Packaging assembly for telecommunications equipment

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-11852882-B2
Application number	US-201916976172-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Feb 28, 2019
Priority date	Feb 28, 2018
Publication date	Dec 26, 2023
Grant date	Dec 26, 2023

Abstract

A packaging assembly for telecommunications modules comprises a plurality of telecommunications modules provided in a stacked arrangement in a first container, a plurality of telecommunications modules provided in a stacked arrangement in an adjacent second container, and a removable radius limiter mounted between the first and second containers for guiding all of the fiber optic cabling extending from the telecommunications modules with minimum bend radius protection.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. A packaging assembly for telecommunications modules comprising:
a plurality of telecommunications modules provided in a stacked arrangement in a first container;
a plurality of telecommunications modules provided in a stacked arrangement in an adjacent second container; and
a removable radius limiter including a spool having a curved surface and a planar support wall with at least one mounting clip, the at least one mounting clip defining a retaining surface extending parallel to the support wall, wherein the radius limiter includes cable management fingers extending away from the curved surface, wherein the radius limiter is mounted generally between the first and second containers for guiding fiber optic cabling extending from the telecommunications modules with minimum bend radius protection such that the radius limiter is configured to be slidably mounted to a sidewall of the first or the second container with a friction fit and the planar support wall of the radius limiter is configured to end between the plurality of telecommunications modules provided in the first container and the plurality of telecommunications modules provided in the second container, wherein, in the friction fit, a sidewall of the first or the second container is, or the sidewalls of the first and second containers are, received between the retaining surface and the planar support wall, wherein the spool of the radius limiter defines a longitudinal axis that is generally parallel to a module-insertion direction and wherein the planar support wall of the radius limiter is also generally parallel to the module-insertion direction, wherein the fiber optic cabling extending from the telecommunications module is guided around the spool of the radius limiter with minimum bend radius protection in a direction generally perpendicular to the module-insertion direction.

2. A packaging assembly according to claim 1 , wherein the first and second containers are placed within an outer housing.

3. A packaging assembly according to claim 2 , wherein the outer housing defines an opening for leading cables guided by the radius limiter out of the outer housing.

4. A packaging assembly according to claim 1 , wherein the first and second containers are placed within a closure defining a closable interior and an exterior spool region positioned below the interior for wrapping the cabling extending from the modules, wherein the closure defines an opening for extending cabling from the interior to the exterior spool region.

5. A packaging assembly according to claim 4 , wherein the closure includes a removable cover.

6. A packaging assembly according to claim 1 , wherein the cabling of half the modules mounted within one of the containers crosses over the cabling of the other half of the modules when being led around the radius limiter, such that half the cables are guided around a first side of the radius limiter while the other half of the cables are routed around an opposite second side of the radius limiter.

7. A method of packaging a plurality of telecommunications modules each terminated to an end of a cable broken out from bulk cabling, the method comprising:
inserting the plurality of modules in an insertion direction into a container such that the modules are provided in a stacked arrangement in the container with the cable ends all facing outwardly in the same direction, wherein the container includes a first container holding a plurality of modules and an adjacent second container holding a plurality of modules;
removably mounting a radius limiter between the plurality of modules within the first container and the plurality of modules within the second container; and
routing all of the cables around a spool of the radius limiter that defines a curved surface for guiding all of the cables with bend radius protection and cable management fingers extending away from the curved surface, wherein the radius limiter further defines a planar support wall with at least one mounting clip, the at least one mounting clip defining a retaining surface extending parallel to the support wall, wherein the radius limiter is slidably mounted to a sidewall of the first or the second container with a friction fit and the planar support wall of the radius limiter ends between the plurality of modules within the first container and the plurality of modules within the second container, wherein, in the friction fit, a sidewall of the first or the second container is, or the sidewalls of the first and second containers are, received between the retaining surface and the planar support wall, wherein the spool of the radius limiter defines a longitudinal axis that is generally parallel to the module-insertion direction and wherein the planar support wall of the radius limiter is also generally parallel to the module-insertion direction.

8. A method according to claim 7 , further comprising placing the first and second containers within an outer housing that defines an opening for leading cables guided by the radius limiter out of the outer housing.

9. A method according to claim 7 , further comprising placing the first and second containers within a closure defining a closable interior and an exterior spool region positioned below the interior for wrapping the cabling extending from the telecommunications modules, wherein the closure defines an opening for extending cabling from the interior to the exterior spool region.

10. A method according to claim 9 , further comprising closing the closure with a cover after placement of the first and second containers therein.

11. A method according to claim 7 , wherein the cabling of half the telecommunications modules mounted within the container crosses over the cabling of the other half of the telecommunications modules when being led around the radius limiter, such that half the cables are guided around a first side of the radius limiter while the other half of the cables are routed around an opposite second side of the radius limiter.

12. A method according to claim 7 , further comprising winding the cables around the radius limiter before attaching the radius limiter to the container.

13. A radius limiter configured to be slidably mounted to a sidewall of a telecommunications packaging container with a friction fit, the radius limiter defining a spool having a curved surface and cable management fingers extending away from the curved surface for retaining cables around the spool, wherein the radius limiter defines a planar support wall with at least two mounting clips each defining a retaining surface extending parallel to the support wall, the mounting clips configured for mounting the radius limiter to the sidewall of the telecommunications packaging container.

14. A radius limiter according to claim 13 , wherein each mounting clip has a U-shaped configuration in cooperation with the support wall that defines a pocket for receiving the sidewall of the telecommunications packaging container.

Assignees

• Commscope Technologies Llc

Inventors

• Marcouiller Thomas
• Lockhart Paula
• Schomisch Michael J
• Fucsek Tomas
• Solich Roman

Classifications

• G02B6/4478

  Bending relief means · CPC title

• G02B6/44515

  Fibre drop terminals with surplus length (without surplus length G02B6/4472) · CPC title

• G02B6/44528

  Patch-cords; Connector arrangements in the system or in the box (routing arrangements H04Q1/00) · CPC title

• G02B6/4457 Primary

  Bobbins; Reels · CPC title

• B65H49/28

  Turntables {, i.e. package resting on a table (having also means for clamping the package B65H49/30)} · CPC title