Optical termination assemblies

• US 9,383,535 B2
• Filed: 12/23/2009
• Issued: 07/05/2016
• Est. Priority Date: 12/23/2009
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Prysmian SPA
• Original Assignee: Prysmian SPA
• Inventors: Abbiati, Fabio, Griffiths, Ian James, Le Dissez, Arnaud
• Primary Examiner(s): Kianni, Kaveh C
• Application Number:
  US13/518,286
• Publication Number:
  US 20130004125A1
• Time in Patent Office: 2,386 Days
• Field of Search: 385/77, 385/92
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: G02B 6/4441 Boxes
• CPC Class Codes: G02B 6/4454 with splices

Abstract

An optical termination assembly may include an optical termination box and a drop cable. The drop cable may have a first end housed in a first compartment of the optical termination box. The first end of the drop cable may be pre-connectorized. The optical termination box may include at least one first fixing element accessible from an outside of the optical termination box suitable for fixing the optical termination box to a support structure. An optical termination assembly may include an optical termination box and a drop cable including a plurality of optical fibers. The drop cable may have a first end housed in a first compartment of the optical termination box. At the first end of the drop cable, each of the plurality of optical fibers may be connected to a respective optical connector. The optical termination box may include the at least one first fixing element.

Claims

1. An optical termination assembly, comprising:

an optical termination box; and

an optical drop cable;

wherein the optical drop cable has a first pre-connectorized end, housed in a first compartment of the optical termination box, and a free end, opposite to the first pre-connectorized end, exiting the optical termination box,

wherein the optical termination box comprises;

a second compartment suitable for housing an extra length of the optical drop cable; and

at least one first fixing element within the optical termination box and accessible from the second compartment;

wherein the optical termination assembly further comprises an adapter having at least one second fixing element configured to engage with the at least one first fixing element for fixing the optical termination box to the adapter so that the adapter closes the second compartment,

wherein the adapter is further suitable for being fixed to a support structure,

wherein the optical termination box comprises a base with a bottom and four sidewalls,

wherein the bottom has a first surface and a second surface opposite to the first surface,

wherein the first surface forms the first compartment with the four sidewalls,

wherein the second surface forms the second compartment with the four sidewalls,

wherein the bottom comprises an opening configured to allow the optical drop cable to pass from the second compartment to the first compartment where the first pre-connectorized end is housed, and

wherein the optical termination box further comprises a plurality of first fixing elements arranged according to a rotational symmetry about an axis perpendicular to the bottom and running through a barycenter of the bottom.

2. The optical termination assembly of claim 1, wherein at least one of the four sidewalls comprises a weakening line defining a removable portion, and

wherein the weakening line is configured so that, when the removable portion is removed, a passageway is created in the at least one of the four sidewalls between the second compartment and an exterior of the base.

3. The optical termination assembly of claim 2, wherein the second surface has a cable guiding channel configured to guide the optical drop cable from the opening to the removable portion.

4. The optical termination assembly of claim 1, wherein the at least one first fixing element is arranged on the second surface.

5. The optical termination assembly of claim 1, wherein the at least one first fixing element comprises a projection having a recess,

wherein the at least one second fixing element comprises a protrusion terminating with a tooth, and

wherein the protrusion is configured to engage with the recess.

6. The optical termination assembly of claim 1, wherein the adapter further comprises:

at least one adapter fixing hole suitable for fixing the adapter to a portion of a wall acting as the support structure;

or

at least one adapter fixing groove configured to engage with a Deutsches Institut fü

r Normung (DIN) rail for fixing the adapter to the DIN rail acting as the support structure.

7. The optical termination assembly of claim 1, wherein the optical drop cable comprises a number of optical fibers, and

wherein the number of optical fibers are connected to a corresponding number of optical connectors at the first pre-connectorized end of the optical drop cable.

8. The optical termination assembly of claim 7, wherein the optical termination box further comprises a splice tray rotatably hinged to the base of the optical termination box and configured to rotate between a first position, in which the splice tray at least partially covers the first compartment, and a second position, in which the splice tray allows free access to the first compartment, and

wherein the splice tray is suitable for housing a number of optical fiber splices between the number of optical fibers and the corresponding number of optical connectors.

9. The optical termination assembly of claim 1, wherein one of the four sidewalls comprises a number of connector supporting frames configured to support a corresponding number of optical connectors in the first compartment.

10. The optical termination assembly of claim 1, wherein the adapter further comprises:

at least one adapter fixing hole suitable for fixing the adapter to a portion of a wall acting as the support structure; and

at least one adapter fixing groove configured to engage with a Deutsches Institut fü

r Normung (DIN) rail for fixing the adapter to the DIN rail acting as the support structure.

11. A method for installing, in an apartment of an end user, an optical termination assembly comprising an optical termination box;

an optical drop cable; and

an adapter;

wherein the optical termination box comprises a first compartment, a second compartment, a splice tray, and at least one first fixing element, wherein the optical drop cable has a first pre-connectorized end, housed in the first compartment of the optical termination box, and a second end, opposite to the first pre-connectorized end, wherein the at least one first fixing element is configured to be accessed from outside of the optical termination box, wherein the second compartment is configured to house an extra length of the optical drop cable, wherein the adapter comprises at least one second fixing element, wherein the adapter is further suitable for being fixed to a support structure, wherein the at least one second fixing element is configured to engage the at least one first fixing element for fixing the optical termination box to the adapter, wherein the splice tray is rotatable hinged to a base of the optical termination box, and wherein the splice tray is configured to rotate between a first position, in which the splice tray at least partially covers the first compartment, and a second position, in which the splice tray allows free access to the first compartment, the method comprising;

inserting the second end of the optical drop cable into an opening of a duct connecting the apartment to one of an optical transition box and a distribution cabinet of an optical access network; and

fixing the optical termination assembly to the support structure within the apartment;

wherein the first pre-connectorized end of the optical drop cable is both housed in the first compartment of the optical termination box and pre-connectorized before inserting the second end of the optical drop cable into the opening of the duct, and

wherein the fixing of the optical termination assembly to the support structure within the apartment is performed while the optical termination box is closed by the at least one second fixing element, accessed from outside the optical termination box, while a cover of the optical termination box is locked on the base of the optical termination box.

12. The method of claim 11, wherein the fixing of the optical termination assembly to the support structure within the apartment comprises:

fixing the adapter to the support structure; and

connecting the optical termination box to the adapter.

14. The optical termination assembly of claim 11, wherein the second end of the optical drop cable is outside of the optical termination box.

13. An optical termination assembly, comprising:

an optical termination box;

an optical drop cable; and

an adapter;

wherein the optical termination box comprises a first compartment, a second compartment, a splice tray, and at least one first fixing element,

wherein the optical drop cable has a first pre-connectorized end, housed in the first compartment of the optical termination box, and a second end, opposite to the first pre-connectorized end,

wherein the at least one first fixing element is configured to be accessed from outside of the optical termination box,

wherein the second compartment is configured to house an extra length of the optical drop cable,

wherein the adapter comprises at least one second fixing element,

wherein the adapter is further suitable for being fixed to a support structure,

wherein the at least one second fixing element is configured to engage the at least one first fixing element for fixing the optical termination box to the adapter,

wherein the splice tray is rotatably hinged to a base of the optical termination box, and

wherein the splice tray is configured to rotate between a first position, in which the splice tray at least partially covers the first compartment, and a second position, in which the splice tray allows free access to the first compartment.

15. The optical termination assembly of claim 13, wherein a portion of the optical drop cable between the first pre-connectorized end and the second end is outside of the optical termination box.

16. The optical termination assembly of claim 13, wherein when the at least one second fixing element engages the at least one first fixing element for fixing the optical termination box to the adapter, the adapter closes the second compartment.

17. The optical termination assembly of claim 13, wherein when the at least one second fixing element engages the at least one first fixing element for fixing the optical termination box to the adapter, the extra length of the optical drop cable cannot escape from the second compartment.

18. The optical termination assembly of claim 13, wherein the optical termination box further comprises a bottom separating the first compartment from the second compartment, and

wherein the bottom comprises an opening configured to allow the optical drop cable to pass between the first and second compartments.