Fiber optic storing and dispensing apparatus
First Claim
1. Apparatus for storing and dispensing a unitary length of coilable material, said apparatus comprising means forming a casing;
- a spool having a hub; and
means mounting said spool in said casing for rotation about an axis formed by said hub, said spool having a pair of side-by-side annular grooves therein for the accommodation of different sections of such coilable material, said spool having a lateral passage adjacent said hub in communication with both of said grooves, said grooves and said passage being of such width as freely to accommodate the respective sections of said coilable material.
1 Assignment
0 Petitions
Accused Products
Abstract
Storage and dispensing apparatus for use with a unitary length of coilable fiber optic cable having a minimum bending radius, such apparatus having a casing within which is journaled a rotatable spool having two grooves in which relatively long and relatively short lengths of the cable may be coiled. One end of the cable is coupled to a connector that is releasably retained on the spool for rotation therewith. The opposite end of the cable is joined to a connector which is extendible from and retractable into the casing in which the spool is journaled. The casing is formed of rigid plastic material which protects the cable against damage from externally applied forces. No part of the cable within the casing is subject to being bent about a radius less than the minimum bending radius.
116 Citations
24 Claims
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1. Apparatus for storing and dispensing a unitary length of coilable material, said apparatus comprising means forming a casing;
- a spool having a hub; and
means mounting said spool in said casing for rotation about an axis formed by said hub, said spool having a pair of side-by-side annular grooves therein for the accommodation of different sections of such coilable material, said spool having a lateral passage adjacent said hub in communication with both of said grooves, said grooves and said passage being of such width as freely to accommodate the respective sections of said coilable material. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7)
- a spool having a hub; and
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8. Apparatus for storing and dispensing a fiber optic cable of selected length and having a minimum bending radius, said apparatus comprising a spool having a hub;
- flanges carried by said hub forming a pair of side-by-side annular grooves;
means mounting said spool for rotation about an axis, said spool having a lateral diagonal passage adjacent said hub in communication with both of said grooves; and
an elongate, unitary fiber optic cable of selected length, a first length section of said cable being windable and unwindable in and from one of said grooves, a second length section of said cable being windable and unwindable in and from the other of said grooves, and an intermediate length section of said cable extending through said passage. - View Dependent Claims (9, 10, 11, 12)
- flanges carried by said hub forming a pair of side-by-side annular grooves;
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13. The combination of a unitary length of coilable material and a casing in which said material may be stored in coiled condition, said casing comprising a housing;
- a spool having a plurality of spaced flanges forming two side-by-side annular grooves, one of said flanges being common to both of said grooves;
a hub extending laterally of said casing, said one of said flanges having a passage therethrough in communication with both of said grooves; and
means mounting said spool in said casing for rotation about an axis extending through said hub, said coilable material having a first length section wound about said hub to form a first coil occupying one of said grooves, said coilable material having a second length section wound about said hub to form a second coil occupying the other of said grooves, said coilable material having an intermediate section between said first and second sections extending from one of said grooves to the other of said grooves via said passage, said casing having an inlet through which a selected portion of one of said length sections may pass from said first coil for extension from said casing, a selected portion of the other of said length sections being unwindable from the other of said grooves and from said second coil for extension from said casing. - View Dependent Claims (14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19, 20)
- a spool having a plurality of spaced flanges forming two side-by-side annular grooves, one of said flanges being common to both of said grooves;
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21. Apparatus for storing and dispensing a unitary length of coilable material having opposite end sections joined by an intermediate section, said apparatus comprising means forming a rigid casing;
- a spool having a hub forming an axis of rotation for said spool; and
means mounting said spool in said housing for rotation about said axis, said spool having a pair of axially spaced, side-by-side flanges forming side-by-side annular grooves for the accommodation of the respective end sections of such coilable material, said spool having a lateral passage adjacent said hub in communication with both of said grooves and through which salad intermediate section of such coilable material may extend, salad grooves and said passage being of such width as freely to accommodate the respective sections of said coilable material. - View Dependent Claims (22, 23, 24)
- a spool having a hub forming an axis of rotation for said spool; and
Specification