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WO2022035862A1 - Plateaux de gestion de fibres optiques ayant des guides de boucle de fibre interchangeables et ajustables - Google Patents

Plateaux de gestion de fibres optiques ayant des guides de boucle de fibre interchangeables et ajustables Download PDF

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Publication number
WO2022035862A1
WO2022035862A1 PCT/US2021/045391 US2021045391W WO2022035862A1 WO 2022035862 A1 WO2022035862 A1 WO 2022035862A1 US 2021045391 W US2021045391 W US 2021045391W WO 2022035862 A1 WO2022035862 A1 WO 2022035862A1
Authority
WO
WIPO (PCT)
Prior art keywords
tray
fiber
loop
fiber management
guiding body
Prior art date
Legal status (The legal status is an assumption and is not a legal conclusion. Google has not performed a legal analysis and makes no representation as to the accuracy of the status listed.)
Ceased
Application number
PCT/US2021/045391
Other languages
English (en)
Inventor
Bart Mattie Claessens
Alex Veron Raoul BASTIAENS
Erik David Bishop
Current Assignee (The listed assignees may be inaccurate. Google has not performed a legal analysis and makes no representation or warranty as to the accuracy of the list.)
Commscope Technologies LLC
Original Assignee
Commscope Technologies LLC
Priority date (The priority date is an assumption and is not a legal conclusion. Google has not performed a legal analysis and makes no representation as to the accuracy of the date listed.)
Filing date
Publication date
Application filed by Commscope Technologies LLC filed Critical Commscope Technologies LLC
Publication of WO2022035862A1 publication Critical patent/WO2022035862A1/fr
Anticipated expiration legal-status Critical
Ceased legal-status Critical Current

Links

Classifications

    • G—PHYSICS
    • G02—OPTICS
    • G02B—OPTICAL ELEMENTS, SYSTEMS OR APPARATUS
    • G02B6/00—Light guides; Structural details of arrangements comprising light guides and other optical elements, e.g. couplings
    • G02B6/44—Mechanical structures for providing tensile strength and external protection for fibres, e.g. optical transmission cables
    • G02B6/4439—Auxiliary devices
    • G02B6/444—Systems or boxes with surplus lengths
    • G02B6/4453—Cassettes
    • G02B6/4454—Cassettes with splices

Definitions

  • the present disclosure relates to optical fiber management devices of telecommunications networks and, more particularly, to fiber management trays of telecommunications closures and other network nodes.
  • Fiber optic cables carry optical fibers that transmit optical signals to and from telecommunications equipment, such as splice closures.
  • the interior volume of a splice closure typically houses structures and equipment to splice and otherwise manage fibers to facilitate both storing of fibers and routing of fibers to their desired destinations.
  • Fiber management trays housed in a telecommunications closure can support fiber splices, fiber connectors and adapters, fiber splitters, wave division multiplexors, and other fiber management components.
  • Such trays can be arranged in a stack, and the trays are individually accessible by pivoting other trays in the stack away from the tray that is to be worked with, the trays being pivotally coupled to a mounting structure housed within the closure.
  • a given telecommunications closure can be configured to accommodate different fiber management trays depending on the routing and connectivity needs of the closure, and a technician uses a particular tray configuration or tray configurations suited to the routing and connectivity needs of that closure.
  • EP 2549316A1 The contents of European Patent Application Publication Number EP 2549316A1 are hereby incorporated by reference in their entirety. Summary
  • optical fiber management trays also referred to herein as fiber management trays, management trays, or trays
  • fiber management trays having interchangeable and adjustable fiber management components that can improve versatility in routing of optical fibers on differently configured trays.
  • Differently configured trays include trays of different overall sizes, trays having differently sized corresponding dimensions, and trays that are fitted with different numbers and different placements of fiber managing components, such as different numbers of splice body holders. Trays that are structurally identical but support different numbers of fibers from each other are also considered differently configured for purposes of this disclosure.
  • the trays of the present disclosure can be used to securely support fiber optic splices and/or to hold fiber optic connectors that terminate fibers.
  • optical signals pass from a fiber or set of fibers to another fiber or set of fibers via the optical link established by either the splice or the connector junction.
  • a connector to connector junction can be facilitated by a fiber optic adapter that receives the connectors, and/or with another connector coupling mechanism.
  • the trays of the present disclosure can also be used to securely support other fiber management components, such as splitters and wave division multiplexors.
  • an optical fiber management tray having a length extending from a proximal end to a distal end along a first axis, a width extending from a first lateral side to a second lateral side along a second axis, and a height extending from a bottom to a top along a vertical third axis, the first, second and third axes being mutually perpendicular to one another, the first and second axes defining a horizontal plane
  • the tray including: a tray body including a planar horizontal fiber management surface defining a plurality of tray mounting structures for mounting fiber management components; a fiber loop guiding body including a curved surface projecting upward from the fiber management surface; and a fiber loop size adapter configured to lockingly and adjustably engage the fiber loop guiding body at each of a plurality of loop size positions, the loop size adapter including an adapter wall that faces the curved surface of the fiber loop guiding body when the adapter is lockingly engaged to the tray body or the
  • optical fiber management kit comprising: a first optical fiber management tray having a length extending from a proximal end to a distal end along a first axis, a width extending from a first lateral side to a second lateral side along a second axis, and a height extending from a bottom to a top along a vertical third axis, the first, second and third axes being mutually perpendicular to one another, the first and second axes defining a horizontal plane
  • the first optical fiber management tray including: a first tray body including a first planar horizontal fiber management surface defining a plurality of first tray mounting structures for mounting fiber management components; a second optical fiber management tray having a length extending from a proximal end to a distal end along a first axis, a width extending from a first lateral side to a second lateral side along a second axis, and a height extending from a bottom to a top
  • the tray including a tray body including a planar horizontal fiber management surface defining a plurality of tray mounting structures for mounting fiber management components, the method comprising: lockingly mounting a fiber loop guiding body to some of the tray mounting structures such that a curved surface of the loop guiding body projects upward from the fiber management surface; inserting a coupling leg of a loop size adapter into a groove at a bottom of the fiber loop guiding body; sliding the coupling leg in the groove until one of a plurality of
  • FIG. 1 is a top perspective view of an example fiber management tray according to the present disclosure.
  • FIG. 2 is a bottom perspective view of the fiber management tray of FIG. 1.
  • FIG. 3 is atop planar view of the fiber management tray of FIG. 1.
  • FIG. 4 is a top perspective view of a further configuration of a fiber management tray in accordance with the present disclosure.
  • FIG. 5 is a top perspective view of a further configuration of a fiber management tray in accordance with the present disclosure.
  • FIG. 6 is a bottom perspective view of a fiber loop routing assembly of a fiber management tray according to the present disclosure.
  • FIG. 7 is a top perspective view of the fiber loop routing assembly of FIG. 6.
  • FIG. 8 is a bottom planar view of the fiber loop routing assembly of FIG. 6.
  • FIG. 9 is a top plan view of the fiber loop routing assembly of FIG. 6.
  • FIG. 10 is a side view of the fiber loop routing assembly of FIG. 6.
  • Fig. 11 is a cross-sectional view of the fiber loop routing assembly of FIG. 6 taken along the line A-A in FIG. 9.
  • FIG. 12 is a perspective view of the fiber loop routing assembly of FIG. 6 shown in the configuration of the fiber loop routing assembly of FIG. 3.
  • FIG. 13 is a perspective view of the fiber loop routing assembly of FIG. 6 shown in the configuration of the fiber management tray of FIG. 4.
  • FIG. 14 is a perspective, cross-sectional view of the fiber loop routing assembly of FIG. 6 in the configuration shown in FIG. 12, taken along the line B-B in FIG. 12.
  • FIG. 15 is an exploded view of the fiber management tray of FIG. 1, with one less fiber splice body holder block.
  • FIG. 16 is a further exploded view of the fiber management tray of FIG. 1, with one less fiber splice body holder block.
  • the tray 10 has a length dimension that extends from a proximal end 12 to a distal end 14 along a first axis 16.
  • the tray 10 has a with dimension that extends from a first lateral side 18 to a second lateral side 20 along a second axis 22.
  • the tray 10 has a height dimension that extends from a bottom 24 to a top 26 along a vertical third axis 28.
  • the first, second and third axes 16, 22 and 28 are mutually perpendicular.
  • the first axis 16 and the second axis 22 define a horizontal plane.
  • components of the tray 10 are constructed of a rigid, flexibly resilient material, such as a molded polymeric material or a metallic material.
  • a rigid, flexibly resilient material such as a molded polymeric material or a metallic material.
  • relative positions of components or portions of components of a tray relative to the first axis 16 will be described in terms of proximal and distal placement.
  • Relative positions of components or portions of components of a tray relative to the third axis 28 will be described in terms of above, below, higher, lower, etc.
  • Relative positions of components or portions of components may also be described in terms of their relative horizontal and vertical positions as defined by the horizontal plane defined by first and second axes 16 and 22, and the vertical axis 28.
  • relative positioning terms such as proximal, distal, vertical, horizontal, above, below, etc. are used for ease of description in relating positions of tray components. These terms do not limit how trays or tray components in accordance with the present disclosure may be used or situated in practice.
  • the tray 10 includes a tray body 30.
  • the tray body 30 includes a planar horizontal fiber management surface 32.
  • a vertical wall 34 projects vertically at a perimeter of the surface 32.
  • the wall 34 and a wall 35 define entry channels 36 for fibers to enter and leave the fiber management surface 32.
  • the fiber management surface includes a fiber organizer region 38, where fibers are routed and fiber slack is stored in loops, and an optical connection region 40, where optical connections between fibers are supported.
  • splice body holder blocks 42 (also referred to as splice chips) are mounted in the optical connection region 40, Each splice body holder block 42 includes structures for supporting splice bodies of splices between optical fibers managed on the tray 10.
  • the number of splice holding blocks 42 supported by a tray can be customized. For example, in the configuration of the tray 10, there are four splice holding blocks 42, whereas in the configurations of the trays 10’ and 10” (FIGS. 4 and 5), there are three splice holding blocks 42.
  • the tray 10 includes a hinge component 47 configured to couple to a complementary hinge component of a tray support of an organizer of a telecommunications closure to enable the tray 10 to pivot relative to the tray support and relative to other trays in a stack of trays coupled to the tray support.
  • the tray 10 can be fitted with a cover (not shown) to cover and protect the surface 32 and the fibers thereon.
  • the features of the tray 10 are configured to accommodate the minimum bend radii of fibers managed using the tray 10.
  • the tray 10 can be reconfigured using aspects of the present disclosure in order to maximize efficient use of the fiber organizer region 38 and the optical connection region 40 based on a given desired fiber management scheme.
  • Two such alternative configurations are the trays 10’ and 10”, shown in FIGS. 4 and 5, respectively.
  • the fibers managed using the tray 10 can be single fibers or groups of fibers such as flat ribbon fibers or rollable ribbon fibers.
  • the splices supported by the tray 10 can be single fiber to single fiber splices or mass splices.
  • the splices can be mechanical splices, fusion splices, or another type of splice.
  • Such splices can be between fibers of a provider side feeder telecommunications cable and fibers of a subscriber side distribution (or drop) telecommunications cable, where those cables both enter the closure that houses the tray 10.
  • such splices can be between fibers of incoming and outgoing branch cables, or between fibers of a branch cable and fibers of one or more distribution cables, or between fibers of a feeder cable and fibers of one or more branch cables.
  • the tray 10 can also be used to organize sheaths (e.g., tubes) containing multiple fibers.
  • the region 40 or another portion of the surface 32 can be used to support other fiber management components, such as a fiber splitter, fiber optic connectors and adapters, wave division multiplexers, etc.
  • the surface 32 defines a plurality of tray mounting structures 46 for mounting fiber management components.
  • the mounting structures 46 are openings shaped to receive projections of fiber management components that then slide horizontally (and laterally) within the openings in a dovetailing manner to lock the component to the tray body 30.
  • the splice body holder blocks 42 include projections 48 that are configured to slidlingly lock with the mounting structures 46.
  • the tray 10 includes 14 such structures or sets of structures 46 arranged in numbered rows. Other trays can include more or fewer of such rows of structures 46.
  • the tray 10 includes a fiber loop guiding body 50 including a curved surface 52, 53 projecting upward from the fiber management surface 32.
  • the body 50 defines spool bodies 54, 55 and/or a collective spool structure consisting of both spool bodies 54, 55 with a fiber guide channel 57 therebetween allowing for additional fiber routing customizability.
  • the fiber loop guiding body 50 is a single piece of unitary construction.
  • the fiber loop guiding body can be multiple pieces.
  • the spool bodies 54, 55 can be separate pieces that individually mount to the surface 32.
  • the fiber loop guiding body 50 includes fiber retention lips 56, 58 projecting horizontally from tops of the spool bodies 54, 55 above the surface 32. The lips 56, 58, can help retain fibers looped around the spool bodies 54, 55 vertically between the lips 56, 58 and the surface 32.
  • the fiber loop guiding body 50 includes projections that serve as guiding body mounting structures 60 that are configured to slidingly lock in a lateral direction with the mounting structures 46.
  • the projections 60 and the projections 48 are of identical construction and lock to the mounting structure 46 in the same manner.
  • the fiber loop guiding body 50 is removably mountable to the tray body.
  • the projections 60 enable the fiber loop guiding body 50 to be mounted to trays of different sizes and configurations, provided the trays include mounting structures 46.
  • the projections 60 enable the fiber loop guiding body 50 to be mounted to any of a selectable plurality of rows of structures 46 within the fiber organizer region 38 of a given tray, and depending on the desired fiber loop size in the region 38, as described in more detail below.
  • the fiber loop guiding body is of unitary construction with (e.g., intentionally permanently fixed to) the tray body.
  • the fiber loop guiding body 50 defines at a bottom of the fiber loop guiding body 50 laterally separated elongate grooves 62 that are elongate parallel to the axis 16.
  • the grooves 62 are positioned adjacent the fiber management surface 32 when the fiber loop guiding body 50 is locked to the tray body 30. Projecting downward from the spool bodies 54, 55 into the grooves 62 are ribs 64.
  • the fiber loop guiding body 50 also defines laterally separated pairs of elongate slots 66 that are elongate parallel to the axis 16. At the top of each slot is a shoulder 68.
  • the tray 10 includes a fiber loop size adapter 70 configured to lockingly and adjustably engage the fiber loop guiding body 50 at each of a plurality of loop size positions.
  • the loop size adapter 70 includes an adapter wall 72 having a surface 73 that faces the curved surface 52, 53 of the fiber loop guiding body when the adapter 70 is lockingly engaged to the tray body 30.
  • a loop size position is a relative position of adapter 70 and loop guiding body 50 that defines a size (e.g., a diameter) or set of sizes of a fiber loop that can be accommodated between the surface 52, 53 and the surface 73 while complying with the fiber’s minimum bend radius requirement.
  • a size e.g., a diameter
  • the adapter 70 By adjusting the position of the adapter 70 relative to the fiber loop guiding body 50 on the surface 32, different loop sizes can be achieved for different fiber routing and management schemes on the tray 10, provided that the region 38 of the tray 10 is large enough in the proximal to distal dimension to accommodate the desired positioning of the adapters 70 relative to the fiber loop guiding body 50.
  • one or more of the splice body holder blocks 42 can be removed from the tray 10 in order to accommodate larger fiber loops in the region 38.
  • the adapter 70 and the loop guiding body 50 can cooperate in at least three configurations.
  • a first configuration of the tray 10 (FIG. 3, and also FIG. 12) a loop 3 of a fiber 2 can be achieved.
  • a second configuration of the tray 10’ (FIG. 4, and also FIG. 13)
  • a loop 5 of a fiber 4 can be achieved.
  • a third configuration of the tray 10 (FIG. 5) a loop 7 of a fiber 6 can be achieved.
  • the adapters 70 are removed entirely.
  • the adapters 70 are in their fully extended locked position relative to the loop guiding body 50.
  • the adapters 70 are in their non-fully extended locked position relative to the loop guiding body 50.
  • the loop 5 is larger in diameter than the loop 3
  • the loop 7 is smaller in diameter than the loop 3. It should be appreciated that additional loop size positions (i.e., more than three) can be achieved by providing additional locking engagement locations between an adapter 70 and a loop guiding body 50.
  • each adapter 70 is provided on opposite sides of the fiber loop guiding body 50, such that the routing path defined between the adapters 70 and the loop guiding body 50 is symmetrical on the proximal and distal sides of the fiber loop guiding body. It should be appreciated that each adapter 70 need not be set to the same corresponding loop size position of the other adapter 70. For example, one of the adapters 70 can be extended farther relative to the fiber loop guiding body than the other. These options provide for further customizability of routing paths on the tray.
  • each loop size adapter 70 includes fiber retaining lips 74 projecting horizontally from the top of the adapter wall 72.
  • the fiber retaining lips 74 can help retain fibers vertically between the lips 74 and the surface 32.
  • Each loop size adapter 70 includes a pair of laterally spaced apart coupling legs 76 projecting horizontally from the bottom of the adapter wall 72 and configured to adjustably slide in one of the grooves 62 defined by the fiber loop guiding body 50 between the different loop size positions. More particularly, each coupling leg 76 includes coupling features. Each coupling feature corresponds to a loop size position. In this example, each coupling feature is a recess 78. Each recess 78 is structurally complementary to a rib 64.
  • the rib 64 engages the recesses 78, the rib 64 being snappably sequentially engageable in each of the recesses (corresponding to the different loop size positions) as the coupling leg slides within the groove 62.
  • the coupling legs 76 each define one or more holes 80 into which a tool can be inserted (e.g., a pick or a screwdriver) to pry the adapter 70 away from the fiber loop guiding body 50 so that the leg 76 can be horizontally slid in the groove 62 to adjust a position of the adapter 70 relative to the fiber loop guiding body 50 or so that the adapter 70 can be entirely removed.
  • a tool e.g., a pick or a screwdriver
  • Each adapter 70 includes a latch arm 82 projecting vertically from each coupling leg 76.
  • Each latch arm 82 includes a catch 84.
  • the latch arm 82 is inserted in the corresponding slot 66 until the catch 84 snaps over and engages the corresponding shoulder 68. The engagement of the catch 84 and the shoulder 68 can inhibit vertical separation of the loop size adapter 70 from the fiber loop guiding body 50.
  • the adapters 70 can be coupled to the fiber loop guiding body 50 before or after (or one before and one after) the fiber loop guiding body 50 is locked to the surface 32.
  • the latch arm 82 can still slide parallel to the axis 16 in its slot 66 so that the desired loop size position can be achieved and/or so that the adapter 70 can be entirely removed.

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  • Physics & Mathematics (AREA)
  • General Physics & Mathematics (AREA)
  • Optics & Photonics (AREA)
  • Light Guides In General And Applications Therefor (AREA)

Abstract

L'invention concerne des plateaux de gestion de fibres optiques ayant des parties ajustables et interchangeables pour s'adapter efficacement à différents schémas de gestion de fibres sur des plateaux configurés différemment. Dans certains modes de réalisation, un plateau de gestion de fibre comprend un guide de boucle de fibre pouvant être monté de manière amovible qui comprend des adaptateurs de taille de boucle ajustables.
PCT/US2021/045391 2020-08-14 2021-08-10 Plateaux de gestion de fibres optiques ayant des guides de boucle de fibre interchangeables et ajustables Ceased WO2022035862A1 (fr)

Applications Claiming Priority (2)

Application Number Priority Date Filing Date Title
US202063065560P 2020-08-14 2020-08-14
US63/065,560 2020-08-14

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WO2022035862A1 true WO2022035862A1 (fr) 2022-02-17

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PCT/US2021/045391 Ceased WO2022035862A1 (fr) 2020-08-14 2021-08-10 Plateaux de gestion de fibres optiques ayant des guides de boucle de fibre interchangeables et ajustables

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Cited By (1)

* Cited by examiner, † Cited by third party
Publication number Priority date Publication date Assignee Title
WO2024044162A1 (fr) * 2022-08-22 2024-02-29 Ppc Broadband, Inc. Monture de câble à fibre optique qui facilite l'insertion et le retrait de câble

Citations (5)

* Cited by examiner, † Cited by third party
Publication number Priority date Publication date Assignee Title
US20040011750A1 (en) * 2002-07-22 2004-01-22 Matthew Kim Fiber management drawer and patch panel
US20120057838A1 (en) * 2007-10-01 2012-03-08 Clearfield, Inc. Modular optical fiber cassettes
US20130243386A1 (en) * 2010-12-01 2013-09-19 3M Innovative Properties Company Fiber organizer and distribution box
US20150346449A1 (en) * 2014-05-27 2015-12-03 3M Innovative Properties Company Fiber management assemblies and trays and network interface devices incorporating such assemblies and trays
US20190018210A1 (en) * 2011-06-24 2019-01-17 Commscope Technologies Llc Fiber termination enclosure with modular plate assemblies

Patent Citations (5)

* Cited by examiner, † Cited by third party
Publication number Priority date Publication date Assignee Title
US20040011750A1 (en) * 2002-07-22 2004-01-22 Matthew Kim Fiber management drawer and patch panel
US20120057838A1 (en) * 2007-10-01 2012-03-08 Clearfield, Inc. Modular optical fiber cassettes
US20130243386A1 (en) * 2010-12-01 2013-09-19 3M Innovative Properties Company Fiber organizer and distribution box
US20190018210A1 (en) * 2011-06-24 2019-01-17 Commscope Technologies Llc Fiber termination enclosure with modular plate assemblies
US20150346449A1 (en) * 2014-05-27 2015-12-03 3M Innovative Properties Company Fiber management assemblies and trays and network interface devices incorporating such assemblies and trays

Cited By (1)

* Cited by examiner, † Cited by third party
Publication number Priority date Publication date Assignee Title
WO2024044162A1 (fr) * 2022-08-22 2024-02-29 Ppc Broadband, Inc. Monture de câble à fibre optique qui facilite l'insertion et le retrait de câble

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