Fiber pistoning solution

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-11506852-B2
Application number	US-202117215875-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Mar 29, 2021
Priority date	Apr 1, 2020
Publication date	Nov 22, 2022
Grant date	Nov 22, 2022

Abstract

Fiber pistoning apparatus and methods of use are provided. A fiber anti-pistoning apparatus includes an axial centerline, and an elongate main body that at least partially surrounds the axial centerline and extends from a first end to a second end of the elongate main body. The elongate main body defines a channel that extends along the axial centerline for housing a bundle of fibers. The channel extends between a first opening at the first end, a second opening at the second end, and a slotted opening between the first end and the second end for receiving the bundle of fibers. The elongate main body includes one or more retention features for coupling to a first buffer tube.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. A fiber anti-pistoning apparatus comprising:
an axial centerline;
an elongate main body at least partially surrounding the axial centerline and extending from a first end to a second end of the elongate main body, the elongate main body defining a channel that extends along the axial centerline for housing a bundle of fibers, the channel extending between a first opening at the first end, a second opening at the second end, and a slotted opening between the first end and the second end for receiving the bundle of fibers, the elongate main body including one or more retention features for coupling to a first buffer tube wherein the one or more retention features includes a nose portion of the elongate main body, the nose portion sized to form an interference fit with an internal surface of the buffer tube.

2. The fiber anti-pistoning apparatus as in claim 1 , further comprising a lid removably coupled to the elongate main body, the lid extending within the slotted opening between the first end and the second end of the elongate main body.

3. The fiber anti-pistoning apparatus as in claim 1 , wherein the nose portion of the elongate main body includes one or more ribs circumferentially spaced apart from one another and extending radially outward from the nose portion.

4. The fiber anti-pistoning apparatus as in claim 1 , wherein the nose portion of the elongate main body includes one or more ribs axially spaced apart from one another and extending radially outward from the nose portion.

5. The fiber anti-pistoning apparatus as in claim 1 , further comprising a grommet defining an axial passage, the grommet coupled to the elongate main body between the first end and the second end of the elongate main body such that the axial passage aligns with the channel and forms a portion of the channel.

6. The fiber anti-pistoning apparatus as in claim 1 , wherein the fiber anti-pistoning apparatus is at least partially composed of a formable metal material.

7. A method of using a fiber anti-pistoning apparatus, the fiber anti-pistoning apparatus comprising an axial centerline and an elongate main body at least partially surrounding the axial centerline, the elongate main body defining a channel that extends from a first end to a second end, the method comprising:
receiving a bundle of fibers into the channel via a slotted opening defined by the elongate main body, the slotted opening extending from the first end to the second end of the elongate main body;
coupling a buffer tube to the fiber anti-pistoning apparatus via one or more retention features at one of the first end or the second end of the elongate main body, the bundle of fibers extending from within the buffer tube to within the channel; and
placing a lid into the slotted opening, the lid extending within the slotted opening between the first end and the second end of the elongate main body.

8. The method of claim 7 , further comprising, exposing the bundle of fibers to be received by the channel from an optical fiber cable by removing a section of buffer tube from the optical fiber cable.

9. The method of claim 7 , wherein the one or more retention features comprises threads defined on an interior surface of the elongate main body, and wherein the coupling step further comprises:
threadably coupling the elongate main body to the buffer tube via the threads.

10. The method of claim 7 , wherein the one or more retention features comprises a nose portion of the elongate main body, and wherein the coupling step further comprises:
inserting the nose portion of the elongate main body into the buffer tube to form an interference fit.

11. The method of claim 7 , further comprising injecting, via an injection port defined by the elongate main body, adhesive into the channel, the adhesive coating the bundle of fibers within the channel.

12. The method of claim 7 , further comprising receiving the bundle of fibers into an axial passage defined through a grommet via an axial slot defined by the grommet.

13. The method of claim 12 , further comprising further comprising coupling the grommet to the elongate main body such that the axial passage of the grommet aligns with the channel after receiving the bundle of fibers into the axial passage defined through the grommet.

14. The method of claim 7 , wherein the elongate main body is at least partially composed of a formable metal material, and wherein the method further comprises:
deforming the formable metal material to form an interference fit between an interior surface of the elongate main body and the buffer tube.

15. A fiber anti-pistoning apparatus comprising:
an axial centerline;
an elongate main body at least partially surrounding the axial centerline and extending from a first end to a second end of the elongate main body, the elongate main body defining a channel that extends along the axial centerline for housing a bundle of fibers, the channel extending between a first opening at the first end, a second opening at the second end, and a slotted opening between the first end and the second end for receiving the bundle of fibers, the elongate main body including one or more retention features for coupling to a first buffer tube, wherein the one or more retention features includes a first set of threads defined on an interior surface of the elongate main body at an inlet portion of the fiber anti-pistoning apparatus for coupling to a first buffer tube.

16. The fiber anti-pistoning apparatus as in claim 15 , further comprising an injection port defined by the main body between the first end and the second end.

17. The fiber anti-pistoning apparatus as in claim 15 , wherein the one or more retention features includes a second set of threads defined on an interior surface of the elongate main body at an outlet portion of the fiber anti-pistoning apparatus for coupling to a second buffer tube.

Assignees

• Afl Telecommunications Llc

Inventors

• Cignarale Joseph
• Donaldson Chris
• Farmer Austin
• Lichoulas Ted
• Reeve David

Classifications

• G02B6/4439

  Auxiliary devices · CPC title

• G02B6/443 Primary

  Protective covering · CPC title

• G02B6/4494

  Physics · mapped topic

• G02B6/44775

  Cable seals e.g. feed-through (cable seals integrated to the box seals G02B6/4444; pulling eyes G02B6/44465) · CPC title

• G02B6/44765

  with means for strain-relieving to exterior cable layers · CPC title