Fiber optic splice enclosure

Abstract

A fiber optic splice enclosure for housing an interconnection contained in a splice tray between at least one optical fiber of a feeder cable and at least one optical fiber of a drop cable is provided. The optical fiber of the feeder cable is at least partially contained in a feeder cable buffer or transportation tube. The fiber optic splice enclosure includes a support frame arranged in the enclosure. The support frame includes a central office side and a drop side. A basket is arranged on the support frame for storing slack of a spliced buffer tube transitioning to the splice tray. The spliced storage arrangement is sized so as to be able to store slack of the spliced feeder cable buffer tube while maintaining a predetermined tube bend radius. A splice tray mounting arrangement is arranged on the drop side of the support frame for supporting the splice tray.

Description

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

FIG. 1 is a front perspective view of an exemplary fiber optic splice enclosure according to the present invention.

FIG. 2 is a front perspective view of the fiber optic splice enclosure of FIG. 1 with the outer cover removed to expose an inner dome.

FIG. 3 is a front perspective view of the internal support frame and inner dome of the fiber optic splice enclosure of FIG. 1.

FIG. 4 is a partial top perspective view of the top of the internal support frame of the fiber optic splice enclosure of FIG. 1.

FIG. 5 is a partial top perspective view of the inner dome of the fiber optic splice enclosure of FIG. 1 showing the engagement of the inner dome with the top of the internal support frame.

FIG. 6 is a perspective view of an alternative embodiment of an internal support frame that is configured to help align a dome with a generally circular cross-section.

FIG. 7 is a front perspective view of an alternative embodiment of a fiber optic splice enclosure according to the present invention in which the outer cover is removed to expose interior doors.

FIG. 8 is a front perspective view of the internal support frame of the fiber optic splice enclosure of FIG. 7 showing the central office side of the backboard with one of the inner doors open.

FIG. 9 is a front perspective view of the internal support frame of FIG. 3 showing the drop side of the backboard with the inner door removed and a splice tray detached and pulled away from the internal support frame.

FIG. 10 is a rear perspective view of the internal support frame of FIG. 3 showing the central office side of the backboard with the inner door removed and the splice tray detached and pulled away from the internal support frame.

FIG. 11 is a front perspective view similar to FIG. 9 showing the splice tray being inserted through a pass through interface between the drop and central office sides of the backboard.

FIG. 12 is a rear, slightly upward perspective view of the internal support frame of FIG. 3 showing from the central office side the pass through interface between the drop and central office sides of the backboard.

FIG. 13 is a partial front perspective view of the internal support frame of FIG. 3 showing the cable attachment elements.

FIG. 14 is a partial front perspective view of the internal support frame of FIG. 3 showing the cable attachment elements with some attachment elements installed in a second, upper level.

FIG. 15 is a front perspective view of an alternative embodiment of an internal support frame for a fiber optic splice enclosure according to the present invention which includes a splice tray hinge part.

FIG. 16 is an enlarged partial front perspective view of the internal support frame of FIG. 15 showing the splice tray hinge part.

FIG. 17 is an enlarged partial front perspective view of the internal support frame of FIG. 15 showing the splice tray hinge part.

FIG. 18 is a front perspective view of an alternative embodiment of an internal support frame and base section for a fiber optic splice enclosure according to the present invention that includes a sealed connector interface.

FIG. 19 is rear perspective view of the internal support frame and base section of FIG. 18.

FIG. 20 is a rear perspective view of the internal support frame and base section of FIG. 18 with the sealed connector interface cover exploded.

FIG. 21 is a front perspective view of one of the cable attachment elements used with the internal support frame of FIG. 3.

FIG. 22 is a rear perspective view of the cable attachment element of FIG. 21.

FIG. 23 is a front perspective view of the splice tray hinge part of the internal support frame of FIG. 15.

FIG. 24 is a rear perspective view of the splice tray hinge part of FIG. 23.

FIG. 25 is a front perspective view of the internal support frame of FIG. 3 showing the installation of the splice storage basket.

FIG. 26 is a bottom perspective view of the internal support frame of FIG. 3 showing the installation of the splice storage basket.

FIG. 27 is a front perspective view similar to FIG. 25 of the internal support frame of FIG. 3 showing the splice storage basket fully installed.

Claims

1. A fiber optic splice enclosure for housing an interconnection contained in a splice tray between at least one optical fiber of a feeder cable and at least one optical fiber of a drop cable, the optical fiber of the feeder cable being at least partially contained in a feeder cable buffer tube, the fiber optic splice enclosure comprising: a support frame arranged in the enclosure, the support frame including a first side and a second side;a basket arranged on the support frame for storing slack of a spliced buffer tube transitioning to the splice tray, the basket being sized so as to be able to store slack of the spliced feeder cable buffer tube while maintaining a predetermined tube bend radius, the basket having at least one wall and being open on the first side of the support frame, the basket wall having at least one opening therein through which the feeder cable buffer tube can be routed from the second side of the enclosure into the basket; anda splice tray mounting arrangement arranged on the first side of the support frame for supporting the splice tray.

2. The fiber optic splice enclosure of claim 1 wherein the support frame includes a backboard and the basket extends through the backboard.

3. The fiber optic splice enclosure of claim 1 wherein the opening in the basket wall is sized such that a splice tray can pass through the opening.

4. The fiber optic splice enclosure of claim 1 wherein an express buffer tube storage arrangement is arranged on the second side of the support frame.

5. The fiber optic splice enclosure of claim 1 further including a dome that is removably positionable over the support frame.

6. The fiber optic splice enclosure of claim 5 further including a snap tab arranged on the support frame, the snap tab being insertable in and engageable with an opening on the dome so as to secure the dome on the support frame.

7. The fiber optic splice enclosure of claim 1 further including a first door carried by the support frame for enclosing the first side of the support frame and a second door carried by the support frame for enclosing the second side of the support frame.

8. The fiber optic splice enclosure of claim 1 further including a plurality of cable attachment elements arranged on the support frame for securing cables to the support frame, at least one of the cable attachment elements being removably attachable to the support frame.

9. The fiber optic splice enclosure of claim 1 further including a splice tray hinge part snap engageable with the splice tray mounting arrangement so as to be attachable thereto and detachable therefrom, the splice tray hinge part including a plurality of spaced pairs of journal openings for receiving complementary posts carried by a splice tray such that splice tray is pivotable relative to the splice tray mounting arrangement.

10. The fiber optic splice enclosure of claim 1 further including a bulkhead and a barrier arranged on the second side of the enclosure that define an enclosed area on the second side of the enclosure within which the opening in the basket wall is arranged and further including a plurality of connector adaptors carried by the bulkhead, the connector adaptors each including a rugged, sealed connector that extends through the bulkhead to outside the enclosed area defined by the bulkhead and barrier for mating with a mating connector carried by a feeder cable.

11. A fiber optic splice enclosure for housing an interconnection between at least one optical fiber of a feeder cable and at least one optical fiber of a drop cable, the fiber optic splice enclosure comprising: a support frame arranged in the enclosure;a dome that is removably positionable over the support frame; anda resiliently flexible snap tab arranged on the support frame, the snap tab being insertable in and engageable with an opening on the dome so as to secure the dome on the support frame.

12. The fiber optic splice enclosure of claim 11 wherein the snap tab is arranged on an upper edge of the support frame.

13. The fiber optic splice enclosure of claim 12 wherein the opening in the dome is arranged on a top of the dome.

14. The fiber optic splice enclosure of claim 13 wherein the dome has a substantially rectangular cross-sectional shape.

15. The fiber optic splice enclosure of claim 11 further including a plurality of cable attachment elements arranged on the support frame for securing cables to the support frame, at least one of the cable attachment elements being removably attachable to the support frame.

16. The fiber optic splice enclosure of claim 11 further including a splice tray hinge part snap engageable with a splice tray mounting arrangement on the support frame so as to be attachable thereto and detachable therefrom, the splice tray hinge part including a plurality of spaced pairs of journal openings for receiving complementary posts carried by a splice tray such that splice tray is pivotable relative to the splice tray mounting arrangement.

17. The fiber optic splice enclosure of claim 11 further including hinge elements arranged on opposed lateral edges of the support frame.

18. A fiber optic splice enclosure for housing an interconnection between at least one optical fiber of a feeder cable and at least one optical fiber of a drop cable, the fiber optic splice enclosure comprising: a support frame arranged in the enclosure;a plurality of hinge elements arranged on opposed lateral edges of the support frame for receiving doors; anda resiliently flexible snap tab arranged on the support frame for securing a dome on the support frame.

19. A fiber optic splice enclosure for housing an interconnection between at least one optical fiber of a feeder cable and at least one optical fiber of a drop cable, the fiber optic splice enclosure comprising: a support frame arranged in the enclosure;a plurality of cable attachment elements arranged on the support frame for securing cables to the support frame, at least one of the cable attachment elements being removably attachable to the support frame.

20. The fiber optic splice enclosure of claim 19 wherein the support frame includes a backboard and further including a plurality of mounting posts extending outward from the surface of the backboard and defining mounting positions on which the at least one removably attachable cable attachment element can be mounted.

21. The fiber optic splice enclosure of claim 20 wherein a first group of the plurality of cable attachment elements are secured in mounting positions relatively closer to the surface of the backboard than the mounting positions defined by the mounting posts.

22. The fiber optic splice enclosure of claim 20 wherein each mounting post includes a groove that mates with a rib on the at least one removably attachable cable attachment element when the removably attachable cable attachment element is mounted on the respective mounting post.

23. The fiber optic splice enclosure of claim 19 further including a splice tray mounting arrangement arranged on the support frame for supporting a plurality of splice trays and a splice tray hinge part snap engageable with the splice tray mounting arrangement so as to be attachable thereto and detachable therefrom, the splice tray hinge part including a plurality of spaced pairs of journal openings for receiving complementary posts carried by a splice tray such that splice tray is pivotable relative to the splice tray mounting arrangement.

24. A fiber optic splice enclosure for housing an interconnection in a splice tray between at least one optical fiber of a feeder cable and at least one optical fiber of a drop cable, the fiber optic splice enclosure comprising: a support frame arranged in the enclosure;a splice tray mounting arrangement arranged on the support frame for supporting a plurality of splice trays; anda splice tray hinge part snap engageable with the splice tray mounting arrangement so as to be attachable thereto and detachable therefrom, the splice tray hinge part including a plurality of spaced pairs of journal openings for receiving complementary posts carried by a splice tray such that splice tray is pivotable relative to the splice tray mounting arrangement.

25. The fiber optic splice enclosure according to claim 24 wherein the splice tray mounting arrangement includes a support arm that cantilevers outward from the support frame.

26. The fiber optic splice enclosure of claim 25 wherein the splice tray hinge part includes a spring latch that engages a catch on the support arm when the splice tray hinge part is engaged with the splice tray mounting arrangement.

27. The fiber optic splice enclosure of claim 26 wherein the support frame includes a backboard and the support arm extends substantially perpendicular relative to the backboard and wherein splice tray hinge part rests on an upper surface of the support arm when the splice tray hinge part is engaged with the splice tray mounting arrangement.

28. The fiber optic splice enclosure according to claim 27 wherein the journal openings are arranged in a plane that extends at an angle less than perpendicular relative to the backboard.

29. A fiber optic splice enclosure for housing an interconnection between at least one optical fiber of a feeder cable and at least one optical fiber of a drop cable, the fiber optic splice enclosure comprising: a support frame arranged in the enclosure, the support frame including a first side and a second side;a first weather tight door carried by the support frame for enclosing the first side of the support frame;a bulkhead arranged on the second side of the enclosure;a barrier arranged on the second side of the enclosure, the bulkhead and barrier defining an enclosed area on the second side of the enclosure;a plurality of connector adaptors carried by the bulkhead, the connector adaptors each including a rugged, sealed connector that extends through the bulkhead to outside the enclosed area defined by the bulkhead and barrier for mating with a mating connector carried by a feeder cable.

30. The fiber optic splice enclosure according to claim 29 wherein the barrier comprises a removable cover.

31. The fiber optic splice enclosure according to claim 29 wherein the support frame includes an opening that extends between the first and second sides that is arranged within the enclosed area.

32. The fiber optic splice enclosure according to claim 29 wherein the rugged, sealed connector is threaded.

33. The fiber optic splice enclosure according to claim 29 further including a plurality of cable attachment elements arranged on the support frame for securing cables to the support frame, at least one of the cable attachment elements being removably attachable to the support frame.

34. The fiber optic splice enclosure of claim 29 further including a splice tray mounting arrangement arranged on the support frame for supporting a plurality of splice trays and a splice tray hinge part snap engageable with the splice tray mounting arrangement so as to be attachable thereto and detachable therefrom, the splice tray hinge part including a plurality of spaced pairs of journal openings for receiving complementary posts carried by a splice tray such that splice tray is pivotable relative to the splice tray mounting arrangement.

35. A fiber optic splice enclosure for housing an interconnection between at least one optical fiber of a feeder cable and at least one optical fiber of a drop cable, the fiber optic splice enclosure comprising: a support frame arranged in the enclosure; anda basket for storing slack of a spliced buffer tube, the basket comprising a separate element that is engageable with the support frame.

36. The fiber optic splice enclosure of claim 35 wherein the basket is received in an opening in the support frame.

37. The fiber optic splice enclosure of claim 35 wherein the support frame includes a backboard and the basket extends through the backboard.

38. The fiber optic splice enclosure of claim 35 further including a bottom plate including a plurality of grommets for receiving drop or feeder cables, the bottom plate comprising a separate element that is engageable with a lower end of the support frame.

39. The fiber optic splice enclosure of claim 38 further including a grounding plate, the grounding plate comprising a separate element that is mountable on the support frame.

40. The fiber optic splice enclosure of claim 39 wherein the grounding plate is engageable with the bottom plate.

41. The fiber optic splice enclosure of claim 40 wherein the support frame includes a backboard and the grounding plate is engageable with the blackboard.

42. The fiber optic splice enclosure of claim 35 further including a plurality of hinge elements arranged on opposed lateral edges of the support frame for receiving doors and a resiliently flexible snap tab arranged on the support frame for securing a dome on the support frame.