RU197413U1 - Optical Coupler Terminal Module - Google Patents

Abstract

The utility model relates to fiber-optic communication lines and is intended to be implemented mainly in combination with optical couplings. The technical result is a reduction in the complexity of installation work, obtained by a terminal module containing a housing with sockets for optical connectors adapters made in it, each socket is made through and has a deep support the platform, the module housing has lids connected to it, located on opposite sides of the housing. Assumption and together with the housing they form a closed space for placing therein the optical connector plugs, and caps on the parting line in the wall of each cover recesses forming during closure caps through passages to contain the subscriber optical cable connectors. Cable passages are located symmetrically along the line of joint of the covers. At least one cover is made with the possibility of its opening in the mounting position for access to the optical plugs and adapters, and the module housing has means for fixing it in the hole of the optical coupling sleeve. At least one of the covers is pivotally connected to the housing or one of lids are rigidly connected to the module housing. The housing can be made with one slot for installing a multiport optical connector. The housing includes the middle part in the form of a rectangular flange, as well as two rectangular pipes made integrally with the middle part and extending from it in opposite directions in the horizontal direction, each of which inside has partitions forming nests for adapters and optical connectors. 7 c.p. f-ly, 8 ill.

Description

The terminal module relates to means for connecting fiber-optic communication cables, mainly to connectors mounted on the housings of optical couplings. This includes couplings for splicing optical communication cables, branching cables to subscribers, and storing intergrowths of optical fibers in sealed cases of couplings.

The terminal module is designed to connect to the fibers of distribution cables mounted in an optical coupler and terminated by optical connectors of subscriber optical cables. The module allows the specified connection without opening the clutch housing.

A known distribution system of fiber-optic communication services in a local service area, comprising a fiber-optic distribution terminal, in the housing of which there are several hardened adapters, each adapter containing several ports (WO 2009/155487, 12/23/2009). Access to these ports is possible both outside the enclosure, and inside the enclosure.

 Known fiber optic distribution terminal, which contains a hollow flattened housing with side walls and a bottom, through holes are made in the bottom to accommodate landing sites for hardened adapters. Each hardened adapter contains a port that can be accessed from outside the chassis and a port that can be accessed from inside the chassis. This fiber optic distribution terminal is the closest to the offer. The use of this well-known terminal showed that in real winter conditions the flat terminal cover accumulates frozen precipitation in the form of ice on its surface and makes it difficult to remove it from the terminal. Placing the terminal surrounded by trees can lead to the accumulation of branches on the flat terminal cover. At the same time, there are a large number of bolted joints of the cover with the terminal case, which complicates installation work (KZ 1298 U, 07/15/2015).

A multiport optical fiber connection terminal with a compact housing is also known, which has a configuration that allows easy accessibility and cable interconnections, while providing several installation options including storage space inside the terminal. The terminal may include cable connectors that are configured to provide weather protection for installing pre-terminated fiber optic cables with terminal ports (US 9039293 B2, 05.26.2015).

Known fiber terminal units (FDTs) for providing selective connections between optical fibers of distribution cables and optical fibers of drop cables, for example, in several residential units. FDT assemblies include a mounting plate that allows you to conveniently and securely install FDT on a vertical surface such as a wall. The mounting plate is designed so that before removing the mounting plate, the FDT base must be removed, and the FDT cover is designed so that neither the base nor the mounting plate can be removed without first removing the cover. The cover is selectively attached to the base and / or mounting plate with a locking fastener; therefore, only specialists who can remove the lock can remove the cover, base and / or mounting plate of the FDT assembly (US 7,664,360 B2, 02.16.2010).

A multi-layer module is known which includes a layer for storing a multi-fiber cable having an opening for inputting a cable and a structure for winding a cable. Also included is a splicing storage layer that is separate from the storage level of the multifiber cable, wherein the splicing storage layer has a receiving hole for splicing the layer, a layer and a sagging storage area communicating with the multifiber cable storage. The multilayer module includes a pigtail storage layer that is separate from both the multi-fiber cable storage layer and the connector storage layer, wherein the pigtail storage layer has a pigtail connector region and a pigtail storage region, the pigtail storage region has an opening for receiving the pigtail storage layer, communicating with the compound storage layer (EP 2383594 A1, 02/02/2011).

A close solution to the terminal module presented in this description is a known fiber-optic distribution terminal containing a hollow body with a horizontal section close in shape to a semicircle, the inner and outer side surfaces of which are made in the form of wave-like surfaces that envelope the area of the reinforced guide adapters, one ends which are placed on the landing sites in the cavity of the body, and the other ends are placed on the landing sites, made in common for a protrusion of the outer surface of the bottom of the housing, a removable cover with a sealing element installed between the seats of the cover and the housing, fastening elements of the cover with the housing, a cassette for placing and fixing the coils and splices of optical fibers installed in the hollow housing, characterized in that the outer surface is removable the cover is made dome-shaped with the formation of a cavity in the housing, which is divided into the input zone of the main cable, the zone of the removal of optical fiber from the main cable, the switching zone of the splitter, splitter storage area, cable storage area, splitter subscribers connection area. Clips-clothespins are made removable and replaceable (RU 184781 U1, 08/08/2018).

In the patent RU 184781 U1, the distribution terminal has a housing with a removable cover, the outer surface of the cover is dome-shaped, while the formed cavity of the housing of the fiber-optic distribution terminal is divided into an input area of a trunk cable and a zone of removal of optical fiber from a trunk cable, a switching area, a storage area and connecting subscribers of the splitter cable storage area. The housing of the distribution terminal is connected to the lid with removable and replaceable clothespin clips.

Also known solutions close to the solution presented in this description is the terminal module (connection port) of the optical coupler, the module is located on the inner side of the shutter wall and is designed to receive the connected optical fiber distribution cable on the inner side of the shutter, as well as for pre-connected fiber optic cable to tap on the outside of the shutter. The module includes a base, a cover attached to the base and movable between the closed position and the open position, and an end wall that defines at least one cable hole for receiving a junction cable. End-to-end closing configuration possible. The base and the cover form an internal cavity under the connection tray for connecting the optical fiber of the distribution cable to the pigtail to create the connected optical fiber. The connector module may be located inside the end wall (US 7013074 B2, 03/14/2006. G 02B 6/38). In this patent, in fact, a coupling is presented, on the housing of which there are eight single-port terminal modules (adapters in a sealed housing, to which the subscriber cable plugs are connected). In US 7013074 B2, there are many separate single-port terminal modules in separate cases, which complicates the design and dimensions of the module, as well as the dimensions of the couplings in which the modules are installed, as well as the complexity of installation work associated with connecting subscriber users.

Known terminal modules do not meet the requirements for ease of installation work when connecting subscribers to optical communication lines and their maintenance. In this regard, the complexity of installation works increases.

The technical result of the utility model is to reduce the complexity of installation work by simplifying the process of connecting subscribers to optical communication lines.

The technical result was obtained by a terminal module for an optical coupler, comprising a housing with sockets for optical adapters made in it, each slot is made through and has a recessed supporting platform, the module housing has covers connected to it located on opposite sides of the housing, the covers are made to be sealed with each other another in the working position and together with the housing they form an enclosed space for the placement of plugs of optical connectors in it, moreover, along the connector line of the covers in the wall to Each cover has recesses, which, when the covers are closed, form through passages for accommodating subscriber cables of optical connectors, cable passages are located symmetrically along the junction line of the covers, and at least one cover is made with the possibility of its opening in the mounting position for access to the optical plugs and adapters, and the module case has means for fixing it in the hole of the head of the optical coupling.

On the inside of at least one of the covers there is a groove in which an elastic gasket is installed. At least one of the covers is pivotally connected to the housing. At least one of the covers is rigidly connected to the module case. On the covers made means of their connection and fixation. The housing is made with at least one socket for installing a multiport optical connector. The housing is equipped with a means of its tight connection with the head of the optical coupling.

The housing includes the middle part in the form of a rectangular flange, as well as two rectangular pipes made at the same time with the middle part and moving away from it in opposite directions in the horizontal direction, each of which inside has partitions, which form nests for adapters and optical connectors with the walls of the pipe, and on two other opposite lateral sides of the housing, ears with holes are made at the same time with holes for hinging the module covers with them.

1 shows terminal modules mounted on an optical coupler.

Figure 2 - terminal module with open covers.

Figure 3 - two types of one terminal module with closed covers.

Figure 4 - the housing of the terminal module with the installed adapters of optical connectors.

In Fig. 5, the terminal module in the mounting position is the connection of the plugs of the optical connectors.

Figure 6 - terminal module with open covers assembly with connected plugs of optical connectors pigtails and cables.

In Fig.7 - two types of one terminal module with closed covers assembly with connected plugs of optical connectors pigtails and cables.

On Fig - diagram of the mutual arrangement of the elements of the terminal module and the optical coupling during installation.

The terminal module described in this description can be installed on any switchgear of a fiber-optic communication line. This description shows one of the possible examples of the implementation of the terminal module in combination with an optical coupler (figure 1). On the coupling having a housing 1 with a removable headband 20, in this example implementation, two terminal modules 2 are installed.

Each module has a volumetric housing 3 (Fig. 2), while on opposite sides of the housing 3, rectangular nozzles 19 (Fig. 2) are made at the same time with sockets 4 in the nozzles for installation of optical connectors in sockets of adapters 14 (Fig. 4). The nozzles 19 have different lengths. Two caps 5 are connected to the elongated nozzle 19. On another nozzle 19, which is shorter than the elongated nozzle, there are located means 13 for attaching the housing 3 to the coupling head 20. Each socket 4 is made in the form of a through opening having recessed supporting platforms.

In one embodiment of the housing 3, two covers 5 of the module are connected to it (FIG. 2), located on top and bottom on opposite sides of the housing 3. The covers are connected to the housing 3 by hinges 6. On the sides of the covers 5 (FIG. 2), latches 7 and 8 - means for connecting the covers in the closed operating position. In the operating position of the module, the means 7 and 8 are interlocked with each other. To avoid lateral displacement of the covers relative to each other when closing them to the working position, the covers have locking elements 9 connected in working position to each other. The covers 5 in the working position form a casing 18 (Fig. 3) with an internal cavity in it, which is designed to accommodate the forks 15 of the optical connectors (Fig. 5) connected to the adapters 14. The forks 15 of the optical connectors in the working position are connected to the subscriber optical cables 28.

At the end of each cover 5, a groove 10 is made along its perimeter with an elastic gasket 16 located in it (Fig. 5) for sealing the closure line of the covers between themselves and with the walls of the housing 3 in the working position. Gaskets 16 are made as removable, in the form of individual parts from an elastic material, and non-removable, made of gel-like sealing materials. On one front side of each cover 5, transverse recesses 11 are made at its end, located on the side of each cover opposite to the hinge 6 (Fig. 2).

Each cover 5 has a spatial shape (Fig.5,6), formed by the upper and lower U-shaped parts located at an angle to each other. These parts are integral in such a way that together with the integral upper wall of the lid, these parts form one trough-like part. When the two covers 5 are closed, a casing 18 is formed (Fig. 3) with a cavity inside the casing and with passages 12 formed by the recesses 11 of the covers.

The gasket 16 is formed by the upper and lower U-shaped parts that are closed along the perimeter (Fig. 5), located at an angle to each other and integrally made so that together these parts of the gasket form one stepped part having an L-shaped profile in side view.

On the outer surface of the housing 3, in particular, on the surface of the housing pipe 19, said means 13 (FIG. 3) for fixing the housing 3 in the hole 26 (FIG. 8) of the headband 20 of the housing 1 of the optical coupling are made. In the presented embodiment, the fixing means 13 are made in the form of latches. In another embodiment of the housing 3, fixing means are screws (not shown).

The shape of each slot 4 of the module (figure 2) corresponds to the shape of the adapter 14 (figure 4), and each adapter can be made duplex, single-port or multi-port. On the outside of the module housing 3, an optical pigtail connector 17 is shown (FIG. 5), connected to an adapter 14 located on the inside of the housing.

The terminal module is implemented, in particular, in the design of the optical coupling 1, the cylindrical body and the head of which 20 are connected by a clamp 21 (Fig. 8). The clamp is made of two halves and has a hinged lever latch 22. Between the flanges of the housing 1 and the headband 20, a gasket 23 is located to seal the junction of the housing 1 with the headband 20 in the working position. On the head end 20 there are nozzles 24 (Fig. 8) for inputting distribution cables (cables not shown). Inside the housing 1 of the clutch there are cassettes 25 for accommodating splices of optical connections (not shown).

In this embodiment, the headband 20 has two through holes 26 in the form of windows (Fig. 8). In each through hole 26 of the headband 20, a nozzle 19 of the module housing 3 is located and fixed, and the nozzle is connected to the wall of the hole 26 through elastic gaskets 27 or through a sealant.

The housing 3 of the terminal module (Fig. 2.5) in this example of its implementation includes the middle part 29 (Fig. 7) in the form of a rectangular flange, as well as two rectangular ones that are integral with the middle part 29 and two rectangular ones that extend from it in opposite directions in the horizontal direction pipe 19 (figure 2). In each pipe 19 of the housing 3 there are partitions 30 (Fig. 2), which with the walls of the pipe 19 form sockets 4 for adapters and connectors. On two other opposite sides of the housing 3 are made integral with the housing 3 of the ears 31 (Fig.2) with holes in them for swiveling with the housing 3 of the covers 5 of the module.

In FIG. Figure 8 also shows (not included in the module design) a bracket 32 and a loop 33 for attaching cartridges 25 to the bracket, which are in the working position of the coupling in the cavity of its housing 1. These coupling elements are shown to explain the operation of the module.

It is significant that in each gasket 16 (Fig. 5), transverse recesses 34 are made, which are similar in shape to the recesses 11 at the end of each cover 5. The recesses at the ends of the covers 5, when the covers are closed in the working position, together with the recesses 34 of the gasket 16 form said through passages 12 for the location of subscriber cables 28 having optical connectors 15 at the ends (FIG. 5).

Each passage 12 is formed by the elastic material of the gasket 16, protruding above the surface of each recess 11 of the end face of the cover. As a result, each passage 12 is lined with elastic and elastic material of the strip 16, which eliminates damage to the cable 28 in its pinched position when closing the covers 5.

Work with the terminal module is as follows. The covers 5 of the modules 2 (1, 2) are transferred from the working position to the open mounting position. Next, in the slots 4 of the housing, optical adapters 14 are installed (Fig.6). The number of adapters installed may not coincide with the number of sockets 4 and some of the sockets may remain free. From the outside of the housing 3 (Fig. 5), optical connectors 17 are connected and connected to respective adapters 14, which are connected to the plugs 15 of the optical connectors of the subscriber optical cables 28 (Fig. 5, 6).

Then, the covers 5 are moved to the working position, closing them together, while the protective sheaths of the subscriber optical cables 28 are clamped by elastic gaskets 16 in the passages 12 between the covers and then the latches 7 and 8 of the covers 5 are latched (Fig. 2).

If the number of subscriber cables connected with the terminal module is less than the number of passages 12 in the covers, then blind cylindrical plugs (not shown) are laid in free passages, the diameter of which is similar to the diameter of the sheaths of subscriber optical cables.

If necessary, access to the cassettes 25 of the coupling, open the clamp 21 with the lever latch 22, release the headband 20 and remove it from the housing 1 together with the cassettes fixed to its bracket 32. Then remove the loop 33, release the necessary cartridge 25 and, with the module covers 5 open, carry out all the necessary installation work to connect the elements of the coupling and the module, which in the working position are functionally interconnected. At the same time, all optical connectors are opened simultaneously when opening two covers 5 of the housing 3 of the module or when opening one of its covers. Also, access to all 25 cassettes of the coupling is opened, which greatly simplifies the complexity of installation and dismantling work on communication lines.

 The terminal module can be implemented in several versions: with two covers movable relative to the module case or with one fixed cover and one movable cover relative to the case 3 of the terminal module. The module case covers can be fastened together by at least one locking element located on their side or back, which increases the convenience of these works.

The design of the terminal module located in the head of the clutch housing with the adapters of optical connectors installed in it allows connecting subscriber cables terminated by connectors to the fibers of optical cables mounted in the clutch without opening the clutch housing. This simplifies the connection and maintenance process and reduces the complexity of installation work.

Also, the design of the terminal module provides for the placement in one of its case of one multiport adapter instead of many adapters of individual single-port modules, which can significantly simplify the design of the module and reduce the complexity of installation work. The use of such a terminal module in the design of an optical cross-coupling positively solves the issue of its compactness. If the module is installed in the sleeve of the coupling, the size of the coupling does not increase.

Claims (8)

1. The terminal module for an optical coupling, characterized by the presence of a housing with sockets for adapters of optical connectors made in it, each slot is made end-to-end and has a deepened support platform, the module housing has covers connected to it located on opposite sides of the housing, the covers are made interlockable with each other in the working position and together with the housing they form an enclosed space for the placement of plugs of optical connectors in it, moreover, along the connector line of the covers in the wall of each cover recesses are made, forming, when the covers are closed, through passages for accommodating subscriber cables of optical connectors, the cable passages are located symmetrically along the junction line of the covers, at least one cover is made with the possibility of its opening in the mounting position for access to the optical forks and adapters, and the module case has means for fixing it in the hole of the head of the optical coupling. 2. The terminal module according to claim 1, characterized in that on the inner side of at least one of the covers there is a groove in which an elastic gasket is installed. 3. The terminal module according to claim 1, characterized in that at least one of the covers is pivotally connected to the housing. 4. The terminal module according to claim 1, characterized in that at least one of the covers is rigidly connected to the module housing. 5. The terminal module according to claim 1, characterized in that the means for their connection and fixation are made on the covers. 6. The terminal module according to claim 1, characterized in that the housing has at least one socket for mounting a multiport optical connector therein. 7. The terminal module according to claim 1, characterized in that the housing is equipped with a means of its tight connection with the head of the optical coupling. 8. The terminal module according to claim 1, characterized in that the terminal module housing includes a middle part in the form of a rectangular flange, as well as two rectangular pipes made integrally with the middle part and extending from it in opposite directions in the horizontal direction, each of which inside has partitions, which form nests for adapters and optical connectors with the walls of the nozzle, and on two other opposite sides of the case, ears are made at the same time with holes for swiveling with them module covers.

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