Fiber optic cable distribution box

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-RE46255-E
Application number	US-201414492970-A
Country	US
Kind code	E1
Filing date	Sep 22, 2014
Priority date	Jan 13, 2007
Publication date	Dec 27, 2016
Grant date	Dec 27, 2016

Abstract

A fiber optic cable distribution box has an interface compartment for interfacing a first set of fibers when routed inside the compartment, with a second set of fibers associated with a fiber optic cable that is routed to the box. A drum region is disposed beneath the interface compartment. The drum region includes a cylindrical wall for supporting a fiber optic cable wound about the wall. The drum region is formed so that the box can turn about the axis of the cylindrical wall when a cable is paid out from the drum region. The interface compartment and the drum region are constructed so that the first set of fibers inside the interface compartment, originate from an inside end portion of the cable wound on the drum region.

First claim

We claim:

1. A fiber optic cable distribution box, comprising:
an interface compartment constructed and arranged for interfacing a first set of fibers when routed inside the compartment, with a second set of fibers associated with a fiber optic cable that is routed to the box; a drum region extending beneath the interface compartment, wherein the drum region includes a first cylindrical wall having an axis, the wall is dimensioned to support a length of a first fiber optic cable wound about the wall, and the drum region is constructed and arranged so that the distribution box can turn about the axis of the cylindrical wall when a cable is paid out from the drum region; and the interface compartment and the drum region are constructed and arranged so that the first set of fibers inside the interface compartment, originate from an inside end portion of the cable wound about the first cylindrical wall of the drum region.

2. A cable distribution box according to claim 1 , including a tube arranged to extend coaxially through the drum region, and the tube has a central passage through which an outside shaft or spindle is insertable.

3. A cable distribution box according to claim 1 , wherein a first cable entry port is formed in the first cylindrical wall of the drum region for receiving the inside end portion of the first fiber optic cable.

4. A cable distribution box according to claim 1 , wherein the drum region includes a second cylindrical wall arranged radially inward and coaxially with the first cylindrical wall, and an annular fiber routing region is defined between the first and the second walls.

5. A cable distribution box according to claim 3 , including a strain relief device arranged at the first cable entry port for guiding the inside end portion of the first fiber optic cable through the first cylindrical wall over a path tangential to the circumference of the wall.

6. A cable distribution box according to claim 5 , wherein the strain relief device is constructed and arranged to transfer a pull force applied externally to the first fiber optic cable, to the first cylindrical wall of the drum region when the cable is wound on or off the drum region.

7. A cable distribution box according to claim 5 , wherein the strain relief device includes one or more guides for securing a strength material beneath an outer jacket of the cable.

8. A cable distribution box according to claim 1 , wherein the interface compartment includes a connector panel, and a number of connector adapters mounted in the panel for coupling fiber optic connectors at an externally facing side of the panel, with corresponding fiber optic connectors at an internally facing side of the panel.

9. A cable distribution box according to claim 8 , wherein the interface compartment is constructed and arranged to support the connector panel so that a first connector panel can be removed and exchanged with a second connector panel having connector adapters of a type different from a type of adapters mounted in the first connector panel.

10. A cable distribution box according to claim 1 , wherein the interface compartment has a side wall, and a number of fingers or tabs that project outward from the side wall for confining the length of the first fiber optic cable when wound about the first cylindrical wall of the drum region.

11. A cable distribution box according to claim 1 , including a disk flange that extends radially outward beneath the interface compartment for confining the length of the first fiber optic cable when wound on the first cylindrical wall of the drum region.

12. A cable distribution box according to claim 1 , wherein the interface compartment has a side wall, and the side wall has a second cable entry port for receiving a fiber optic cable or cable assembly having a third set of fibers to be coupled via the connector panel with the second set of fibers of the second fiber optic cable routed to the box.

13. A cable distribution box according to claim 8 , wherein one or more of the adapters mounted in the connector panel of the interface compartment are constructed and arranged to couple multi-fiber type connectors with one another.

14. A cable distribution box according to claim 1 , including a length of the first fiber optic cable wound about the first cylindrical wall of the drum region, and a fiber optic connector for terminating an outside end of the cable.

15. A cable distribution box according to claim 14 , wherein the fiber optic connector at the outside end of the cable is a multi-fiber type of connector.

16. A method for installing a fiber optic cable distribution device at an installation location, the fiber optic cable distribution device including a housing defining an interface compartment, the fiber optic cable distribution device also including a fiber optic connector adapter having first and second ports, at least the first port being accessible from inside the interface compartment, the fiber optic cable distribution device further including a drum coupled to the housing and a fiber optic cable coiled about the drum, the drum being located outside the interface compartment, the fiber optic cable including a plurality of optical fibers, at least one of the optical fibers being terminated by a fiber optic connector that is inserted within the first port of the fiber optic connector adapter, the method comprising:
paying out the fiber optic cable from the drum by rotating the fiber optic cable distribution device about an axis of rotation, wherein the housing, the drum, the fiber optic adapter and the fiber optic connector are rotated together about the axis of rotation as the fiber optic cable is paid out from the drum; and installing the fiber optic cable distribution device at the installation location, wherein the drum remains coupled to the housing during and after installation of the fiber optic cable distribution device.

17. The method of claim 16, wherein the installation location is a wall.

18. The method of claim 16, wherein in the installation location is a wall of a multi-dwelling unit.

19. The method of claim 16, wherein an outer end of the fiber optic cable is terminated by a multi-fiber connector, and wherein the method further comprises plugging the multi-fiber connector into an adapter at an aggregation box.

20. The method of claim 19, wherein the fiber optic cable distribution device and the aggregation box are on different floors of a building.

21. The method of claim 20, wherein the fiber optic cable of the fiber optic cable distribution device is a first fiber optic cable, wherein the first fiber optic cable is connected to a second finer optic cable at the aggregation box, and wherein the second fiber optic cable is routed to a cable entry box provided at a different floor of the building from the floors at which the aggregation box and the fiber optic cable distribution device are mounted.

22. The method of claim 21, wherein the building is a multi-dwelling unit.

23. A fiber optic cable distribution device comprising:
an enclosure defining an interface compartment, the interface compartment having an interior region, the enclosure having a front side and a back side, the front side having a front cover that can be opened to access the interior region of the interface compartment; a cable storage drum coupled to the back side of the enclosure, the cable storage drum being located outside the interior region of the interface compartment, the cable stor

Assignees

• Commscope Technologies Llc

Inventors

• Hendrickson Daniel
• Zhang Hongbo

Classifications

• G02B6/44528

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

• G02B6/4471

  Terminating devices (demountable connectors G02B6/3807); Cable clamps · CPC title

• G02B6/475 Primary

  Mechanical aspects of installing cables in ducts or the like for buildings · CPC title

• G02B6/4441 Primary

  Boxes · CPC title

• G02B6/4466

  Physics · mapped topic