Closure with cable strain relief

• US 5,758,004 A
• Filed: 11/27/1996
• Issued: 05/26/1998
• Est. Priority Date: 03/31/1995
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: 3M Company
• Original Assignee: 3M Company
• Inventors: Jackson, Jerry D., Alarcon, Sergio A.
• Primary Examiner(s): Bovernick, Rodney B.
• Assistant Examiner(s): Sanghavi, Hemang
• Application Number:
  US08/758,609
• Time in Patent Office: 545 Days
• Field of Search: 385/134-137, 174/74 R, 174/84 R, 174/93, 174/33, 174/38, 174/43, 174/44
• US Class Current: 385/135
• CPC Class Codes: G02B 6/4442 Cap coupling boxes
• CPC Class Codes: G02B 6/4471 Terminating devices demountable connectors G02B6/3807; Cable clamps

Abstract

A closure with improved cable strain relief, having a body with a closed end and an open end, a tubular base having first and second ends with the open end of the body releasably secured to the first end of the base, and a strain relief member attached to the second end of the base. The strain relief member is composed entirely of non-metallic components, and includes a plate having cutouts therein forming cable ports, each of the cutouts having a wall and an inner surface along the wall, there being a plurality of gripping teeth along each inner surface, and each wall having at least one channel therein with entry and exit slots. A cable tie securing a cable in one of the cutouts is threaded through the channel, extending out the entry and exit slots. The plate advantageously has a plurality of outer surfaces shaped to fit snugly with an inner surface of the second end of the base, and flanges located at each outer surface for attachment to an edge of the second end of the base. A mounting fixture may be attached to the plate, adapted to receive an optical fiber storage tray or other support member such as a terminal block. The plate, wall, mounting fixture and flanges may be integrally formed of an injection-moldable, thermoplastic polymer.

Claims

1. An article for securing two or more cables and providing strain relief to the cables, comprising:

a base member having an open end and an edge at said open end; and

a strain relief member attached to said base member, said strain relief member including

a plate member having a plurality of cutouts each open to a side of said strain relief member and sized to receive one of the cables, and a plurality of outer surfaces shaped to fit snugly against an inner surface of said open end of said base member, said outer surfaces being formed between adjacent cutouts,

a mounting fixture attached to said plate member, extending generally perpendicular thereto and adapted to receive an optical fiber storage tray, said mounting fixture baking a slot for receiving an attachment tab on the tray, and

means, located at each of said outer surfaces, for attaching said plate member to said edge of said base member.

2. The article of claim 1 wherein said attaching means comprises a plurality of flanges, one at each of said outer surfaces, adapted to provide a snap fit with said edge of said base member.

3. The article of claim 1 wherein said base member, said plate member and said attaching means are constructed entirely of non-metallic materials.

4. The article of claim 3 wherein said plate member and said attaching means are integrally formed of an injection-moldable, thermoplastic polymer.

5. The article of claim 1 wherein each of said cutouts comprises a cable port having a U-shaped wall with a channel formed therein and first and second slots formed in opposing faces of said U-shaped wall said channel connecting said first and second slots on said opposing faces of said U-shaped wall such that a cable tie inserted into said first slot is self-guided through said channel to extend from said second slot.

6. The article of claim 5 further comprising a plurality of teeth formed in said U-shaped walls of said cutouts, for securely grasping an outer jacket of the cables.

7. The article of claim 6 wherein said plate member, said attaching means and said mounting fixture all are integrally formed of an injection-moldable, thermoplastic polymer.

8. A closure for butt splicing of optical fiber cables, comprising:

an elongate body having a closed end and an open end;

a tubular base having first and second ends;

means for releasably securing said open end of said body to said first end of said base;

a strain relief member attached to said second end of said base, said strain relief member composed entirely of non-metallic components and including a plate having a plurality of cutouts therein, each sized to receive one of the cables, each of said cutouts having a wall and an inner surface along said wall, there being a plurality of gripping teeth along each said inner surface, and each said wall having at least one channel therein with entry and exit slots formed in said inner surface for each said channel, said plate further having a plurality of outer surfaces shaped to fit snugly with an inner surface of said second end of said base, and flange means located at each said outer surface for attachment to an edge of said second end of said base;

at least one cable tie for securing a cable in one of said cutouts in said strain relief member, said cable tie being threaded through one of said channels, extending out entry and exit slots associated with said one channel;

a mounting fixture attached to said strain relief member, for receiving an optical fiber storage tray; and

a pre-stretched tube collapsed about said strain relief member and said second end of said base.