Fastener free spool for optical fiber storage

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-9791654-B2
Application number	US-201615140007-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Apr 27, 2016
Priority date	Apr 27, 2015
Publication date	Oct 17, 2017
Grant date	Oct 17, 2017

Abstract

An network interface device (NID) cabinet has removably mounted or fixedly mounted cable spools. The NID cabinet is a small enclosure, typically made of plastic, which sits on the outside wall of an end user's building, such as a home or office. Pre-terminated cables are spooled around each cable spool, and the cable connector at one end of each cable is connected to a network interconnection junction within the NID cabinet. A series of interlocking mounting features are formed on both the cable spool and the mating NID cabinet back wall. Two different types of mounting features enable the cable spool to be removably or fixedly mounted within the NID cabinet. When fixedly mounted, the cable spool can still be removed from the NID cabinet, but only if the spooled cabled is completed un-spooled and removed from the cable spool.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. A network interface device cabinet comprising:
a. a base having an interior cavity with a back wall, wherein the back wall comprises fixed mounting features;
b. a cable spool configured for a cable to be spooled about the cable spool, wherein the cable spool comprises a plurality of cable spool parts that assemble with and disassemble from each other, further wherein the cable spool comprises cable spool mounting features configured to mate with the fixed mounting features on the back wall of the base such that the cable spool is immovably coupled to the fixed mounting features on the back wall of the base while the plurality of cable spool parts that form the cable spool are assembled together, wherein the cable spool mounting features are configured to mate and interlock with the fixed mounting features on the back wall of the base without use of additional components; and
c. a lid coupled to the base to cover and uncover the interior cavity.

2. The network interface device cabinet of claim 1 wherein each of the plurality of spool parts comprises a single mounting feature configured to mate with a corresponding one fixed mounting feature on the back wall of the base.

3. The network interface device cabinet of claim 1 wherein the fixed mounting features are integral to the back wall.

4. The network interface device cabinet of claim 1 wherein the base further comprises an enclosed opening extending from the interior cavity to outside the base through which cable is threaded.

5. The network interface device cabinet of claim 1 wherein the base further comprises a laterally open-ended slot extending from the interior cavity to outside the base through which the cable passes.

6. The network interface device cabinet of claim 1 wherein the base further comprises a network interconnection junction having multiple network interface connectors, wherein a first end of the cable has a cable interconnect and the cable interconnect is configured to mate with one of the multiple network interface connectors.

7. The network interface device cabinet of claim 1 wherein the cable spool comprises a first plate and a second plate between which the cable is spooled.

8. The network interface device cabinet of claim 7 wherein the cable spool mounting features are disposed on the first plate.

9. The network interface device cabinet of claim 8 wherein the first plate comprises an interior opening, wherein the cable spool mounting features comprise a first cable spool radius feature formed from a first portion of the interior opening in the first plate and a second cable spool radius feature formed from a second portion of the interior opening in the first plate.

10. The network interface device cabinet of claim 9 wherein the fixed mounting features comprise a first cabinet radius feature extending from the back wall and a second cabinet radius feature extending from the back wall, wherein the first cabinet radius feature mates with the first cable spool radius feature and the second cabinet radius feature mates with the second cable spool radius feature.

11. The network interface device cabinet of claim 10 wherein the first cabinet radius feature comprises a first trapping radius and a first radius lip configured such that the first cable spool radius feature is positioned against the first trapping radius and between the first radius lip and the back wall when the cable spool is mounted and assembled, and the second cabinet radius feature comprises a second trapping radius and a second radius lip configured such that the second cable spool radius feature is positioned against the second trapping radius and between the second radius lip and the back wall when the cable spool is mounted and assembled.

12. The network interface device cabinet of claim 1 wherein the cable spool is vertically symmetrical and horizontally symmetrical.

13. The network interface device cabinet of claim 1 wherein the cable when wound around the cable spool prevents disassembly of the plurality of cable spool parts.

14. The network interface device cabinet of claim 13 wherein the plurality of cable spool parts consists of two cable spool parts.

15. The network interface device cabinet of claim 14 wherein the two cable spool parts are identically shaped.

16. The network interface device cabinet of claim 1 wherein the plurality of cable spool parts are configured to be able to be disassembled while the cable spool is mated to the fixed mounting features on the back wall of the base such that the cable spool is removable from the fixed mounting features.

17. The network interface device cabinet of claim 1 wherein the plurality of cable spool parts include mounting pairs that snap fit together for assembly.

18. The network interface device cabinet of claim 1 wherein the fixed mounting features are permanently fabricated as part of the back wall of the base.

19. A network interface device cabinet comprising:
a. a base having an interior cavity with a back wall, wherein the back wall comprises fixed mounting features;
b. a cable spool configured for a cable to be spooled about the cable spool, wherein the cable spool comprises a plurality of cable spool parts that assemble with and disassemble from each other, further wherein the cable spool comprises cable spool mounting features configured to mate with the fixed mounting features on the back wall of the base such that the cable spool is immovably coupled to the fixed mounting features on the back wall of the base while the plurality of cable spool parts that form the cable spool are assembled together, wherein the cable spool further comprises a first plate and a second plate between which the cable is spooled, and the cable spool mounting features are disposed on the first plate, further wherein the first plate comprises an interior opening, wherein the cable spool mounting features comprise a first cable spool radius feature formed from a first portion of the interior opening in the first plate and a second cable spool radius feature formed from a second portion of the interior opening in the first plate; and
c. a lid coupled to the base to cover and uncover the interior cavity.

20. The network interface device cabinet of claim 19 wherein the fixed mounting features comprise a first cabinet radius feature extending from the back wall and a second cabinet radius feature extending from the back wall, wherein the first cabinet radius feature mates with the first cable spool radius feature and the second cabinet radius feature mates with the second cable spool radius feature.

21. The network interface device cabinet of claim 20 wherein the first cabinet radius feature comprises a first trapping radius and a first radius lip configured such that the first cable spool radius feature is positioned against the first trapping radius and between the first radius lip and the back wall when the cable spool is mounted and assembled, and the second cabinet radius feature comprises a second trapping radius and a second radius lip configured such that the second cable spool radius feature is positioned against the second trapping radius and between the second radius lip and the back wall when the cable spool is mounted and assembled.

Assignees

• Flextronics Ap Llc

Inventors

• Fordham Mark Jonathan
• Lommen Joseph John
• Payne Ricky Jay

Classifications

• G02B6/4457 Primary

  Bobbins; Reels · CPC title

• B65H2701/32

  Optical fibres or optical cables · CPC title

• B65H75/22 Primary

  collapsible; with removable parts · CPC title

• B65H2402/441

  movable for facilitating access to area inside the housing, e.g. pivoting or sliding · CPC title

• G02B6/445

  with lateral pivoting cover · CPC title