Fiber Optic Splice Enclosure

• US 20090252472A1
• Filed: 02/12/2009
• Published: 10/08/2009
• Est. Priority Date: 02/15/2008
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: CommScope Technologies, LLC (CommScope Holding Company, Inc.)
• Original Assignee: ADC Telecommunications Incorporated (TE Connectivity Limited)
• Inventors: Solheid, James J., Zimmel, Steven C., Bran de Leon, Oscar Fernando
• Granted Patent: US 7,970,249 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 385/135
• CPC Class Codes: G02B 6/4447 with divided shells G02B6/4448 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: G02B 6/4454 with splices
• CPC Class Codes: G02B 6/4477 with means for strain-relieving to interior strengths element

Abstract

Certain example embodiments of a splice enclosure include a housing defining an opening for allowing a trunk cable to be passed through the housing. The splice enclosure also includes a splice tray stack pivotally mounted within the housing and a cable management tray that mounts within the housing beneath the splice tray stack. The management tray includes cable retention and/or securement arrangements for mechanically securing the cables to the splice enclosure.

Claims

1. A splice enclosure comprising:

An enclosure structure including a housing having sides extending between first and second ends, the enclosure structure defining first and second trunk cable ports located respectively at the first and second ends of the housing, the first trunk cable port being aligned along a common axis with the second trunk cable port, the enclosure structure also defining a plurality of branch cable ports;

a splice tray pivotally mounted in the housing; and

a management tray that removably mounts in the housing beneath the splice tray, the management tray being configured to receive at a first retention location strength members of any trunk cable routed through one of the trunk cable openings, the management tray also being configured to receive at a second retention location a cable jacket of any branch cable routed into the housing through one of the branch cable openings and to receive at a third retention location strength members of the branch cable.

2. The splice enclosure of claim 1, wherein the management tray includes a fastener at the first retention location, the fastener being configured to receive the strength members of any trunk cable routed through one of the trunk cable openings.

3. The splice enclosure of claim 2, wherein the management tray also includes a hub into which the fastener is secured.

4. The splice enclosure of claim 2, further comprising a first trunk cable routed into the housing through the first trunk cable opening and out of the housing through the second trunk cable opening, the first trunk cable including strength members and at least one optical fiber, wherein the strength members of the first trunk cable are secured to the fastener of the management tray at the first retention location.

5. The splice enclosure of claim 1, wherein the enclosure structure defines two spaced-apart trunk cable openings at each end of the housing.

6. The splice enclosure of claim 1, further comprising a first branch cable routed into the housing through one of the branch cable openings, the first branch cable having a cable jacket surrounding strength members and at least one optical fiber, wherein the management tray includes at least a first retention block defining at least a first retention opening that aligns with the branch cable opening through which the first branch cable is routed.

7. The splice enclosure of claim 6, further comprising at least one compression insert arranged within the retention opening of the retention block, the compression insert defining a passage that defines the second retention location on the management tray, the passage being configured to receive and to compress radially the first branch cable with the cable jacket.

8. The splice enclosure of claim 7, wherein the compression insert has an exterior defining the third retention location, wherein the compression insert is configured to receive the strength members of the first branch cable wrapped around the exterior of the compression insert.

9. The splice enclosure of claim 6, further comprising at least one anchoring fastener provided on the management tray at the third retention location, the anchoring fastener being configured to receive the strength members of the first branch cable to inhibit axial movement of the first branch cable out of the housing.

10. The splice enclosure of claim 1, further comprising a first branch cable routed into the housing through one of the branch cable openings, the first branch cable having a cable jacket surrounding strength members and at least one optical fiber, wherein the third retention location of the management tray includes an anchoring bolt configured to anchor the strength members of the first branch cable.

11. The splice enclosure of claim 10, wherein the management tray also includes a post about which the strength members of the first branch cable are routed prior to being secured to the anchoring bolt, the post being positioned on the management tray to facilitate reversing direction of the strength members of the first branch cable.

12. The splice enclosure of claim 1, wherein the branch cable openings of the enclosure structure are arranged into two rows at each end of the housing, wherein an upper of the two rows on each end are arranged directly above the branch cable openings in a respective lower of the two rows.

13. The splice enclosure of claim 1, wherein the splice tray is part of a splice tray stack that is pivotally mounted within the housing.

14. The splice enclosure of claim 1, wherein the enclosure structure includes a sealing block.

15. The splice enclosure of claim 1, wherein a jacket tie-down is arranged at the second retention location and a fastener is arranged at the third retention location, the jacket tie-down being inwardly offset within the enclosure structure from the fastener, and wherein the management tray also includes a strength member reversal post about which strength members of a branch cable extend from the tie-down location to the fastener.

17. The splice enclosure of claim 14, wherein the sealing arrangement defines two rows of drop line ports.

18. The splice enclosure of claim 14, wherein the sealing arrangement defines at least nine drop line ports.

19. The splice enclosure of claim 14, further comprising:

a trunk cable routed into the housing at one of the pass-through ports located at the first end of the housing, the trunk cable including at least a first optical fiber routed to the splice tray; and

a branch cable routed into the housing at one of the drop line ports, the branch cable including at least a second optical fiber routed to the splice tray at which the second optical fiber is spliced to the first optical fiber.

20. The splice enclosure of claim 19, wherein the trunk cable is routed out of the housing through another of the pass-through ports arranged at the first end of the housing.

21. The splice enclosure of claim 19, wherein the trunk cable is routed out of the housing through one of the pass-through ports arranged at the second end of the housing.

16. A splice enclosure comprising:

a housing extending from a first end to a second end, each end of the housing defining an opening;

a sealing arrangement mounted at each opening of the housing, each sealing arrangement defining two spaced-apart pass-through ports and a plurality of drop line ports positioned at a region defined between the respective spaced-apart pass-through ports, the pass-through ports being larger than the drop line ports;

a cable management tray positioned within the housing, the cable management tray being configured to receive any drop line routed through one of the drop line ports to secure the drop line to the cable management tray; and

a splice tray positioned within the housing.

22. A cable retention device comprising:

a retention member defining an opening;

a compression insert defining a cable opening for receiving a cable, the compression insert fitting within the opening of the retention member, wherein when the compression insert is inserted in the opening of the compression member the compression member is radially compressed causing the cable to be clamped within the cable opening.

23. A method for routing a branch cable through a branch cable port into a splice enclosure having first and second branch retention stations and a reversal post adjacent the first branch retention station, wherein the second branch retention station is positioned nearer the branch cable port than the first branch retention station, the branch cable including at least one optical fiber surrounded by a cable jacket and strength members, the method comprising:

routing a first branch cable in a first direction through a first branch cable port into the splice enclosure;

securing the cable jacket of the first branch cable to the first branch retention station;

grouping the strength members of the first branch cable and routing the grouped strength members around the reversal post;

routing the strength members in a second direction from the reversal post to the second branch retention station, the second direction being generally opposite from the first direction; and

securing the strength members of the first branch cable to the second branch retention station.

24. The method of claim 23, wherein securing the cable jacket comprises securing the cable jacket to a mounting structure of the first branch retention station with a cable-tie.

25. The method of claim 23, wherein securing the strength members comprises securing the strength members to a hub with a fastener.

26. A splice enclosure comprising:

a housing extending from a first end to a second end;

a sealing arrangement positioned at each end of the housing, each sealing arrangement defining at least two spaced-apart pass through ports and at least nine drop line ports extending along a region defined between the respective spaced-apart pass-through ports;

a cable management tray positioned within the housing, the cable management tray being configured to receive any drop line routed through one of the drop line ports to secure the drop line to the cable management tray; and

a splice tray positioned within the housing.

27. The splice enclosure of claim 26, wherein the housing has a footprint of no greater than about fifty-four square inches.

28. A splice enclosure comprising:

an enclosure structure defining a port for receiving a cable;

a cable jacket tie-down arrangement positioned within the enclosure structure and offset a first distance from the port;

a cable strength member anchoring arrangement positioned within the enclosure structure and offset a second distance from the port; and

a strength member reversal post positioned within the enclosure structure and offset a third distance from the port, wherein the second distance is shorter than the third distance.

29. The splice enclosure of claim 28, wherein the second distance is shorter than the first distance.

30. The splice enclosure of claim 28, wherein the first distance is shorter than the second distance.