Hybrid cable splice closure and related methods
First Claim
1. An in-line splice closure for first and second hybrid cables each of a type including at least one optical fiber and at least one signal conductor, the in-line splice closure comprising:
- an outer housing having opposing first and second ends for receiving respective ends of the first and second hybrid cables;
an organizer tube extending within said outer housing;
at least one electrical connector within said organizer tube for connecting signal conductors of the first and second hybrid cables;
at least one optical splice for connecting optical fibers of the first and second hybrid cables; and
optical fiber support means wrapped around an outer surface of said organizer tube for supporting the at least one optical splice and adjacent optical fiber slack portions.
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0 Petitions
Accused Products
Abstract
An in-line splice closure for splicing two hybrid fiber and signal conductor cables includes an outer housing having opposing first and second ends for receiving respective ends of the cables. An organizer tube extends within the outer housing. Electrical connectors are positioned within the organizer tube for connecting signal conductors of the first and second hybrid cables. The splice closure preferably includes at least one optical splice for connecting optical fibers of the first and second cables, and an optical fiber support wrapped around an outer surface of the organizer tube for supporting the at least one optical splice and adjacent optical fiber slack portions. The organizer tube preferably has a predetermined diameter and the optical fiber support preferably supports the optical fiber slack portions so as not to exceed the minimum bend radius. The organizer tube preferably has a longitudinally extending groove in an outer surface portion for receiving buffer tubes of the cables. The optical fiber support may comprise a flexible substrate for supporting the fibers. The flexible substrate may comprise a body of flexible compressible material having a disk or oval shape and having radially extending slits for receiving optical fiber slack portions. The flexible substrate may alternately include integrally formed guide portions.
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Citations
50 Claims
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1. An in-line splice closure for first and second hybrid cables each of a type including at least one optical fiber and at least one signal conductor, the in-line splice closure comprising:
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an outer housing having opposing first and second ends for receiving respective ends of the first and second hybrid cables; an organizer tube extending within said outer housing; at least one electrical connector within said organizer tube for connecting signal conductors of the first and second hybrid cables; at least one optical splice for connecting optical fibers of the first and second hybrid cables; and optical fiber support means wrapped around an outer surface of said organizer tube for supporting the at least one optical splice and adjacent optical fiber slack portions. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18)
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19. An in-line splice closure for first and second hybrid cables each of a type including at least one optical fiber, a metallic shield, and at least one signal conductor, the in-line splice closure comprising:
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an outer housing having opposing first and second ends for receiving respective ends of the first and second hybrid cables; an elongate shield conductor for connecting respective ends of the metallic shields of the first and second hybrid cables; an organizer tube extending within said outer housing; at least one electrical connector within said organizer tube for connecting signal conductors of the first and second hybrid cables; at least one optical splice for connecting optical fibers of the first and second hybrid cables; and a flexible substrate wrapped around an outer surface of said organizer tube for supporting the at least one optical splice and adjacent optical fiber slack portions. - View Dependent Claims (20, 21, 22, 23, 24, 25, 26, 27, 28)
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29. An in-line splice closure for first and second cables each of a type including at least one optical fiber, the in-line splice closure comprising:
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an outer housing having opposing first and second ends for receiving respective ends of the first and second cables; an organizer tube extending within said outer housing; and a body of flexible compressible material positioned to extend around outer surface portions of said organizer tube and having a predetermined geometric shape and having a plurality of slits extending outwardly to peripheral portions of the predetermined geometric shape for receiving optical fiber slack portions therein. - View Dependent Claims (30, 31, 32, 33, 34, 35, 36, 37, 38, 39, 40)
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41. A method for making an in-line splice for first and second hybrid cables each of a type including at least one optical fiber and at least one signal conductor, the method comprising the steps of:
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connecting at least one electrical connector between respective signal conductors of the first and second hybrid cables; positioning an organizer tube extending between first and second ends of the first and second hybrid cables and surrounding the at least one electrical connector; forming at least one optical splice for connecting optical fibers of the first and second hybrid cables; and supporting the at least one optical splice and adjacent optical fiber slack portions on a support member and wrapping the support member around an outer surface of the organizer tube. - View Dependent Claims (42, 43, 44, 45, 46, 47, 48, 49, 50)
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Specification