Splice closure with removable and pivotable splice trays, and associated methods

• US 6,496,640 B1
• Filed: 12/16/1999
• Issued: 12/17/2002
• Est. Priority Date: 12/16/1999
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Corning Optical Communications LLC (Corning Incorporated)
• Original Assignee: Corning Cable Systems LLC (Corning Incorporated)
• Inventors: Harvey, John D., Wicker, James H., Smith, Kelly J.
• Primary Examiner(s): Spyrou, Cassandra
• Assistant Examiner(s): CHERRY, EUNCHA P
• Application Number:
  US09/464,962
• Time in Patent Office: 1,097 Days
• Field of Search: 385/134, 385/135, 385/136, 385/137
• US Class Current: 385/135
• CPC Class Codes: G02B 6/4442 Cap coupling boxes
• CPC Class Codes: G02B 6/4454 with splices

Abstract

A splice closure contains multiple splice trays that can be individually pivoted and accessed so that the splice closure is capable of optimally carrying and providing access to numerous optical fibers and optical fiber splices. The splice closure has a housing defining an internal cavity and at least one opening to the internal cavity. An end cap is capable of occluding the opening of the housing to provide an enclosed configuration. A support frame has opposite front and rear ends, the front end of the support frame is connected to the end cap, and the support frame is capable of being positioned within the internal cavity of the housing during the enclosed configuration. The support frame extends in a longitudinal direction between the front and rear ends, and defines a frame axis that extends in the longitudinal direction. The multiple splice trays are pivotally carried by the support frame so that there are a plurality of axes of rotation that are generally parallel to the frame axis and about which the splice trays are respectively pivotable. Biasing mechanisms are operative for releasably holding the splice trays to the support frame.

Claims

1. A closure for containing optical fiber splices, the closure comprising:

a housing defining an internal cavity and at least one opening to the internal cavity;

an end cap capable of occluding the opening of the housing to provide an enclosed configuration;

a support frame having opposite front and rear ends, wherein the support frame extends in a longitudinal direction between the front and rear ends, the support frame defines a frame axis that extends in the longitudinal direction, the front end of the support frame is connected to the end cap, and the support frame is capable of being positioned within the internal cavity of the housing during the enclosed configuration; and

a plurality of splice trays carried by the support frame, wherein each splice tray is capable of supporting at least one of the optical fiber splices, and each splice tray is mounted to be capable of pivoting relative to the support frame so that there are a plurality of axes of rotation that are generally parallel to the frame axis and about which the splice trays are respectively pivotable.

2. A closure according to claim 1, wherein a first group of the splice trays is spaced apart from a second group of the slice trays in a lateral direction that is generally perpendicular to the longitudinal direction so that a space is defined between the first and second groups of splice trays.

3. A closure according to claim 1, wherein the splice trays are adjacent and arranged so that external surfaces of the splice trays cooperate to define a cascade-like configuration.

4. A closure according to claim 1, wherein the housing has opposite front and rear ends, the opening is proximate the front end of the housing, the housing defines a housing axis extending between the front and rear ends of the housing, and the axes of rotation are generally parallel to the housing axis while the support frame is positioned within the internal cavity of the housing during the enclosed configuration.

5. A closure according to claim 1, further comprising:

a first pivot carried by the support frame and at least partially carrying a first of the splice trays; and

a biasing mechanism operative;

for biasingly forcing the first splice tray in a first direction that extends generally in the longitudinal direction to maintain the first splice tray in the position in which the first splice tray is carried by the pivot and the pivot is carried by the support frame, and

so that the bias force imposed by the biasing mechanism is overcome by forcing the first splice tray in a second direction that is opposite to the first direction so the first splice tray is moved in the second direction and out of the position in which the first splice tray is carried by the pivot and the pivot is carried by the support frame.

6. A closure according to claim 1, further comprising a plurality of pivots respectively extending generally coaxially with the axes of rotation and respectively carrying the splice trays.

7. A closure according to claim 6, wherein at least one of the pivots comprises a terminus and a biasing mechanism that biases the terminus generally in the longitudinal direction.

8. A closure according to claim 6, wherein the pivots are connected to the support frame and each of the splice trays defines at least one receptacle in receipt of at least one of the pivots.

9. A closure according to claim 6, wherein the pivots are respectively connected to the splice trays and the support frame defines a plurality of receptacles that are respectively in receipt of the pivots.

10. A closure according to claim 6, wherein the frame comprises a plurality of extensions that extend generally perpendicularly to the frame axis, and a first of the extensions carries a first group of the pivots and a second of the extensions carries a second group of the pivots.

11. A closure for containing optical fiber splices, the closure comprising:

a housing defining an internal cavity and at least one opening to the internal cavity;

an end cap capable of occluding the opening of the housing to provide an enclosed configuration;

a support frame connected to the end cap and capable of being positioned within the internal cavity of the housing during the enclosed configuration, wherein the support frame comprises;

a member having opposite front and rear ends, wherein the front end is closer to the end cap than the rear end, the member extends in a longitudinal direction between the front and rear ends, and the member defines a frame axis that extends in the longitudinal direction,

a rear extension connected to and extending away from the member and extending generally in a lateral direction that is perpendicular to the longitudinal direction, and

a front extension connected to and extending away from the member and extending generally in the lateral direction, wherein the front extension is in a position that is between the end cap and the rear extension; and

a plurality of splice trays, wherein each splice tray is capable of supporting at least one of the optical fiber splices, each splice tray includes opposite front and rear ends, the front end of each splice tray is proximate the front extension, the rear end of each splice tray is proximate the rear extension, and each splice tray is pivotally carried by both the front and rear extensions.

12. A closure according to claim 11, wherein each splice tray comprises:

a front pivot proximate the front end of the splice tray and pivotally carried by the front extension; and

a rear pivot proximate the rear end of the splice tray and pivotally carried by the rear extension.

13. A closure according to claim 11, wherein the member is a plate comprising an edge extending generally in the longitudinal direction, and the support frame further comprises a flange extending from proximate the edge for restricting the pivoting of at least one of the splice trays.

14. A closure according to claim 11, further comprising a restrictive mechanism operative for restricting the pivoting of at least one of the splice trays, wherein the restricting mechanism is selected from the group consisting of:

the combination of a protrusion carried by one of the splice trays that interacts with a receptacle carried by one of the extensions;

the combination of a protrusion carried by one of the extensions that interacts with a receptacle carried by one of the splice trays;

a stop protruding from at least one of the extensions and positioned for being abutted by at least one of the splice trays; and

a stop protruding from the member and positioned for being abutted by at least one of the splice trays.

15. A closure according to claim 11, wherein:

the member further comprises opposite first and second sides extending in the longitudinal direction;

the front extension is a first front extension and is proximate the first side;

the rear extension is a first rear extension and is proximate the first side;

the splice trays are first splice trays;

the support frame further comprises;

a second rear extension connected to the member proximate the second side, wherein the second rear extension extends away from the member and generally in the lateral direction, and

a second front extension connected to the member proximate the second side, wherein the second front extension extends away from the member and generally in the lateral direction; and

the closure further comprises a plurality of second splice trays, wherein each of the second splice trays is capable of supporting at least one of the optical fiber splices, each second splice tray includes opposite front and rear ends, the front end of each second splice tray is proximate the second front extension, the rear end of each second splice tray is proximate the second rear extension, and each second splice tray is pivotally carried by both the second front extension and the second rear extension.

16. A closure according to claim 15, wherein:

the first front extension carries a plurality of first front pivots respectively pivotally carrying the first splice trays, wherein the first front pivots are arranged generally along a first front line;

the second front extension carries a plurality of second front pivots respectively pivotally carrying the second splice trays, wherein the second front pivots are arranged generally along a second front line that defines an angle with respect to the first front line;

the first rear extension carries a plurality of first rear pivots respectively pivotally carrying the first splice trays, wherein the first rear pivots are arranged generally along a first rear line; and

the second rear extension carries a plurality of second rear pivots respectively pivotally carrying the second splice trays, wherein the second rear pivots are arranged generally along a second rear line that defines an angle with respect to the first rear line.

17. A closure according to claim 15, wherein the first splice trays are spaced apart from the second splice trays in the lateral direction so that a longitudinally extending space is defined between the plurality of first splice trays and the plurality of second splice trays.

18. A closure according to claim 17, wherein the support frame further comprises a generally U-shaped bracket mounted to the member and defining a longitudinally extending open channel that is contiguous with the space defined between the plurality of first splice trays and the plurality of second splice trays.

19. A closure for containing optical fiber splices, the closure comprising;

a housing defining an internal cavity and at least one opening to the internal cavity;

an end cap capable of occluding the opening of the housing to provide an enclosed configuration;

a support frame connected to the end cap and capable of being positioned within the internal cavity of the housing during the enclosed configuration;

a splice tray capable of supporting at least one of the optical fiber splices;

a pivot carried by the support frame and at least partially carrying the splice tray, wherein the pivot defines a povot axis that extends in a longitudinal direction and about which the splice tray is capable of pivoting; and

a biasing mechanism operative;

for biasingly forcing the splice tray generally in a first direction that extends generally in the longitudinal direction to maintain the splice tray in the position in which the splice tray is carried by the pivot, and

so that the bias force imposed by the biasing mechanism is selectively overcome by forcing the splice tray in a second direction that is generally opposite to the first direction so the splice tray is moved in the second direction and out of the position in which the splice tray is carried by the pivot that is carried by the support frame.

20. A closure according to claim 19, wherein:

the pivot is a first pivot; and

the biasing mechanism comprises a second pivot carried by the support frame and at least partially carrying the splice tray, and the second pivot comprises a terminus and a spring that biases the terminus in the first direction.

21. A closure according to claim 19, wherein the biasing mechanism comprises a length of at least one of the components of a fiber optic cable, wherein the fiber optic cable extends through the end cap and the at least one of the components of the fiber optic cable extends to the splice tray.

22. A method for moving splice trays relative to a support frame, the method comprising:

moving a splice tray form a distant configuration to a proximate configuration such that the splice tray is distant from the support frame while in the distant configuration and the splice tray is proximate to the support frame while in the proximate configuration, wherein the support frame defines a longitudinal axis and the splice tray is at least partially carried by a pivot that defines a pivot axis parallel to the longitudinal axis defined by the support frame and that is carried by the support frame, and wherein the moving comprises moving the splice tray generally in a first direction so that the splice tray is moved into the proximate configuration; and

biasingly forcing the splice tray in the first direction so that the splice tray is retained in the proximate configuration.

23. A method according to claim 22, further comprising overcoming the bias force to move the splice tray in a second direction that is generally opposite from the first direction so that the splice tray is removed from the proximate configuration.

24. A method according to claim 23, further comprising pivoting the splice tray about the pivot axis while the splice tray is in the proximate configuration.