Spooling cable

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-9638882-B2
Application number	US-201615235193-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Aug 12, 2016
Priority date	Dec 20, 2013
Publication date	May 2, 2017
Grant date	May 2, 2017

Abstract

A method includes mounting a spool system at a floor level of a multiple dwelling unit. The floor level has multiple customer units. The spool system includes at least one spool of fiber optic cable. Each end of each fiber optic cable has a spliced-on connector. The method further includes paying out a length of fiber optic cable from the at least one spool to reach a customer unit of the floor level, connecting one of the connectors of the paid-out fiber optic cable to a floor splitter, and connecting the floor splitter to a distribution splitter of the multiple dwelling unit.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. A method comprising:
mounting a spool system at a floor level of a multiple dwelling unit, the floor level having multiple customer units, the spool system comprising at least one spool of fiber optic cable, each end of each fiber optic cable having a spliced-on connector;
moving the at least one spool from a stowed position to a deployed position on a spool support supporting the at least one spool, the at least one spool comprising:
a spool body having a center axis of rotation;
a shaft having a first end disposed on the spool body and extending from the spool body along the center axis of rotation to a second end; and
an anti-rotation feature disposed on the shaft, the anti-rotation feature defining a non-circular shape,
wherein the spool moves in a direction extending perpendicular to the center axis of rotation between the stowed position and the deployed position along a slot defined by a spool support, and the anti-rotation feature of the spool unseated from a feature receiver defined by the spool support while in the deployed position, allowing rotation of the spool;

paying out a length of fiber optic cable from the at least one spool to reach a customer unit of the floor level;
moving the at least one spool from the deployed position to the stowed position after paying out the length of fiber optic cable, the anti-rotation feature of the at least one spool received by the feature receiver while in the stowed position, the feature receiver having a complementary shape of the anti-rotation feature preventing rotation of the at least one spool;
connecting one of the connectors of the paid-out fiber optic cable to a floor splitter; and
connecting the floor splitter to a distribution splitter of the multiple dwelling unit.

2. The method of claim 1 , wherein the distribution splitter of the multiple dwelling unit is connected to other floor splitters associated with other floors of the multiple dwelling unit.

3. The method of claim 1 , further comprising moving the at least one spool onto a corresponding spool seat defined by the spool support when the at least one spool is the stowed position.

4. The method of claim 1 , wherein the anti-rotation feature is disposed on the second end of the shaft.

5. The method of claim 1 , wherein the anti-rotation feature defines a square shape.

6. The method of claim 1 , wherein the slot has first and second ends, one end of the slot defining the feature receiver.

7. The method of claim 1 , wherein the spool support comprises:
a base; and a
a cantilevered arm disposed on the base, the cantilevered arm defining the slot and the feature receiver.

8. The method of claim 7 , wherein the base defines a spool seat, the at least one spool seated in the spool seat while in the stowed position.

9. The method of claim 7 , wherein the spool splitter is disposed on the base of the spool support.

10. The method of claim 1 , wherein the spool body comprises:
a flanged cylinder defining a bore; and
a shaft support disposed in the bore and receiving the shaft,
wherein rotation of the shaft causes rotation of the flanged cylinder.

11. The method of claim 1 , wherein the spool body comprises:
first and second ringed discs spaced parallel from each other; and
a spool core disposed between the ringed discs and receiving the shaft,
wherein rotation of the shaft causes rotation of the spool core.

12. The method of claim 11 , wherein one of the ringed discs defines a slit extending from an inner diameter of the ringed disc to an outer diameter of the ringed disc.

13. The method of claim 1 , wherein the slot has a first side and a second side opposite the first the side, the slot comprising:
a first feature guide disposed on the first side of the slot and configured to guide the anti-rotation feature towards the feature receiver; and
a second feature guide disposed on the second side of the slot and configured to guide the anti-rotation feature towards the feature receiver, the first feature guide offset from the second feature guide by a distance extending parallel to the slot.

Assignees

• Google Inc

Inventors

• Smith Christopher Lee
• Jayaram Sandeep Lalgudi
• Hill John Paul

Classifications

• G02B6/47

  Installation in buildings · CPC title

• G02B6/44528

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

• G02B6/3897

  Connectors fixed to housings, casing, frames or circuit boards (G02B6/44528 takes precedence) · CPC title

• G02B6/3564

  Mechanical details of the actuation mechanism associated with the moving element or mounting mechanism details · CPC title

• G02B6/4454

  with splices · CPC title