Lightguide distributing unit
First Claim
1. A lightguide fiber distributing unit for providing cross-connection facility for relatively fragile lightguide fibers, separated out of at least one otherwise sheathed multifiber cable, by means of relatively robust cross-connection jumper fibers, said unit comprisingat least one shelf portion including spaced upper and lower horizontal plate members in essentially parallel planes with one face of each plate member facing one face of the other, said plate member each having front and rear edges,means for covering a space between said rear edges of said plate members except for an opening through which said fibers of said cable can be pulled into a region between said plate members,means for mounting at least one fiber connector means to provide optical coupling via said connector means through said mounting means and between fibers extended to opposite sides of said mounting means,means for removably securing said mounting means between said front and rear edges of said plate members with a first of said opposite sides facing through said region toward said rear edges and a second of said opposite sides facing toward said front edges so that at least a part of said mounting means can be temporarily removed to permit access from said front edges for pulling fibers of said cable into said region and connecting such fibers to said connector means on said first side of said mounting means while allowing cross-connect jumper installation on, and removal from, said second side of said mounting means when said mounting means is secured by said securing means,said removably securing means being spaced back from said front edges of he respective plate members by a distance which is sufficient to assure at least a predetermined minimum fiber bending radius for a jumper fiber extending from a connector on said mounting means second side and out between said front edges of said plate members, but not so far back as to impede significantly installation of cross-connect jumper fibers in connector means on said mounting means.
1 Assignment
0 Petitions
Accused Products
Abstract
A multishelf main distributing frame for lightguide fibers is provided in which each shelf includes a pair of spaced plates (67,68) for receiving cable fibers from the rear portion of the shelf, receiving cross-connect jumper fibers from the front portion thereof, and having one or more removable connector panels (30) for terminating lightguide fibers at opposite sides thereof. The panels are recessed from the front edges of the shelf to assure room for a predetermined minimum bending radius for jumper fibers connected to the front of the panels. Once such panels are installed, they cooperate with the shelf plate members and with a windowed cable channel (17) at the rear of the shelf for protecting relatively lightly sheathed individual fibers of cables passed through the channel into the shelf region. A hinged closure (24) is provided at the front of each shelf for protecting cross-connect jumper fibers of that shelf without subjecting those fibers to possible mechanical damage when the closure is closed.
237 Citations
10 Claims
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1. A lightguide fiber distributing unit for providing cross-connection facility for relatively fragile lightguide fibers, separated out of at least one otherwise sheathed multifiber cable, by means of relatively robust cross-connection jumper fibers, said unit comprising
at least one shelf portion including spaced upper and lower horizontal plate members in essentially parallel planes with one face of each plate member facing one face of the other, said plate member each having front and rear edges, means for covering a space between said rear edges of said plate members except for an opening through which said fibers of said cable can be pulled into a region between said plate members, means for mounting at least one fiber connector means to provide optical coupling via said connector means through said mounting means and between fibers extended to opposite sides of said mounting means, means for removably securing said mounting means between said front and rear edges of said plate members with a first of said opposite sides facing through said region toward said rear edges and a second of said opposite sides facing toward said front edges so that at least a part of said mounting means can be temporarily removed to permit access from said front edges for pulling fibers of said cable into said region and connecting such fibers to said connector means on said first side of said mounting means while allowing cross-connect jumper installation on, and removal from, said second side of said mounting means when said mounting means is secured by said securing means, said removably securing means being spaced back from said front edges of he respective plate members by a distance which is sufficient to assure at least a predetermined minimum fiber bending radius for a jumper fiber extending from a connector on said mounting means second side and out between said front edges of said plate members, but not so far back as to impede significantly installation of cross-connect jumper fibers in connector means on said mounting means.
Specification