claim 15, wherein the storage member comprises a movable storage platform.

24. The terminal of claim 23, wherein the movable storage platform separates excess lengths of the drop line from the connection device.

25. The terminal of claim 15, wherein the telecommunication cable is a fiber optic cable having a plurality of optical fibers.

26. The terminal of claim 25, wherein the connection device comprises a patch panel having a plurality of connectors.

27. The terminal of claim 26, wherein the patch panel is securable to prevent access to back sides of the plurality of connectors.

28. The terminal of claim 26, further comprising at least one drainage hole in the patch panel.

29. The terminal of claim 26, wherein surfaces of the patch panel are hydrophobic.

30. The terminal of claim 15, further comprising a memory device mounted to the terminal for storing information about the terminal.

31. The terminal of claim 30, wherein the information about the terminal comprises at least one of terminal location, terminal owner identification, terminal installation date, service provider identification, cable type, splice type, connector type, number of connectors available.

32. A terminal for a telecommunication cable, the terminal comprising:

a splice closure for enclosing splices in a telecommunication cable;

a terminal closure secured to the splice closure;

at least one connection device for connection between the telecommunication cable in the splice closure and drop lines; and

a memory device mounted to the terminal for storing information about the terminal.

33. The terminal of claim 32, wherein the information about the terminal comprises at least one of terminal identification code, terminal location, terminal owner identification, terminal installation date, service provider information, cable type, splice type, connector type, and number of connectors available.

34. The terminal of claim 32, wherein the memory device is radio frequency responsive.

35. The terminal of claim 34, wherein the memory device is responsive to an RFID interrogation system.

36. The terminal of claim 35, wherein the memory device is adapted to transfer information stored in the memory device to the RFID interrogation system.

37. The terminal of claim 35, wherein the memory device is adapted to receive and store information from the RFID interrogation system.