Optical circuit enclosure

• US 20050123261A1
• Filed: 04/03/2003
• Published: 06/09/2005
• Est. Priority Date: 04/12/2002
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Tyco Electronics Raychem NV
• Original Assignee: Tyco Electronics Raychem NV
• Inventors: Bellekens, Kathleen, Franckx, Joris
• Granted Patent: US 7,113,686 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 385/135
• CPC Class Codes: G02B 6/4454 with splices
• CPC Class Codes: G02B 6/4455 characterised by the way of extraction or insertion of the cassette in the distribution frame, e.g. pivoting, sliding, rotating or gliding

Abstract

In one aspect the invention provides an optical circuit enclosure (10) enclosing at least one optical circuit or optical circuit component; the enclosure comprises: a tray type container (12) containing at least one optical circuit or optical circuit component (18); a tray type closure member (20) closing the container; the closure member containing at least one further optical circuit component on an external side thereof for optically connecting the enclosed component to an external optical circuit; and sealing means (26) providing a moisture resistant seal between the container and the closure member.

Claims

1. An optical circuit enclosure enclosing at least one optical circuit or optical circuit component;

the said enclosure comprising;

a tray-type container containing at least one circuit or components,

a tray-type closure member having a base with an external surface and arranged with the external surface covering the container, the closure member carrying on the opposite side thereof from the container at least one further optical circuit component for connecting the enclosed circuit or component to an external circuit or component, and

sealing means providing a moisture-resistant seal between the container and the closure member.

2. An optical circuit enclosure as claimed in Claim 1 wherein the sealing means comprises a laminar sheet intermediate the container and the closure member.

3. An optical circuit enclosure as claimed in Claim 2 wherein the laminar sheet comprises a metallised moisture resistant layer.

4. An optical circuit enclosure as claimed in Claim 1 wherein the sealing means comprise the base of the closure member engaging the container.

5. An optical circuit enclosure as claimed in Claim 1 wherein the sealing means provides a moisture resistant seal between the container, the closure member and fibre optic connecting cables exiting an enclosed region of the container from the enclosed circuit or component.

6. An optical circuit enclosure as claimed in Claim 5 wherein the sealing means comprises a pair of sealing members and the optical fibres are located between the strips and sealed to the strips by the application of heat and/or pressure.

7. An optical circuit enclosure as claimed in Claim 1 wherein the closure member is attachably/detachably mounted with respect to the container.

8. An optical circuit enclosure as claimed in Claim 1 wherein the enclosed circuit or component is a pre-installed and/or pre-fabricated circuit or component installed in the container during manufacturing assembly thereof.

9. An optical circuit enclosure as claimed in Claim 1 wherein the at least one further optical circuit or component comprises an optical splitter, coupler, attenuator filter, or other passive and/or active optical component(s) and/or fibre optic cable.

10. An optical circuit enclosure as claimed in Claim 1 comprising at least one further container and wherein the closure member closes each of the containers, thereby to provide separate enclosures for respective optical circuits and/or components.

22. An optical circuit enclosure as claimed in Claim 1 wherein the external surface closes the container.

11. An optical circuit enclosure enclosing at least one pre-fabricated and pre-installed optical circuit or optical circuit component, the enclosure comprising:

a tray-type container containing at least one circuit or component,

a tray-type closure member arranged having a base with an external surface and with the external surface covering the container, the closure member carrying on the opposite side thereof from the container at least one further optical circuit component for connecting the enclosed circuit or component to an external circuit or component.

23. An optical circuit enclosure as claimed in claim 11 wherein the external surface closes the container.

12. An optical circuit enclosure enclosing at least one optical circuit or optical circuit component together with lengths of optical fibre which extend outwards of the enclosure for optically connecting the enclosed circuit(s) or component(s) to an external circuit or component, the enclosure comprising:

a tray-type container containing at least one enclosed or circuit or component, and

a tamper-evident closure member sealing the container around the enclosed circuit or component and the enclosed lengths of optical fibre.

13. An enclosure as claimed in claim 12 wherein the tamper evident closure member comprises a laminar element sealed to an open end of the container.

14. An enclosure as claimed in Claim 13 wherein the laminar element comprises a moisture resistant barrier.

15. An enclosure as claimed in Claim 14 wherein the barrier element comprises a flexible sheet having a metallised moisture resistant layer.

16. An enclosure as claimed in any Claim 12 wherein the laminar element is sealed to a periphery of the container.

19. An enclosure according to Claim 12, wherein the enclosed optical circuit or component is at least partly enclosed in a sealed bag-like article which is itself wholly enclosed within the container.

17-18. -18. (canceled)

20. An optical circuit enclosure enclosing at least one optical circuit or optical circuit component together with lengths of optical fibre which extend outwards of the enclosure for optically connecting the enclosed or circuit or component to an external circuit or component, the enclosure comprising:

a tray-type container containing at least one enclosed circuit or component; and

a tamper-evident closure member sealing the said container around the enclosed circuit or component and the enclosed lengths of optical fibre, wherein optical fibres entering and/or leaving the enclosure are sealed between opposed portions of the tamper-evident closure member.

21. (canceled)