Optical fiber cable splice closure

• US 5,862,290 A
• Filed: 05/01/1997
• Issued: 01/19/1999
• Est. Priority Date: 05/01/1997
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Fitel USA Corporation (Furukawa Electric Company Limited)
• Original Assignee: Lucent Technologies, Inc. (Nokia Corporation)
• Inventors: Burek, Denis Edward, Jones, Marc Duane
• Primary Examiner(s): Palmer, Phan T. H.
• Application Number:
  US08/847,214
• Time in Patent Office: 628 Days
• Field of Search: 385/134-139, 385/135
• US Class Current: 385/135
• CPC Class Codes: G02B 6/3801 Permanent connections, i.e. wherein fibres are kept aligned by mechanical means splices by bonding G02B6/255; fusion splices G02B6/2551
• CPC Class Codes: G02B 6/4447 with divided shells G02B6/4448 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: G02B 6/4454 with splices
• CPC Class Codes: G02B 6/4471 Terminating devices demountable connectors G02B6/3807; Cable clamps
• CPC Class Codes: G02B 6/4477 with means for strain-relieving to interior strengths element
• CPC Class Codes: G02B 6/44785 Cable clamps

Abstract

An optical fiber cable splice closure assembly includes a base member and a mating cover which, when assembled, form a hollow splice closure with openings at each end. One or more cable gripping members are located within the closure adjacent the open ends for gripping cables passing through the open ends, and a cable strength member is located adjacent to, and aligned with, the cable gripping member. One or more elongated pedestals extend from the floor of the base member, each having latching means on the distal end thereof. A splice tray adapter plate is latched to the distal end of the pedestal or pedestals, thereby creating a slack fiber storage space below the plate. The adapter plate can pivotally hold two or more standard splice trays on one side thereof, or a discrete or mass splice tray on the reverse side thereof. A race track grommet member having insert receiving members on each end thereof form a sealing means for the closure when the base member and the cover member are clamped together.

Claims

1. An optical fiber cable splice closure for containing optical fiber splices comprising:

a housing having a cover portion and a base portion having a floor portion and defining an enclosure having a longitudinal axis and having first and second open ends for cable ingress and egress;

gripping means adjacent to at least said first end for gripping a cable passing through a first open end;

a first elongated upstanding pedestal member mounted on said floor portion and extending upwardly therefrom to a distal end;

means for mounting one or more splice holders on said distal end of said first pedestal member and for defining a slack fiber storage space below said means and between said means and said floor; and

means for sealing said base portion and said cover portion and said first and second open ends against intrusion of moisture into the interior of said closure.

2. An optical fiber cable splice closure as claimed in claim 1 and further including a second elongated upstanding pedestal extending from said floor of said base member and axially spaced from said first pedestal.

3. An optical fiber cable splice closure as claimed in claim 2 wherein said second pedestal has a distal end spaced from said floor, said distal end having at least one resilient latching finger thereon.

4. An optical fiber cable splice closure as claimed in claim 3, wherein said means for mounting comprises an adapter plate, said adapter plate comprising a planar member having a longitudinal axis and first and second axially spaced openings therein, the spacing of said openings corresponding to the spacing of said first and second pedestal, each of said openings having at least one lip therein for mating with a corresponding one of said resilient latching fingers to secure said adapter plate to said first and second pedestals.

5. An optical fiber cable splice closure as claimed in claim 4 wherein said adapter plate is substantially rectangular in shape, having first and second elongated sides and first and second extending between said sides, said ends each having a latching number located substantially midway between said first and second sides.

6. An optical fiber cable splice closure as claimed in claim 5 wherein said adapter plate has first and second substantially planar surfaces;

means on said first surface at the extremities of said first elongated side for pivotally mounting a splice tray on said first surface; and

means at the extremities of said second elongated side for receiving latching means on the splice tray for holding the splice tray in position.

7. An optical fiber cable splice closure as claimed in claim 6 and further including a splice tray, said splice tray having a substantially rectangular shape having front and rear elongated wall portions and first and second side walls extending between said front and rear wall portions;

means at the intersections of said first and second side walls with said rear wall portion and extending from said side walls for pivotally mounting said splice tray to said adapter plate.

8. An optical fiber cable splice closure as claimed in claim 7 wherein said front wall portion has at the ends thereof latching means for latching with said means on said adapter plate for receiving latching means.

9. An optical fiber cable splice closure as claimed in claim 7 wherein said rear wall portion has a cut out portion for allowing passage of optical fibers from the fiber slack storage space below said adapter plate to the interior of said splice tray.

10. An optical fiber cable splice closure as claimed in claim 6 wherein said second planar surface has extending therefrom at the extremities of said first elongated side means for pivotally mounting a splice tray on said second surface, the splice tray having means for latching the splice tray to said latching members on said ends.

11. An optical fiber cable splice closure as claimed in claim 10 wherein said second planar surface has extending therefrom at the extremities of said second elongated side means for pivotally mounting a splice tray on said second surface, the splice tray having means for latching the splice tray to said latching members on said ends.

12. An optical fiber cable splice closure as claim 5 wherein said first elongated side of said adapter plate has a cut-out portion therein for allowing passage of optical fibers from the fiber slack storage space below said adapter plate to a region above said adapter plate.

13. An optical fiber cable splice closure as claimed in claim 3 wherein said means for sealing said base portion and said cover portion and said first and second open ends comprises a grommet member;

said grommet member having first and second openings therein for allowing passage of an optical fiber cable into and out of said closure, said openings comprising insert receiving means; and

insert members insertable into said insert receiving means for sealing said openings.

14. An optical fiber cable splice closure as claimed in claim 13 wherein said grommet member is made of a resilient material.

15. An optical fiber cable splice closure as claimed in claim 13 wherein said grommet member is made of polyurethane.

16. An optical fiber cable splice closure as claimed in claim 13 wherein said closure has first and second compartments formed therein for receiving and holding said insert receiving means.

17. An optical fiber cable splice closure as claimed in claim 2 wherein each of said first and second pedestals is circular in cross section with a radius greater than the critical bend radius of the optical fiber to be spliced.

18. An optical fiber cable splice closure as claimed in claim 1 wherein said distal end of said first pedestal has at least one resilient latching finger thereon.

19. An optical fiber cable splice closure for containing optical fiber splices comprising:

a closure housing having a cover portion and a base portion having a floor and first and second side walls and having a longitudinal axis and first and second open ends for cable ingress and egress;

cable gripping means mounted on said base portion adjacent at least said first end for gripping a cable passing through said first open end;

at least one cable strength member anchoring means for receiving a cable strength member and anchoring it in place, said anchoring means having a cable strength member receiving portion substantially axially aligned with said cable gripping means;

means for mounting said strength member anchoring means in place;

first and second elongated pedestal members extending from said floor portion and spaced from each other along the longitudinal axis;

each of said pedestal members having a distal end with latching means thereon;

a splice tray holding adapter plate mounted on said pedestal members and latched thereto and defining a slack fiber storage space below said adapter plate and between said adapter plate and said floor portion;

said adapter plate having means thereon for pivotally mounting one or more splice trays thereto; and

means for sealing said base portion and said cover portion and said first and second open ends against intrusion of moisture or contaminants into the interior of said closure.

20. An optical fiber cable splice closure as claimed in claim 19 wherein said means for sealing said base portion and said cover portion and said first and second open ends comprises a grommet member having first and second ends, said grommet member having at least one insert receiving member at each of said first and second ends;

and

insert members insertable into said insert receiving means for sealing said openings.

21. An optical fiber cable splice closure as claimed in claim 20 wherein said closure has means forming end compartments at each of said first and second open ends for receiving and holding said insert receiving members.

22. An optical fiber cable splice closure as claimed in claim 21 wherein said grommet member has two insert receiving members at each of said first and second ends and said closure has two end compartments at each end, arrayed side by side.

23. An optical fiber cable splice closure as claimed in claim 19 and further including at least one splice tray having means for pivotally mounting said tray on said adapter plate.

24. An optical fiber cable splice closure as claimed in claim 23 wherein said splice tray has one or more splice holders therein, said splice tray having a slack fiber storage space located at least partially below said splice holder.

25. An optical fiber cable splice closure as claimed in claim 19 wherein said base portion and said cover portion each have flange members extending along the length thereof, and means for clamping said flanges together with a portion of said means for sealing therebetween.

26. An optical fiber cable splice closure as claimed in claim 25 and further including means for clamping said base portion and said cover portion together at the open ends of said closure with a portion of said means for sealing therebetween.

27. An optical fiber cable splice closure as claimed in claim 19 and further including means arrayed along said first and second wall portions for mounting cable tie retainers therein.