Filament organizer

• US 6,600,866 B2
• Filed: 03/13/2001
• Issued: 07/29/2003
• Est. Priority Date: 03/13/2001
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Proximion Fiber Systems AB
• Original Assignee: 3M Innovative Properties Company (3M Company)
• Inventors: LaBrake, Dwayne L., Gatica, Anthony William
• Primary Examiner(s): Sanghavi, Hemang
• Assistant Examiner(s): Knauss, Scott A.
• Application Number:
  US09/804,781
• Publication Number:
  US 20020176682A1
• Time in Patent Office: 868 Days
• Field of Search: 385/134-137, 385/37, 242/154-178
• US Class Current: 385/135
• CPC Class Codes: G02B 6/02152 involving moving the fibre or a manufacturing element, stretching of the fibre G02B6/02147 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: G02B 6/245 Removing protective coverings of light guides before coupling
• CPC Class Codes: G02B 6/3616 Holders, macro size fixtures for mechanically holding or positioning fibres, e.g. on an optical bench supporting carriers of a microbench type G02B6/3648; micromanipulators B25J7/00; cassettes, bobbins G02B6/4439
• CPC Class Codes: G02B 6/3652 the additional structures being prepositioning mounting areas, allowing only movement in one dimension, e.g. grooves, trenches or vias in the microbench surface, i.e. self aligning supporting carriers
• CPC Class Codes: G02B 6/4453 Cassettes
• CPC Class Codes: G02B 6/4457 Bobbins; Reels
• CPC Class Codes: G02B 6/566 Devices for opening or removing the mantle

Abstract

A filament organizer comprises a support having a first surface opposite a second surface and further includes a lockable spool and a rotary spool adjacent to the first surface of the support. The organizer has a tensioner attached to the second surface of the support for attachment to the rotary spool by a tension wire to apply tension thereto to transmit tension to a filament disposed between the lockable spool and the rotary spool. Selective reduction in tension on a filament is possible using a tension relief assembly attached to the support. A stacked configuration of a plurality of filament organizers may be formed by suitable alignment of supports.

Claims

1. A filament organizer, comprising:

a support having a first surface opposite a second surface;

a lockable spool attached to said support adjacent said first surface thereof;

a rotary spool attached to said support to occupy a position adjacent said first surface of said support; and

a tensioner attached to said support and coupled to said rotary spool to apply tension to a filament disposed between said lockable spool and said rotary spool.

2. A filament organizer, comprising:

a support having a first surface opposite a second surface;

a lockable spool attached to said support;

a rotary spool attached to said support; and

a tensioner proximate said second surface of said support and coupled to said rotary spool to apply tension to a filament disposed between said lockable spool and said rotary spool.

3. A filament organizer, comprising:

a support having a first surface opposite a second surface;

a lockable spool attached to said support;

a rotary spool attached to said support; and

a tensioner attached to said support, said tensioner including a tension wire to couple said tensioner to said rotary spool to apply tension thereto.

4. A filament organizer, comprising:

a support having a first surface opposite a second surface;

a lockable spool attached to said support;

a rotary spool attached to said support;

a tensioner attached to said support, said tensioner including a tension wire to couple said tensioner to said rotary spool to apply tension thereto; and

a tension relief assembly for reducing tension applied to a filament.

5. A filament organizer, comprising:

a support having a first surface opposite a second surface;

a lockable spool attached to said support;

a rotary spool attached to said support;

a tensioner attached to said support, said tensioner including a tension wire to couple said tensioner to said rotary spool to apply tension thereto; and

a tension relief assembly for reducing tension applied to a filament, said tension relief assembly including;

a said tension wire coupling said tensioner to said rotary spool;

a tension wire access formed in said support; and

at least one pulley adjacent to said tension wire access for aligning said tension wire with said tension wire access.

6. A filament organizer, comprising:

a support having a first surface opposite a second surface;

a lockable spool attached to said support;

a rotary spool attached to said support;

a tensioner attached to said support and coupled to said rotary spool to apply tension to a filament disposed between said lockable spool and said rotary spool;

at least one mounting plate integrally formed with said support and extending outwardly therefrom; and

at least one guide defining a filament path between said lockable spool and said rotary spool, a said guide rotationally mounted on a said mounting plate, adjacent to said first surface of said support, to provide spacing of said filament from said support.

7. A filament organizer, comprising:

a support having a first surface opposite a second surface, said support further including a plurality of organizing mounts joined to said first surface and a plurality of spacer blocks attached to said second surface;

a lockable spool attached to said support;

a rotary spool attached to said support; and

a tensioner attached to said support and coupled to said rotary spool to apply tension to a filament disposed between said lockable spool and said rotary spool.

8. A filament organizer, comprising:

a support having a first surface opposite a second surface and further including a plurality of organizing mounts joined to said first surface and a plurality of spacer blocks attached to said second surface;

a lockable spool adjacent said first surface of said support;

a rotary spool adjacent said first surface of said support;

a tensioner attached to said second surface of said support, said tensioner including a tension wire for attachment to said rotary spool to apply tension thereto to transmit tension to a filament disposed between said lockable spool and said rotary spool;

a tension relief assembly for reducing tension applied to a filament, wherein said tension relief assembly includes;

a said tension wire between said tensioner and said rotary spool;

a tension wire access formed in said support; and

at least one pulley adjacent to said tension wire access for aligning said tension wire with said tension wire access;

at least one mounting plate integrally formed with said support and extending outwardly therefrom; and

at least one guide defining a filament path between said lockable spool and said rotary spool, a said guide rotationally mounted on a said mounting plate, adjacent to said first surface of said support, to provide spacing of said filament path from said support.

9. The filament organizer of claim 8, wherein the filament is an optical fiber.

10. The filament organizer of claim 9, further including at least one optical connector attached to said support.

11. A stacked configuration of a plurality of filament organizers, each said filament organizer comprising:

a support having a first surface opposite a second surface, said support further including a plurality of organizing mounts joined to said first surface and a plurality of spacer blocks attached to said second surface;

a lockable spool attached to said support;

a rotary spool attached to said support; and

a tensioner coupled to said rotary spool to apply tension to a filament disposed between said lockable spool and said rotary spool, said stacked configuration being formed by alignment of said organizing mounts with said spacer blocks and detachable interconnection of said plurality of filament organizers.

12. A filament organizer, comprising:

a support having a first surface opposite a second surface;

a lockable spool attached to said support;

a rotary spool attached to said support; and

a tensioner attached to said support and having a tension wire to couple said tensioner to said rotary spool to apply tension to a filament disposed between said lockable spool and said rotary spool.

13. The filament organizer of claim 12, further comprising a tension relief assembly for reducing tension applied to a filament.

14. The filament organizer of claim 13, wherein said tension relief assembly includes:

a said tension wire coupling said tensioner to said rotary spool;

a tension wire access formed in said support; and

at least one pulley adjacent to said tension wire access for aligning said tension wire with said tension wire access.

15. The filament organizer of claim 12, further including at least one mounting plate integrally formed with said support and extending outwardly therefrom.

16. The filament organizer of claim 15, further including at least one guide defining a filament path between said lockable spool and said rotary spool, a said guide rotationally mounted on a said mounting plate, adjacent to said first surface of said support, to provide spacing of the filament from said support.

17. The filament organizer of claim 12, wherein said support includes a plurality of organizing mounts joined to said first surface and a plurality of spacer blocks attached to said second surface.