USRE46255E1 - Fiber optic cable distribution box - Google Patents

is a perspective view of a first embodiment of a fiber optic cable distribution box according to the invention;

is a cross-sectional elevation view of the box of

, showing a cable drum region and other internal components of the box;

is a view of the box of

as seen from the top with a cover lid removed;

is a view of the box of

as seen from below;

is a perspective view of a second embodiment of a fiber optic cable distribution box according to the invention;

is a cross-sectional elevation view of the box of

;

is a side view of the box of

, showing the location of a cable strain relief device according to the invention;

is an enlarged perspective view of the cable strain relief device;

is a view of the strain relief device in

with a top cover removed;

is also a view of the strain relief device without the top cover, and shows a fiber optic cable entering one end of the device and individual fibers of the cable exiting from an opposite end of the device;

shows the strain relief device in place in the drum region of the box;

is a perspective view of a third embodiment of a fiber optic cable distribution box according to the invention;

is a view of the box of

as seen from below;

is a perspective view of a connector parking area on a base of the box of

; and

is a schematic diagram showing a number of the inventive cable boxes deployed throughout a multidwelling unit (MDU) premises, according to the invention.

shows a first embodiment of a fiber optic cable drop or

10 according to the invention. The

10 may be constructed of sheet metal, and/or plastics materials such as, without limitation, ABS or polycarbonate. Moisture proof seals, gaskets and the like may also be provided on or within the

10 in a known manner if the box will be mounted outdoors at a subscriber premises. The

10 has a

12 which, in the disclosed embodiment, is generally square and measures, e.g., about 6.25 inches (158.75 mm) long on each side with

14 formed at each corner of the base.

The

10 also has a

20 that extends axially upward from a central portion of the

12. The

20 includes an outer

22 the outside periphery of which is partially visible in

. The outside diameter of the

22 is sufficient to allow a length of a fiber optic cable (not shown) to be wound on the

22 for storage or retention, with at least the minimum bend diameter specified for the cable. For example, when using cables of Allwave® Flex™ fiber available from OFS Fitel, the outside diameter of the

22 can be about 3.0 inches (76.2 mm) or less. An inside end portion of the cable enters a cable entry port in the drum wall while being supported over a substantially straight path by a

24 fitted within the entry port. The

24 is described further below in connection with

, and it guides the end portion of the cable through the

22 along a line tangential to the circumference of the wall at the location of the

24.

The

10 also has an

30 that is disposed atop the

20, and which has a

31. In the embodiment of

, the

30 has a

32 constructed and arranged to permit an installer to access the interior of the

30 from outside, and a connector guard or cover 34 that is hinged to the lid at 35. As explained below, the

30 is dimensioned and formed to allow a first set of optical fibers that enter the

30 and originate either from a cable wound over the

20, or from a cable that enters a port in the compartment wall 31 (see

), to connect with a second set of optical fibers from another cable which fibers terminate in

36 seen beneath the

34 in

. A number of flat fingers or

38 are formed to project outward from lower side edges of the

31, and are parallel to the

12. The

38 and the base 12 together serve to confine a length of cable wound about the

22, in the region between the base and the

30.

is a cross sectional view in elevation of the

10 in

, and

is a view of the

10 as seen from the top with the

32 removed. The

30 features a

40 that is supported to occupy a cut out

41 in the

31. A number of

42 are mounted to extend through corresponding openings in the

40, and the

42 operate to couple the

36 at the external side of the

40, with corresponding

44 at the internal side of the panel. Preferably, the

40 is mounted in the

31 so that it can be easily removed and exchanged with another panel of the same dimensions but in which adapters of a different type are mounted. For example, the

40 may be slid in or out of

43 formed at both ends of the sidewall cut out

41. A desired

40 may then be selected from among a number of different

42 which accommodate, for example, type LC, SC, FC, ST, MPO, or type MPX connectors, depending on the type of cable connectors used at a given deployment.

As mentioned, optical fibers routed into the

30 may originate from the inside end portion of a cable wound over the

20 and which passes through the

22 via the

24. In such an application, the fibers are routed through an annular

46 that extends between the outer

22, and an inner

48 of the drum region which

48 is formed radially inward of the

22. The

24 and the dimensions of the annular

46, are such that individual optical fibers will not be subject to a bend diameter less than that specified for the fibers before entering the

30 and terminating in the

44. For example, when using cables of Allwave® Flex™ fiber available from OFS Fitel, the

48 may have an outside diameter as small as 0.7874 inches (20 mm), and the mean diameter of the

46 may only be about 2.0 inches (50.8 mm).

The

31 of the

30 also has a cable entry or pass through port 50 (

) in a rear section of the

31 for receiving an outside fiber optic cable or cable assembly (not shown) whose fibers are to be coupled with those fibers terminated by the

36. Alternatively, the

50 may be provided in the form of a large opening through a portion of an alternate connector panel 40 (not shown). In such applications, the fibers of the cable entering the

50 may be routed directly to corresponding ones of the

44 with little, if any, bending whatsoever. Moreover, the use of multifiber connectors such as type MPO in the

40 enables the

10 to act as an aggregation box. That is, multiple cables originating from other like boxes at different levels of a multi-dwelling unit (MDU) may enter the

50 of the

30, to connect via the MPO connectors with a single cable routed to the box from an alternate location, e.g., the basement of the MDU. See

and related text below. If not used, the rear

50 is preferably kept closed by a

52.

is a bottom view of the

10 of

. A

60 is formed with a central

62. The

60 extends axially between a top end of the

60 that fits through a clearance opening in the

32 to lie flush with the lid's top surface as shown in

, and a bottom end of the tube where the

62 opens beneath the base 12 as seen in

. The axis of the

62 coincides with the axis of the outer

22 of the

20. In the disclosed embodiment, the

60 extends above and below the center of a

63 that closes an upper axial end of the inner

48, as seen in

.

The diameter of the

62 in the

60 is preferably sufficient to allow a long narrow tool such as a screwdriver shaft, bolt or other payoff mandrel, to be inserted through the passage from above or below the

10 so that the tool will act as a spindle about which the

10 can turn freely. This construction allows a single worker easily to pay out a cable wound on the

20, as may be necessary for a network deployment at a MDU. For example, while holding the handle of an inserted screwdriver in one hand, the worker can use his or her other hand to pull and unwind a desired length of the cable from the

20 while the

10 is free to turn about the screwdriver shaft.

show a second embodiment of a

200 according to the invention. Components of the

200 that are identical or similar to those of the

10 of

, have corresponding reference numerals increased by 200.

The

200 has a single

232 with an

235 for a connector guard or

234. Further, a

231 of an

230 has a continuous

204 that extends radially outward beneath the

230, parallel to a

212 of the box. The

204 and the base 212 together serve to confine a length of fiber optic cable wound on the outer

222, within the region between the

204 and the

212. As with the

10 of

, an inside end portion of the cable is guided by a

224 to enter an annular

246 inside the

200, over a substantially straight path tangential to the circumference of the

222 at the location of the

224.

Also, as seen in

, the

212 of the

200 may be formed as a separate piece that is fastened to the bottom of the

220 by, e.g., screws or other fasteners that are formed to engage

206 fixed at the bottom of the annular

246.

is an enlarged, perspective view of the

224 which corresponds to the

24 provided in the

10 in

. As seen in

, the

224 is comprised of an arcuately

208 with a generally U-shaped cross section having an

224a, an

224b, a

224c, and a

209 that fits atop and extends between the

224a, 224b of the device.

Further, as shown in

, the

224a has an

226 at one end of the

224 for receiving the inner end portion of, e.g., a flat ribbon

260 wound on the outer

222 of the

220. An

228 at the opposite end of the

224 allows individual fibers of the cable to exit from the device and to enter the

246 of the

200, preferably after each fiber is protected with, for example, a commercially available 900 μm sleeve.

The

260 and its individual fibers are guided over a substantially straight path between the

226, 228, with the aid of a pair of parallel fingers or guides 211 that project upward from the

224c of the

224 as seen in

. After outer jacketing is stripped away from the end portion of the

260, lengths of an arimid or Kevlar® yarn that surrounds the cable fibers and serves as a reinforcing or strength material for the cable, are wrapped about and secured to the

211 with an epoxy or other suitable adhesive. Commercially available protective sleeves (e.g., 900 μm) are placed over each of the individual cable fibers, and the sleeved fibers are guided out of the

228. The

209 is fixed to the

208 via a suitable adhesive, and the assembled cable

224 is fixed securely within a

225 defined between the outer

222 and the inner

248 of the

220, as shown in

.

Accordingly, the inside end portion of the

260 and its individual fibers pass tangentially with respect to the outer

222 through the

225 in the wall, and into the annular

246 of the

200. Because the yarn surrounding the fibers is anchored to the

211 of the

224, any force applied externally to the

260 when the cable is being wound on or off the outer

222 of the drum region, will be transferred to the

222 in which the

224 is fixed rather than to the fibers themselves.

show a third embodiment of a

300 according to the invention. Components of the

300 that are identical or similar to those of the

10 of

, have corresponding reference numerals increased by 300. The

300 features an

308 in its

312, a

313, and a number of security latch holes 315.

The

300 has an integrated splice chamber or

308 attached or formed underneath the

312, including a

309 mounted inside the base. The

309 may be fixed within the

300, or affixed directly to a wall. In either case, the

300 may be installed over the

308. Pigtails or terminated ends can then enter or exit a lower section of the compartment through

311 that are cut in a side wall of the

312.

The connector parking area or block 313 allows terminated fiber ends to be stored while not in use. The

313 is constructed and dimensioned to receive and secure a selected one of a number of different commercially available connector parking strips 307 (e.g., type SC) in the

313. This feature enables the future use of alternate connector types without having to replace the

300, but at the same time allows installers to forego parking

Several latch or

315 may be formed through corresponding feet on the hinged

332. The latch holes 315 allow the end user to utilize a number of safety lockout methods. For example, one

315 can be used with a standard plunger type latching mechanism simply to keep the lid closed.

315 can be used to receive wire ties, lockout tags, or other security locks.

illustrates an example of a fiber optic network deployment at a

400. A number of the inventive distribution boxes, for example, the

10 of

, are mounted at corresponding locations in the

400, for example, above a drop ceiling on each

414 of the MDU.

416 corresponding to network subscribers on a given

414 are terminated in the

36 which, in turn, are connected to the

42 on the external side of the

40.

Each of the

416 is connected with a corresponding fiber in a

418 associated with the

10 in the ceiling of the subscriber's floor. The

418 may be wound initially about the

20 of the

10, to be partially or fully unwound later for routing to another

10 that serves as an “aggregation” box which is located, e.g, between a

420 and a

422 of the

400. The fibers of the

418 are terminated in the

44 which, in turn, are connected to the

42 on the internal side of the

40.

At the

10, each one of the

418 containing subscriber fibers from each floor of the

400, enters the aggregation box through its rear pass through

50 or a faceplate port. As mentioned earlier, the fibers of each

418 may be routed inside the box with little if any bending to connect via a

44 with a corresponding

42 on the internal side of the

40. A main

424 serving all subscribers in the

400, is routed between a

426 in the

420, and the

10 in which the main cable fibers connect to the

42 on the external side of the

40 via

36. A

430 is routed to the

426 from outside the

400, and fibers of the

430 are connected to corresponding subscriber fibers of the

424 inside the

426.

1. A fiber optic cable distribution box, comprising:

an interface compartment constructed and arranged for interfacing a first set of fibers when routed inside the compartment, with a second set of fibers associated with a fiber optic cable that is routed to the box;

a drum region extending beneath the interface compartment, wherein the drum region includes a first cylindrical wall having an axis, the wall is dimensioned to support a length of a first fiber optic cable wound about the wall, and the drum region is constructed and arranged so that the distribution box can turn about the axis of the cylindrical wall when a cable is paid out from the drum region; and

the interface compartment and the drum region are constructed and arranged so that the first set of fibers inside the interface compartment, originate from an inside end portion of the cable wound about the first cylindrical wall of the drum region.

2. A cable distribution box according to

, including a tube arranged to extend coaxially through the drum region, and the tube has a central passage through which an outside shaft or spindle is insertable.

3. A cable distribution box according to

, wherein a first cable entry port is formed in the first cylindrical wall of the drum region for receiving the inside end portion of the first fiber optic cable.

4. A cable distribution box according to

, wherein the drum region includes a second cylindrical wall arranged radially inward and coaxially with the first cylindrical wall, and an annular fiber routing region is defined between the first and the second walls.

5. A cable distribution box according to

, including a strain relief device arranged at the first cable entry port for guiding the inside end portion of the first fiber optic cable through the first cylindrical wall over a path tangential to the circumference of the wall.

6. A cable distribution box according to

, wherein the strain relief device is constructed and arranged to transfer a pull force applied externally to the first fiber optic cable, to the first cylindrical wall of the drum region when the cable is wound on or off the drum region.

7. A cable distribution box according to

, wherein the strain relief device includes one or more guides for securing a strength material beneath an outer jacket of the cable.

8. A cable distribution box according to

, wherein the interface compartment includes a connector panel, and a number of connector adapters mounted in the panel for coupling fiber optic connectors at an externally facing side of the panel, with corresponding fiber optic connectors at an internally facing side of the panel.

9. A cable distribution box according to

, wherein the interface compartment is constructed and arranged to support the connector panel so that a first connector panel can be removed and exchanged with a second connector panel having connector adapters of a type different from a type of adapters mounted in the first connector panel.

10. A cable distribution box according to

, wherein the interface compartment has a side wall, and a number of fingers or tabs that project outward from the side wall for confining the length of the first fiber optic cable when wound about the first cylindrical wall of the drum region.

11. A cable distribution box according to

, including a disk flange that extends radially outward beneath the interface compartment for confining the length of the first fiber optic cable when wound on the first cylindrical wall of the drum region.

12. A cable distribution box according to

, wherein the interface compartment has a side wall, and the side wall has a second cable entry port for receiving a fiber optic cable or cable assembly having a third set of fibers to be coupled via the connector panel with the second set of fibers of the second fiber optic cable routed to the box.

13. A cable distribution box according to

, wherein one or more of the adapters mounted in the connector panel of the interface compartment are constructed and arranged to couple multi-fiber type connectors with one another.

14. A cable distribution box according to

, including a length of the first fiber optic cable wound about the first cylindrical wall of the drum region, and a fiber optic connector for terminating an outside end of the cable.

15. A cable distribution box according to

, wherein the fiber optic connector at the outside end of the cable is a multi-fiber type of connector.

16. A method for installing a fiber optic cable distribution device at an installation location, the fiber optic cable distribution device including a housing defining an interface compartment, the fiber optic cable distribution device also including a fiber optic connector adapter having first and second ports, at least the first port being accessible from inside the interface compartment, the fiber optic cable distribution device further including a drum coupled to the housing and a fiber optic cable coiled about the drum, the drum being located outside the interface compartment, the fiber optic cable including a plurality of optical fibers, at least one of the optical fibers being terminated by a fiber optic connector that is inserted within the first port of the fiber optic connector adapter, the method comprising:

paying out the fiber optic cable from the drum by rotating the fiber optic cable distribution device about an axis of rotation, wherein the housing, the drum, the fiber optic adapter and the fiber optic connector are rotated together about the axis of rotation as the fiber optic cable is paid out from the drum; and

installing the fiber optic cable distribution device at the installation location, wherein the drum remains coupled to the housing during and after installation of the fiber optic cable distribution device.

17. The method of claim 16, wherein the installation location is a wall.

18. The method of claim 16, wherein in the installation location is a wall of a multi-dwelling unit.

19. The method of claim 16, wherein an outer end of the fiber optic cable is terminated by a multi-fiber connector, and wherein the method further comprises plugging the multi-fiber connector into an adapter at an aggregation box.

20. The method of claim 19, wherein the fiber optic cable distribution device and the aggregation box are on different floors of a building.

21. The method of claim 20, wherein the fiber optic cable of the fiber optic cable distribution device is a first fiber optic cable, wherein the first fiber optic cable is connected to a second finer optic cable at the aggregation box, and wherein the second fiber optic cable is routed to a cable entry box provided at a different floor of the building from the floors at which the aggregation box and the fiber optic cable distribution device are mounted.

22. The method of claim 21, wherein the building is a multi-dwelling unit.

23. A fiber optic cable distribution device comprising:

an enclosure defining an interface compartment, the interface compartment having an interior region, the enclosure having a front side and a back side, the front side having a front cover that can be opened to access the interior region of the interface compartment;

a cable storage drum coupled to the back side of the enclosure, the cable storage drum being located outside the interior region of the interface compartment, the cable storage drum including a cable storage region;

a first fiber optic cable coiled about the drum in a direction extending from an inside of the cable storage region toward an outside of the cable storage region, wherein at least a first set of optical fibers of the first fiber optic cable extend from the inside of the cable storage region into the interface compartment through the back wall of the enclosure; and

the cable distribution device defining an axis of rotation about which the enclosure and the drum rotate together in unison as the first fiber optic cable is paid off from the drum.

24. The fiber optic cable distribution device of claim 23, further comprising a plurality of fiber optic adapters carried by the enclosure, the fiber optic adapters including first ports that receive fiber optic connectors associated with the first set of optical fibers.

25. The fiber optic cable distribution device of claim 24, wherein at least the first set of fibers extend from directly the inside of the cable storage region into the interface compartment.

26. The cable distribution device of claim 23, wherein at least the first set of fibers extend from the inside of the cable storage region into the interface compartment without any intermediate coiling of the first set of fibers.

27. A fiber optic cable distribution device comprising:

an enclosure defining an interface compartment, the interface compartment having an interior region;

a cable storage drum coupled to the enclosure, the cable storage drum being located outside the interior region of the interface compartment, the cable storage drum including a cable storage region;

a first fiber optic cable coiled about the drum in a direction extending from an inside of the cable storage region toward an outside of the cable storage region, wherein at least a first set of optical fibers of the first fiber optic cable extend from the inside of the cable storage region directly into the interface compartment; and

the cable distribution device defining an axis of rotation about which the enclosure and the drum rotate together in unison as the first fiber optic cable is paid off from the drum.

28. The fiber optic cable distribution device of claim 27, further comprising a plurality of fiber optic adapters carried by the enclosure, the fiber optic adapters including first ports that receive fiber optic connectors associated with the first set of optical fibers.

29. A fiber optic cable distribution device comprising:

an enclosure defining an interface compartment, the interface compartment having an interior region;

a cable storage drum coupled to the enclosure, the cable storage drum being located outside the interior region of the interface compartment, the cable storage drum including a cable storage region;

a first fiber optic cable coiled about the drum in a direction extending from an inside of the cable storage region toward an outside of the cable storage region, wherein at least a first set of optical fibers of the first fiber optic cable extend from the inside of the cable storage region into the interface compartment without any intermediate coiling of the first set of optical fibers; and

the cable distribution device defining an axis of rotation about which the enclosure and the drum rotate together in unison as the first fiber optic cable is paid off from the drum.

30. The fiber optic cable distribution device of claim 29, further comprising a plurality of fiber optic adapters carried by the enclosure, the fiber optic adapters including first ports that receive fiber optic connectors associated with the first set of optical fibers.

31. A fiber optic cable distribution device comprising:

an enclosure defining an interface compartment, the interface compartment having an interior region;

a cable storage drum associated with the enclosure, the cable storage drum including a cable storage region surrounding a drum wall, the drum wall having at least one outer cross-dimension of 3 inches or less;

a first fiber optic cable coiled within the cable storage region about the drum, the fiber optic cable including optical fibers;

a plurality of fiber optic adapters positioned at least partially within the interior region of the interface compartment, the fiber optic adapters including first ports that receive fiber optic connectors associated with the optical fibers of the first fiber optic cable; and

the cable distribution device defining an axis of rotation about which the fiber optic adapters and the drum rotate together in unison as the first fiber optic cable is paid off from the drum.

32. A fiber optic cable distribution device comprising:

an enclosure defining an interface compartment, the interface compartment having an interior region;

a cable storage drum coupled to the enclosure, the cable storage drum being located outside the interior region of the interface compartment, the cable storage drum including a cable storage region;

a first fiber optic cable coiled about the drum, wherein at least a first set of optical fibers of the first fiber optic cable extend into the interface compartment;

a plurality of fiber optic adapters carried by the enclosure, the fiber optic adapters including first ports that receive fiber optic connectors associated with the first set of optical fibers, the fiber optic adapters also including second ports accessible from outside the interior region of the enclosure; and

the cable distribution device defining an axis of rotation about which the enclosure, the fiber optic adapters and the drum rotate together in unison as the first fiber optic cable is paid off from the drum.

33. A fiber distribution system comprising:

B) an aggregation box including at least a second fiber optic adapter that receives the multi-fiber fiber optic connector of the fiber distribution device.

34. The fiber distribution system of claim 33, wherein the second fiber optic adapter connects the first fiber optic cable to a second fiber optic cable having a plurality of optical fibers, the second fiber optic cable being routed from the aggregation box to a cable entry box.

35. The fiber distribution system of claim 33, wherein the cable distribution device and the aggregation box are mounted on different floors of a building.

36. The fiber distribution system of claim 35, wherein the building is a multi-dwelling unit.

37. The fiber distribution system of claim 34, wherein the cable distribution device, the cable entry box and the aggregation box are mounted on different floors of a building.

38. The fiber distribution system of claim 37, wherein the cable entry box is in a basement of the building.

39. The fiber distribution system of claim 38, wherein the building is a multi-dwelling unit.

40. A method for installing a fiber optic distribution system, the fiber optic distribution system including a fiber optic cable distribution device including an enclosure defining an interface compartment, the interface compartment having an interior region; a cable storage drum associated with the enclosure, the cable storage drum including a cable storage region surrounding a drum wall; a first fiber optic cable coiled within the cable storage region about the drum, the fiber optic cable including at least one set of optical fibers; a plurality of first fiber optic adapters positioned at least partially within the interior region of the interface compartment, the first fiber optic adapters including first ports; single fiber optical connectors associated with the set of optical fibers of the first fiber optic cable at a first end of the first fiber optic cable, the single fiber optical connectors being inserted within the first ports of the first fiber optic adapters; and a multi-fiber fiber optic connector associated with the set of optical fibers of the first fiber optic cable at a second end of the first fiber optic cable, the fiber optic cable distribution device defining an axis of rotation about which the first fiber optic adapters and the drum rotate together in unison as the first fiber optic cable is paid off from the drum, the method comprising:

paying in the first fiber optic cable off of the drum by rotating the drum and the first fiber optic adapters in unison with one another about the axis of rotation of the fiber optic cable distribution device;

installing the fiber optic cable distribution device at an installation location, wherein the enclosure, the drum and the first fiber optic adapters are installed as a unit at the installation location;

routing the second end of the first fiber optic cable to an aggregation box at a location remote from the installation location of the fiber optic cable distribution device; and

inserting the multi-fiber fiber optic connector at the second end of the first fiber optic cable into a second fiber optic adapter provided at the aggregation box.

41. The method of claim 40, wherein the second fiber optic adapter connects the first fiber optic cable to a second fiber optic cable having a plurality of optical fibers, the second fiber optic cable being routed from the aggregation box to a cable entry box.

42. The method of claim 40, wherein the cable distribution device and the aggregation box are mounted on different floors of a building.

43. The method of claim 42, wherein the building is a multi-dwelling unit.

44. The method of claim 41, wherein the cable distribution device, the cable entry box and the aggregation box are mounted on different floors of a building.

45. The method of claim 44, wherein the cable entry box is in a basement of the building.

46. The method of claim 45, wherein the building is a multi-dwelling unit.