Fiber optic splice trays

• US 7,822,310 B2
• Filed: 02/28/2007
• Issued: 10/26/2010
• Est. Priority Date: 02/28/2007
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Corning Optical Communications LLC (Corning Incorporated)
• Original Assignee: Corning Cable Systems LLC (Corning Incorporated)
• Inventors: Castonguay, Guy, Prevratil, Karyne Poissant, Works, Antwan Joco'ques, Frazier, Brent Michael, Clapp, Donnie Ray Jr., Sims, Steven Ross, Rodriguez, Diana
• Primary Examiner(s): Peng; Charlie
• Assistant Examiner(s): Radkowski; Peter
• Application Number:
  US11/712,168
• Publication Number:
  US 20080205844A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,336 Days
• Field of Search: 385 52- 53, 385/92, 206/557
• US Class Current: 385/135
• CPC Class Codes: G02B 6/3897 Connectors fixed to housings, casing, frames or circuit boards G02B6/44528 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: G02B 6/44528 Patch-cords; Connector arrangements in the system or in the box routing arrangements H04Q1/00
• CPC Class Codes: G02B 6/4454 with splices

Abstract

There is provided splice trays and splice assemblies that provide convenient access to optical fiber slack within a relatively small area or volume. Some splice trays are adapted for use with microstructured optical fibers to further reduce the size of the splice tray or splice assembly. Some splice trays provide fiber routing devices on the cover of the splice tray. The fiber routing device may be positioned on an inside surface of the cover and/or on an outside surface of the cover. The splice trays and/or splice assemblies may be used with or as fiber drop terminals used within multiple dwelling units.

Claims

1. A splice tray for accommodating at least one splice of two or more optical fibers, the splice tray comprising:

a base, wherein the base defines transverse sides;

a cover to selectively define an opened position and a closed position;

a hinge portion, the hinge portion having a first hinge that attaches the base at one of the transverse sides to the hinge portion on a first axis and a second hinge that attaches the cover to the hinge portion on a second axis;

at least one splice holder joined to the base of the splice tray, wherein the at least one splice holder is adapted to selectively receive a splice that optically connects a first optical fiber and a second optical fiber; and

at least one optical fiber routing device provided on the cover of the splice tray;

wherein the optical fiber routing device is adapted to provide slack storage for at least one of the first optical fiber and the second optical fiber when the cover defines an opened position and when the cover defines a closed position.

2. A splice tray according to claim 1 further comprising a splice organizer, wherein the at least one splice holder is defined in the splice organizer.

3. A splice tray according to claim 2, wherein the splice organizer is rotatably mounted to the base of the splice tray.

4. A splice tray according to claim 1, wherein at least one optical fiber routing device is provided on the base.

5. A splice tray according to claim 1, wherein the cover defines an inside surface that generally faces the base when the cover defines the closed position, and wherein the at least one optical fiber routing device is provided on the inside surface of the cover of the splice tray.

6. A splice tray according to claim 1, wherein the base defines longitudinal sides, and wherein the at least one splice holder defines an axis that is generally aligned with the longitudinal sides of the splice tray.

7. A splice tray according to claim 1, wherein the at least one splice holder is adapted to selectively receive two or more splices in a generally vertical fashion.

8. A splice tray according to claim 1 further comprising at least one optical fiber that comprises a microstructured optical fiber comprising a core region and a cladding region surrounding the core region, the cladding region comprising an annular hole-containing region comprised of non-periodically disposed holes.

9. A splice tray according to claim 8, wherein the microstructured fiber has an 8 mm macrobend induced loss at 1550 nm of less than 0.2 dB/turn.

10. A splice tray for accommodating at least one splice of two or more optical fibers, the splice tray comprising:

a base, wherein the base defines transverse sides;

a hinge portion rotatably attached to the base at one of the transverse sides;

a cover rotatably attached to the hinge portion opposite the base to selectively define an opened position and a closed position of the splice tray such that the opened position comprises the base, the hinge portion, and the cover in a generally parallel relationship, wherein the cover defines an inside surface that generally faces the base when the cover defines the closed position;

at least one splice holder joined to the base of the splice tray, wherein the at least one splice holder is adapted to selectively receive a splice that optically connects a first optical fiber and a second optical fiber; and

at least one optical fiber routing device provided on the inside surface of the cover of the splice tray;

wherein the optical fiber routing device is adapted to provide slack storage for at least one of the first optical fiber and the second optical fiber when the cover defines an opened position and when the cover defines a closed position.

11. A splice tray according to claim 10 further comprising a splice organizer, wherein the at least one splice holder is defined in the splice organizer.

12. A splice way according to claim 11, wherein the splice organizer is rotatably mounted to the base of the splice tray.

13. A splice tray according to claim 10 further comprising an additional optical fiber routing device provided on an outside surface of the cover of the splice tray.

14. A splice tray according to claim 11 further comprising at least one optical fiber that comprises a microstructured optical fiber comprising a core region and a cladding region surrounding the core region, the cladding region comprising an annular hole-containing region comprised of non-periodically disposed holes.

15. A splice tray according to claim 14, wherein the microstructured fiber has an 8 mm macrobend induced loss at 1550 nm of less than 0.2 dB/turn.

16. A method of splicing two or more optical fibers, the method comprising:

providing a splice tray comprising a base defining transverse sides, a hinge portion rotatably attached to the base at one of the transverse sides, and a cover rotatablv attached to the hinge portion;

opening the cover relative to the base of the splice tray, wherein fully opening the splice tray defines the base, the hinge portion, and the cover in a generally parallel relationship;

splicing a first optical fiber to a second optical fiber to define a splice;

positioning the splice within a splice holder joined to the base of the splice tray;

routing at least one of the first optical fiber and the second optical fiber along at least one optical fiber routing device provided on the cover of the splice tray; and

closing the cover of the splice tray.

17. A method according to claim 16, wherein splicing the first optical fiber to the second optical fiber comprises splicing a microstructured optical fiber comprising a core region and a cladding region surrounding the core region, the cladding region comprising an annular hole-containing region comprised of non-periodically disposed holes.

18. A method according to claim 16, wherein routing at least one of the first optical fiber and the second optical fiber comprises routing at least one of the first optical fiber and the second optical fiber along at least one optical fiber routing device provided on an inside surface of the cover of the splice tray.

19. A splice assembly adapted for use as a fiber drop terminal (“

FDT”

) within a multiple dwelling unit to optically connect one or more optical fibers of a distribution cable to one or more optical fibers of drop cables, the splice assembly comprising;

a base,

a cover rotatably attached to the base to selectively define an opened position and a closed position, wherein the base and the cover define a polygonal perimeter, and wherein both the base and the cover comprise at least five sidewalls;

a splice tray comprising a plurality of splice holders joined to the splice tray, wherein the splice holders are adapted to selectively receive a splice that optically connects an optical fiber of the distribution cable to an optical fiber of the drop cable, wherein the splice tray is attached to the base of the splice assembly; and

at least one optical fiber routing device associated with the splice tray and at least one cable routing device associated with the base;

the splice tray further including a plurality of openings adapted for selectively receiving strain relief devices forte spliced optical fibers;

wherein at least one of the spliced fibers comprises a microstructured optical fiber comprising a core region and a cladding region surrounding the core region, the cladding region comprising an annular hole-containing region comprised of non-periodically disposed holes.

20. A splice assembly according to claim 19, wherein the splice tray is selectively removable from the base.

21. A splice assembly according to claim 19, the plurality of openings disposed along a bottom surface of the base, the openings each defining an axis, and wherein the splice tray is attached at an angle relative to the axes of the openings.

22. A splice assembly according to claim 19, the plurality of openings disposed along a bottom surface of the base, and wherein at least one of the openings defines a barb-type entry port.

23. A splice assembly according to claim 19, wherein the at least one cable routing device associated with the base comprises a plurality of parallel dividers with tabs extending generally orthogonally from the dividers.

24. A splice assembly according to claim 19, wherein the microstructured fiber has an 8 mm macrobend induced loss at 1550 nm of less than 0.2 dB/turn.