Fiber closure system

• US 7,038,137 B2
• Filed: 06/18/2004
• Issued: 05/02/2006
• Est. Priority Date: 06/18/2003
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Preformed Line Products Company
• Original Assignee: Preformed Line Products Company
• Inventors: Miller, Keith Alan, Grubish, Christopher Stephen, Latimer, Brett Allen
• Primary Examiner(s): LEE, JINHEE J
• Application Number:
  US10/871,748
• Publication Number:
  US 20040256138A1
• Time in Patent Office: 683 Days
• Field of Search: 174/93, 174/91, 174/92, 174/93.TE, 174/72.R, 174/77.R, 385/135, 385/137, 385/134, 385/136, 428/35.1, 428/36.9
• US Class Current: 174/93
• CPC Class Codes: G02B 6/4442 Cap coupling boxes
• 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
• CPC Class Codes: H02G 15/013 Sealing means for cable inlets inlets for cables filled with, or surrounded by, gas or oil H02G15/32
• CPC Class Codes: H02G 15/117 for multiconductor cables
• CPC Class Codes: H02G 3/22 Installations of cables or lines through walls, floors or ceilings, e.g. into buildings

Abstract

A cable splice enclosure assembly for enclosing and storing cable splices includes a housing member having a closed end and an open end which defines a storage chamber therebetween. An end plate is received in the open end. The end plate is axially spaced from the closed end. The end plate includes an end plate body and a plurality of selectively removable cable caps for accessing individual cables passing through openings defined by the end plate. A plurality of sealing walls are selectively positionable in the openings for blocking the openings when not being used to receive the cables in the openings. A piercable grommet is disposed in a further opening found in the end plate for selectively receiving a ground or other electrical wire therethrough to seal the wire with the end plate.

Claims

1. A housing assembly for enclosing and storing cable splices comprising:

a housing member having a closed end and an open end and defining a storage chamber;

an end plate selectively received in the open end, said end plate including a substantially planar end plate body defining i) a plurality of cable entrance openings for receiving associated cables therethrough and into said storage chamber, and ii) a plurality of inner openings;

a plurality of cable caps circumferentially spaced apart over an outer peripheral edge of the end plate body and adjacent said plurality of cable entrance openings, the plurality of cable caps being selectively removable to permit said associated cables to be individually selectively moved radially through said end plate body into and out of selected ones of said plurality of cable entrance openings;

a pierceable grommet received in one of said plurality of inner openings, the pierceable grommet selectively receiving a wire therethrough; and

,

a plurality of sealing walls selectively positionable in said plurality of cable entrance openings for blocking selected ones of the said plurality of cable entrance openings of the end plate body.

2. The housing assembly of claim 1, wherein said end plate is substantially circular and includes at least four said cable caps.

3. The housing assembly of claim 1, wherein each said cable cap has a bottom surface including a soft sealing material for mating with a portion of a perimeter of said end plate body.

4. The housing assembly of claim 3, wherein said cable caps each include at least one fastener for fastening said cable caps to said end plate body.

5. The housing assembly of claim 1, further including an air valve through said end plate body, said valve in communication with the interior of said housing member for pressurization of the housing assembly.

6. The housing assembly of claim 1, wherein said grommet includes a piercable tip configured to receive a ground wire therethrough.

7. The housing assembly according to claim 1 wherein:

said plurality of cable entrance openings define grooves configured to slidably receive said plurality of sealing walls.

8. The housing assembly according to claim 1 wherein:

each of said plurality of sealing members is selectively positioned in said plurality of cable entrance openings.

9. The housing assembly according to claim 8 wherein:

said plurality of cable entrance openings define a pair of spaced apart grooves configured to slidably receive said pairs of sealing wall members.

10. A housing assembly for enclosing and storing cable splices comprising:

a housing member having a closed end and an open end and defining a storage chamber therebetween;

an end plate received in the open end, said end plate including an end plate body having i) a plurality of inner openings therethrough;

ii) a plurality of cable entrance openings configured to selectively receive associated cables therethrough by moving the associated cables radially through the end plate into and out of selected ones of the plurality of cable entrance openings, and iii) a plurality of selectively removable cable caps for holding said associated cables in said cable entrance openings;

a resilient pierceable grommet selectively received in each said inner opening; and

,

at least one sealing wall selectively located in a first one of said plurality cable entrance openings for blocking the first one of the entrance openings.

11. The housing assembly of claim 10, further including an air valve through said end plate body, said valve in communication with the interior of said housing member for pressurization of the housing assembly.

12. The housing assembly of claim 10, wherein said end plate includes at least four said cable caps.

13. The housing assembly of claim 12, wherein each said cable cap has a bottom surface including a soft sealing material for mating with a portion of a perimeter of said end plate body.

14. A housing assembly for enclosing and storing cable splices comprising:

a housing member having an open end and a removable end plate selectively received in the open end for defining a storage chamber therein;

said end plate including an end plate body defining a plurality of circumferentially spaced apart openings and an inner opening;

a plurality of sealing walls selectively received in said spaced apart openings;

a plurality of selectively removable cable caps for accessing individual cables passing through said spaced apart openings defined by end plate;

a collar releasably and sealingly engaged around said open end of said housing for securing said end plate within said housing said housing; and

, a grommet disposed in said inner opening, the grommet being pierceable by an associated, ground wire extending through said grommet and into said storage chamber.

15. The housing assembly of claim 14, wherein said collar comprises a split configuration having two sections hingedly connected at a pivot point.

16. The housing assembly of claim 15, wherein said collar includes an inside perimeter having an asymmetrical U-channel.

17. The housing assembly of claim 16, wherein said U-channel includes a first leg and a second leg, said first leg is shorter than said second leg.

18. The housing assembly of claim 15, wherein said collar includes two ends, said ends comprise a female portion and a male portion for latching said collar around said open end of said housing.

19. The housing assembly of claim 14, further including an air valve through said end plate body, said valve in communication with the interior of said housing member for pressurization of the housing assembly.

20. The housing assembly of claim 14, wherein said end plate includes at least four said cable caps.

21. The housing assembly of claim 14, wherein each said cable cap has a bottom surface, said bottom surface includes a soft sealing material for mating with a portion of a perimeter of said end plate body.

22. The housing assembly of claim 21, wherein said cable caps each include at least one fastener for fastening said cable caps to said end plate body.