ENCLOSURE AND ORGANIZER FOR TELECOMMUNICATION LINES AND SPLICES

• US 20090185782A1
• Filed: 12/11/2008
• Published: 07/23/2009
• Est. Priority Date: 01/18/2008
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Corning Research & Development Corporation (Corning Incorporated)
• Original Assignee: 3M Innovative Properties Company (3M Company)
• Inventors: Parikh, Rutesh D., Allen, William G., Bludau, Thomas E.
• Granted Patent: US 7,697,812 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 385/135
• CPC Class Codes: G02B 6/4442 Cap coupling boxes
• CPC Class Codes: G02B 6/4446 Cable boxes, e.g. splicing boxes with two or more multi fibre cables

Abstract

An enclosure includes a housing defining an internal splicing area and at least one port at least one port configured for passage of at least one telecommunications cable into the enclosure. The enclosure protects the optical fibers, optical fiber splices and optical devices contained therein. A support basket is disposed in the splicing area and extends longitudinally within the housing. The support basket is shaped to substantially conform to a portion of the circumferential shape of the splicing area. A repositionable, removable support platform is disposed on the support basket in a first orientation for storage and disposed in a second orientation for installation and maintenance of the fiber optic splices and optical devices housed in the enclosure. The optical fiber splices and optical devices are disposed in a splice tray which is adjacent to the support platform. Additionally, the support basket includes a multilayer slack storage compartment.

Claims

1. A cable management assembly for use in a telecommunication enclosure, the assembly comprising:

a U-shaped support basket having a multilayer slack storage compartment;

a repositionable, removable support platform disposable on the support basket; and

a first splice tray disposed on the support platform and repositionable with the support platform, wherein the support platform is positionable in a first orientation on the support basket for storage of one or more telecommunication cables and in a second orientation for installation of the one or more telecommunication cables.

2. The assembly of claim 1, further comprising a second splice tray wherein the second splice tray can be one of a hinged splice tray that is pivotally attached to the first splice tray and a stackable splice tray disposed on the first splice tray.

3. The assembly of claim 1, further comprising a component insert disposed on the first splice tray, wherein the component insert can hold at least one of a fusion splice, a mechanical splice, 1×

N fiber optic splitters, 2×

N fiber optic splitters, WDM components, CWDM components, and a combination thereof.

4. The assembly of claim 1, wherein the support basket further comprises a plurality of notches on opposing longitudinal edges of the basket and a flexible arm including a plurality of slots which correspond to the staggered notches.

5. The assembly of claim 4, wherein the support platform further comprises a plurality of ears extending from edges thereof, wherein the ears are engageable with the notches on the support basket and the slots on the flexible arm to place the support platform at one of multiple heights within the support basket.

6. The assembly of claim 1, wherein the support platform further comprises a plurality of ears extending from edges thereof and a plurality of mounting clips projecting from a side opposite the side carrying the splice tray.

7. The assembly of claim 6, wherein the support platform is installed in a second orientation by inserting the ears of the support platform into slits formed in the support basket and the mounting clips into holes in the support basket, wherein the support platform is positioned outside an interior region of the support basket.

8. An enclosure for receiving at least one telecommunications cable and for containing telecommunication lines and telecommunication line splices therein, the enclosure comprising:

a housing longitudinally extending from a first end to a second end, the housing defining a splicing area, the splicing area having a circumferential shape in a direction transverse to the longitudinal direction;

at least one port configured for passage of at least one telecommunications cable into the enclosure;

a support basket disposed in the splicing area, wherein the support basket extends longitudinally within the splicing area of the housing, the support basket shaped to substantially conform to a portion of the circumferential shape of the splicing area;

a repositionable, removable support platform disposable on the support basket; and

a first splice tray disposed on the support platform and repositionable with the support platform, wherein the support platform is positionable in a first orientation on the support basket for storage of one or more of the telecommunication lines and telecommunication line splices and in a second orientation for installation of the telecommunication lines and telecommunication line splices.

9. The assembly of claim 8, further comprising a base member wherein the base member may be configured for attachment to an open first end of the housing to provide an enclosed configuration, wherein the support basket is connected to the base member and wherein the at least one port is formed through the base member.

10. The assembly of claim 8, wherein the housing comprises a first casing member and a second casing member.

11. The assembly of claim 8, further comprising a second splice tray wherein the second splice tray can be one of a hinged splice tray that is pivotally attached to the first splice tray and a stackable splice tray disposed on the first splice tray.

12. The assembly of claim 8, wherein the support basket comprises a U-shaped structure having an interior region defined by generally opposing walls of the support basket, and wherein the multilayer slack storage compartment is disposed in the interior region of the support basket.

13. The assembly of claim 8, further comprising a component insert disposed on the splice tray, where in the component insert can hold at least one of a fusion splice, a mechanical splice, 1×

N fiber optic splitters, 2×

N fiber optic splitters, WDM components, CWDM components, and a combination thereof.

14. The assembly of claim 8, wherein the support basket further comprises a plurality of notches on each longitudinal edge of the basket and a flexible arm including a plurality of slots which correspond to the staggered notches.

15. The assembly of claim 14, wherein the support platform further comprises a plurality of ears extending from the edges thereof, wherein the ears are engageable with the notches on the support basket and the slots on the flexible arm to place the support platform at one of multiple heights within the support basket.

16. The assembly of claim 8, wherein the support platform further comprises a plurality of ears extending from edges thereof and a plurality of mounting clips projecting from a side opposite the side carrying the splice tray.

17. The assembly of claim 16, wherein the support platform is installed in a second orientation by inserting the ears of the support platform into slits in the support basket and the mounting clips into holes in the support basket.

18. An enclosure for receiving at least one telecommunications cable and for containing telecommunication lines and telecommunication line splices therein, the enclosure comprising:

a housing longitudinally extending from a first end to a second end, the housing defining a splicing area cavity extending in the longitudinal direction, the splicing area having a circumferential shape in a direction transverse to the longitudinal direction;

at least one port configured for passage of at least one telecommunications cable into the enclosure; and

a support basket disposed longitudinally in the splicing area of the housing, the support basket shaped to substantially conform to a portion of the circumferential shape of the splicing area, and wherein the support basket includes a multilayer slack storage compartment.

19. The enclosure of claim 18, wherein the support basket comprises a U-shaped structure having an interior region defined by generally opposing walls of the support basket, and wherein the multilayer slack storage compartment is disposed in the interior region of the support basket.

20. The enclosure of claim 19, wherein the multilayer slack storage compartment comprises a first slack storage layer positioned between first wall portion of the support basket and a first set of tabs formed on the generally opposing walls, and a second slack storage layer positioned between the first set of tabs and a second set of tabs formed on the generally opposing walls at a different height.