Multi-media connection housing

• US 5,647,045 A
• Filed: 02/23/1996
• Issued: 07/08/1997
• Est. Priority Date: 02/23/1996
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Leviton Manufacturing Company Incorporated
• Original Assignee: Leviton Manufacturing Company Incorporated
• Inventors: Merrow, Jack K., Newman, Peter H., Robinson, Scott T., Anderson, DeWayne J.
• Primary Examiner(s): Ullah, Akm E.
• Application Number:
  US08/606,521
• Time in Patent Office: 501 Days
• Field of Search: 385/135, 385/136, 385/99, 385/76, 385/140, 385/147, 250/227.16
• US Class Current: 385/135
• CPC Class Codes: G02B 6/4454 with splices

Abstract

A housing of the type for receiving telecommunication cables and multi-media connection members, wherein the housing includes a base plate with a side edge portion for supporting a plurality of multi-media connection members, a first optical fiber storage ring that is attached to the base, and a second optical fiber storage ring that is attached to the base substantially side-by-side with the first optic storage guide. The first and second optic storage guides each have a substantially cylindrical outer guide surface with a radius that is equal to or greater than the minimum bend radius of the optical fibers. The first and second optical fiber storage rings are spaced apart from each other to define a cross-over junction therebetween that is adapted to receive the optical fibers extending between the first and second fiber storage rings. An outer guidewall is selectively spaced about the first and second optical fiber storage guides to retain the optical fibers wrapped about the storage rings. The outer guidewalls have openings to receive the optical fibers into an optical fiber path about the first and second storage rings such that the optical fibers extend substantially tangentially toward the first or second optical fiber storage ring. A connection support platform is positioned in the first optical fiber storage ring, and is adapted to removably receive an electrical connector in a substantially fixed position relative to the base to facilitate a wire installation procedure.

Claims

1. A housing of the type for receiving optical fibers therein, the optical fibers being connectable to connectors, the connectors being terminated at adapters, the optical fibers having a minimum bend radius to avoid signal degeneration in the optical fibers, comprising:

a base having a side edge portion adapted to support the connectors and adapters therealong;

a first fiber-storage guide attached to the base and projecting away from the base, the first fiber-storage guide having a substantially cylindrical first outer guide surface with a radius that is greater than the minimum bend radius, the first outer guide surface being sized to receive the optical fibers therearound to prevent the optical fibers from bending with a bend radius that is smaller than the minimum bend radius;

a second fiber-storage guide attached to the base and projecting away from the base, the second fiber-storage guide having a substantially cylindrical second outer guide surface with a radius that is greater than the minimum bend radius, the second outer guide surface being sized to receive the optical fibers therearound to prevent the optical fibers from bending with a bend radius that is smaller than the minimum bend radius, the first and second fiber-storage guides being spaced apart from each other with a cross-over junction therebetween, the first and second fiber-storage guides being positioned to allow the optical fibers to selectively wrap around portions of the first and second outer guide surfaces, to pass through the cross-over junction, to extend between the first and second fiber-storage guides, and to terminate at the side edge portion without bending in a radius that is smaller than the minimum bend radius; and

outer guides selectively spaced about the first and second fiber-storage guides and spaced away from the cross-over junction, the outer guides having spaces therebetween to receive the optical fibers so the optical fibers pass therethrough.

2. The housing of claim 1 wherein the base has an optical fiber access aperture therein exterior of the first and second fiber-storage guides, the optical fiber access aperture being sized to receive the optical fibers therethrough to allow the optical fibers to pass through the base.

3. The housing of claim 1 wherein the base has an optical fiber access aperture therein that communicates with the cross-over junction, the optical fiber access aperture being sized to receive the optical fibers therethrough to allow the optical fibers to pass through the base and into the cross-over junction.

4. The housing of claim 1 further including a plurality of retaining tabs attached to the first and second fiber-storage guides and projecting away from the first and second fiber-storage guides over the base.

5. The housing of claim 1 further including a connector support platform attached to the base within the first fiber-storage guide, the connector support platform being shaped to removably support a selected one of the connectors in a generally fixed position relative to the base and the first fiber-storage guide.

6. The housing of claim 5 wherein the first fiber-storage guide terminates in a top edge portion spaced away from the base, and the connector support platform has a platform portion adjacent to the top edge portion.

7. The housing of claim 6 wherein the platform portion is supported by sidewalls extending between the base and the platform portion.

8. The housing of claim 1 wherein the outer guides have curved portions, each curved portion having a radius of curvature that is greater than the minimum bend radius of the optical fibers.

9. The housing of claim 1 wherein the outer guides have curved portions, one of the curved portions being adjacent to the cross-over junction, the one curved portion having a radius of curvature that is greater than the minimum bend radius of the optical fibers.

10. The housing of claim 1 wherein the outer guides have two curved portions on opposite sides of the cross-over junction, the two curved portions extending toward the cross-over junction, each of the two curved portions having a radius of curvature that is greater than the minimum bend radius of the optical fibers.

11. The housing of claim 1 further including a cable access aperture within the first fiber-storage guide, the cable access aperture being sized to receive a wire cable therethrough.

12. The housing of claim 11 wherein the base has an optical fiber access aperture therein that communicates with the cross-over junctions, the optical fiber access aperture being sized to receive the optical fibers therethrough to allow the optical fibers to pass through the base and into the cross-over junction.

13. The housing of claim 1 wherein the optical fibers extend substantially tangentially toward the first and second fiber storage guides, the openings between the outer guides being positioned to receive the optical fibers therethrough as the optical fibers extend substantially tangentially toward one of the first and second fiber-storage guides without the optical fibers bending in a radius that is smaller than the minimum bend radius.

14. The housing of claim 1 further including a cover removably connected to the base to cover the base and the first and second fiber-storage guides.

15. A housing of the type for receiving portions of media cables including a fiber optic cable therein, the media cables being connectable to connectors, the fiber optic cable having optical fibers with a minimum bend radius to avoid signal degeneration in the optical fibers, comprising:

a base plate having a side edge portion adapted to support the connectors therealong;

a first fiber-storage ring attached to the base plate and projecting away from the base plate, the first fiber-storage ring having a substantially cylindrical first outer guide surface with a radius that is greater than the minimum bend radius, the first outer guide surface being sized to receive the optical fibers therearound to prevent the optical fibers from bending with a bend radius that is smaller than the minimum bend radius;

a second fiber-storage ring attached to the base plate adjacent to the first fiber-storage ring, the second fiber-storage ring projecting away from the base plate, the second fiber-storage ring having a substantially cylindrical second outer guide surface with a radius that is greater than the minimum bend radius, the second outer guide surface being sized to receive the optical fibers therearound to prevent the optical fibers from bending with a bend radius that is smaller than the minimum bend radius, the first and second fiber-storage rings being positioned to allow the optical fibers to selectively wrap around portions of the first and second inner guide surfaces, the first and second fiber-storage guides being spaced apart from each other with a cross-over junction therebetween, the first and second fiber-storage guides being positioned to allow the optical fibers to selectively wrap around portions of the first and second inner guide surfaces, to pass through the cross-over junction, to extend between the first and second fiber-storage guides, and to terminate at the side edge portion without bending in a radius that is smaller than the minimum bend radius;

a guidewall attached to the base plate and projecting away from the base plate, the guidewall having portions facing the first and second fiber-storage rings and having portions adjacent to the cross-over junction, the guidewall being spaced apart from the first and second fiber-storage rings, the guidewall and the first and second guide surfaces defining a optical fiber path therebetween extending around the first and second fiber-storage rings and between the first and second fiber-storage rings through the cross-over junction, the optical fiber path being shaped to allow the optical fibers to selectively wrap around each of the first and second fiber-storage rings and to extend through the cross-over junction, the outer guidewall having optical fiber path openings therein sized to receive the optical fibers so the optical fibers exit the optical fiber path and extend toward the side edge portion of the base; and

a cover removably connected to the base plate to cover the base plate and the first and second fiber-storage rings.

16. The housing of claim 15 wherein the guidewall is a substantially continuous guidewall with elongated wall portions, the optical fiber path openings being between adjacent wall portions.

17. The housing of claim 15 wherein the base has a connector receiving portion connected to the side edge portion.

18. The housing of claim 15 wherein the base plate has an access aperture therein communicating with the optical fiber path, the access aperture being sized to receive the optical fibers therethrough, allowing the optical fibers to pass through the base plate and into the optical fiber path.

19. The housing of claim 15 wherein the base plate has an access aperture therein that communicates with the cross-over junction, the access aperture being sized to receive the optical fibers therethrough to allow the optical fibers to pass through the base plate and into the cross-over junction.

20. The housing of claim 15 further including a plurality of retaining tabs attached to the first and second fiber-storage rings and projecting toward the guidewall, each of the retaining tabs projecting over a portion of the optical fiber path, the retaining tabs being positioned to retain the optical fibers within the optical fiber path.

21. The housing of claim 15 further including a plurality of retaining tabs attached to the guidewall and projecting toward one of the first and second fiber-storage rings, each of the retaining tabs projecting over the optical fiber path, the retaining tabs being positioned to retain the optical fibers within the optical fiber path.

22. The housing of claim 15 wherein the guidewall has curved portions each having a radius of curvature that is greater than the minimum bend radius of the fiber optic cable.

23. The housing of claim 15 further including a cable access aperture within the first fiber-storage guide and sized to receive a wire cable therethrough.

24. The housing of claim 23 wherein the base has an optical fiber access aperture therein that communicates with the cross-over junction, the optical fiber access aperture being sized to receive the optical fibers therethrough to allow the optical fibers to pass through the base and into the cross-over junction.

25. A housing of the type for receiving media cables therein, each of the media cables being connectable to a connector, comprising:

a base having a top surface and first and second side portions;

first and second cable-storage guides attached to the top surface of the base and projecting away from the top surface, the first and second cable-storage guides being sized to store a portion of the media cables therearound;

a first cover alignment guide attached to the first side portion of the base and projecting away from the top surface of the base, the first cover alignment guide having a cover latching tab projecting therefrom;

a second cover alignment guide attached to the second side portion of the base and projecting away from the top surface of the base, the second cover alignment guide having a cover retaining tab protruding therefrom; and

a cover removably attached to the first and second cover alignment guides to cover the base, the cover having a top panel and an outer wall panel projecting from the top panel toward the base to support the top panel away from the base with the first and second storage guides therebetween, the outer wall panel having a latch aperture extending therethrough that removably receives the latching tab therein and having a tab recess extending only partially through the outer wall panel, the tab recess removably receiving the latch retaining tab therein, the outer wall portion having first and second end portions and the outer wall portion extending partially around the top panel and terminating at the first and second end portions, the first and second end portions being spaced apart from each other to define connector receiving area therebetween to receive the connector, the first end portion being substantially adjacent to the first cover alignment guide and being a free end portion that is movable relative to the first cover alignment guide to move the outer wall portion adjacent to the latch aperture between a latched position with the latching tab within the latch aperture and a released position with the latch tab being out of the latch aperture to allow the cover to be removed from the base.

26. A multi-media cable housing of the type for receiving portions of media cables, each of the media cables being connectable to a cable connector module, comprising:

a generally planar base plate having an interior portion, a first side portion, a second side portion opposite the first side portion, and opposing third and fourth side portions extending between the first and second side portions, the first, second, third, and fourth side portions being interconnected and extending around the interior portion;

a module frame attached to the third side portion of the base plate and projecting away from the base plate, the module frame having a plurality of openings therein sized to removably receive the cable connector module therein;

first and second cable-storage rings attached to an interior portion of the base plate and projecting away from the base plate, the first and second cable-storage rings being spaced apart from each other to define a cable cross-over junction therebetween, the first and second cable-storage rings being sized to store a portion of the media cable therearound, and the cable cross-over junction being sized to allow the media cable to pass therethrough and extend between the first and second cable-storage rings;

a first cover alignment guide attached to the first side portion of the base plate and projecting away from the base panel, the first cover alignment guide having a cover latching tab projecting therefrom;

a second cover alignment guide attached to the second portion of the base plate, the second cover alignment guide having a cover retaining nub protruding therefrom; and

a cover removably attached to the base plate, the cover having a generally planar top panel spaced apart from the base plate, a first wall panel projecting from the top panel toward the first side portion of the base plate, a second wall panel projecting from the top panel toward the second side portion of the base plate, and a third wall panel projecting from the top panel toward the third side portion of the base plate, the third wall panel having an elongated receiving area therein that extends substantially adjacent to the first wall portion toward the second wall portion, the elongated receiving area being shaped and sized to receive a portion of the mounting frame therein, the first wall panel being movable relative to the first cover alignment guide between a latched position and a released position, the first wall panel having a latch receiving member thereon with a latch aperture extending therethrough, the latch receiving member removably retaining the latching tab in the latch aperture when the first wall portion is in the latched position, and the latch tab being away from the latch receiving member and out of the latch recess when the first wall portion is in the released position, the second wall portion having an inside surface facing toward the second cover alignment guide and an outside surface facing away from the second alignment guide, the second wall portion having a nub recess therein extending partially through the second wall portion from the inside surface toward the outside surface, the nub recess terminating inwardly of the outside surface, the nub recess removably receiving the retaining nub to hold the second wall portion adjacent to the second cover alignment guide as the first wall portion is moved between the latched and unlatched positions.