SPLICE HOLDER

• US 20110280535A1
• Filed: 05/11/2010
• Published: 11/17/2011
• Est. Priority Date: 05/11/2010
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: CommScope Inc. (CommScope Holding Company, Inc.)
• Original Assignee: CommScope Inc. (CommScope Holding Company, Inc.)
• Inventors: Womack, Wade
• Granted Patent: US 8,254,742 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 385/135
• CPC Class Codes: G02B 6/4454 with splices
• CPC Class Codes: G02B 6/4471 Terminating devices demountable connectors G02B6/3807; Cable clamps

Abstract

A splice holder includes a base member and a plurality of high wall pairs on top of the base member each having first and second wall members spaced by a first distance, and adjacent ones of the high wall pairs are spaced by a distance less than the first distance. A first plurality of low wall pairs project from the base member on one side of the high wall pairs, and a second plurality of low wall pairs project from the base member on the other side. The first and second plurality of low wall pairs are shorter than the high wall pairs. The splice holder is configured to support a first level of splices running through the low wall pairs and high wall pairs in between and a second level of splices running through the high wall pair and supported on top of two low wall pairs.

Claims

1. A splice holder comprising:

a base member having a top and a bottom, first and second ends and a length and a longitudinal centerline between said first and second ends, and first and second sides and a width between said first and second sides;

a plurality of high wall pairs on said base member top, each of said plurality of high wall pairs comprising first and second wall members spaced by a first distance at said base member, a spacing between adjacent ones of said high wall pairs at said base member being less than said first distance;

a first plurality of low wall pairs on said base member top extending along a first side of said plurality of high wall pairs, each of said first plurality of low walls pairs comprising third and fourth wall members spaced by a second distance at said base member, a spacing between adjacent ones of said first plurality of low wall pairs at said base member being less than said second distance; and

a second plurality of low wall pairs on said base member top extending along a second side of said plurality of high wall pairs opposite said first plurality of low wall pairs, each of said second plurality of low walls pairs comprising fifth and sixth wall members spaced by a third distance at said base member, a spacing between adjacent ones of said second plurality of low wall pairs at said base member being less than said third distance,

wherein a height of said first plurality of low wall pairs and a height of said second plurality of low wall pairs is less than a height of said plurality of high wall pairs.

2. The splice holder of claim 1 wherein said plurality of high wall pairs are arranged along said longitudinal centerline.

3. The splice holder of claim 1 wherein said plurality of high wall pairs are arranged on said longitudinal centerline.

4. The splice holder of claim 1 wherein a height of said plurality of high wall pairs is approximately double a height of said first plurality of low wall pairs.

5. The splice holder of claim 4, wherein a height of said second plurality of low wall pairs is approximately the same as the height of said first plurality of low wall pairs.

6. The splice holder of claim 1 wherein said first and second wall members of said plurality of high wall pairs extend transversely to said longitudinal centerline.

7. The splice holder of claim 1 wherein, for each high wall pair of said plurality of high wall pairs, said first wall member is angled toward said second wall member.

8. The splice holder of claim 1 wherein, for each high wall pair of said plurality of high wall pairs, said first wall member and said second wall member are angled toward each other.

9. The splice holder of claim 1 wherein for each low wall pair of said first plurality of low wall pairs each first wall member includes a lip facing the second wall member.

10. The splice holder of claim 9 wherein each second wall member includes a lip facing said first wall member.

11. The splice holder of claim 1 including at least one projection on said base member first end configured to engage an additional splice holder stacked on said splice holder.

12. The splice holder of claim 9 including a first splice extending through a first one of said high wall pairs and through a first one of said plurality of first low wall pairs and a first one of said second plurality of low wall pairs adjacent to said first one of said high wall pairs, said first splice extending beneath said lip and a second splice extending through said first one of said high wall pairs on top of said first splice and above said lip.

13. The splice holder of claim 9 including a first splice extending through a first one of said high wall pairs and through a first one of said plurality of first low wall pairs and a first one of said second plurality of low wall pairs adjacent to said first one of said high wall pairs, said first splice extending beneath said lip, and a second splice extending through said first one of said high wall pairs and supported by said lip.

14. An arrangement comprising a first splice holder and a second splice holder arranged in a stack, wherein each of said first and second splice holders comprises:

a base member having a top and a bottom, first and second ends and a length and a longitudinal centerline between said first and second ends, and first and second sides and a width between said first and second sides;

a plurality of high wall pairs on said base member top, each of said plurality of high wall pairs comprising first and second wall members spaced by a first distance at said base member, a spacing between adjacent ones of said high wall pairs at said base member being less than said first distance;

a first plurality of low wall pairs on said base member top extending along a first side of said plurality of high wall pairs, each of said first plurality of low walls pairs comprising third and fourth wall members spaced by a second distance at said base member, a spacing between adjacent ones of said first plurality of low wall pairs at said base member being less than said second distance; and

a second plurality of low wall pairs on said base member top extending along a second side of said plurality of high wall pairs opposite said first plurality of low wall pairs, each of said second plurality of low walls pairs comprising fifth and sixth wall members spaced by a third distance at said base member, a spacing between adjacent ones of said second plurality of low wall pairs at said base member being less than said third distance,

wherein a height of said first plurality of low wall pairs and a height of said second plurality of low wall pairs is less than a height of said plurality of high wall pairs,

said first splice holder including at least one projection releasably connecting said first splice holder to said second splice holder.

15. The splice holder stack of claim 14, wherein said at least one projection comprises first and second projections at said first splice holder base member first end and a third projection at said first splice holder base member second end, each of said first, second and third projections including an inwardly projecting catch configured to engage and retain the base member of the second splice holder.

16. The splice holder stack of claim 14, wherein the first and second walls of the plurality of high wall pairs of the first splice holder each include a distal end spaced from the first splice holder base member and wherein the second splice holder base member bottom includes a depression receiving said distal ends when said first, second and third projections engage said base member of said second splice holder.

17. A splice holder comprising:

a base member having a top and a bottom, first and second ends and a length and a longitudinal centerline between said first and second ends, and first and second sides and a width between said first and second sides;

a plurality of high wall pairs on said base member top arranged along said centerline, each of said plurality of high wall pairs comprising first and second wall members angled toward each other and spaced at the base member by a first distance and extending transversely to said longitudinal centerline, a spacing at the base member between adjacent ones of said high wall pairs being less than said first distance;

a first plurality of low wall pairs on said base member top extending along a first side of said plurality of high wall pairs, each of said first plurality of low walls pairs comprising third and fourth wall members angled toward each other and spaced at the base member by a second distance, a spacing at the base member between adjacent ones of said first plurality of low wall pairs being less than said second distance, each of said third and fourth wall members including a lip extending over the space between said third and fourth wall members; and

a second plurality of low wall pairs on said base member top extending along a second side of said plurality of high wall pairs opposite said first plurality of low wall pairs, each of said second plurality of low walls pairs comprising fifth and sixth wall members angled toward each other and spaced at the base member by a third distance, a spacing at the base member between adjacent ones of said second plurality of low wall pairs being less than said third distance, each of said fifth and sixth wall members including a lip extending over the space between said fifth and sixth wall members,

wherein said first plurality of low wall pairs and said second plurality of low wall pairs have a height that is about half a height of said plurality of high wall pairs.

18. The splice holder of claim 17 including at least one projection on said base member first end configured to engage an additional splice holder stacked on said splice holder.

19. The splice holder of claim 17 including a first splice extending through a first one of said high wall pairs and through a first one of said first plurality of low wall pairs and a first one of said second plurality of low wall pairs adjacent said first one of said high wall pairs, said first splice extending beneath said lip, and a second splice extending through said first one of said high wall pairs on top of said first splice and above said lip.

20. The splice holder of claim 17 including a first splice extending through a first one of said high wall pairs and through a first one of said first plurality of low wall pairs and a first one of said second plurality of low wall pairs adjacent said first one of said high wall pairs, said first splice extending beneath said lip, and a second splice extending through said first one of said high wall pairs and supported by said lip.