Fiber optic splice organizer and associated method
First Claim
1. A fiber optic splice organizer for securing a plurality of optical fiber splices between first and second optical fiber groups and for securing slack associated therewith, said splice organizer comprising:
- a generally rectangular base having lengthwise extending first and second opposing sides and widthwise extending first and second opposing ends;
splice securing means positioned on a medial portion of said base between the first and second sides thereof and adjacent the first end of said base for securing a plurality of optical fiber splices on said base; and
slack guide means positioned on said base for guiding respective slack portions of laterally spaced apart first and second optical fiber groups from the first end of said base, along respective portions of said base adjacent the first and second sides thereof, into a plurality of respective first and second slack loops overlying each other adjacent the second end of said base, and back to said splice securing means from respective first and second sides of said base so that the overlying respective slack loops of the first and second optical fiber groups are readily separable from each other.
3 Assignments
0 Petitions
Accused Products
Abstract
A fiber optic splice organizer for storing optical fiber splices and the slack associated therewith to permit ready separation of the optical fibers, such as to remake a splice. The splice organizer includes a generally rectangular base, splice securing slots on the base, and optical fiber guides for guiding slack portions of first and second optical fiber groups from a first end of the base, along respective portions of the base adjacent the first and second sides thereof, into a plurality of overlying slack loops adjacent the second end of the base, and back to the splice securing means from respective first and second sides of the base. The slack optical fibers, including the overlying respective slack loop, of the first and second optical fiber groups, form a figure-eight pattern on the base and are thus readily separable from each other. An ability to interconnect individual optical fibers broken out from optical fiber ribbons is also provided by crossing first and second groups of optical fiber ribbons and breaking out individual optical fibers at the crossover point. Arcuately shaped walls on the base are provided to maintain the individual fibers in a predetermined bend radius. A series of tabs along sidewalls of the base separate the individual fibers from the optical fiber ribbons downstream from the crossover point.
174 Citations
34 Claims
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1. A fiber optic splice organizer for securing a plurality of optical fiber splices between first and second optical fiber groups and for securing slack associated therewith, said splice organizer comprising:
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a generally rectangular base having lengthwise extending first and second opposing sides and widthwise extending first and second opposing ends; splice securing means positioned on a medial portion of said base between the first and second sides thereof and adjacent the first end of said base for securing a plurality of optical fiber splices on said base; and slack guide means positioned on said base for guiding respective slack portions of laterally spaced apart first and second optical fiber groups from the first end of said base, along respective portions of said base adjacent the first and second sides thereof, into a plurality of respective first and second slack loops overlying each other adjacent the second end of said base, and back to said splice securing means from respective first and second sides of said base so that the overlying respective slack loops of the first and second optical fiber groups are readily separable from each other. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8)
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9. A fiber optic splice organizer for securing a plurality of optical fiber ribbon splices between first and second optical fiber ribbon groups, and for securing individual optical fiber splices between predetermined individual optical fibers broken out from the optical fiber ribbons, said splice organizer comprising:
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a base; splice securing means positioned on said base for securing both a plurality of optical fiber ribbon splices and a plurality of individual optical fiber splices on said base; and breakout means positioned on said base for securing first and second optical fiber ribbon groups on said base and for guiding predetermined individual optical fibers broken out from optical fiber ribbons away therefrom for effecting splicing of predetermined individual optical fibers. - View Dependent Claims (10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19)
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20. A fiber optic splice organizer for securing a plurality of optical fiber ribbon splices between first and second optical fiber ribbon groups, for securing individual optical fiber splices between predetermined individual optical fibers broken out from the optical fiber ribbons, and for securing slack associated with both the optical fiber ribbon splices and the individual optical fiber splices, said splice organizer comprising:
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a generally rectangular base having lengthwise extending first and second opposing sides and widthwise extending first and second opposing ends; splice securing means positioned on a medial portion of said base between the first and second sides thereof and adjacent the first end of said base for securing a plurality of optical fiber ribbon splices on said base; breakout means positioned on said base for securing first and second optical fiber ribbon groups on said base and for guiding predetermined individual optical fibers broken out from optical fiber ribbons away therefrom for effecting splicing of predetermined individual optical fibers; and slack guide means positioned on said base for guiding respective slack portions of laterally spaced apart first and second optical fiber groups from the first end of said base, along respective portions of said base adjacent the first and second sides thereof, into a plurality of respective first and second slack loops overlying each other adjacent the second end of said base, and back to said splice securing means from respective first and second sides of said base so that the overlying respective slack loops of the first and second optical fiber groups are readily separable from each other. - View Dependent Claims (21, 22, 23, 24, 25, 26, 27, 28, 29, 30, 31)
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32. A method for organizing a plurality of optical fiber splices between first and second optical fiber groups and slack associated therewith on a generally rectangular base having lengthwise extending first and second opposing sides and widthwise extending first and second opposing ends, the method comprising the steps of:
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guiding and securing respective slack portions of first and second optical fiber groups from the first end of the base, along respective portions of the base adjacent the first and second sides thereof, into a plurality of respective first and second slack loops overlying each other adjacent the second end of said base, and back to adjacent the first end of the base from respective first and second sides of the base so that the overlying respective slack loops of the first and second optical fiber groups are readily separable from each other; and securing the optical fiber splices between the first and second optical fiber groups on a medial portion of the base adjacent the first end thereof. - View Dependent Claims (33, 34)
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Specification