Methods and systems for distributing fiber optic telecommunications services to local area

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-10451818-B2
Application number	US-201816163304-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Oct 17, 2018
Priority date	Jun 19, 2008
Publication date	Oct 22, 2019
Grant date	Oct 22, 2019

Abstract

A fiber optic drop terminal assembly includes a housing, a spool and a fiber optic distribution cable. The housing has a first exterior surface and an oppositely disposed second exterior surface. A plurality of ruggedized adapters is mounted on the first exterior surface of the housing. The ruggedized adapters include a first port accessible from outside the housing and a second port accessible from inside the housing. The spool is engaged with the second exterior surface and includes a drum portion. The fiber distribution cable is coiled around the drum portion. The distribution cable includes a first end and an oppositely disposed second end. The second end is disposed inside the housing.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. A fiber optic cable assembly comprising:
a spooling system including a slack storage spool, the slack storage spool having first and second radial flanges and a core portion positioned axially between the first and second radial flanges, the first radial flange of the slack storage spool defining a cable transition slot, the cable transition slot having a closed end generally flush with an outer circumferential surface of the core portion and an open end located at an outer peripheral edge of the first radial flange;
a removable ruggedized terminal carried on the slack storage spool, the ruggedized terminal including an environmentally sealed terminal housing that defines an enclosed interior, the ruggedized terminal also including a plurality of ruggedized fiber optic adapters carried with the terminal housing, each one of the plurality of ruggedized fiber optic adapters including an exterior adapter port and an interior adapter port, the exterior adapter ports being mounted on an exterior wall of the terminal housing and the interior adapter ports being inside the enclosed interior of the terminal housing, wherein when the terminal housing is closed and environmentally sealed, the exterior adapter ports are accessible from outside the terminal housing; and
a fiber optic cable routed from the ruggedized terminal and through the cable transition slot to the core portion of the slack storage spool, the fiber optic cable being arranged in a coil around the core portion of the slack storage spool and contained between the first and second radial flanges;
wherein the slack storage spool and the ruggedized terminal rotate in unison when the fiber optic cable is dispensed from the slack storage spool.

2. The fiber optic cable assembly of claim 1 , wherein the spooling system further comprises a bulk storage spool, the bulk storage spool including a drum portion, and front and back radial flanges positioned at front and back axial ends of the drum portion.

3. The fiber optic cable assembly of claim 2 , wherein the slack storage spool is carried on the bulk storage spool, and wherein the drum portion of the bulk storage spool is coaxially aligned with the core portion of the slack storage spool.

4. The fiber optic cable assembly of claim 2 , wherein a portion of the fiber optic cable is arranged in a coil around the drum portion of the bulk storage spool and contained between the front and back radial flanges.

5. The fiber optic cable assembly of claim 3 , wherein the front radial flange of the bulk storage spool defines a cable transition through which the fiber optic cable extends between the slack storage spool and the bulk storage spool.

6. The fiber optic cable assembly of claim 3 , wherein the ruggedized terminal, the slack storage spool, and the bulk storage spool rotate in unison.

7. The fiber optic cable assembly of claim 1 , wherein the terminal housing includes front and back housing pieces, and wherein a sealing member is disposed between the front and back housing pieces of the terminal housing.

8. The fiber optic cable assembly of claim 7 , wherein the front housing piece of the terminal housing includes a plurality of front steps, and wherein the plurality of ruggedized fiber optic adapters are mounted on the plurality of front steps.

9. The fiber optic cable assembly of claim 1 , wherein the fiber optic cable includes a first portion and a second portion, the fiber optic cable including a plurality of optical fibers separated at the second portion of the fiber optic cable, at least some of the separate optical fibers having connectorized ends, the connectorized ends of the separate optical fibers being plugged into respective ones of the interior adapter ports of the plurality of ruggedized fiber optic adapters within the enclosed interior of the terminal housing.

10. The fiber optic cable assembly of claim 9 , wherein a fanout is provided within the terminal housing for separating the plurality of optical fibers.

11. The fiber optic cable assembly of claim 9 , wherein the first portion of the fiber optic cable has a multi-fiber connector.

12. A fiber optic cable assembly comprising:
a slack storage spool including a core and first and second radial flanges that are axially spaced apart along the core, the first radial flange having a front axial face;
a fiber optic cable adapted to be coiled about the core between the first and second radial flanges;
an environmentally sealed terminal housing being carried on the slack storage spool and coupled to one end of the fiber optic cable, the terminal housing defining an enclosed interior, the terminal housing having a front side and a back side, the terminal housing being mounted at the front axial face of the first radial flange with the front side of the terminal housing facing forwardly; and
a plurality of ruggedized fiber optic adapter ports carried with the terminal housing, each one of the plurality of ruggedized fiber optic adapter ports including an exterior adapter port and an interior adapter port;
wherein when the terminal housing is closed and environmentally sealed, the exterior adapter ports are accessible from outside of the terminal housing and the interior adapter ports are positioned inside the enclosed interior of the terminal housing; and
wherein the terminal housing rotates in unison with the slack storage spool when the fiber optic cable is paid out from the slack storage spool.

13. The fiber optic cable assembly of claim 12 , wherein the first radial flange of the slack storage spool defines a cable transition slot, the cable transition slot having a closed end generally flush with an outer circumferential surface of the core and an open end located at an outer peripheral edge of the first radial flange.

14. The fiber optic cable assembly of claim 13 , wherein the fiber optic cable is adapted to be routed from the terminal housing and through the cable transition slot to the core of the slack storage spool.

15. A fiber optic cable assembly comprising:
a spooling system including a slack storage spool, the slack storage spool having first and second radial flanges and a core portion positioned axially between the first and second radial flanges;
a fiber optic cable adapted to be coiled about the core between the first and second radial flanges;
a ruggedized terminal carried on the slack storage spool, the ruggedized terminal including an environmentally sealed terminal housing that defines an enclosed interior, the terminal housing of the ruggedized terminal also including a front side and a back side, the front side of the terminal housing facing forwardly; and
a plurality of ruggedized fiber optic adapters mounted on the front side of the terminal housing, each one of the plurality of ruggedized fiber optic adapters including an exterior adapter port and an interior adapter port;
wherein when the terminal housing is closed and environmentally sealed, the exterior adapter ports are accessible from outside of the terminal housing and the interior adapter ports are positioned inside the enclosed interior of the terminal housing; and
wherein the slack storage spool and the ruggedized terminal rotate in unison when the fiber optic cable is dispensed from the slack storage spool.

16. The fiber optic cable assembly of claim 15 , wherein the first radial flange of the slack storage spool defines a cable transition slot, the cable transition slot having a closed end generally flush with an outer circumferential surface of the core portion and an open end located at an outer peripheral edge of the first r

Assignees

• Commscope Technologies Llc

Inventors

• Smith Trevor D
• Hagen Raymond
• Leblanc Thomas G
• Marcouiller Thomas

Classifications

• H04B10/275

  Ring-type networks · CPC title

• H04B10/25

  Arrangements specific to fibre transmission · CPC title

• G02B6/444

  Systems or boxes with surplus lengths · CPC title

• G02B6/4444

  Seals · CPC title

• G02B6/46

  Processes or apparatus adapted for installing {or repairing} optical fibres or optical cables (installation of cables containing electric conductors and optical fibres H02G) · CPC title