Patent Application
20220260802
The invention generally relates to a laybox for use in microtrenching and a method of microtrenching using the laybox to install optical fiber cable and/or microduct/innerduct in a microtrench.
Installing optical fiber in a microtrench often has problems with the microtrench side walls caving in when the microtrench is formed in soft dirt, sand or gravel below the hard roadway (asphalt or cement), along a side the hard roadway or in a soft roadway such as a dirt or gravel roadway.
An objective of the invention is to provide a solution to the problem of sidewalls of a microtrench caving in.
The objectives of the invention and other objectives are obtained by a laybox configured for installing optical fiber cable in a microtrench comprising:
The objectives of the invention and other objectives are also obtained by a method of microtrenching comprising:
The objectives of the invention and other objectives can also be obtained by a method of microtrenching comprising:
In the following description, for purposes of explanation and not limitation, specific details are set forth, such as particular networks, communication systems, computers, terminals, devices, components, techniques, data and network protocols, software products and systems, operating systems, development interfaces, hardware, etc. in order to provide a thorough understanding of the present invention with reference to the attached non-limiting figures.
However, it will be apparent to one skilled in the art that the present invention may be practiced in other embodiments that depart from these specific details. Detailed descriptions of well-known networks, communication systems, computers, terminals, devices, components, techniques, data and network protocols, software products and systems, operating systems, development interfaces, and hardware are omitted so as not to obscure the description.
During installation of the optical fiber cable, a microtrencher is used to cut a microtrench in the roadway, optical fiber cable and/or innerduct/microduct is then laid in the microtrench, and then the microtrench is filled with a fill and sealant over the optical fiber cable and/or innerduct/microduct to protect them from the environment. The present method utilizes a motorized vehicle, a microtrencher, and a laybox to install the optical fiber cable within the microtrench.
Microtrenchers, other devices used in microtrenching, fills, and methods of microtrenching that can be utilized in the present invention include the devices and methods described in my previous U.S. patent publication Nos. 20190226603, 20190086002, 20180292027, 20180156357, and 20180106015, the complete disclosures of which are incorporated in their entirety herein by reference.
Any suitable microtrencher 2 can be utilized in the present invention. Non-limiting examples of suitable microtrenchers 2 include those made and sold by Ditch Witch, Vermeer, and Marais. A Vermeer RTX 1250 tractor can be used as the motorized vehicle for the microtrencher 2. A microtrencher 2 is a “small rock wheel” specially designed for work in rural or urban areas. The microtrencher 2 is fitted with a cutting wheel 10 that cuts a microtrench 11 with smaller dimensions than can be achieved with conventional trench digging equipment. Microtrench 11 widths usually range from about 6 mm to 130 mm (¼ to 5 inches) with a depth of 750 mm (about 30 inches) or less. Other widths and depths can be used as desired.
With a microtrencher 2, the structure of the road, sidewalk, driveway, or path is maintained and there is no associated damage to the road. Owing to the reduced microtrench 11 size, the volume of waste material (spoil 12) excavated is also reduced. Microtrenchers 2 are used to minimize traffic or pedestrian disturbance during cable laying. A microtrencher 2 can work on sidewalks or in narrow streets of cities, and can cut harder ground than a chain trencher, including cutting through for example but not limited to hard surfaces solid stone, concrete, and asphalt. Softer surfaces include, soil, grass, dirt, sand, and gravel.
In a first embodiment, an example of which is shown in
The laybox 3 can be formed by two opposing side walls 6 defining a elongated chamber 8 therebetween. The chamber 8 defined by the side walls 6 should be sized so that the optical fiber cable and/or innerduct/microduct 121 can flow into and through the chamber 8 during use. Examples of suitable chamber 8 widths are from 0.5 to 10 inches, more preferably from 1 to 4 inches in width between the interior surfaces of the opposing side walls 6. The side walls 6 are preferably formed from sheets of steel. Examples of suitable thickness of a side wall 6 formed from a steel sheet is 0.1 to 1.5 inches, preferably 0.1 to 1 inches. The length of the of the wall 6 can be as desired for the particular application. In general, the longer the length of the wall 6, the greater the radius of any turns with the laybox 3 inside the microtrench 11. When turning, the laybox 3 may have to be removed from the microtrench 3. Exemplary lengths of the wall 6 is from 6 inches to 5 feet, preferably from 1 to 2 feet. The height of the laybox 3 can vary as desired for the particular application, such as higher for a deeper microtrench 11 and lower for a shallower microtrench 11. An example of suitable heights of the side walls 6 are from 6 inches to 3 feet, preferably from 6 inches to 2 feet.
The side wads 6 can be connected to each other by one or more spacers 30. The spacers 30 can also have the function of guiding the optical fiber cable and/or innerduct/microduct 121 into and through the laybox 3 and then to bottom of the microtrench 11. For example, the spacers 30 can be bolts that bolt the sides walls 6 together.
A crummer 4 can be located at the front of the laybox 3. The crummer 4 is configured to remove remaining spoil 12 or other objects from the microtrench 12. The crummer 4 can have a pointed or angled surface to facilitate removal of the spoil 12.
A microtrencher connector 19 can be located near the front of the laybox 3 for connecting the laybox 3 to the microtrencher 2. The microtrencher connector 19 can have holes 21 for bolting the microtrencher connector 19 to the microtrencher 2.
A spoil diverter 60 can be located near the back of the laybox 3, which is configured to push the spoil 12 deposited on the roadway surface into the microtrench 11 after the optical fiber cable and/or innerduct/microduct 121 has been laid in the bottom of the microtrench 11.
A compression wheel 50 can be mounted at the back of the laybox 3 for compressing the spoil 12 in the microtrench 11. The compression wheel 50 can be mounted to compression wheel mount 40 and mount support arm 42 by a swing arm 44, which allows the compression wheel 50 to move up and down. To adjust the amount of compression applied by the compression wheel 50, weight 120 can be added to swing arm 44. The compression wheel 50 can be formed from steel, or any other suitable material.
In addition to the compression wheel 50 or replacing the compression wheel 50, a compactor 210 can be included as shown in
During use in the first embodiment, the microtrench 11 can be cut in the soft roadway using the blade 10 to deposit spoil 12 on one side of the microtrench 11. The laybox 3 connected to the microtrencher 2 is dragged forward inside the microtrench 11 as the microtrencher 2 moves forward. The crummer 4 pushes any spoil 12 or other debris in the microtrench 11 up and out of the way of the laybox 3. As the laybox 3 moves forward in the microtrench 11, the optical fiber cable and/or innerduct/microduct 121 is fed through the chamber 8, the path being controlled by the spacers 30, until the optical fiber cable and/or innerduct microduct 121 lays at the bottom of the microduct. The spoil diverter 30 pushes the spoil 12 on the roadway surface into the microtrench 11 on top of the optical fiber cable and/or innerduct/microduct 121. The compression wheel 50 rotates over the spoil 12 and compresses the spoil 12 into the microtrench 11 over the buried optical fiber cable and/or innerduct/microduct 121.
In the second embodiment, as shown in
In the second embodiment, the laybox 3 should be sized to fit within a microtrench 11 cut into the roadway. The laybox 3 can be formed by two opposing side walls 6 defining an elongated chamber 8 therebetween. The chamber 8 defined by the side walls 6 should be sized so that the optical fiber cable and/or innerduct/microduct 121 can flow into and through the chamber 8 during use. Examples of suitable chamber 8 widths are from 0.5 to 10 inches, more preferably from 1 to 4 inches in width between the interior surfaces of the opposing side walls 6. The side walls 6 are preferably formed from sheets of steel. Examples of suitable thickness of a side wall 6 formed from a steel sheet is 0.1 to 1.5 inches, preferably 0.1 to 1 inches. The length of the of the wall 6 can be as desired for the particular application. In general, the longer the length of the wall 6, the greater the radius of any turns with the laybox 3 inside the microtrench 11. When turning, the laybox 3 may have to be removed from the microtrench 3. Exemplary lengths of the wall 6 is from 6 inches to 5 feet, preferably from 1 to 2 feet. The height of the laybox 3 can vary as desired for the particular application, such as higher for a deeper microtrench 11 and lower for a shallower microtrench 11. An example of suitable heights of the side walls 6 are from 6 inches to 3 feet, preferably from 6 inches to 2 feet.
The side walls 6 can be connected to each other by one or more spacers 30. The spacers 30 can also have the function of guiding the optical fiber cable and/or innerduct/microduct 121 into and through the laybox 3 and then to bottom of the microtrench 11. For example, the spacers 30 can be bolts that bolt the sides walls 6 together.
A crummer 4 can be located at the front of the laybox 3. The crummer 4 is configured to remove remaining spoil 12 or other objects from the microtrench 12. The crummer 4 can have a pointed or angled surface to facilitate removal of the spoil 12.
A microtrencher connector 19 can be located near the front of the laybox 3 for connecting the laybox 3 to the microtrencher 2. The microtrencher connector 19 can have holes 21 for bolting the microtrencher connector 19 to the microtrencher 2.
A fill conduit 126 can be located at the rear of the laybox 3, which is configured to direct fill 127 to flow through the fill conduit 126 and into the microtrench 11. The microtrench 11 containing the optical fiber cable and/or innerduct/microduct 121 can be filled with fill 127 from a fill device 200 connected to the fill conduit 126 by a fill hose 201. Preferably, the fill device 200 and the fill 127 are as disclosed in my U.S. publication No 20190086002 or U.S. publication No. 20180292027, which are incorporated herein by reference.
During use of the second embodiment, the microtrench 11 can be cut in the hard roadway (asphalt or cement) using the blade 10. The spoil 12 from the blade 10 is vacuumed away using the vacuum device 130. The laybox 3 connected to the microtrencher 2 is dragged forward inside the microtrench 11 as the microtrencher 2 moves forward. The crummer 4 pushes any spoil 12 or other debris in the microtrench 11 up and out of the way of the laybox 3. As the laybox 3 moves forward in the microtrench 11, the optical fiber cable and/or innerduct/microduct 121 is fed through the chamber 8, the path being controlled by the spacers 30, until the optical fiber cable and/or innerduct microduct 121 lays at the bottom of the microduct. Fill 127 is fed from the fill device 200 to the fil conduit 126 through a fill hose 131. The fill 127 flows through the fill conduit 126 to cover the optical fiber cable and/or innerduct/microduct 121 and fill the microtrench 11. During forming curves in the microtrench 11, the laybox 3 may have to be removed from the curved portion of the microtrench 11 and then reinstalled within the microtrench 11 as the microtrench 11 straightens out. A lifting device on the microtrencher 2 can be used to raise and lower the laybox 3, which can also be used in the first embodiment. Any suitable lifting device can be utilized, such as hydraulic, electric, spring, and or manual.
2 Microtrencher
3 Laybox
4 Crummer
6 Side wall
8 Elongated chamber defined by side walls 6
10 Cutting wheel
11 Microtrench
12 Spoil
14 Spoil 12 returned to the microtrench 11
19 Microtrencher connector
20 Microtrencher shroud
21 Holes
30 Spacer
40 Compression wheel mount
42 Mount support arm
44 Swing arm to allow wheel 50 to move up and down
50 Compression wheel for compressing spoil 12 in the microtrench 11
60 Spoil diverter
120 Weight
121 Optical fiber cable or innerduct/microduct
124 Vacuum truck
126 Fill conduit in laybox
127 Fill in microtrench 11
130 Vacuum device
131 Vacuum hose
150 Reel device containing reels of optical fiber cable and/or innerduct/microduct 121
200 Fill Device
201 Fill hose
210 Compactor
To facilitate an understanding of the principles and features of the various embodiments of the present invention, various illustrative embodiments are explained below. Although example embodiments of the present invention are explained in detail, it is to be understood that other embodiments are contemplated. Accordingly, it is not intended that the present invention is limited in its scope to the details of construction and arrangement of components set forth in the following description or examples. The present invention is capable of other embodiments and of being practiced or carried out in various ways.
As used in the specification and the appended claims, the singular forms “a,” “an” and “the” include plural references unless the context clearly dictates otherwise. For example, reference to a component is intended also to include composition of a plurality of components. References to a composition containing “a” constituent is intended to include other constituents in addition to the one named.
Also, in describing the example embodiments, terminology will be resorted to for the sake of clarity. It is intended that each term contemplates its broadest meaning as understood by those skilled in the art and includes all technical equivalents that operate in a similar manner to accomplish a similar purpose.
It is also to be understood that the mention of one or more method steps does not preclude the presence of additional method steps or intervening method steps between those steps expressly identified. Similarly, it is also to be understood that the mention of one or more components in a composition does not preclude the presence of additional components than those expressly identified. Such other components or steps not described herein can include, but are not limited to, for example, similar components or steps that are developed after development of the disclosed technology.
It is to be understood that the foregoing illustrative embodiments have been provided merely for the purpose of explanation and are in no way to be construed as limiting of the invention. Words used herein are words of description and illustration, rather than words of limitation. In addition, the advantages and objectives described herein may not be realized by each and every embodiment practicing the present invention. Further, although the invention has been described herein with reference to particular structure, materials and/or embodiments, the invention is not intended to be limited to the particulars disclosed herein. Rather, the invention extends to all functionally equivalent structures, methods and uses, such as are within the scope of the appended claims. Those skilled in the art, having the benefit of the teachings of this specification, may affect numerous modifications thereto and changes may be made without departing from the scope and spirit of the invention.
| Number | Date | Country | |
|---|---|---|---|
| 63070539 | Aug 2020 | US |
