Optical network unit (ONU) mechanical enclosure

• US 5,828,807 A
• Filed: 04/30/1996
• Issued: 10/27/1998
• Est. Priority Date: 04/30/1996
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Next Level Communications, Inc. (Motorola Solutions, Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Next Level Communications
• Inventors: McCall, Mark S., Lovina, Bernabe R., Tucker, Russell L.
• Primary Examiner(s): Ullah, Akm E.
• Application Number:
  US08/647,436
• Time in Patent Office: 910 Days
• Field of Search: 385/134, 385/135, 385/136, 385/137, 385/138, 385/139, 385/147
• US Class Current: 385/135
• CPC Class Codes: G02B 6/4441 Boxes
• CPC Class Codes: G02B 6/44465 Seals
• CPC Class Codes: G02B 6/44528 Patch-cords; Connector arrangements in the system or in the box routing arrangements H04Q1/00
• CPC Class Codes: H04Q 1/021 using pivoting mechanisms for accessing the interior of the apparatus
• CPC Class Codes: H04Q 1/023 using sliding mechanisms for accessing the interior of the apparatus
• CPC Class Codes: H04Q 1/035 Cooling of active equipments, e.g. air ducts
• CPC Class Codes: H04Q 1/09 Frames or mounting racks not otherwise provided for
• CPC Class Codes: H04Q 1/116 lightning or EMI protection, e.g. shielding or grounding
• CPC Class Codes: H04Q 1/142 Terminal blocks for distribution frames

Abstract

A mechanical enclosure for an optical network unit (ONU). The enclosure includes a frame having a first opening and a second opening opposite the first opening. A partition divides the frame into a first compartment which houses the electronics and optics of the ONU, and a second compartment which houses drop terminal blocks and coaxial cable ports of the ONU. Each compartment has a dedicated door to provide access to the associated compartment. Water-tight seals are provided for each element which passes through the partition, thereby providing electronics/optics compartment with a water-tight environment. Drop cables leave the ONU enclosure through grommets which are held in the second compartment of the frame. The mechanical enclosure includes a support plate which supports various electronics/optics circuitry and a mounting plate which supports drop terminal blocks. Mounting brackets enable the enclosure to be mounted either vertically or horizontally. A hook assembly further enables the enclosure to be held in different positions to improve access to the compartments of the enclosure.

Claims

1. An enclosure for an optical network unit (ONU) comprising:

a frame having a first opening and a second opening opposite the first opening;

a partition dividing the frame into a first compartment for housing electronics and optics of the ONU and a second compartment for housing drop terminals of the ONU;

a first door coupled to the frame, the first door covering the first opening and enclosing the first compartment; and

a second door coupled to the frame, the second door covering the second opening and enclosing the second compartment.

2. The enclosure of claim 1, wherein the first door opens about a first axis and the second door opens about a second axis, the first and second axes being substantially parallel.

3. The enclosure of claim 2, wherein the first door opens in a first direction about the first axis and the second door opens in a second direction, opposite the first direction, about the second axis.

4. The enclosure of claim 1, further comprising a first opening in the first compartment for receiving an optical fiber.

5. The enclosure of claim 4, further comprising a second opening in the first compartment for receiving a power supply line which provides power to the ONU.

6. The enclosure of claim 4, further comprising a water-tight seal located between the first opening in the first compartment and the optical fiber.

7. The enclosure of claim 5, further comprising a water-tight seal located between the second opening in the first compartment and the power supply line.

8. The enclosure of claim 4, further comprising a fiber routing structure located on the exterior of the frame, the fiber routing structure being adapted to route the optical fiber through the first opening in the first compartment to the exterior of the frame, the fiber routing structure being dimensioned to prevent the optical fiber from bending past a minimum bend radius of the optical fiber.

9. The enclosure of claim 4, further comprising a first opening in the partition which is adapted for receiving a plurality of twisted pair conductors.

10. The enclosure of claim 9, further comprising a water-tight seal located between the first opening in the partition and a plurality of twisted pair conductors which pass through the first opening in the partition.

11. The enclosure of claim 9, further comprising one or more drop terminal blocks located in the second compartment, the drop terminal blocks being adapted to receive a plurality of twisted pair conductors from the first opening in the partition.

12. The enclosure of claim 1, further comprising a mounting plate located in the second compartment, the mounting plate being adapted for supporting one or more drop terminal blocks.

13. The enclosure of claim 12, wherein the mounting plate is removable.

14. The enclosure of claim 12, wherein the mounting plate is connected within the second compartment by a hinge.

15. The enclosure of claim 12, wherein the mounting plate is adapted to support different types of drop terminal blocks.

16. The enclosure of claim 1, further comprising

a slot located in the second compartment;

and

a compliant grommet which is sized for insertion and removal from the slot, the grommet having a groove for receiving and retaining one or more voice frequency drop cables.

17. The enclosure of claim 16, wherein the grommet comprises a grommet frame and a compliant filler which is located within the grommet frame, wherein the compliant filler deforms to receive one or more drop cables.

18. The enclosure of claim 17, wherein the grommet further comprises a tab protruding from the grommet frame for retaining the grommet in the slot.

19. The enclosure of claim 1, further comprising a plurality of coaxial cable bulkhead connectors which extend through the partition into the first and second compartments.

20. The enclosure of claim 19, wherein the coaxial cable bulkhead connectors and the partition do not allow moisture to pass between the first and second compartments.

21. The enclosure of claim 1, further comprising

a slot which is located in the second compartment;

and

a compliant grommet which is sized for insertion and removal from the slot, the grommet having a grooved slot for receiving and retaining one or more coaxial cables.

22. The enclosure of claim 21, wherein the grommet comprises a grommet frame having a grooved slot and a compliant filler which is located within the grommet frame, wherein the compliant filler deforms to receive one or more coaxial cables.

23. The enclosure of claim 22, wherein the grommet further comprises a tab protruding from the grommet frame for retaining the grommet in the slot.

24. The enclosure of claim 1, further comprising a plurality of mounting brackets coupled to the frame, the mounting brackets being capable of supporting the enclosure horizontally.

25. The enclosure of claim 24, wherein the mounting brackets comprise a plurality of clamps which can be attached to an external mounting structure.

26. The enclosure of claim 24, further comprising a hook assembly coupled to the frame, the hook assembly being adapted to hold the enclosure in a first position and a second position, the first position being a substantially horizontal position and the second position being located at an angle with respect to the first position.

27. The enclosure of claim 24, wherein the second compartment is tilted upward when the hook assembly is in the second position.

28. The enclosure of claim 24, wherein the angle is between 10 and 60 degrees up from the horizontal position.

29. The enclosure of claim 1, further comprising one or more mounting brackets coupled to the frame, the one or more mounting brackets being capable of supporting the enclosure vertically.

30. The enclosure of claim 29, wherein the one or more mounting brackets comprise C-shaped clamps.

31. The enclosure of claim 29, wherein the one or more mounting brackets are pivotally coupled to the frame.

32. The enclosure of claim 31, further comprising a security element coupled to the frame, wherein said security element prevents the frame from pivoting about the one or more mounting brackets.

33. The enclosure of claim 1, wherein the first and second doors overlap the frame when the first and second doors are opened in an upward direction, thereby preventing water from entering the first and second compartments when the enclosure is mounted horizontally.

34. The enclosure of claim 1, further comprising a plurality of cable guides connected to the frame for retaining a plurality of coaxial cables and drop cables.

35. The enclosure of claim 1, further comprising a first lock for locking the first door and a second lock for locking the second door.

36. The enclosure of claim 35, wherein the first lock and the second lock are different types of locks.

37. The enclosure of claim 35, wherein the first and second locks comprise security screws.

38. The enclosure of claim 1, further comprising a gasket for providing a water-tight seal between the first door and the frame when the first door is closed.

39. The enclosure of claim 1, further comprising a gasket for providing a seal between the second door and the frame when the second door is closed.

40. The enclosure of claim 1, further comprising a support plate coupled to the partition within the first compartment, the support plate providing a mechanical structure for mounting a plurality of electronics/optics devices within the first compartment.

41. The enclosure of claim 40, further comprising a printed circuit board connected to the support plate, the printed circuit board providing interconnections between the electronics/optics devices mounted on the support plate.

42. The enclosure of claim 41, further comprising alignment means for blind-mating the electronics/optics devices to the printed circuit board.

43. The enclosure of claim 41, further comprising connector rods extending from the support plate, wherein the connector rods are located in corresponding openings in one or more of the electronics/optics devices, thereby providing blind mating between the electronics/optics devices and the printed circuit board.

44. The enclosure of claim 41, wherein the support plate and printed circuit board are removable for use outside of the enclosure.

45. The enclosure of claim 40, further comprising a plurality of coaxial cable bulkhead connectors extending through the partition, wherein the support plate further comprises a corresponding plurality of openings for receiving the coaxial cable bulkhead connectors.

46. The enclosure of claim 1, further comprising a solar panel coupled to an exterior surface of the frame for reducing the temperature of the enclosure, the solar panel extending over the frame.

47. The enclosure of claim 1, further comprising:

a first catch coupled to the first door, wherein the first catch holds the first door in an open position; and

a second catch coupled to the second door, wherein the second catch holds the second door in an open position.

48. The enclosure of claim 1, further comprising a first opening in the second compartment which is adapted to receive a bundled plurality of twisted pair conductors.

49. The enclosure of claim 48, further comprising a plug located in the first opening of the second compartment.

50. The enclosure of claim 1, wherein the frame and the partition are formed from a single piece of structural material.

51. The enclosure of claim 1, wherein the frame comprises:

a first compartment structure having a first backplate, the first compartment structure exhibiting the first opening; and

a second compartment structure having a second backplate, the second compartment structure exhibiting the second opening, the first backplate being connected to the second backplate, wherein the connected first and second backplates form the partition.

52. The enclosure of claim 1, wherein the frame comprises:

a first compartment structure having a first backplate, the first compartment structure exhibiting the first opening; and

a second compartment structure having openings at two ends, wherein one of the open ends of the second compartment is connected to the backplate of the first compartment.