GB2502965A

GB2502965A - Fibre management device

Info

Publication number: GB2502965A
Application number: GB1210228.1A
Authority: GB
Inventors: Brynn Cooper; Paul Chapman
Original assignee: Technetix BV
Current assignee: Technetix BV
Priority date: 2012-06-11
Filing date: 2012-06-11
Publication date: 2013-12-18
Anticipated expiration: 2032-06-11
Also published as: GB201611135D0; GB2537767B; GB2537767A; GB201210228D0; GB2502965B

Abstract

A fibre management device 14 for storing glass fibres 12 and the like has a chamber 17 which forms an inside spooling surface against which is wound the optical fibres 12. The chamber 17 may have a substantially hemispherical profile. The device 14 may be positioned in a wall box (fig 4).

Description

nent device

Field of the invention

This invention relates to a fibre management device for containing fibres, and in particular glass fibres.

Background to the invention

Optical fibres used for data transfer normally have to be terminated with a connector at each end before they can be connected to the transmitting and receiving equipment.

a Frequently the connectors come with a short length of fibre already attached (called a pigtail) which is spliced onto the main length of fibre. The equipment that splices the fibrc is usually quite largc and if the fibrc is coming out of a floor or wall it requires a length of spare fibre to reach the equipment which splices on the connector pigtail. If the teniiinating equipment is not precisely the correct distance from the point where the fibre entered the room the sparc fibre has to be contained safely in a fibre management box or tray.

Conventional fibre management containers for holding/managing data communications optical fibre usually take the form of trays or boxes with a series of hooks which retain the fibres and attempt to protect them from being bent inside their minimum rated bend radius. The boxes may hold the splice and provide a mounting point for the connector so that a fibre "fly lead", (possibly armoured) can be used to connect to the final equipment. Mounting the fibres in these trays is delicate intricate work.

Summary of the invention

In accordance with the present invention, there is provided a fibre management device for storing glass fibres and the like comprising a chamber configured to act as a spooling surface to allow winding of an elongate filament.

The chamber may be shaped to achieve spooling and in this instance, desirably has a profile that will achieve winding of an elongate filament fed into the chamber and is preferably substantially hemispherical.

A neck portion may be provided to assist with ease of entry of an elongate filament into the chamber and preferably the neck portion is splayed to assist with feeding a filament into the chamber.

The chamber may be provided as two co-operating halves with snap-fit connections.

In an alternative embodiment, the chamber may be configured to act as a spooling surface by frirther comprising a locating surface within the chamber, such that in use an elongate filament fed into the chamber winds around the locating surface and stacks in a region defined between an inner surface of the chamber and the locating surface.

Preferably the locating surface is conical so as to ensure filaments constantly maintain a minimum bend radius.

IS

Thc invention will now be described, by way of example, and with reference to: Figure 1 shows a plan view of a prior art fibre management device; Figure 2 shows a cutaway perspective view of a first embodiment of a fibre management device in accordance with the present invention; Figures 3 and 4 show perspective views from the rear and front respectively showing the first embodiment when in use; Figure 5 shows a cutaway perspective view of a second embodiment; and Figure 6 shows a plan view of the second embodiment in use.

Description

Figure 1 shows one example of a prior art fibre management tray 10 without a lid * fitted showing the intricate way in which a glass fibre 12 has to be inserted. It is time * * consuming and delicate work to store spare fibre into such a tray whilst ensuring the o fibre is not broken or tangled. *

a w.a. m. .......,.n provides a simpler less intricate way to store fibres, see Figures 2 and 5 which show first and second embodiments of the invention.

Figure 2 illustrates a fibre management device 14 with front half of fibre management s pot 14 rendered transparent to show the path of fibre 12 within. Hollow pot 14 is made fit,m plastics material as two co-operating mirror-image sections 16,16' clipped together and is fbrmed as a lower "bell" shaped portion or chamber 17 which is substantially hemispherical and an upper receiving portion 18 in the tbrm of a neck portion 20 with splayed portion 22. As fibre 12 is gently fed into pot 14, upper portion 18 assists fibre 12 tosp1 down into the bell profiled section 16 so that fibre 12 coils and stacks around the inner surface of portion 16 without tangling or breaking.

In use, the fibre management pot 14 is clipped around fibre that has been fed from is conduit (not shown) to reach a wall box 26, see Figure 3. Enough length of fibre is gently pulled out from pot 14, and thus the conduit, to ensure that a connector pigtail 27 can be spliced onto the main length of fibre. After splicing, spare fibre is coiled back in the management chamber 17 by gently pushing it in to upper receiving portion 18 at a slight angle. The splice 28 and connector 30 are mounted in their final position, see Figure 4, and a cover fitted to close off wall box 26. Multiple fibres can be spooled inside the same chamber.

A sceond cmbodimcnt 38 is shown in Figurc 5 comprising a cylindrical body 40 mouldcd with an internal bell profile to define a chamber 42 within which is located centrallyaconicalsupport44. Asfibrel2isfedintopot38,cone44actsasaguide surface for winding ofthe fibre to take place within chamber 42.

In use, fibre 12 is passed through the management chamber 42 which is mounted on the wall over an in-wall back box 46 which connects to conduit through which the fibre 12 is fed. A connector pigtail 27 is spliced onto the main length of fibre, then the spare fibre is coiled back in management chamber 42 by gently pushing it in at a slight angle. The centre cone 44 helps guide fibre 12 into the chamber. Splice 28 and connector 30 are mounted in their final position, see Figure 6, and a wall box cover fitted. Mu1tipe fibres can be spooled inside the same chamber.

Where the fibres are routed through conduit in walls or floors and emerge via embedded wall boxes, the inventive fibre management devices enable the spare excess fibre to be retained in the wall. However the devices can equally well be used in cabinets or surface mounted. I0

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Claims

Claims 1. A fibre management device comprising a chamber configured to act as a spooling surface to allow winding of an elongate filament.
2. A fibre management device according to claim 1, wherein the chamber is shaped to achieve spooling and has a substantially hemispherical cross-section.
3. A fibre management device according to claim I or claim 2, wherein a neck portion is provided to assist with ease of entry of an elongate filament into the chamber.
4. A fibre management device according to any of the preceding claims, wherein the chamber compriscs two co-operating halves with snap-fit conncctions.
5. A fibre management device according to claim 1, further comprising a locating surface within the chamber.
6. A fibre management device according to claim 5, wherein the locating surface is conical.
7. A wall box containing a fibre management device according to any of the preceding claims.
8. A fibre management device substantially as herein described and with reference to and as illustrated in Figures 2 to 7.