WO1997002504A1

WO1997002504A1 - Optical fibre organizer

Info

Publication number: WO1997002504A1
Application number: PCT/GB1996/001526
Authority: WO
Inventors: Daniel Daems
Original assignee: N.V. Raychem S.A.; Raychem Limited
Priority date: 1995-06-30
Filing date: 1996-06-25
Publication date: 1997-01-23
Also published as: GB9513366D0; AR002611A1; AU6234796A

Abstract

An optical fibre organizer, comprising a holder which, in use, may hold a plurality of optical fibre splice storage trays each of which, in use, stores one or more splices between optical fibres carried by one or more fibre-carrying tubes, the holder comprising a base and a plurality of dividers upstanding from the base, the dividers defining a plurality of slots in each of which a tray may be held in use, wherein, at least in use, the organizer further comprises separating means for separating a tray from the base when, in use, a tray is held in the slot, thereby providing a channel in the slot between the base and the tray, through which channel is routed the or each fibre-carrying tube which carries the spliced fibres stored in that tray.

Description

Optical Fibre Organizer

The present invention relates to an optical fibre organizer of the type comprising a holder which may hold a plurality of optical fibre splice storage trays which store splices between optical fibres. The invention also relates to an optical fibre cable splice closure comprising such an organizer.

UK patent application GB 2203859 discloses a closure assembly adapted for encapsulating a fibre optic cable. The closure assembly contains an optical fibre splice storage tray organizer in the form of an elongated structure having a generally planar bottom portion, and first and second side walls which define a central first cavity. A plurality of vertically arranged elements facilitate alignment for connection and splicing purposes between the optical fibres.

European patent application EP 0178179 (equivalent to United States patent US 4702551) discloses an apparatus for storing the spliced end sections of optical fibres. The apparatus includes a splice box or receptacle adapted to hold eight trays and having an outer rectilinear body and an integral inner rectilinear shell both of which are open topped. The inner shell has a series of transverse partitions which divide the interior of the shell into eight compartments or cavities for the trays.

A purpose of the present invention is to provide an optical fibre organizer which has an improved system or arrangement for routing and storing the optical-fibre carrying tubes of optical fibre cables. In particular, a purpose of the invention is to provide a simple yet effective system or arrangement for separating the optical fibre- carrying tubes associated with each optical fibre splice storage tray form those associated with each other tray, so that if a tray needs to be worked on, only those tubes associated with that tray need to be disturbed. A further purpose of the invention is to provide such a system or arrangement which permits quick installation and quick removal (e.g. to add splices) of the optical fibre splice storage trays. According to a first aspect of the invention, there is provided an optical fibre organizer, comprising a holder which, in use, may hold a plurality of optical fibre splice storage trays each of which, in use, stores one or more splices between optical fibres carried by one or more fibre-carrying tubes, the holder comprising a base and a plurality of dividers upstanding from the base, the dividers defining a plurality of slots in each of which a tray may be held in use, wherein, at least in use, the organizer further comprises separating means for separating a tray from the base when, in use, a tray is held in the slot, thereby providing a channel in the slot between the base and the tray, through which channel is routed the or each fibre-carrying tube which carries the spliced fibres stored in that tray.

According to a second aspect of the invention, there is provided an optical fibre organizer, comprising:

(a) a plurality of optical fibre splice storage trays each of which, in use, stores one or more splices between optical fibres carried by one or more fibre-carrying tubes; and

(b) a holder which, in use, holds the trays, the holder comprising a base and a plurality of dividers upstanding from the base, the dividers defining a plurality of slots in each of which a tray may be held in use; wherein the organizer further comprises separating means which separates a tray from the base when, in use, a tray is held in the slot, thereby providing a channel in the slot between the base and the tray, through which channel is routed the or each fibre- carrying tube which carries the spliced fibres stored in that tray.

Each aspect of the invention has the advantage that each slot has separating means which separates a tray from the base when a tray is held in the slot, thereby providing a channel in the slot between the base and the tray, through which channel is routed the or each fibre-carrying tube which carries the spliced fibres stored in that tray. This is advantageous because it provides a simple system or arrangement for separating the optical fibre-carrying tubes which cany the spliced optical fibres stored in each tray from the tubes which carry the spliced optical fibres stored in each other tray. It is therefore preferred that only one tray at a time may be held in each slot. Furthermore, the invention provides such a system or arrangement generally without the necessity of time-consuming operations to achieve such separation (e.g. individually coiling each tube onto a respective tray). Normally the fibre-carrying tubes can simply be laid in their respective channels as, or before, their associated trays are inserted into their slots. Preferably the length of the or each fibre-carrying tube which is routed through a particular channel is sufficient to enable the associated tray to be removed from the slot and to be worked on. The channels thus preferably store at least some, and more preferably substantially all, of the necessary slack lengths of the fibre-carrying tubes.

Advantageously, the separating means may comprise a portion of the slot, preferably a portion of the slot which is too narrow to receive (i.e. hold) a tray. The separating means of each slot may comprise one or more protrusions protruding into the slot from the base and/or from at least one of the dividers defining the slot. The separating means of each slot may additionally or alternatively comprise a step or a shoulder or the like in the slot on at least one, and preferably each, of the dividers defining the slot. Additionally or alternatively, the separating means may comprise part of each tray, preferably one or more legs or other extensions or the like.

The base of the tray holder is preferably substantially planar, i.e. substantially flat. It preferably comprises a plate or like structure, but it may additionally or alternatively comprise a frame or the like.

The dividers of the tray holder preferably extend substantially perpendicularly with respect to the plane of the base, but in some embodiments of the invention at least some of the dividers may be inclined from the peφendicular. The dividers are preferably substantially parallel with each other. They preferably comprise wall members. Each side of each slot may be defined by one, two or more dividers; where two or more dividers define a side of a slot, they are preferably arranged in a straight line. By an "optical fibre splice storage tray" is meant generally any optical fibre splice storage means, preferably comprising a generally flat object, e.g. in the form of a tray, a cassette, or the like.

By an "optical fibre-carrying tube" is meant generally any optical fibre carrier. Preferably the tubes comprise what are sometimes termed in the art "transportation tubes" or "loose tubes", i.e. tubes containing one or more optical fibres. Alternatively, however, the tubes may comprise solid or hollow carriers which, for example, carry one or more optical fibres on their exterior. Preferably two or more such tubes are part of an optical fibre cable.

Advantageously there may be at least one fastening device for each slot, each of which, in use, directly or indirectly fastens to the organizer the or each optical fibre- carrying tube carrying the fibres stored in the tray held in its respective slot. By indirectly fastening a tube to the organizer is preferably meant that a fastening device fastens the tube to the organizer via a strength member of the tube (i.e. the strength member is fastened to the fastening device).

As indicated above, the invention also provides an optical fibre cable splice closure comprising an optical fibre organizer according to the invention. Preferably the closure comprises a casing comprising a base and a cover which may be brought together to close the casing around the organizer.

The invention will now be described, by way of example, with reference to the accompanying drawings, of which:

Figure 1 shows a preferred optical fibre splice storage tray which may be held in a holder in an organizer according to the invention; Figure 2 (a to c) shows an optical fibre organizer according to the invention;

Figure 3 (a and b) shows optical fibre splice storage trays being held in slots in a holder of an organizer according to the invention; and

Figure 4 (a and b) shows an optical fibre cable splice closure according to the invention.

Figure 1 shows a preferred form of optical fibre splice storage tray 1 which may be held in a holder in an organizer according to the invention. The tray has a generally rectangular shape having an optical fibre splice storage region 3 and retaining members 5 to retain the optical fibres in the tray. Optical fibre-carrying tubes 7 are shown entering and exiting the tray, and an optical fibre 9 is stored in the tray. An optical fibre splice 11 is also shown stored in the splice storage region 3 of the tray. The tubes 7, optical fibre 9 and splice 11 are illustrated only schematically.

Figure 2a shows a holder 13 of an optical fibre organizer according to the invention. The holder 13 comprises a base 15 in the form of a substantially planar base plate and a plurality of dividers 17 (two sets of dividers are shown) upstanding from the base 15. The dividers 17 comprise wall members projecting perpendicularly (vertically as drawn) from the base 15, the dividers of each set being substantially parallel with each other. Also shown are two sets of four fastening devices 19 attached to the base 15, for fastening optical fibre-carrying tubes to the holder.

In Figure 2b, an optical fibre splice storage tray 1 has been inserted into one of the slots 21 defined by the dividers 17. The fibre-carrying tubes 7 associated with the tray 1 are shown routed in the slot 21 between the tray 1 and the base 15. In Figure 2c, all of the slots 21 defined by the dividers 17 are filled with trays 1, each slot holding a single tray.

Figure 3 a and Figure 3b illustrate in greater detail the dividers 17 and the trays 1. Each slot 21 has separating means comprising a step or shoulder 23 on each divider 17 near where the divider meets the base 15 (i.e. near the bottom of the divider). A tray 1 held in a slot abuts against, e.g. sits or rests on, the steps or shoulders 23, because they define a portion of the slot which is too narrow to receive the tray 1. Consequently there is a gap between the tray 1 and the base 15, separating the tray from the base, thereby providing a channel 25 through which may be routed the or each fibre-carrying tube 7 which carries the spliced fibres 9 stored in that tray. As shown, each set of dividers 17 may advantageously be formed as a unit. There may, therefore be a divider connecting portion 26 intervening between a tray 1 and the base 15. The dividers 17 may interlock with the base 15, e.g. by means of prongs 27.

Figures 4a and 4b show a prefeπed optical fibre cable splice closure 29 according to the invention, incorporating an optical fibre organizer according to the invention. The closure 29 comprises a casing comprising a base 31 and a cover 33, which may be brought together to close the casing. The casing may be sealed by means of an o-ring seal 35, which seals between the base and the cover, and end seals 37 which seal between the ends of the casing and optical fibre cables 39 extending into the casing. Strain-relief devices 41 may secure the cables 39 to the casing. The optical fibre organizer, comprising the holder 13 and the trays 1 are contained in the base 31 of the casing. Preferably, in use, the base 15 of the holder is generally horizontal, the dividers 17 are generally vertical, and the trays 1 are slotted vertically into the slots 21 defined by the dividers.

Claims

1. An optical fibre organizer, comprising a holder which, in use, may hold a plurality of optical fibre splice storage trays each of which, in use, stores one or more splices between optical fibres carried by one or more fibre-carrying tubes, the holder comprising a base and a plurality of dividers upstanding from the base, the dividers defining a plurality of slots in each of which a tray may be held in use, wherein, at least in use, the organizer further comprises separating means for separating a tray from the base when, in use, a tray is held in the slot, thereby providing a channel in the slot between the base and the tray, through which channel is routed the or each fibre- carrying tube which carries the spliced fibres stored in that tray.

2. An optical fibre organizer, comprising:

3. An organizer according to claim 1 or claim 2, in which only one tray at a time may be held in each slot.

4. An organizer according to any preceding claim, in which the separating means comprises a portion of the slot which is too nanow to receive a tray.

5. An organizer according to any preceding claim, in which the separating means comprises one or more protrusions protruding into the slot from the base and/or from at least one of the dividers defining the slot.

6. An organizer according to any preceding claim, in which the separating means comprises a step or a shoulder in the slot on at least one of the dividers defining the slot.

7. An organizer according to any preceding claim, in which the separating means comprises part of each tray.

8. An organizer according to any preceding claim, in which there is at least one fastening device for each slot, each of which, in use, directly or indirectly fastens to the organizer the or each fibre-carrying tube canying the fibres stored in the tray held in its respective slot.

9. An organizer according to claim 8, in which each fastening device fastens the or each fibre-canying tube to the organizer via a strength member of the tube.

10. An optical fibre cable splice closure comprising an organizer according to any preceding claim.

11. A closure according to claim 10, which comprises a casing comprising a base and a cover which may be brought together to close the casing around the organizer.