Fiber optic splice case

• US 5,133,038 A
• Filed: 01/28/1991
• Issued: 07/21/1992
• Est. Priority Date: 04/17/1980
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Reliance Comm/Tec Corporation
• Original Assignee: Reliance Comm/Tec Corporation
• Inventors: Zipper, James D.
• Primary Examiner(s): Ullah, Akm E.
• Assistant Examiner(s): BARNS, STEPHEN
• Application Number:
  US07/646,188
• Time in Patent Office: 540 Days
• Field of Search: 350/96.2, 350/96.21, 174/50, 174/63, 174/65 R, 174/67, 385/135, 385/138, 385/139
• US Class Current: 385/135
• CPC Class Codes: G02B 6/4248 Feed-through connections for the hermetical passage of fibres through a package wall see provisionally also G02B6/4428
• CPC Class Codes: G02B 6/444 Systems or boxes with surplus lengths
• 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
• CPC Class Codes: G02B 6/501 underground installation of connection boxes

Abstract

Fiber optic splice case for retaining at least one primary cable and a plurality of service cables in spliced connection. The case includes removably interconnectable members including a base member and a top or cover member. The case is divided into at least two chambers to retain carrier and service fibers in an orderly and sufficiently radiied arrangement. Sealing members are provided and include one seal around the primary cable projecting into the case which seals the case without employing tapes or sealants. Mounting portions retain the case and permit convenient projection of the case from a protective housing for access to the splice connections.

Claims

1. A splice case for retaining optical fiber splice connections, said case comprising:

removably interconnectable members including a base member and a cover member, a plurality of apertures formed through said case for receiving cables therethrough;

first retaining means for retaining at least one primary cable projecting through one of said apertures into said case, said primary cable comprising a multiple carrier fiber bundle including multiple carrier fibers;

second retaining means for retaining at least one service fiber extending through one of said apertures into said case;

fiber connecting means for retaining one of said carrier fibers and said at least one service fiber in a splice connection formed therebetween;

means for dividing said case into at least a first chamber and a second chamber, said first chamber being formed for containing said carrier fibers and said second chamber being formed for containing said at least one service fiber, said first chamber being accessible by removing said cover member.

2. A splice case according to claim 1, wherein said primary cable is a loop through cable, and further including a common aperture formed through said case through which said primary cable enters and exits said case, an entering portion of said loop through cable projecting into said case through said common aperture and an exiting portion of said loop through cable projecting out of said case through said common aperture.

3. A splice case according to claim 2 and further including primary cable sealing means for sealing said entering and exiting portions of said primary cable projecting through said common aperture.

4. A splice case according to claim 3, wherein said primary cable sealing means comprises;

a resiliently compressible sealing puck, said puck being positionable in said common aperture, at least two bores formed through said puck for receiving said entering and exiting portions of said primary cable; and

puck retaining means for creating sealing forces between said puck and said common aperture and between said at least two bores and said entering and exiting portions of said primary cable.

5. A splice case according to claim 4, wherein said puck is an integral single piece disc-shaped member, a diameter of said puck being greater than a thickness measurement of said puck.

6. A splice case according to claim 5, wherein at least two radial slits are formed in said puck intersecting said bores for inserting said entering and exiting loop through cable portions into said bores, each of said at least two radial slits extending radially from a corresponding one of said at least two bores and at least one of said at least two radial slits extending through an outside edge of said puck.

7. A splice case according to claim 5, wherein said puck is formed of a resilient material having a durometer measurement of substantially on the order of 40.

8. A splice case according to claim 1, wherein said dividing means comprises bulkhead means which divides said case into said first chamber and said second chamber, said bulkhead means further supporting said fiber connecting means for retaining said at least one carrier fiber and said at least one service fiber in a splice connection.

9. A splice case according to claim 1 further including exterior service fiber retention means adjustably attached to an external surface of said case for routing and supporting service fibers extending from said case.

10. A splice case according to claim 1 further including a bottom member and latch means operatively attached to said base member and engageable with at least one of said bottom and said cover member for releasably retaining said at least one of said bottom and said cover member in engagement with said base member.

11. A splice case according to claim 10 further including environmental sealing means comprising;

a cover member sealing means positioned between said cover member and said base member;

bottom member sealing means positioned between said bottom member and said base member;

aperture sealing means; and

primary cable sealing means.

12. A splice case according to claim 6 further including valve means operatively attached to said case for controlling internal pressure in said case when said interconnectable members are assembled and sealed to seal the contents of the case against detrimental environmental effects.

13. An environmentally sealed optical fiber splice case in combination with primary cable sealing means not requiring taping or sealants, said case comprising;

at least a base member and a cover member engageable with said base member;

apertures formed in said case for receiving cables therethrough;

said primary cable sealing means comprising a resilient sealing puck and puck retaining means, said puck being positionable projecting through one of said apertures, at least one bore formed in said puck for permitting passage of a primary cable therethrough, retaining means operatively attached to said case for retaining said puck in said aperture and for creating sealing forces between said puck and said aperture in which it is positioned and also between said primary cable and said at least one bore formed in said puck through which said primary cable passes;

said primary cable being a loop through cable having two portions projecting through said aperture in said case, an entering portion of said primary cable projecting into said case and an exiting portion of said primary cable projecting out of said case, said puck being formed with at least two bores formed therethrough, each of said at least two bores receiving one of said entering and exiting portions of said primary cable.

14. A combination according to claim 13, wherein said puck is an integral single piece disc-shaped member, a diameter of said puck being greater than a thickness measurement of said puck.

15. A combination according to claim 13, wherein said puck is formed of a resiliently material having a durometer measurement of substantially on the order of 40.

16. A combination according to claim 13, wherein at least two radial slits are formed in said puck intersecting said bores for inserting each of said entering and exiting loop through cable portions into a respective one of said at least two bores, each of said at least two radial slits extending radially from a corresponding one of said at least two bores and at least one of said two radial slits extending through an outside edge of said puck.

17. An optical fiber splice case in combination with mounting means for removably retaining said case inside an accessible protective housing;

said case having means for retaining optical fiber splice connections and means for protecting said optical fiber splice connections from adverse environmental effects; and

said mounting means including attachment portions for attaching said mounting means to said protective housing and case holding means for releasably retaining said case relative to said mounting means;

wherein said mounting means comprises a plurality of articulated elongate members which selectively retain said case in said protective housing, at least one of said members having said attachment portions for attaching said mounting means to said protective housing;

said plurality of articulated elongate members being joined to facilitate retainably supported movement of said case attached thereto from an orientation retained in said protective housing to a position projecting outwardly thereof.

18. A combination according to claim 17, wherein said mounting means comprises at least one bracket member having said attachment portions defined thereon attached to said protective housing and case holding means formed for cooperatively removably retaining said case positioned therein.

19. A combination according to claim 17, wherein said attachment portions are pivotally attached to an internal surface of said protective housing and a second of said articulated members is pivotally attached to said case holding means, said case being attached to said holding means such that said case is pivotally swingable outwardly of said protective housing when said mounting means pivotally moves, said case remaining in an orientation substantially parallel to said protective housing permitting access to said case outside of said protective housing and in a generally parallel position relative to said protective housing.