DE29705039U1 - Fiber optic module for the distribution of fiber optic cables - Google Patents

Description

10.03.97 22800G

2a/nn;

apra-gerätebau Dipl. Ing. (FH) Wolfgang Appenzeller and Wilfried Rademacher GmbH & Co.KG 54550 Daun/Vulkaneifel

Fiber optic module for distribution of fiber optic cables

The present invention relates to a fiber optic module for the distribution of fiber optic cables according to the preamble of claim 1.

Such a fiber optic module is usually installed, together with other fiber optic modules, in a frame of a larger subrack, for example a 19" subrack. It is used to distribute the individual fiber optics contained in a supplied fiber optic cable that serve as light guides.

Known fiber optic modules consist of a carrier plate, on one side of which a so-called excess length compartment and on the other side a so-called splice cassette are attached. The excess length compartment is used to accommodate so-called reserve excess lengths of the individual fiber optics. In the splice cassette are the connections between 2 the ends of the individual fiber optics of the supplied fiber optic cable and fiber optic pieces, so-called pigtails, which each have a fiber optic connector at their other ends, which in

10.03.97 22800G

Fiber optic couplings are plugged in, which are firmly inserted into a front panel of the fiber optic module.

In the known fiber optic modules, both the splice cassette and the excess length compartment consist of independent parts, preferably made of plastic, which are attached to the carrier plate, preferably by screwing.

The present invention is based on the object of developing a fiber optic module of the type mentioned above, whose structure is simplified and whose production is more cost-effective.

To solve this problem, a fiber optic module for distributing fiber optic cables according to the preamble of claim 1 is proposed, which according to the invention has the features mentioned in the characterizing part of claim 1.

Further embodiments of the invention are mentioned in the subclaims.

Thanks to the invention, no additional component is required to provide the excess length compartment. Rather, the excess length compartment is molded directly onto the carrier plate as an integral part, whereby no additional material is required. Instead, the necessary means for constructing the excess length compartment are obtained by plate sections of the carrier plate that are bent out of the material of the carrier plate and shaped accordingly.

The invention will be explained in more detail using the embodiment shown in the figures 8. They show

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Figure 1 shows a side view of a fiber optic module according to the invention with a view of the excess length compartment,

Figure 2 the fiber optic module according to Figure 1 with a view of the front panel,

Figure 3 is a section along the line A-A in Figure 2,

Figure 4 is a view of the rear of the fiber optic module of Figure 1, with the cover plate of the splice cassette removed.

In the figures, the metal carrier plate, which is preferably made of sheet steel, is designated 1. A front plate 2 is attached to one of the short end faces of the carrier plate 1. On one of the large sides of the carrier plate 1 there is a known splice cassette 3 and on the other large side there is the excess length compartment 4 for accommodating the excess lengths of the glass fibers.

To form the excess length compartment, in the embodiment shown, five plate sections 5a-5e are bent out of the carrier plate 1 at right angles to the same side, with two plate sections 5a, 5b and 5c, 5d each aligned with one another and the two pairs of bent-out plate sections thus formed lying opposite one another and aligned parallel to one another. Another bent-out plate section 5e formed in the same way lies near the end of the carrier plate 1 facing away from the front plate 2 and delimits the excess length compartment 4 on this side.

The splice cassette 3 is used to accommodate the welded connections between the individual glass fibers of the cable and pieces of glass fiber, the so-called pigtails. For this purpose, the cable is inserted into the splice cassette at a in Figure 4.

and then each optical fiber of the cable is welded to one end of a pigtail in a known manner. The pigtails are then inserted through openings in the splice cassette and the carrier plate, for example through the

The pigtails are guided through the openings 13 obtained from the bent-out plate sections into the excess length compartment 4, where their excess lengths are wound up into turns with the course indicated by the dashed line at b in Figure 1, whereby they are held in their position by the bent-out plate section 5. ^ 10 To better fix the excess lengths, the free ends of the bent-out plate sections 5 are provided with edges 51 bent at right angles towards the excess length compartment. The other free ends of the pigtails are attached to fiber optic connectors in a known manner, and these are inserted from the inside of the fiber optic module into two-sided fiber optic couplings, which are attached in a known manner in the openings 21 of the front plate. The openings 12 in the carrier plate 1 allow access to all fiber optic couplings.

0 The holes 52 in the side wall of the bent-out plate, -N section 5 can be used for strain relief for the individual glass

fibers can be used. Additional strain relief for the entire cable is normally provided in the subrack.

It is understood that the number of bent-out plate sections can vary greatly. Instead of the two bent-out plate sections 5a, 5b or 5c, 5d, for example, there can be one longer plate section or three shorter plate sections. The subdivision has the advantage that the intermediate webs 53 remaining in the plate plane improve the stability of the carrier plate 1 on the one hand and stabilize the position of the excess lengths on the other.

Claims (4)

10.03.97 22800 G 2 Protection claims 1. Fiber optic module for the distribution of fiber optic cables with 4 a metal carrier plate (1), on one side of which a splice cassette (3) is mounted and on the other side 6 there is an excess length compartment (4), thereby characterized in that the excess length compartment (4) is formed as an integral part of the carrier plate (1) by bent out parts (5a-5e) of the carrier plate (1) from the
10 Level of the carrier plate in the direction of the splice cassette (3) remote side of the carrier plate. 12 2. Glass fibre module according to claim 1, characterized in that the excess length compartment is formed
14 is - of several plate sections bent preferably by 90 degrees from the plane of the 16 carrier plate (5a-5e) the carrier plate (1), which lie with their connecting line with 18 the carrier plate on the circumference of the excess length compartment, 2 0 - and within the circumference of the overlength compartment in the plane of the carrier plate remaining sections of the 2 2 carrier plate. 3. Fiber optic module according to claim 1 or 2, characterized
24 characterized in that the bent out Plate sections (5a-5e) are provided at their free ends with edges (51) directed towards the 26 excess length compartment, preferably at right angles. 28 4. Fiber optic cable according to one of the preceding claims, characterized in that 30 curved plate sections (5a-5e) are provided with holes (52) for attaching strain reliefs for the glass fibers.