FIBER OPTIC SPLICE TRAY

• US 20090290842A1
• Filed: 04/16/2009
• Published: 11/26/2009
• Est. Priority Date: 04/21/2008
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Bison Patent Licensing, LLC
• Original Assignee: Tyco Electronics Services GmbH (TE Connectivity Ltd. (United Kingdom))
• Inventors: Smith, Trevor D., Solheid, James J., Bran de Leon, Oscar Fernando, Leblanc, Thomas G.
• Granted Patent: US 8,009,954 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 385/135
• CPC Class Codes: G02B 6/4454 with splices
• CPC Class Codes: G02B 6/4455 characterised by the way of extraction or insertion of the cassette in the distribution frame, e.g. pivoting, sliding, rotating or gliding

Abstract

A splice tray includes a splice region and a fiber management region to facilitate splicing together two or more fibers. The splice tray can be pivotally coupled to one or more additional splice trays using pivot linkages to form a splice tray arrangement. A pivot linkage can include first and second laterally spaced coupling sections extending in opposite directions. A magnetic coupling arrangement can releasably secure the splice trays of a splice tray arrangement to one another.

Claims

1. A splice tray arrangement comprising:

a first splice tray including a first hinge pin extending at least partially along a first side of the first splice tray;

a second splice tray including a second hinge pin; and

a pivot linkage including a first coupling section configured to couple to the first hinge pin and a second coupling section configured to couple to the second hinge pin, the second coupling section being laterally spaced from the first coupling section along the first side of the first splice tray.

2. The splice tray arrangement of claim 1, wherein the first coupling section of the pivot linkage snap-fits to the first hinge pin and wherein the second coupling section of the pivot linkage snap-fits to the second hinge pin.

3. The splice tray arrangement of claim 1, wherein the first and second coupling sections of the pivot linkage are monolithically formed.

4. The splice tray arrangement of claim 1, wherein the first and second coupling sections face in opposite directions.

5. The splice tray arrangement of claim 1, wherein the first coupling section also includes a securement structure that enables the first coupling section to couple to the first splice tray at a fixed orientation.

6. The splice tray arrangement of claim 1, wherein the first coupling section has a first width and the second coupling section has a second width that is at least substantially equal to the first width.

7. The splice tray arrangement of claim 1, wherein the first splice tray includes a third hinge pin spaced along the first side of the first splice tray from the first hinge pin and the second splice tray includes a fourth hinge pin spaced from the second hinge pin

8. The splice tray arrangement of claim 7, further comprising a second pivot linkage including a first coupling section and a second coupling section, the first coupling section of the second pivot linkage being configured to couple to the third hinge pin, the second coupling section of the second pivot linkage being configured to couple to the fourth hinge pin, and the second coupling section of the second pivot linkage being laterally spaced from the first coupling section along the first side of the first splice tray.

9. A pivot linkage for connecting two trays comprising:

a first coupling section configured to mount to a first splice tray, the first coupling section having a first insertion axis; and

a second coupling section coupled to the first coupling section, the second coupling section being configured to mount to a second splice tray, the second coupling section having a second insertion axis offset from the first insertion axis, the second coupling section extending in a different direction from the first coupling section.

10. The pivot linkage of claim 9, wherein the second coupling section extends in an opposite direction from the first coupling section.

11. The pivot linkage of claim 9, wherein the first coupling section is fixed relative to the second coupling section.

12. The pivot linkage of claim 11, wherein the first and second coupling sections are monolithically formed.

13. The pivot linkage of claim 9, wherein each of the first and second coupling sections define a snap-fit receptacle.

14. A splice tray comprising:

a fiber input/output region configured to secure at least one fiber to the splice tray;

a fiber management region including at least one fiber spool configured to accommodate excess length of any fiber entering the splice tray at the fiber input/output region, the fiber spool defining a cavity;

a fiber splice region at which the fiber can be optically coupled to a second fiber; and

a magnet arranged within the cavity defined in the fiber spool.

15. The splice tray of claim 14, further comprising a base panel extending between first and second end walls and between first and second side walls to define the splice tray, wherein the fiber spool of the fiber management region extends upwardly from the base panel.

16. The splice tray of claim 15, further comprising a cover pivotally mounted to the first side wall of the splice tray, the cover being configured to pivot between an open position and a closed position.

17. The splice tray of claim 15, wherein the base panel defines an opening forming a side entrance to the splice tray.

18. The splice tray of claim 15, wherein the base panel has a first side and an opposite second side that extend between the first and second end walls and the first and second side walls, the base panel including at least a first stepped-up portion protruding from the first side of the base panel at the fiber input/output region to define a recess in the second side of the base panel, the recess being configured to provide clearance to accommodate a securement arrangement for coupling at least a first optical fiber to the base panel.

19. The splice tray of claim 18, wherein the stepped-up portion of the base panel defines at least one opening configured to facilitate coupling of the securement arrangement to the base panel.

20. The splice tray of claim 18, wherein the stepped-up portion of the base panel defines a plurality of openings configured to facilitate coupling of the securement arrangement to the base panel.