GB2305258A

GB2305258A - Optic fibre splice enclosure with ducted tubes for fibres

Info

Publication number: GB2305258A
Application number: GB9518992A
Authority: GB
Inventors: Raymond Charles Foss
Original assignee: Bowthorpe PLC
Current assignee: Bowthorpe PLC
Priority date: 1995-09-16
Filing date: 1995-09-16
Publication date: 1997-04-02
Anticipated expiration: 2015-09-16
Also published as: GB2305258B; GB9518992D0

Abstract

An optical fibre splice enclosure comprises a plurality of tubes 13,15 through which optical fibres pass between incoming and outgoing cables 12,14 and one or more splice storage means 10. Each of the tubes is divided internally into a plurality of separate ducts.

Description

Optical fibre splice enclosures The present invention relates to optical fibre splice enclosures.

It is common, in optical fibre splice enclosures, for optical fibres to pass through flexible tubes between the ends of the incoming and outgoing cables and the trays or other substrates on which the splices are mounted. Usually each cable comprises a plurality of groups or units of fibres, each such group or unit consisting of typically eight fibres: in order to keep the individual groups or units separate from each other, each tube accommodates one unit only. This often involves use of a relatively large number of tubes to carry the optical fibres between the incoming or outgoing cables and the splice storage trays, in turn occupying a large amount of space.

We have now devised an arrangement which enables a reduction in the number of fibre-carrying tubes which are used.

In accordance with this invention, there is provided an optical fibre splice enclosure, comprising a plurality of tubes through which optical fibres pass between incoming and outgoing cables and one or more splice storage means, each of said tubes being divided internally into a plurality of separate ducts.

For example, each tube may be divided internally into two, three or four separate ducts. Each duct preferably accommodates one group or unit of fibres. As a result, each tube carries a number of fibre units, and substantially fewer tubes are required than if each tube carried one fibre unit only.

Furthermore, each tube is resistant to kinking when bent, and resistant to being crushed, because of the strength provided by its internal partitioning.

An embodiment of this invention will now be described by way of example only and with reference to the accompanying drawings in which: FIGURE 1 is a schematic diagram showing fibre carrying tubes extending between incoming and outgoing cables and a splice storage tray in an optical fibre splice enclosure; and FIGURE 2 is an enclosed cross-section on the line X-X shown in Figure 1.

Referring to Figure 1 of the drawings, there is shown a tray 10 for receiving optical fibre splices, in an optical fibre splice closure: also shown are incoming and outgoing cables 12,14, each comprising a plurality of optical fibres arranged in groups or unit of typically eight fibres each. The fibres of the incoming cable 12 pass through flexible, extruded plastics tubes e.g. 13 which extend from the end of the cable 12 to an entry of the tray 10, and the outgoing fibres pass through tubes e.g. 15 which extend from an exit of the tray 10 to the end of the outgoing cable 14.

In accordance with this invention, each of the tubes 13, 15 is internally partitioned into a number of separate ducts, four in the example shown. In use, one group or unit of fibres (typically eight fibres) is installed through each of the separate ducts of each tube 13, 15. With this arrangement, each tube accommodates a number of units of fibres, equal to the number of its separate ducts, so that a reduced number of tubes is required as compared with prior art arrangements (in which a separate tube is required for each unit of fibres). Further, the tubes 13, 15 are relatively resistant to kinking when bent, because of the strength provided to them by their internal partitions.

At their ends adjacent the cables 12 or 14, the tubes 13, 15 may have their ducts radially expanded, as indicated in the drawing. Alternatively, separate tapered manifold components may be provided, through which the fibres pass from the cables and into the ducts of the tubes 13, 15.

If desired, the end portion of each tube 13, 15 may be longitudinally split, for example to divide the tube into two pairs of ducts or even four individual ducts to facilitate passage of the fibres from the cables and into the ducts.

Whilst the tubes 13, 15 have been shown partitioned into four separate ducts, they may in general have any desired number of ducts, most typically two, three or four.

Claims

1) An optical fibre splice enclosure, comprising a plurality of tubes through which optical fibres pass between incoming and outgoing cables and one or more splice storage means, each of said tubes being divided internally into a plurality of separate ducts.

2) An optical fibre splice enclosure as claimed in Claim 1, wherein said ducts are radially expanded at the ends of said tubes adjacent said cables.

3) An optical fibre splice enclosure as claimed in Claim 1 or Claim 2, comprising tapered manifolds at the ends of said tubes, through which manifolds said optical fibres pass from said cables and into said ducts.

4) An optical fibre splice enclosure as claimed in any preceding claim, wherein the end portion of each said tube is longitudinally split to separate two or more ducts or sets of ducts to facilitate the passage of said optical fibres from said cables and into said ducts.

5) An optical fibre splice enclosure as claimed in any preceding claim, wherein each of said tubes is divided internally into two separate ducts.

6) An optical fibre splice enclosure as claimed in any of claims 1 to 4, wherein each of said tubes is divided internally into three separate ducts.

7) An optical fibre splice enclosure as claimed in any of claims 1 to 4, wherein each of said tubes is divided internally into four separate ducts.

8) An optical fibre splice enclosure substantially as herein described with reference to the accompanying drawings.

Amendments to the claims have been filed as follows 1) An optical fibre splice enclosure, comprising a plurality of tubes through which optical fibres pass between incoming and outgoing cables and one or more splice storage means, said tubes being components separate from said cables and each of said tubes being divided internally into a plurality of separate ducts.

3) An optical fibre splice enclosure as claimed in Claim 1 or Claim 2, comprising tapered manifolds at the ends of said tubes adjacent said cables, through which manifolds said optical fibres pass from said cables and into said ducts.

4) An optical fibre splice enclosure as claimed in any preceding claim, wherein the end portion of each said tube, adjacent its respective cable, is longitudinally split to separate two or more ducts or sets of ducts to facilitate the passage of said optical fibres from said cables and into said ducts.