Fiber optic cabinet and tray

• US 6,480,660 B1
• Filed: 12/20/2000
• Issued: 11/12/2002
• Est. Priority Date: 09/21/1998
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: CommScope Technologies, LLC (CommScope Holding Company, Inc.)
• Original Assignee: ADC Telecommunications Incorporated (TE Connectivity Limited)
• Inventors: Reitmeier, Wade P., Knudsen, Clinton M.
• Primary Examiner(s): Healy, Brian
• Application Number:
  US09/745,111
• Time in Patent Office: 692 Days
• Field of Search: 385/134, 385/135, 385/136, 385/137, 385/147
• US Class Current: 385/135
• CPC Class Codes: G02B 6/4441 Boxes
• CPC Class Codes: G02B 6/44526 Panels or rackmounts covering a whole width of the frame or rack
• CPC Class Codes: G02B 6/4454 with splices
• CPC Class Codes: G02B 6/4455 characterised by the way of extraction or insertion of the cassette in the distribution frame, e.g. pivoting, sliding, rotating or gliding

Abstract

A fiber optic cabinet has internal aligned guides on opposite sides of an axis opening. A splice tray has a planar tray base with a tray axis orthogonal to the base. The base has a peripheral edge sized for opposite portions of the peripheral edge to be slidably engaged with opposing ones of the aligned cabinet guides. The tray base is slidably received within the aligned guides regardless of a rotational position of the tray base about the tray axis. A fiber pathway guide is carried on the tray base for receiving a wound amount of optical fiber on the guide as the tray base is rotated about the tray axis.

Claims

1. An optical fiber splice tray comprising:

a generally planar tray base having a tray axis orthogonal to the base, the base having a peripheral edge;

a first fiber pathway guide carried on the tray base for receiving a wound amount of optical fiber on the guide as the tray base is rotated about the tray axis, wherein the first fiber pathway guide is a spool carried on the tray base and dimensioned to be recessed from the peripheral edge and having a spool axis colinear with the tray axis, wherein the spool includes at least portions of a cylindrical wall having a cylindrical axis colinear with the tray axis and with the portions of the cylindrical wall secured to the tray base and spaced inwardly from the tray peripheral edge;

a first plurality of retaining members on a side of the portions of the cylindrical wall opposite the tray base and extending radially outwardly, at least one of the retaining members including a lip extending toward the tray base;

a fiber optic splice holder region on the tray base and positioned radially inwardly from the first fiber pathway guide, and the first fiber pathway guide defining a fiber pathway for passage of a fiber from the first fiber pathway guide toward the fiber optic splice holder region, wherein a fiber optic splice holder can be secured to a first side of the tray base;

the tray base having fiber routing members, wherein the fiber routing members are adapted to reverse a direction of winding of a fiber.

2. The optical fiber tray according to claim 1, wherein the fiber routing members are on an opposite second side of the tray base to the fiber optic splice holder, and wherein the tray base includes an opening therethrough to pass a fiber from the first side to the second side.

3. An optical fiber tray according to claim 2, further comprising an optical fiber tie location configured and arranged for receiving a tie mechanism for tying the optical fiber to the tray.

4. An optical fiber tray according to claim 2, wherein the fiber routing members include two spaced-apart secondary spools on the second side of the tray base.

5. An optical fiber tray according to claim 1, wherein the fiber routing members are on the first side of the tray base centered over the tray axis.

6. An optical fiber tray according to claim 5, further comprising an optical fiber tie location configured and arranged for receiving a tie mechanism for tying the optical fiber to the tray.

7. An optical fiber tray according to claim 5, further comprising a first fiber optic splice holder secured to the tray base, and further comprising a second fiber optic splice holder secured to the tray base on a first portion of the first side of the tray base opposite to a location of the first fiber optic splice holder on a second portion of the first side of the tray base.

8. An optical fiber tray according to claim 1, further comprising a second plurality of retaining members on the side of the portions of the cylindrical wall opposite the tray base and extending radially inwardly.

9. An optical fiber tray according to claim 1, wherein the peripheral edge defines a generally circular peripheral edge.

10. An optical fiber splice tray comprising:

a generally planar tray base having a tray axis orthogonal to the base, the base having a peripheral edge;

a first fiber pathway guide carried on the tray base for receiving a wound amount of optical fiber on the guide as the tray base is rotated about the tray axis, wherein the first fiber pathway guide is a spool carried on the tray base and dimensioned to be recessed from the peripheral edge and having a spool axis colinear with the tray axis, wherein the spool includes at least portions of a cylindrical wall having a cylindrical axis colinear with the tray axis and with the portions of the cylindrical wall secured to the tray base and spaced inwardly from the tray peripheral edge;

a first plurality of retaining members on a side of the portions of the cylindrical wall opposite the tray base and extending radially outwardly;

a fiber optic splice holder region on the tray base and positioned radially inwardly from the first fiber pathway guide, and the first fiber pathway guide defining a fiber pathway for passage of a fiber from the first fiber pathway guide toward the fiber optic splice holder region, wherein a fiber optic splice holder can be secured to a first side of the tray base;

the tray base having fiber routing members, wherein the fiber routing members are adapted to reverse a direction of winding of a fiber;

an optical fiber tie location on the spool configured and arranged for receiving a tie mechanism for tying the optical fiber to the tray.

11. An optical fiber tray according to claim 10, wherein the fiber routing members are on an opposite second side of the tray base to the fiber optic splice holder, and wherein the tray base includes an opening therethrough to pass a fiber from the first side to the second side.

12. An optical fiber tray according to claim 11, wherein the fiber routing members include two spaced-apart secondary spools on the second side of the tray base.

13. An optical fiber tray according to claim 10, wherein the fiber routing members are on the first side of the tray base centered over the tray axis.

14. An optical fiber tray according to claim 13, further comprising a first fiber optic splice holder secured to the tray base, and further comprising a second fiber optic splice holder secured to the tray base on a first portion of the first side of the tray base opposite to a location of the first fiber optic splice holder on a second portion of the first side of the tray base.

15. An optical fiber tray according to claim 10, further comprising a second plurality of retaining members on the side of the portions of the cylindrical wall opposite the tray base and extending radially inwardly.

16. An optical fiber tray according to claim 10, wherein the peripheral edge defines a generally circular peripheral edge.