Movable bracket for holding internal components of an optical fiber interconnection closure during servicing and associated method

• US 6,292,614 B1
• Filed: 08/24/1999
• Issued: 09/18/2001
• Est. Priority Date: 08/24/1999
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Corning Optical Communications LLC (Corning Incorporated)
• Original Assignee: Siecor Operations, LLC (Corning Incorporated)
• Inventors: Smith, Kelly John, Wicker, James H.
• Primary Examiner(s): Sanghavi, Hemang
• Assistant Examiner(s): PAK, SUNG H
• Application Number:
  US09/379,939
• Time in Patent Office: 756 Days
• Field of Search: 385/134, 385/135, 385/136, 385/137, 174/52.1
• US Class Current: 385/135
• CPC Class Codes: G02B 6/4447 with divided shells G02B6/4448 takes precedence

Abstract

A closure that is operative for containing optical fiber splices includes a support assembly that supports the splices. While the closure is in an enclosed configuration, the support assembly and a holding bracket are substantially contained in a housing of the closure. When the splices within the closure are to be serviced, the support assembly and the holding bracket are removed from the housing. Thereafter, the holding bracket is configured so a protruding portion of the holding bracket extends away from the support assembly to provide an extended configuration. While in the extended configuration, the protruding portion of the holding bracket is clamped to a work surface with a clamping device so the holding bracket supports the support assembly in a cantilever-like fashion and the holding bracket and the clamping device do not substantially interfere with the servicing of the optical fiber splices. After servicing the splices, the holding bracket is configured in an unextended configuration and the support assembly, with the holding bracket attached thereto, is returned to the housing, so the holding bracket is readily available for use the next time the closure is serviced.

Claims

1. A closure for containing optical fiber splices and that can be efficiently serviced through the use of a clamping device, the closure comprising:

a housing defining an internal cavity;

a support assembly operative for supporting the optical fiber splices, wherein a substantial portion of the support assembly is capable of being contained in the cavity to provide an enclosed configuration, and the support assembly is further capable of being removed from the cavity to provide an unenclosed configuration, the support assembly comprising an end cap and a support frame that is connected to and extends rearward from the end cap; and

a holding bracket connected to the support assembly and movable between an extended configuration and an unextended configuration, wherein the holding bracket is arranged so as not to interfere with movement of the support assembly from the unenclosed configuration to the enclosed configuration while the holding bracket is in the unextended configuration, the holding bracket comprising a rear portion that is in an overlapping configuration with a portion of the support frame, a forward portion connected to the end cap in a manner that causes the rear portion of the holding bracket to be interlocked to the support frame, and a protruding portion that extends outwardly from the support assembly while the holding bracket is in the extended configuration so the protruding portion is available to be clamped by the clamping device, whereby the clamping device does not substantially interfere with the servicing of the optical fiber splices.

2. A closure for containing optical fiber splices and that can be efficiently serviced through the use of a clamping device, the closure comprising:

a housing defining an internal cavity and an opening to the internal cavity;

a support assembly operative for supporting the optical fiber splices, wherein a substantial portion of the support assembly is capable of being contained in the cavity to provide an enclosed configuration, and the support assembly is further capable of being removed from the cavity to provide an unenclosed configuration, the support assembly comprising an end cap and a support frame that is connected to and extends from the end cap, wherein the end cap occludes the opening of the housing and the support frame is positioned in the internal cavity while the closure is in the enclosed configuration; and

a holding bracket comprising an elongate member that is pivotally connected to the support assembly and operative for pivoting between an extended configuration and an unextended configuration, wherein the holding bracket is substantially aligned with the support frame in the unextended configuration and is arranged so as not to interfere with the movement of the support assembly from the unenclosed configuration to the enclosed configuration while the holding bracket is in the unextended configuration, and wherein the holding bracket is substantially perpendicular to the support frame while in the extended configuration, the holding bracket further comprising a protruding portion that extends outwardly from the support assembly while the holding bracket is in the extended configuration so the protruding portion is available to be clamped by the clamping device, whereby the clamping device does not substantially interfere with the servicing of the optical fiber splices.

3. A closure for containing optical fibers comprising:

a housing defining an internal cavity;

a support assembly operative for supporting the optical fibers, the support assembly contained in the cavity to provide an enclosed configuration and removed from the cavity to provide an unenclosed configuration, the support assembly comprising an end cap and a support frame that is connected to and extends from the end cap; and

a holding bracket that is pivotally connected to the support frame of the support assembly and operative for pivoting between an extended configuration and an unextended configuration, wherein the holding bracket is substantially aligned with the support frame and arranged so as not to interfere with movement of the support assembly from the unenclosed configuration to the enclosed configuration when in the unextended configuration, the holding bracket comprising a protruding portion that extends outwardly from the support assembly when the holding bracket is in the extended configuration so the protruding portion is available to be clamped by a clamping device that does not substantially interfere with servicing the optical fibers.

4. A closure for containing optical fibers comprising:

a housing defining an internal cavity,

a support assembly operative for supporting the optical fibers, the support assembly contained in the cavity to provide an enclosed configuration and removed from the cavity to provide an unenclosed configuration, the support assembly comprising an end cap and a support frame that is connected to and extends from the end cap; and

a holding bracket that is pivotally connected to the support frame of the support assembly and operative for pivoting between an extended configuration and an unextended configuration, wherein the holding bracket is substantially aligned with the support frame and arranged so as not to interfere with movement of the support assembly from the unenclosed configuration to the enclosed configuration when in the unextended configuration and is substantially perpendicular to the support frame when in the extended configuration, the holding bracket comprising a protruding portion that extends outwardly from the support assembly when the holding bracket is in the extended configuration so the protruding portion is available to be clamped by a clamping device that does not substantially interfere with servicing the optical fibers.

5. A closure for containing optical fibers comprising:

a housing defining an internal cavity;

a support assembly operative for supporting the optical fibers, the support assembly contained in the cavity to provide an enclosed configuration and removed from the cavity to provide an unenclosed configuration, the support assembly comprising an end cap and a support frame that is connected to and extends rearward from the end cap; and

a holding bracket connected to the support assembly and movable between an extended configuration and an unextended configuration, wherein the holding bracket is arranged so as not to interfere with movement of the support assembly from the.unenclosed configuration to the enclosed configuration when in the unextended configuration, the holding bracket comprising a rear portion that overlaps a portion of the support frame, a forward portion connected to the end cap so that the rear portion of the holding bracket is interlocked with the support frame, and a protruding portion that extends outwardly from the support assembly when the holding bracket is in the extended configuration so the protruding portion is available to be clamped by a clamping device that does not substantially interfere with servicing the optical fibers.

6. A closure for containing optical fibers comprising:

a housing defining an internal cavity;

a support assembly operative for supporting the optical fibers, the support assembly contained in the cavity to provide an enclosed configuration and removed from the cavity to provide an unenclosed configuration; and

a holding bracket for securely holding the support assembly, the holding bracket comprising;

a forward connecting mechanism that is operative for connecting to a forward portion of the support assembly,

a rear connecting mechanism that is spaced apart from the forward connecting mechanism and operative for connecting to a rearward portion of the support assembly, and

a protruding portion,

wherein the holding bracket is removably connectable to the support assembly to provide an extended configuration in which the protruding portion extends away from the support assembly and is available to be clamped by a clamping device that does not substantially interfere with servicing the optical fibers.

7. A closure for containing optical fiber splices and that can be efficiently serviced through the use of a clamping device, the closure comprising:

a housing defining an internal cavity and an opening to the internal cavity;

a support assembly operative for supporting the optical fiber splices, wherein a substantial portion of the support assembly is capable of being contained in the cavity to provide an enclosed configuration, and the support assembly is further capable of being removed from the cavity to provide an unenclosed configuration, the support assembly comprising and end cap and a support frame that is connected to and extends from the end cap, wherein the end cap occludes the opening of the housing and the support frame is positioned in the internal cavity while the closure is in the enclosed configuration; and

a holding bracket comprising and elongate member that is pivotally connected to the support frame of the support assembly and operative for pivoting between an extended configuration and an unextended configuration, wherein the holding bracket is substantially aligned with the support frame in the unextended configuration and the extended configuration and is arranged so as not to interfere with movement of the support assembly from the unenclosed configuration to the enclosed configuration while the holding bracket is in the unextended configuration, and the bracket comprises a protruding portion that extends outwardly from the support assembly while the holding bracket is in the extended configuration so the protruding portion is available to be champed by the clamping device, whereby the clamping device does not substantially interfere with the servicing of the optical fiber splices.

8. A closure according to claim 7, further comprising an elongate fastener wrapped around at least a portion of the support assembly and the holding bracket to at least partially connect the holding bracket to the support assembly.

9. A closure according to claim 7, wherein the holding bracket is connected to the support frame at a position that is proximate to the end cap while the holding bracket is in the extended configuration and the holding bracket is connected to the support frame at a position that is distant from the end cap while the holding bracket is in the unextended configuration.

10. A closure according to claim 9, further comprising:

a stud connected to the support frame at a position that is distant from the end cap; and

a flange connected to the support frame at a position that is proximate to the end cap,

wherein the holding bracket defines an aperture that receives the stud to at least partly facilitate the connecting of the holding bracket to the support frame during the unextended configuration of the holding bracket, and the holding bracket engages the flange of the support frame to at least partly facilitate the connecting of the holding bracket to the support frame during the extended configuration of the holding bracket.

11. A closure according to claim 7, further comprising:

a tray operative for containing the optical fiber splices; and

a connector that holds the tray to the support assembly, wherein the connector also holds the holding bracket to the support assembly while the holding bracket is in the unextended configuration.

12. A closure according to claim 11, wherein the connector comprises a strap.

13. A closure according to claim 11, wherein the connector comprises a stud that is connected to and extends from the support assembly, and the holding bracket defines an aperture through which the stud extends while the holding bracket is in the unextended configuration.

14. A closure according to claim 7, wherein the holding bracket comprises:

a base portion having opposite front and rear ends, wherein the base portion extends in a longitudinal direction between the front and rear ends, and the base portion comprises opposite first and second edges that extend in the longitudinal direction;

a first rear flange connected to the base portion proximate to the first edge and the rear end, and extending away from the base portion in a first direction;

a second rear flange connected to the base portion proximate to the second edge and the rear end, and extending away from the base portion in the first direction; and

a front flange connected to be base portion at a position that is forward of the rear flanges, wherein the front flange extends away from the base portion in the first direction.

15. A closure according to claim 14, wherein:

the end cap of the support assembly has a front end and a rear end; and

the support frame of the support assembly extends rearward of the end cap and comprises;

opposite first and second sides that extend in the longitudinal direction,

a first lateral flange that is connected to and extends laterally away from the first side of the support frame, and

a second lateral flange that is connected to and extends laterally away from the second side of the support frame; and

while the holding bracket is in the extended configuration, the base portion of the holding bracket is proximate to the support frame, the first rear flange of the holding bracket is proximate to the first side of the support frame and engaged to the first lateral flange of the support assembly, the second rear flange of the holding bracket is proximate to the second side of the support frame and engaged to the second lateral flange of the support assembly, and the front flange of the holding bracket is engaged to the front end of the end cap.

16. A closure for containing optical fiber splices and that can be efficiently serviced through the use of a clamping device, the closure comprising:

a housing defining an internal cavity;

a support assembly operative for supporting the optical fiber splices, wherein a substantial portion of the support assembly is capable of being contained in the cavity to provide an enclosed configuration, and the support assembly is further capable of being removed from the cavity to provide an unenclosed configuration; and

a holding bracket for securely holding the support assembly, the holding bracket comprising;

a forward connecting mechanism that is operative for connecting to a forward portion of the support assembly,

a rear connecting mechanism that is spaced apart from the forward connecting mechanism and operative for connecting to a rearward portion of the support assembly, and

a protruding portion,

wherein the holding bracket is removably connectable to the support assembly to provide an extended configuration in which the protruding portion of the holding bracket extends away from the support frame so the protruding portion is available to be clamped by the clamping device, whereby the clamping device does not substantially interfere in the servicing of the optical fiber splices when the clamping device is clamped to the protruding portion during the extended configuration.

17. A closure according to claim 16, wherein:

the housing further defines an opening to the cavity;

the support assembly comprises;

an end cap having opposite front and rear ends, wherein the end cap occludes the opening of the housing while the closure is in an enclosed configuration and the end cap is removed from the opening of the housing while the closure is in an unenclosed configuration, and

a support frame connected to the end cap and extending rearward from the end cap, wherein the support frame is contained in the cavity while the closure in is the enclosed configuration and the support frame is outside of the cavity while the closure is in the unenclosed configuration;

the forward connecting mechanism of the holding bracket is operative for connecting to the end cap, and

the rear connecting mechanism of the holding bracket is operative for connecting to the support frame.

18. A closure according to claim 17, wherein the rear connecting mechanism of the holding bracket comprises a flange that is operative to engage the support frame.

19. A closure according to claim 17, wherein:

the support frame has opposite front and rear ends, and the support frame extends in a longitudinal direction therebetween;

the support frame comprises;

a forward frame section that comprises opposite first and second sides that extend in the longitudinal direction,

a first lateral flange that is connected to and extends laterally away from the first side of the forward frame section, and

a second lateral flange that is connected to and extends laterally away from the second side of the forward frame section;

the holding bracket comprises a base portion that extends in the longitudinal direction and is proximate to the forward frame section; and

the rear connecting mechanism of the holding bracket comprises;

a first connecting flange that extends from the base portion, is proximate to the first side of the forward frame section, and engages the first lateral flange; and

a second connecting flange that extends from the base portion, is proximate to the second side of the forward frame section, and engages the second lateral flange.

20. A closure according to claim 17, wherein the support frame comprises a flange to which the rear connecting mechanism is connected.

21. A closure according to claim 20, wherein the flange of the support frame has a strain-relief bracket connected thereto.

22. A closure according to claim 17, wherein the forward connecting mechanism of the holding bracket comprises a threaded fastener that is operative to fasten the holding bracket to the end cap.

23. A closure according to claim 17, wherein the forward connecting mechanism of the holding bracket comprises a flange that is engaged to the end cap.

24. A closure according to claim 23, wherein the flange is engaged to the front end of the end cap.

25. A closure according to claim 23, wherein:

the flange defines an aperture therethrough; and

the forward connecting mechanism further comprises a threaded fastener that extends through the aperture and into the end cap.

26. A bracket for removably connecting to and holding an internal component of a closure for containing optical fiber splices, the bracket comprising:

a base portion having opposite front and rear ends, wherein the base portion extends in a longitudinal direction between the front and rear ends, and the base portion comprises opposite first and second edges that extend in the longitudinal direction;

a first rear flange connected to the base portion proximate to the first edge and the rear end, and extending away from the base portion in a first direction;

a second rear flange connected to the base portion proximate to the second edge and the rear end, and extending away from the base portion in the first direction; and

a forward connecting mechanism that is positioned forward of the rear flanges.

27. A bracket according to claim 26, wherein the base portion defines an aperture therethrough that serves as the forward connecting mechanism.

28. A bracket according to claim 26, wherein the base portion defines a forward aperture therethrough that is proximate to the front end, and the base portion further defines a rear aperture therethrough that is proximate to the rear end.

29. A bracket according to claim 26, wherein the forward connecting mechanism comprises a forward flange connected to the base portion at a position that is forward of the rear flanges, and the front flange extends away from the base portion in the first direction.

30. A bracket according to claim 29, wherein:

the first rear flange defines an aperture that is open at the rear end of the first rear flange;

the second rear flange defines an aperture that is open at the rear end of the second rear flange; and

the front flange defines an aperture therethrough.