Apical filler layers

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-10774948-B2
Application number	US-201514973470-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Dec 17, 2015
Priority date	Oct 18, 2013
Publication date	Sep 15, 2020
Grant date	Sep 15, 2020

Abstract

Novel tools and techniques are provided for implementing point-to-point fiber insertion within a passive optical network (“PON”) communications system. The PON communications system, associated with a first service provider or a first service, might include an F1 line(s) routed from a central office or DSLAM to a fiber distribution hub (“FDH”) located within a block or neighborhood of customer premises, via at least an apical conduit source slot, an F2 line(s) routed via various apical conduit components to a network access point (“NAP”) servicing customer premises, and an F3 line(s) distributed, at the NAP and from the F2 Line(s), to a network interface device or optical network terminal at each customer premises via various apical conduit components (e.g., in roadway surfaces). Point-to-point fiber insertion of another F1 line(s), associated with a second service provider or a second service, at either the NAP or the FDH (or outside these devices).

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. A method, comprising:
placing one or more lines in a channel in a ground surface;
placing one or more first layers of filler material in at least a lower portion of the channel and in contact with the one or more lines, wherein the one or more first layers of filler material are formed from a structural foam;
placing one or more additional layers of filler material forming a part of a surface of a roadway in at least an upper portion of the channel and in contact with the one or more first layers of filler material and in contact with at least one of the one or more lines, after the one or more first layers of filler material have set, with the one or more lines having floated on, adhered to, or been at least partially surrounded by the first layer of filler material prior to the first layer of filler material setting, wherein the one or more additional layers of filler material in contact with the one or more first layers of filler material and in contact with at least one of the one or more lines comprise a roadway surface and comprise a different material than the one or more first layers of filler material, and wherein the one or more additional layers of filler material are formed from a thermosetting material with a hardness factor higher than the structural foam, and wherein, when the one or more lines are in contact with the one or more additional layers of filler material, the one or more lines are partially embedded within the surface of the road.

2. The method of claim 1 , wherein at least one of the one or more lines comprises at least one of one or more telecommunications lines, one or more power lines, one or more cables, one or more optical fiber cables, or one or more conduits.

3. The method of claim 1 , wherein at least one of the one or more first layers of filler material prevents the one or more lines from floating into any of the one or more additional layers of filler material.

4. The method of claim 1 , wherein at least one of the one or more first layers of filler material comprises polyurea.

5. The method of claim 1 , further comprising:
subsequent to curing of the one or more first layers of filler material and the one or more additional layers of filler material:
digging into the ground surface to expose the one or more first layers of filler material;
cutting or otherwise opening the one or more first layers of filler material to expose at least one of the one or more lines; and
performing a service on the at least one of the one or more lines.

6. The method of claim 1 , further comprising:
prior to placing one or more lines in the channel in the ground surface, determining whether there are spaces in the ground surface beyond or below an intended width or depth of the channel; and
based on a determination that there is at least one space in the ground surface that is beyond or below the intended width or depth of the channel, placing one or more second layers of the filler material in the at least one space in the ground surface, at least one of the one or more second layers of filler material comprising a structural foam that expands to fill the at least one space in the ground surface that is beyond or below the intended width or depth of the channel.

7. The method of claim 1 , wherein at least one of the one or more additional layers of filler material comprises polyurea.

8. The method of claim 1 , wherein at least one of the one or more additional layers of filler material comprises a shearable top coat that can be sheared without harming any of the one or more lines.

9. An apparatus, comprising:
one or more lines disposed in a channel in a ground surface;
one or more first layers of filler material disposed in at least a lower portion of the channel and in contact with the one or more lines, wherein the one or more first layers of filler material are formed from a structural foam; and
one or more additional layers of filler material forming a part of a surface of a roadway and disposed in at least an upper portion of the channel and in contact with the one or more first layers of filler material and in contact with at least one of the one or more lines, wherein the one or more additional layers of filler material in contact with the one or more first layers of filler material and in contact with at least one of the one or more lines comprise a different material than the one or more first layers of filler material, and wherein the one or more additional layers of filler material are formed from a thermosetting material with a hardness factor higher than the structural foam, and wherein, when the one or more lines are in contact with the one or more additional layers of filler material, the one or more lines are partially embedded within the surface of the road.

10. The apparatus of claim 9 , wherein at least one of the one or more lines comprises at least one of one or more telecommunications lines, one or more power lines, one or more cables, one or more optical fiber cables, or one or more conduits.

11. The apparatus of claim 9 , wherein at least one of the one or more first layers of filler material prevents the one or more lines from floating into any of the one or more additional layers of filler material.

12. The apparatus of claim 9 , wherein at least one of the one or more first layers of filler material comprises polyurea.

13. The apparatus of claim 9 , wherein the ground surface is a roadway surface.

14. The apparatus of claim 9 , further comprising:
one or more second layers of filler material disposed in the ground surface beyond or below an intend width or depth of the channel, wherein at least one of the one or more second layers of filler material comprises a structural foam that expands to fill at least one space in the ground surface that is beyond or below the intended width or depth of the channel.

15. The apparatus of claim 9 , wherein at least one of the one or more additional layers of filler material comprises polyurea.

16. The apparatus of claim 9 , wherein at least one of the one or more additional layers of filler material comprises a shearable top coat that can be sheared without harming any of the one or more lines.

17. The method of claim 1 , wherein the structural foam comprises a polyurea based structural foam, and wherein the thermosetting material comprises a liquid based polyurea.

Assignees

• Centurylink Ip Llc

Inventors

• Elford Michael L
• Winterrowd Michael P
• Barnett Jr Thomas C
• Schwengler Thomas

Classifications

• G02B6/504 Primary

  Installation in solid material, e.g. underground · CPC title

• G02B6/501

  underground installation of connection boxes · CPC title

• G02B6/4442

  Cap coupling boxes · CPC title

• Y10T29/4998

  Combined manufacture including applying or shaping of fluent material · CPC title

• H04Q11/0003

  Details · CPC title