Underground enclosure mounting system

• US 20060278426A1
• Filed: 05/25/2005
• Published: 12/14/2006
• Est. Priority Date: 05/25/2005
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: CommScope Technologies, LLC (CommScope Holding Company, Inc.)
• Original Assignee: ADC Telecommunications Incorporated (TE Connectivity Limited)
• Inventors: Barth, Michael
• Granted Patent: US 7,330,625 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 174/135
• CPC Class Codes: E02D 29/02 Retaining or protecting walls piers or quay walls E02B3/06
• CPC Class Codes: G02B 6/4442 Cap coupling boxes
• CPC Class Codes: G02B 6/501 underground installation of connection boxes
• CPC Class Codes: H02G 9/10 in cable chambers, e.g. in manhole or in handhole

Abstract

A mounting fixture for mounting a piece of telecommunications equipment within an underground vault is disclosed. The mounting fixture includes a frame structure configured to be mounted to an upper edge of an open end of a vault. The mounting fixture also includes a can structure for receiving the piece of telecommunications equipment. The can structure includes a closed end, an open end, and a sidewall extending between the closed end and the open end, the can structure being mounted to the frame structure. A cover including a top end and a skirt portion extending downwardly from the top end is slidably received within the can structure, the skirt portion sized to fit around the piece of telecommunications equipment and sized to fit within the sidewall of the can structure, the top end of the cover forming a water tight seal with the top end of the can structure.

Claims

1. An underground mounting fixture for mounting a piece of telecommunications equipment within a vault, the vault defining a closed bottom end positioned underground, an open top end accessible from street level, and a sidewall extending between the bottom end and the top end, the sidewall defining an upper peripheral edge of the open top end, the vault defining an opening for feeding cable into the vault, the mounting fixture comprising:

a frame structure configured to be mounted to the upper edge of the open end of the vault;

a can structure including a closed end, an open end, and a sidewall extending between the closed end and the open end, the can structure being mounted to the frame structure and the vault, the can structure receiving the piece of telecommunications equipment; and

a cover including a top end and a skirt portion extending downwardly from the top end, the skirt portion being slidably received within the can structure, the skirt portion sized to fit around the piece of telecommunications equipment within the can structure and sized to fit within the sidewall of the can structure, the top end of the cover forming a water tight seal with the top end of the can structure.

2. The mounting fixture according to claim 1, wherein the can structure is mounted to the frame structure such that the closed end of the can structure does not contact the closed end of the vault.

3. The mounting fixture according to claim 1, wherein the can structure defines a peripheral flange at the open end and wherein the cover defines a peripheral flange at the top end, the flanges of the can structure and the cover abutting and being clamped to form a water tight seal.

4. The mounting fixture according to claim 3, wherein the flanges of the can structure and the cover are clamped with a V-clamp and an O-ring.

5. The mounting fixture according to claim 1, wherein the top end of the cover includes a handle for slidably removing the cover from the can structure.

6. The mounting fixture according to claim 1, wherein the frame structure is mounted to slots formed around the upper peripheral edge of the vault.

7. The mounting fixture according to claim 1, wherein the frame structure is adjustable in size for fitting in different sized vaults

8. The mounting fixture according to claim 7, wherein the frame structure includes slidable sections for varying the size of the frame structure.

9. The mounting fixture according to claim 7, wherein the frame structure includes a center frame section and two leg sections extending from opposite ends of the center frame section, the leg sections configured to slidably telescope with respect to the center frame section to vary the size of the frame structure.

10. The mounting fixture according to claim 9, wherein the center frame section and the two leg sections include discrete interlocking structures for fixing the size of the frame structure.

11. An underground mounting fixture for mounting a piece of telecommunications equipment within a vault, the vault defining a closed bottom end positioned underground, an open top end accessible from street level, and a sidewall extending between the bottom end and the top end, the sidewall defining an upper peripheral edge of the open top end, the vault defining an opening for feeding cable into the vault, the mounting fixture comprising:

a frame structure configured to be mounted to the upper edge of the open end of the vault, the frame structure supporting the piece of telecommunications equipment within the vault, the frame structure comprising;

a center frame section including a first end and a second end;

two leg sections, one of the leg sections extending from the first end of the center frame section and the other one of the leg sections extending from the second end of the center frame section, the two leg sections constructed to fit into slots formed around the upper peripheral edge of the vault, each of the leg sections being configured to slidably telescope with respect to the center frame section to vary the size of the frame structure.

12. The mounting fixture according to claim 11, wherein the two legs are slidably received within the slots formed around the upper peripheral edge of the vault.

13. The mounting fixture according to claim 11, wherein the two legs cooperatively define a width of the frame structure, the width of the frame structure corresponding to a width of the vault, wherein the legs are slidable with respect to the center frame section such that the center frame section can be mounted at different locations along the width of the vault.

14. The mounting fixture according to claim 11, wherein the center frame section and the two leg sections include discrete interlocking structures for fixing the size of the frame structure.

15. The mounting fixture according to claim 13, wherein the center frame section and the two leg sections include discrete interlocking structures for fixing the location of the center frame section along the width of the vault.

16. The mounting fixture according to claim 14, wherein the interlocking structures include pin slots.

17. The mounting fixture according to claim 15, wherein the interlocking structures include pin slots.