Automatic sealing mechanism for optical interconnection units

• US 20040240827A1
• Filed: 05/30/2003
• Published: 12/02/2004
• Est. Priority Date: 05/30/2003
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Lucent Technologies, Inc. (Nokia Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Lucent Technologies, Inc. (Nokia Corporation)
• Inventors: Pawlenko, Ivan, Daoud, Bassel H.
• Granted Patent: US 6,859,605 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 385/135
• CPC Class Codes: G02B 6/3849 using mechanical protective elements, e.g. caps, hoods, sealing membranes G02B6/3816 takes precedence; provisionally see H01R13/44
• CPC Class Codes: H05K 5/069 Other details of the casing, e.g. wall structure, passage for a connector, a cable, a shaft

Abstract

Optical fiber closure having a biased door adapted to cover a portion of an aperture not occupied by an optical fiber. The optical fiber closure has a wall. The wall has an aperture defined therein for receiving optical fibers. The wall also has a biased door adapted to cover a portion of the aperture not occupied by optical fibers.

Claims

1. Apparatus, comprising:

a housing having a wall, said wall having an aperture defined therein for receiving at least one optical fiber; and

a biased door slidable across the aperture and adapted to cover a portion of said aperture not occupied by said at least one optical fiber when the at least one optical fiber is positioned between the biased door and an edge of the aperture.

2. The apparatus of claim 1 wherein said biased door comprises:

a proximal end and a distal end, said distal end being in communication with a spring, said proximal end partially adapting to a contour of said at least one optical fiber.

3. The apparatus of claim 2 wherein said proximal end has a material disposed thereon for at least partially adapting to a contour of said at least one optical fiber.

4. The apparatus of claim 2 wherein said spring comprises at least one of a coiled spring and a zig-zag spring.

5. The apparatus of claim 3 wherein said biased door and said spring are made of the same material.

6. The apparatus of claim 4 wherein the spring is made of a rigid material.

8. The apparatus of claim 1 further comprising:

a member secured to said wall for enclosing said aperture and for limiting movement of said biased door.

9. The apparatus of claim 8 wherein said member is secured to said wall using at least one of a fastener and an adhesive.

10. The apparatus of claim 1 wherein said biased door moves laterally within a pair of substantially parallel tracks inside said housing.

11. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein:

said wall has formed therein at least one other aperture adapted to receive at least one optical fiber; and

a biased door for said at least one other aperture slidable across the at least one other aperture and adapted to cover a portion of said at least one other aperture not occupied by said at least one optical fiber when the at least one optical fiber is positioned between the biased door and an edge of the at least one other aperture.

7. Apparatus comprising:

a housing having a wall, said wall having an aperture defined therein for receiving at least one optical fiber; and

a biased door slidable across the aperture and adapted to cover a portion of said aperture not occupied by said at least one optical fiber when the at least one optical fiber is positioned between the biased door and an edge of the aperture, wherein said biased door comprises a proximal end and a distal end, said proximal end being in communication with a pliable housing adapted to expand in response to receiving a gas.

12. An optical fiber closure, comprising:

a housing having a wall, said wall having an aperture defined therein adapted to receive at least one optical fiber; and

a biased door slidable across the aperture and adapted to cover a portion of said aperture not occupied by said at least one optical fiber when the at least one optical fiber is positioned between the biased door and an edge of the aperture.

13. The closure of claim 12 wherein said biased door comprises:

a proximal end and a distal end, said distal end having a spring thereon, said proximal end partially adapts to a contour of said at least one optical fiber.

14. The closure of claim 13 wherein said proximal end has a material disposed thereon for partially adapting to a contour of said at least one optical fiber.