Fiber optic splice enclosure

• US 20060193587A1
• Filed: 02/25/2005
• Published: 08/31/2006
• Est. Priority Date: 02/25/2005
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Charles Industries Limited (Amphenol Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Charles Industries Limited (Amphenol Corporation)
• Inventors: Plesniak, Jeffrey A., Claunch, Carney P. II, Wittmeier, David A.
• Granted Patent: US 7,274,850 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 385/135
• CPC Class Codes: G02B 6/4445 Divided base plates

Abstract

A fiber optic splice enclosure for housing an interconnection contained in a splice tray between at least one optical fiber of a feeder cable and at least one optical fiber of a drop cable is provided. The optical fiber of the feeder cable is at least partially contained in a spliced feeder cable buffer tube and the optical fiber of the drop cable is at least partially contained in a spliced drop cable buffer tube. The feeder cable or the drop cable includes one or more express buffer tubes that extend uninterrupted through the enclosure. The fiber optic splice enclosure includes a support frame arranged in the enclosure and a basket is arranged on the support frame for storing slack of the spliced feeder cable buffer tube and the spliced drop cable buffer tube transitioning to the splice tray. An express buffer tube storage arrangement is provided on the support frame separate from the basket. A splice tray mounting arrangement is arranged near the basket for supporting the splice tray. The splice mounting arrangement is configured such that the splice tray is removable. The basket is sized so as to be able to store sufficient slack of the spliced feeder cable buffer tube and the splice drop cable buffer tube such that the splice tray can be moved to a working position outside the enclosure.

Claims

1. A fiber optic splice enclosure for housing an interconnection contained in a splice tray between at least one optical fiber of a feeder cable and at least one optical fiber of a drop cable, the optical fiber of the feeder cable being at least partially contained in a spliced feeder cable buffer tube and the optical fiber of the drop cable being at least partially contained in a spliced drop cable buffer tube, wherein the feeder cable or the drop cable can include one or more express buffer tubes that extend uninterrupted through the enclosure, the fiber optic splice enclosure comprising:

a support frame arranged in the enclosure;

a basket arranged on the support frame for storing slack of the spliced feeder cable buffer tube and the spliced drop cable buffer tube transitioning to the splice tray;

an express buffer tube storage arrangement arranged on the support frame separate from the basket; and

a splice tray mounting arrangement arranged near the basket for supporting the splice tray, the splice mounting arrangement being configured such that the splice tray is removable and wherein the basket is sized so as to be able to store sufficient slack of the spliced feeder cable buffer tube and the splice drop cable buffer tube while maintaining a predetermined tube bend radius such that the splice tray can be moved to a working position outside the enclosure.

2. The fiber optic splice enclosure according to claim 1 wherein the enclosure is configured as a pedestal.

3. The fiber optic splice enclosure according to claim 1 wherein the express buffer tube storage arrangement is provided in surrounding relation to the basket.

4. The fiber optic splice enclosure according to claim 1 wherein the support frame has opposing first and second sides and the basket is arranged on the first side and the express buffer tube storage arrangement is arranged on the second side.

5. The fiber optic splice enclosure according to claim 1 wherein the support frame is configured to also support copper cable interconnections.

6. The fiber optic splice enclosure according to claim 1 wherein the splice tray mounting arrangement includes a support member that cantilevers out from the support frame so as to define a surface on which the splice trays can rest.

7. A fiber optic splice enclosure for housing an interconnection between at least one optical fiber of a feeder cable and at least one optical fiber of a drop cable, the spliced optical fiber of the feeder cable being at least partially contained in a spliced feeder cable buffer tube and the spliced optical fiber of the drop cable being at least partially contained in a spliced drop cable buffer tube, the spliced feeder cable buffer tube being connected to a pigtail or transport tube through a first splice tray and the spliced drop cable buffer tube being connected to a pigtail or a transport tube through a second splice tray, wherein the feeder cable or the drop cable can include one or more express buffer tubes that extend uninterrupted through the enclosure, the fiber optic splice enclosure comprising:

a support frame arranged in the enclosure, the support frame including a central office side and a drop side;

a first basket arranged on the central office side of the support frame for storing slack of the spliced feeder cable buffer tube and the pigtail or transport tube transitioning to the first splice tray;

a first splice tray mounting arrangement carried by the support frame and arranged near the first basket for supporting the first splice tray, the first splice mounting arrangement being configured such that the first splice tray is removable and wherein the first basket is sized so as to be able to store sufficient slack of the spliced feeder cable buffer tube and pigtail or transport tube while maintaining a predetermined tube bend radius such that the first splice tray can be moved to a working position outside the enclosure;

a second basket arranged on the drop side of the support frame for storing slack of the spliced drop cable buffer tube and pigtail or transport tube transitioning to the second splice tray;

a second splice tray mounting arrangement arranged near the second basket for supporting the second splice tray, the splice mounting arrangement being configured such that the second splice tray is removable and wherein the second basket is sized so as to be able to store sufficient slack of the spliced drop cable buffer tube and transport tube or pigtail while maintaining a predetermined tube bend radius such that the second splice tray can be moved to a working position outside the enclosure; and

an express buffer tube storage arrangement arranged on the support frame separate from the first and second baskets.

8. The fiber optic splice enclosure according to claim 7 wherein the enclosure is configured as a pedestal.

9. The fiber optic splice enclosure according to claim 7 wherein the express buffer tube storage arrangement is arranged on the central office side of the support frame in surrounding relation to the first basket.

10. The fiber optic splice enclosure according to claim 7 wherein the support frame is configured to also support copper cable interconnections.

11. The fiber optic splice enclosure according to claim 7 wherein the first and second splice tray mounting arrangements each include a support member that cantilevers out from the respective side of the support frame so as to define a surface on which the splice trays can rest.

12. The fiber optic splice enclosure according to claim 7 further including a first weather tight door carried by the support frame for enclosing the central office side of the support frame and a second weather tight door carried by the support frame for enclosing the drop side of the support frame.

13. The fiber optic splice enclosure according to claim 7 further including an interface between the central office side and drop side, the interface being arranged on the support frame.

14. The fiber optic splice enclosure according to claim 13 further including a first protection plate supported on the central office side of the support frame to separate and protect a pigtail or transport tube as the pigtail or transport tube extends from the first basket to the interface.

15. The fiber optic splice enclosure according to claim 14 further including a second protection plate supported on the drop side of the support frame to separate and protect a pigtail or transport tube as the pigtail or transport tube extends from the second basket to the interface.

16. The fiber optic splice enclosure according to claim 13 wherein the interface is a connector interface.

17. The fiber optic splice enclosure according to claim 16 wherein the interface includes on each side of the support frame a portion that protrudes outward from the respective side of the support frame and portion that is recessed inward from the respective side of the support frame such that the interface has a generally Z-shaped configuration

18. The fiber optic splice enclosure according to claim 13 wherein the interface is a pass through interface.

19. A fiber optic splice enclosure for housing an interconnection between at least one optical fiber of a feeder cable and at least one optical fiber of a drop cable, the fiber optic splice enclosure comprising:

a support frame arranged in the enclosure, the support frame including a central office side and a drop side;

a first weather tight door carried by the support frame for enclosing the central office side of the support frame; and

a second weather tight door carried by the support frame for enclosing the drop side of the support frame.

20. The fiber optic splice enclosure according to claim 19, wherein the enclosure is configured as a pedestal including a dome that can be arranged over the support frame and the first and second doors when the doors are in a closed position.

21. The fiber optic splice enclosure according to claim 19 wherein the support frame is configured to also support copper cable interconnections.

22. A fiber optic splice enclosure for housing an interconnection between at least one optical fiber of a feeder cable and at least one optical fiber of a drop cable, at least one of the spliced optical fibers of the feeder cable and the spliced optical fiber of the drop cable being at least partially contained in a spliced buffer tube, the spliced buffer tube being connected to a transport tube or a pigtail through a splice tray, the fiber optic splice enclosure comprising:

a support frame arranged in the enclosure, the support frame including a central office side and a drop side;

an interface between the central office side and the drop side, the interface being arranged on the support frame;

a basket arranged on the support frame for storing slack of the spliced buffer tube and the pigtail or transport tube transitioning to the splice tray; and

a protection plate supported on the support frame to separate and protect the pigtail or transport tube as the pigtail or transport tube extends to from the basket to the interface.

23. The fiber optic splice enclosure according to claim 22 wherein the enclosure is configured as a pedestal.

24. The fiber optic splice enclosure according to claim 22 wherein the interface is a connector interface.

25. The fiber optic splice enclosure according to claim 24 wherein the interface includes on each side of the support frame a portion that protrudes outward from the respective side of the support frame and portion that is recessed inward from the respective side of the support frame such that the interface has a generally Z-shaped configuration

26. The fiber optic splice enclosure according to claim 22 wherein the interface is a pass through interface.

27. A fiber optic splice enclosure for housing an interconnection between at least one optical fiber of a feeder cable and at least one optical fiber of a drop cable, the spliced optical fiber of the feeder cable being at least partially contained in a spliced feeder cable buffer tube and the spliced optical fiber of the drop cable being at least partially contained in a spliced drop cable buffer tube, the spliced feeder cable buffer tube being connected to a first pigtail and the spliced drop cable buffer tube being connected to a second pigtail, the fiber optic splice enclosure comprising:

a support frame arranged in the enclosure, the support frame including opposing central office side and drop sides; and

a connector interface between the central office side and the drop side to which the first and second pigtails are connectable, the interface being arranged on the support frame;

the connector interface including on each side of the support frame a portion that protrudes outward from the respective side of the support frame and portion that is recessed inward from the respective side of the support frame such that the connector interface has a generally Z-shaped configuration.

28. The fiber optic splice enclosure according to claim 27 wherein the enclosure is configured as a pedestal.

29. A fiber optic splice enclosure for housing an interconnection between at least one optical fiber of a feeder cable and multiple optical fibers of a drop cable, the interconnected optical fiber of the feeder cable being connected to a central office side pigtail and each of the interconnected optical fibers of the drop cable being connected to respective drop side pigtails, the fiber optic splice enclosure comprising:

a support frame arranged in the enclosure, the support frame including a central office side and a drop side;

a splice tray mounting arrangement carried by the support frame on at least one of the central office side and the drop side, the splice tray mounting arrangement including a support member that cantilevers out from the respective side of the support frame so as to define a surface on which a splice tray can rest; and

a connector interface between the central office side and the drop side, the connector interface including at least one splitter for connecting a central office side pigtail to multiple drop side pigtails.

30. The fiber optic splice enclosure according to claim 29 wherein the enclosure is configured as a pedestal.

31. The fiber optic splice enclosure according to claim 29 further including a protection plate supported on the central office side of the support frame for protecting the central office side pigtail as the central office pigtail extends to the connector interface.

32. The fiber optic splice enclosure according to claim 29 further including a protection plate supported on the drop side of the support frame for protecting the drop side pigtails as the drop side pigtails extend to the connector interface.