Terminal assemblies, end cap assemblies, and fiber optic enclosures incorporating the same

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-10180553-B2
Application number	US-201715490319-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Apr 18, 2017
Priority date	Feb 17, 2017
Publication date	Jan 15, 2019
Grant date	Jan 15, 2019

Abstract

Fiber optic enclosures, terminal assemblies, end cap assemblies, and methods of sealing fiber optic enclosures are disclosed. The terminal assembly of a fiber optic enclosure may include an input fiber sealing assembly and an output fiber sealing assembly. The input fiber sealing assembly may include an input fiber insert positioned in an input fiber channel of the cap body, an input fiber compression plate positioned in the input fiber channel, and an input fiber compression member for compressing the insert between the fiber compression plate and the base plate. The output fiber sealing assembly may include an output fiber insert positioned in the output fiber channel of the cap body, an output fiber compression plate positioned in the output fiber channel, and an output fiber compression member for compressing the insert between the fiber compression plate and the base plate.

First claim

The invention claimed is:

1. An end cap assembly for a fiber optic enclosure, the end cap assembly comprising:
a cap body comprising an input fiber channel and an output fiber channel, the cap body configured to couple to a housing to enclose components disposed in the housing;
a base plate coupled to the cap body;
an input fiber sealing assembly comprising:
an input fiber insert positioned in the input fiber channel of the cap body;
an input fiber compression plate positioned in the input fiber channel of the cap body, wherein the input fiber insert is disposed between the input fiber compression plate and the base plate;
an input fiber compression member, wherein the input fiber compression member passes through the base plate, the input fiber insert and the input fiber compression plate;
an input fiber strain relief member comprising an input fiber strain relief bracket coupled to the base plate and a central member at a freestanding end of the input fiber strain relief member operable to clamp a strength member of an input optical cable between the central member and the input fiber strain relief bracket; and

an output fiber sealing assembly comprising:
an output fiber insert positioned in the output fiber channel of the cap body;
an output fiber compression plate positioned in the output fiber channel of the cap body, wherein the output fiber insert is disposed between the output fiber compression plate and the base plate;
an output fiber compression member, wherein the output fiber compression member passes through the base plate, the output fiber insert, and the output fiber compression plate; and
an output fiber strain relief member comprising a first end coupled to the base plate and a second end spaced from the first end, wherein the second end is a freestanding end.

2. The end cap assembly of claim 1 , wherein the base plate comprises a plurality of openings for receiving a plurality of output optical cables that pass through the output fiber insert and the output fiber compression plate.

3. The end cap assembly of claim 2 , wherein the plurality of openings are arranged in a circle and the base plate further comprises a threaded opening encircled by the plurality of openings.

4. The end cap assembly of claim 3 , wherein the output fiber strain relief member comprises a ledge at the freestanding second end and a body extending between the first end and the freestanding second end.

5. The end cap assembly of claim 4 , wherein the ledge comprises a flange and wherein a portion of the ledge between the flange and the body comprises a stopping surface for contacting a strength member of an output fiber cable.

6. The end cap assembly of claim 5 , wherein the output fiber strain relief member comprises a cap, and wherein the cap comprises the ledge and a flange extending from the ledge.

7. The end cap assembly of claim 5 , wherein the ledge extends at least partway around a circumference of the body.

8. The end cap assembly of claim 5 , wherein the body comprises a plurality of sides, wherein each of the plurality of sides corresponds to one of the plurality of openings in the base plate.

9. The end cap assembly of claim 5 , wherein the output fiber strain relief member comprises a plurality of the ledges at the freestanding second end, wherein each of the plurality of the ledges corresponds to one of the plurality of openings in the base plate.

10. The end cap assembly of claim 1 , wherein the output fiber strain relief member further comprises a support bracket at the first end, wherein the first end is coupled to the base plate by the support bracket.

11. The end cap assembly of claim 1 , wherein:
the input fiber compression member is rotatable to compress the input fiber insert; and
the output fiber compression member is rotatable to compress the output fiber insert.

12. The end cap assembly of claim 1 , wherein the base plate comprises a first base plate section and a second base plate section that cooperate to define at least one input optical cable opening.

13. The end cap assembly of claim 1 , wherein the input fiber sealing assembly further comprises an input fiber strain relief member having a first end coupled to the base plate and a second end spaced from the first end.

14. A fiber optic enclosure comprising:
a cap body comprising:
a first side and a second side;
an input fiber channel extending from the first side to the second side; and
an output fiber channel extending from the first side to the second side;

a terminal assembly comprising:
a base plate coupled to the first side of the cap body;
an input fiber sealing assembly comprising:
an input fiber insert positioned in the input fiber channel of the cap body;
an input fiber compression plate positioned in the input fiber channel of the cap body, the input fiber insert located between the input fiber compression plate and the base plate;
an input fiber compression member, wherein the input fiber compression member passes through the base plate, the input fiber insert, and the input fiber compression plate; and
an input fiber strain relief member having a first end coupled to the base plate and a freestanding second end; and

an output fiber sealing assembly comprising:
an output fiber insert positioned in the output fiber channel of the cap body;
an output fiber compression plate positioned in the output fiber channel of the cap body, the output fiber insert located between the base plate and the output fiber compression plate;
an output fiber compression member, wherein the output fiber compression member passes through the base plate, the output fiber insert, and the output fiber compression plate; and
an output fiber strain relief member comprising a first end coupled to the base plate and a freestanding second end;

a frame member coupled to the first side of the cap body; and
a housing coupled to the cap body, the housing and the cap body defining an internal volume, the terminal assembly and the frame member in the internal volume.

15. The fiber optic enclosure of claim 14 , wherein the input fiber sealing assembly comprises an input fiber strain relief member, and wherein the input fiber strain relief member comprises an input fiber strain relief bracket having a first end coupled to the base plate and a second freestanding end having a central member, the central member operable to clamp a strength member of an input optical cable between the central member and the input fiber strain relief bracket.

16. The fiber optic enclosure of claim 14 , wherein the base plate comprises a plurality of openings for receiving a plurality of output optical cables that pass through output fiber insert and the output fiber compression plate.

17. The fiber optic enclosure of claim 16 , wherein the plurality of openings are arranged in a circle and the base plate further comprises a threaded opening encircled by the plurality of openings.

18. The fiber optic enclosure of claim 17 , wherein the output fiber compression member comprises a threaded surface for engagement with the threaded opening of the base plate.

19. The fiber optic enclosure of claim 14 , wherein the output fiber strain relief member comprises a ledge at the freestanding second end and a body extending between the first end and the freestanding second end.

20. The fiber optic enclosure of claim 19 , wherein the ledge comprises a flange, wherein a portion of the ledge between the flange and the body comprises a stopping surface for contacting a st

Assignees

• Corning Res & Dev Corp

Inventors

• Flores Julian Bautista
• Henley Joshua David
• Sanchez Jose Martinez
• Prevratil Karyne Poissant
• Waruiru David Kimondo

Classifications

• G02B6/4479

  Manufacturing methods of optical cables · CPC title

• G02B6/3897

  Connectors fixed to housings, casing, frames or circuit boards (G02B6/44528 takes precedence) · CPC title

• G02B6/4442 Primary

  Cap coupling boxes · CPC title

• G02B6/3887

  Anchoring optical cables to connector housings, e.g. strain relief features · CPC title

• G02B6/4471

  Terminating devices (demountable connectors G02B6/3807); Cable clamps · CPC title