The present invention relates generally to devices and systems for terminating ducts at distribution points within a communications network. More particularly, embodiments of the invention relate to coupling ducts to a terminal enclosure and providing a separate entry point for an auxiliary wire associated with one or more of the ducts.
Ducts commonly used in the telecommunication industry are small ducts used for the installation and protection of cables. They are typically used to provide low-friction paths for the installation of cables, such as, for example, fiber optic cables. It is common practice to lay one or more ducts in a desired path and then to populate each duct with one or more communication cables.
At certain points in a network of ducts, it is desirable to terminate a path. In some instances, more than one duct path is terminated at a single location. This might occur where multiple ducts are routed into a building and the contained cables must be distributed. Terminal enclosures couple to the ends of ducts and provide a location for cables to be organized. Terminal enclosures (cabinets) are typically configured to couple to the duct ends such that they cannot be unintentionally removed. In some cases, a nozzle or other smaller receptacle is attached to the cabinet and receives the ducts. Some ducts include an auxiliary wire such as, for example, a tracer wire that is mounted to the exterior of the duct for the purpose of facilitating tracing of the duct from a starting end to a terminal end. For example, a plurality of ducts can be placed in a single trench in the ground and there is a need to identify which terminal end corresponds to a particular starting end of the plurality of ducts. Also, a trace wire can be used to locate buried ducts in the case of there being no other metallic portion of the duct. Some ducts include an auxiliary wire other than a trace wire such as, for example, a grounding wire.
In conventional cabinets, the auxiliary wire enters the cabinet through a separate port than the duct itself. This is undesirable because the port used for the auxiliary wire is unavailable for use by another duct, limiting the number of cables that can enter the cabinet through a set number of ports. In other cases, the auxiliary wire is terminated outside of the cabinet, which can lead to deterioration of the auxiliary wire due to exposure to the environment outside the enclosure.
It may be desirable to provide a cabinet entry system in which auxiliary wires such as trace wires and grounding wires can enter the cabinet without using a port designed for ducts.
Embodiments provide a duct attachment portion structurally configured to receive a cable duct, including: a first sub-portion that may be structurally configured to have a duct receiving portion; a second sub-portion that may be structurally configured to be connected to the first sub-portion; an auxiliary wire entry portion that may be structurally configured to receive an auxiliary wire; and an auxiliary wire entry portion seal portion that may be structurally configured to be located between the first sub-portion and the second sub-portion. The duct receiving portion may be structurally configured to receive a first connector portion; the second sub-portion may be structurally configured to receive a second connector portion; the duct receiving portion may be structurally configured to receive a cable duct; the auxiliary wire may be associated with the cable duct; the auxiliary wire entry portion seal portion may be structurally configured to be penetrated by the auxiliary wire passing through the auxiliary wire entry portion; and the auxiliary wire entry portion may be structurally configured to provide an entry point for the auxiliary wire separate from the duct receiving portion to optimize use of the duct attachment portion, and the auxiliary wire entry portion may be structurally configured to improve protection of the auxiliary wire.
In particular embodiments, the duct attachment portion may be structurally configured to be a duct port nozzle.
In particular embodiments, the first sub-portion may be structurally configured to be a nozzle outer body.
In particular embodiments, the second sub-portion may be structurally configured to be a nozzle inner body.
In particular embodiments, the duct receiving portion may be structurally configured to be a port.
In particular embodiments, the duct receiving portion may be a first duct receiving portion, and the duct attachment portion may further comprise a second duct receiving portion.
Particular embodiments may further comprise a sealing portion that may be structurally configured to be positioned between the first sub-portion and the second sub-portion.
In particular embodiments, the auxiliary wire entry portion may be structurally configured to be an auxiliary wire window.
In particular embodiments, the auxiliary wire entry portion may comprise a plurality of auxiliary wire windows.
In particular embodiments, a separate one of the auxiliary wire windows may be provided for each of a plurality of the duct receiving portion.
In particular embodiments, the auxiliary wire entry portion seal portion may be structurally configured to be located adjacent the auxiliary wire entry portion.
In particular embodiments, the duct attachment portion may comprise a plurality of the duct receiving portion, and the duct attachment portion may comprise exactly one of the auxiliary wire entry portion for each of the duct receiving portions.
Embodiments provide a duct attachment portion structurally configured to receive a cable duct, including: a duct receiving portion; an auxiliary wire entry portion that may be structurally configured to receive an auxiliary wire; and an auxiliary wire entry portion seal portion. The duct receiving portion may be structurally configured to receive a cable duct; the auxiliary wire may be associated with the cable duct; the auxiliary wire entry portion seal portion may be structurally configured to be penetrated by the auxiliary wire passing through the auxiliary wire entry portion; and the auxiliary wire entry portion may be structurally configured to provide an entry point for the auxiliary wire separate from the duct receiving portion to optimize use of the duct attachment portion, and the auxiliary wire entry portion may be structurally configured to improve protection of the auxiliary wire.
In particular embodiments, the duct receiving portion may comprise a first sub-portion, and a second sub-portion that may be structurally configured to be connected to the first sub-portion.
In particular embodiments, the duct attachment portion may be structurally configured to be a duct port nozzle.
Particular embodiments may further comprise a first sub-portion that may be structurally configured to receive the duct receiving portion, and a second sub-portion that may be structurally configured to be connected to the first sub-portion.
In particular embodiments, the first sub-portion may be structurally configured to be a nozzle outer body, and the second sub-portion may be structurally configured to be a nozzle inner body.
In particular embodiments, the duct receiving portion may be structurally configured to be a port.
In particular embodiments, the duct receiving portion may be a first duct receiving portion, and the duct attachment portion may further comprise a second duct receiving portion.
In particular embodiments, the auxiliary wire entry portion may be structurally configured to be an auxiliary wire window.
In particular embodiments, the auxiliary wire entry portion may comprise a plurality of auxiliary wire windows.
In particular embodiments, a separate one of the auxiliary wire windows may be provided for each of a plurality of the duct receiving portion.
In particular embodiments, the auxiliary wire entry portion seal portion may be structurally configured to be located adjacent the auxiliary wire entry portion.
In particular embodiments, the duct attachment portion may comprise a plurality of the duct receiving portion, and the duct attachment portion may comprise exactly one of the auxiliary wire entry portion for each of the duct receiving portions.
Embodiments provide a first portion structurally configured to receive a cable duct, including: a duct receiving portion; an auxiliary wire entry portion; and an auxiliary wire entry portion seal portion. The auxiliary wire entry portion seal portion may be structurally configured to be penetrated by an auxiliary wire passing through the auxiliary wire entry portion; the auxiliary wire may be associated with a cable duct; and the auxiliary wire entry portion may be structurally configured to provide an entry point for the auxiliary wire separate from the duct receiving portion to optimize use of the first portion, and the auxiliary wire entry portion may be structurally configured to improve protection of the auxiliary wire.
Particular embodiments may further comprise an auxiliary wire entry portion that may be structurally configured to receive the auxiliary wire.
In particular embodiments, the duct receiving portion may be structurally configured to receive a cable duct.
In particular embodiments, the first portion may be structurally configured to be a duct port nozzle.
In particular embodiments, the duct receiving portion may be a first duct receiving portion, and the first portion may further comprise a second duct receiving portion.
Particular embodiments may further comprise a plurality of auxiliary wire windows.
In particular embodiments, a separate one of the auxiliary wire windows may be provided for each of a plurality of the duct receiving portion.
In particular embodiments, the first portion may comprise a plurality of the duct receiving portion, and the first portion may comprise exactly one auxiliary wire entry portion for each of the duct receiving portions.
Various aspects of the system, as well as other embodiments, objects, features and advantages of this disclosure, will be apparent from the following detailed description of illustrative embodiments thereof, which is to be read in conjunction with the accompanying drawings.
Embodiments provide a duct port nozzle having an auxiliary wire entry portion that is structurally configured to provide an entry point for an auxiliary wire separate from a duct receiving portion to optimize use of the duct port nozzle, and the auxiliary wire entry portion is structurally configured to improve protection of the auxiliary wire.
Embodiments of the disclosure allow a duct to be secured to a port of, for example, an optical fiber enclosure or cabinet with a shark tooth style, or other style, coupling allowing for easy connection and disconnection of the duct. In addition, embodiments provide a duct port nozzle (“nozzle”) that allows trace or other auxiliary wires (“auxiliary wires”) to be stripped and pushed through a thin rubber (or other material) sheet, allowing the auxiliary wires to be terminated inside an enclosure and thus be protected and, in some cases, grounded. A nozzle in accordance with embodiments is placed into an enclosure with the couplers facing outward. Duct pieces are inserted into the couplers and the auxiliary wires are pushed through an auxiliary wire window and grounded (or otherwise terminated), if necessary. Embodiments include differently sized duct nozzles and different auxiliary wire window sizes/configurations. Embodiments include the improvement of securing a duct to a nozzle while using the same nozzle to provide access of the auxiliary wire to the enclosure.
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Although the illustrative embodiments of the present invention have been described herein with reference to the accompanying drawings, it is to be understood that the invention is not limited to those precise embodiments, and that various other changes and modifications may be effected therein by one skilled in the art without departing from the scope or spirit of the invention.
Various changes to the foregoing described and shown structures will now be evident to those skilled in the art. Accordingly, the particularly disclosed scope of the invention is set forth in the following claims.
This application claims the benefit of U.S. Provisional Application No. 63/399,929 filed Aug. 22, 2022, pending, the disclosure of which is hereby incorporated by reference herein in its entirety.
Number | Date | Country | |
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63399929 | Aug 2022 | US |