Installation of small form factor fibers at user premises

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-10816747-B2
Application number	US-201916432270-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Jun 5, 2019
Priority date	Mar 11, 2019
Publication date	Oct 27, 2020
Grant date	Oct 27, 2020

Abstract

A guide tool device for an optical fiber includes a body having an adhesive passage between a proximal end and a flat distal end of the body. The passage communicates an adhesive supplied at the proximal end to an exit opening in the distal end. Each of a pair of fiber guide channels extends from the body to guide an optical fiber when aligned inside the channel, for relative movement over the exit opening in the distal end of the body during use of the device. A connector fixed on the proximal end of the body in communication with the passage, mates with a connector at the distal end of a syringe containing the adhesive. When urged by the syringe, the adhesive flows through the passage and out the exit opening in the distal end of the body, thereby coating the fiber when guided over the distal end during use.

First claim

We claim:

1. A guide tool device for an optical fiber or cord, comprising:
an elongated central body having an elongated adhesive passage formed between a proximal end and a flat distal end of the body, wherein the passage is configured for communicating an adhesive supplied at the proximal end to an exit opening of the passage in the flat distal end of the body;
a pair of fiber guide channels extending from opposite sides of the central body, wherein each channel has a distal edge adjacent to a corresponding side edge of the flat distal end of the body, and the channel is formed to guide an optical fiber aligned inside the channel for relative movement over the exit opening of the adhesive passage in the flat distal end during use of the tool device; and
a first connector fixed on the proximal end of the central body in communication with the adhesive passage in the body, wherein the first connector is configured to mate in sealing relationship with a second connector at the distal end of a syringe containing the adhesive, so that the adhesive flows through the passage and out of the exit opening in the flat distal end of the body for coating the optical fiber when guided over the flat distal end during use of the tool device.

2. A guide tool device according to claim 1 , including a pair of fiber retaining lugs extending from opposite sides of the central body and below corresponding ones of the fiber guide channels, wherein each one of the retaining lugs is constructed and arranged for passing the optical fiber through a lug opening to enter the corresponding guide channel during use of the tool device.

3. A guide tool device according to claim 2 , wherein each one of the retaining lugs has a slot formed through a wall of the lug, so that the optical fiber can be urged sideways to enter the lug opening.

4. A guide tool device according to claim 1 , wherein the first connector is a Luer type connector.

5. A guide tool device according to claim 1 , wherein distal ends of the guide channels are inclined at an angle of approximately 43 degrees with respect to the horizontal.

6. A guide tool device according to claim 1 , wherein the height of the device between the proximal and the flat distal end of the central body is approximately one inch.

7. A guide tool device according to claim 1 , wherein the flat distal end of the central body has a width of approximately 0.11 inch.

8. A guide tool device according to claim 1 , wherein the flat distal end of the central body has a length of approximately 0.3 inch.

9. A guide tool device according to claim 1 , including a cylindrical boss extending axially from the proximal end of the central body, and the first connector is fixed on the open end of the boss.

10. A system for installing an optical fiber along a desired routing path at a user premises, comprising:
an extensible adhesive dispensing gun system including:
a dispensing gun;
an outer tube extending from an end of the gun;
an inner rod extending axially inside the outer tube, wherein the rod is arranged to advance in the axial direction by operation of the dispensing gun; and
an adhesive syringe mounted at a distal end of the outer tube, the syringe including a piston for dispensing an adhesive contained in the syringe from a distal end of the syringe when the rod inside the outer tube is advanced; and
a guide tool device according to claim 1 ;
wherein the adhesive syringe includes the second connector at the distal end of the syringe, and the first connector at the proximal end of the guide tool device is connected to the second connector at the end of the syringe.

11. A system for installing an optical fiber according to claim 10 , including
a spool retention clip configured for mounting on the circumference of the outer tube of the adhesive dispensing gun system, wherein the clip has one or more spool retaining fingers;
a supply spool containing a fiber to be installed at the user premises, and the spool has a hub dimensioned to be supported for rotation about the retaining fingers of the spool retention clip; and
the supply spool contains a small form factor fiber.

12. A guide tool device for an optical fiber or cord, comprising:
an elongated central body having an elongated adhesive passage formed between a proximal end and a flat distal end of the body, wherein the passage is configured for communicating an adhesive supplied at the proximal end to an exit opening of the passage in the flat distal end of the body;
a pair of fiber guide channels extending from opposite sides of the central body, wherein each channel has a distal edge adjacent to a corresponding side edge of the flat distal end of the body, and the channel is formed to guide an optical fiber aligned inside the channel for relative movement over the exit opening of the adhesive passage in the flat distal end during use of the tool device; and
the diameter of the adhesive passage is tapered to narrow from the proximal end of the central body to the exit opening in the flat distal end of the body, so that a dispensing nozzle at a distal end of a syringe containing the adhesive is retained in sealing relationship inside the passage when the central body is urged over the nozzle, and the adhesive flows through the passage and out of the exit opening in the flat distal end of the body for coating the optical fiber when guided over the flat distal end during use of the tool device.

13. A guide tool device according to claim 12 , including a pair of fiber retaining lugs extending from opposite sides of the central body and below corresponding ones of the fiber guide channels, wherein each one of the retaining lugs is constructed and arranged for passing the optical fiber through a lug opening to enter the corresponding guide channel during use of the tool device.

14. A guide tool device according to claim 12 , wherein the height of the device between the proximal and the flat distal end of the central body is approximately one inch.

15. A guide tool device according to claim 12 , wherein distal ends of the guide channels are inclined at an angle of approximately 43 degrees with respect to the horizontal.

16. A guide tool device according to claim 13 , wherein each one of the retaining lugs has a slot formed through a wall of the lug, so that the optical fiber can be urged sideways to enter the lug opening.

17. A guide tool device according to claim 12 , wherein the flat distal end of the central body has a width of approximately 0.11 inch.

18. A guide tool device according to claim 12 , wherein the flat distal end of the central body has a length of approximately 0.3 inch.

19. A system for installing an optical fiber along a desired routing path at a user premises, comprising:
an extensible adhesive dispensing gun system including:
a dispensing gun;
an outer tube extending from an end of the gun;
an inner rod extending axially inside the outer tube, wherein the rod is arranged to advance in the axial direction by operation of the dispensing gun; and
an adhesive syringe mounted at a distal end of the outer tube, the syringe including a piston for dispensing an adhesive contained in the syringe from a distal end of the syringe when the rod inside the outer tube is advanced; and
a guide tool device according to claim 12 ;
wherein the adhesive syringe includes the dispensing nozzle at the distal end of the syringe, and the nozzle is retained in sealing relationship inside the passage in the central body of the guide tool device.

20. A sys

Assignees

• Ofs Fitel Llc

Inventors

• Bradley Kelvin B
• Chiron Xavier

Classifications

• G02B6/47

  Installation in buildings · CPC title

• B05C17/0052 Primary

  Accessories therefor · CPC title

• B05C17/00593

  Hand tools of the syringe type · CPC title

• G02B6/46 Primary

  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