Fiber demarcation point and slack storage

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-2019137718-A1
Application number	US-201816154249-A
Country	US
Kind code	A1
Filing date	Oct 8, 2018
Priority date	Feb 8, 2016
Publication date	May 9, 2019
Grant date	—

Abstract

A cable spool includes first and second curved flanges extending radially outwardly from first and second axial ends of a drum. The flanges have outer edges that cooperate to define an annular slot providing access to a passageway surrounding the drum. The slot has a width that is less than half the height of the drum. A cable is wrapped around the drum. A closure having an environmentally sealed interior may receive an end of the cable. A second cable can be deployed from a second spool and coupled to the end of the cable within the closure. The second spool can be mounted with the cable spool. A cover can be placed over the spools for aesthetic or protection reasons.

First claim

1 . (canceled)

2 . A cable spool arrangement for retaining slack length of a cable, the cable spool arrangement comprising:
a mounting bracket including a base and a support member extending forwardly of the base; and a cable spool frictionally retaining a cable wound thereon, the cable spool being sized and shaped to mount to the support so that the cable spool is rotatable about the support member.

3 . The cable spool arrangement of claim 2 , wherein the support member includes a hook at a forward end to retain the cable spool on the support member.

4 . The cable spool arrangement of claim 2 , further comprising a locking cap that couples to the support member of the mounting bracket to retain the cable spool at the mounting bracket.

5 . The cable spool arrangement of claim 4 , wherein the locking cap extends over a portion of the cable spool when the locking cap is couple to the mounting bracket.

6 . The cable spool arrangement of claim 4 , wherein the locking cap latches to the mounting bracket.

7 . The cable spool arrangement of claim 4 , wherein the locking cap inhibits rotation of the cable spool relative to the mounting bracket.

8 . The cable spool arrangement of claim 7 , wherein the locking cap engages the cable spool to inhibit rotation.

9 . The cable spool arrangement of claim 2 , further comprising a shroud mounted over the mounting bracket, the cable spool, and the locking cap.

10 . The cable spool arrangement of claim 9 , wherein the shroud is environmentally sealed.

11 . The cable spool arrangement of claim 9 , wherein the shroud is an aesthetic cover that is not environmentally sealed.

12 . The cable spool arrangement of claim 2 , further comprising a disposable spool to which the cable spool mounts prior to being mounted to the mounting bracket.

13 . The cable spool arrangement of claim 2 , wherein the cable spool includes flanges that are spaced from each other to define a slot through which the cable can be wound onto the cable spool.

14 . The cable spool arrangement of claim 13 , wherein outer circumferential edges of the flanges define a tapered or curved lip to aid in guiding the cable through the slot.

15 . The cable spool arrangement of claim 14 , wherein the tapered or curved lips define an annular passageway therebetween that leads to the slot, the annular passageway being larger than the slot.

16 . The cable spool arrangement of claim 13 , wherein the flanges are sufficiently flexible to enable expansion of the slot to accommodate the cable as a user pulls or pushes the cable through the slot.

17 . The cable spool arrangement of claim 2 , wherein the cable extends between a first end and a second end, the first end being accessible to a user when the cable is wound on the cable spool to facilitate deployment of the cable, the second end of the cable being fixed relative to the cable spool.

18 . The cable spool arrangement of claim 2 , wherein the second end of the cable is terminated by a connector disposed inside of a sealed closure that is carried with the cable spool.

19 . A method of deploying a cable, the method comprising:
rotationally mounting a cable spool about an axis of rotation, the cable spool frictionally holding the cable thereon; pulling an end of the cable to payout the cable from the cable spool, wherein pulling the end includes pulling with sufficient force to overcome a friction bias applied against the cable by the cable spool; and mounting the cable spool to a mounting bracket to store any excess length of the cable remaining on the cable spool after deployment.

20 . The method of claim 19 , wherein rotationally mounting the cable spool about the axis of rotation includes inserting a supporting member through a central aperture defined by the cable spool.

21 . The method of claim 20 , wherein the support member is separate from the mounting bracket.

Assignees

• Commscope Technologies Llc

Inventors

• Marcouiller Thomas
• Bran De León Oscar Fernando
• Gronvall Erik J

Classifications

• B65H75/26

  Arrangements for preventing slipping of winding · CPC title

• B65H2701/32

  Optical fibres or optical cables · CPC title

• B65H49/325

  Arrangements or adaptations for supporting the shafts, e.g. saddle type shaft bearings · CPC title

• H02G11/02

  using take-up reel or drum · CPC title

• G02B6/4457 Primary

  Bobbins; Reels · CPC title