JP3814234B2 - Optical cable connection closure - Google Patents

Description

[0001]
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
The present invention relates to an optical cable connection closure used for connecting an optical communication cable or the like.
[0002]
[Prior art]
Generally, a closure for connecting an optical cable is known which has a connection portion such as a connector for connecting optical cords drawn from the optical cable, and an extra length storage portion for winding and storing the extra length portion of the optical cord. ing.
[0003]
[Problems to be solved by the invention]
Conventionally, there have been compact optical cable connection closures that can be easily installed and connected to an optical cable for outdoor installation. However, there have been almost no such closures that consider the introduction of optical cables with optical connectors.
[0004]
An object of the present invention is to provide an outdoor installation type optical cable connection closure capable of easily and reliably connecting and protecting optical cables with connectors.
[0005]
An optical cable connection closure according to the present invention includes: a closure main body into which a plurality of optical cables with connectors are introduced; cable fixing means for fixing the optical cables with connectors introduced into the closure main body to the closure main body; An adapter portion having an adapter to which a connector of each optical cable with a connector is connected, a cable extra length accommodation portion in which the extra length of each optical cable with a connector is accommodated, and an interior of the closure main body A cable guide having a curved guide surface for guiding the extra length of the optical cable with a connector. And is rotatably coupled to the cable guide. The cable protection plate protects the extra length of the optical cable with connector guided by the guide surface of the cable, and a claw is provided at the tip of the cable protection plate. By hooking the claw portion onto the closure body, the extra length of the optical cable with connector guided by the guide surface on the outer side of the cable guide is protected .
[0006]
In such an optical cable connection closure, an optical cable with a connector is introduced into the closure body, and the optical cable with a connector is fixed to the closure body by the cable fixing means. Then, if necessary, the extra length of the optical cable with connector is accommodated in the extra cable length accommodating portion, and the connector of the optical cable with connector is connected to the adapter portion. Then, a cover is attached to the closure body. As a result, the optical cables with connectors can be easily connected to each other after the plurality of optical cables with connectors are stably stored in the closure body. Further, by providing the cover, it is possible to prevent water from entering the closure when the optical cable connection closure is installed outdoors. Furthermore, the optical cable connection closure can be easily attached to the suspension line by the attaching means. Further, since the extra length of the optical cable with connector is routed along the curved guide surface, it is possible to prevent the optical cable with connector from being bent suddenly. In addition, after the extra length of the optical cable with connector is routed along the guide surface, the cable protection plate is rotated to protect the extra length of the optical cable with connector. It is possible to prevent the extra length from being caught.
[0007]
Preferably, the adapter portion is arranged in two upper and lower stages, and the upper adapter portion is supported by an adapter mounting member fixed to the closure body so as to be rotatable upward from a horizontal state with respect to the closure body. ing. Since the adapter portion has a two-stage structure in this way, the space efficiency is improved, so that the optical cable connection closure can be reduced in size. Also, when the connector of the optical cable with connector is connected to the lower adapter part when the connector of the optical cable with connector is connected to the upper adapter part, the attachment / detachment work of the connector is performed by turning the upper adapter part. Can be easily performed.
[0009]
Further preferably, the attachment means has a pair of gripping members for gripping the suspending line, and a first gripping groove for engaging with the suspending line is provided on one side surface of each gripping member. On the other side surface of the member, there is provided a second gripping groove that engages with the suspension line and has a size smaller than that of the first gripping groove. In this case, when the optical cable connection closure is attached to a thick suspension line, the suspension line is gripped in each first gripping groove of the pair of gripping members, and when the optical cable connection closure is attached to a thin suspension line, a pair of The suspension line is gripped in each second gripping groove of the gripping member. In this way, a plurality of suspension lines having different diameters can be dealt with by a set of gripping members, so that many gripping members corresponding to the diameters of the suspension lines need not be manufactured, which is advantageous in terms of cost.
[0010]
DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION
DESCRIPTION OF EXEMPLARY EMBODIMENTS Hereinafter, preferred embodiments of an optical cable connection closure according to the invention will be described with reference to the drawings.
[0011]
FIG. 1 is a plan view showing an internal structure of an embodiment of an optical cable connection closure according to the present invention, and FIG. 2 is an exploded side view of the optical cable connection closure. In these drawings, an optical cable connection closure (hereinafter simply referred to as a closure) 1 according to the present embodiment protects an optical cable 2 with a connector on the upper side and an optical cable 3 with a connector on the lower side and a connection portion. Moreover, the closure 1 is an outdoor installation type, and is attached to a utility pole or a cable support line (hanging line).
[0012]
The closure 1 has a rectangular closure body 4 and a cover 5 for protecting the inside of the closure body 4. The cover 5 is waterproof. As a result, water does not enter the interior of the closure body 4 when the closure 1 is installed outdoors.
[0013]
On both the left and right sides of one end portion of the closure body 4, a cable introduction portion 6 into which the optical cable 2 with the connector on the upper side is introduced and a cable introduction portion 7 into which the optical cable 3 with the connector on the lower side is introduced are provided. ing.
[0014]
As shown in FIG. 3, the optical cables 2 and 3 with connectors are attached to the multi-core optical cable 8, the branching section 10 that branches the multi-core optical cable 8 into a plurality of optical cords 9, and the tips of the optical cords 9. And an SC-type optical connector 11. As shown in FIG. 4, a plurality of projecting portions 12 are provided on the upper surface and the lower surface of the branch portion 10 for positioning and restraining the branch portion 10 in the longitudinal direction when the branch portions 10 are stacked in two stages. .
[0015]
The branch portions 10 of the optical cables 2 and 3 with connectors are fixed to the closure body 4 in the vicinity of the cable introduction portions 6 and 7 in the closure body 4. As shown in FIGS. 4 and 5, a receiving plate 13 is fixed to the closure main body 4, and the branch portions 10 of the optical cables 2 and 3 with connectors are arranged on the receiving plate 13. Two cable fixing members 14 having screw holes (not shown) are connected to the receiving plate 13. A screw 15 is screwed into the screw hole of the cable fixing member 14 and the branch portion 10 is pressed to branch. The part 10 is fixed to the closure body 4. Thereby, the optical cables 2 and 3 with a connector can be accommodated in the closure main body 4 in a stable state.
[0016]
Returning to FIG. 1 and FIG. 2, adapter parts 16 to which the optical connectors 11 of the optical cables 2 and 3 with connectors are connected are arranged in two upper and lower stages on the left and right sides of the central part of the closure body 4. Thus, by making the adapter part 16 two-tiered, space saving in the closure main body 4 can be achieved.
[0017]
Each adapter section 16 has two pairs of adapters 17a and 17b facing each other. The optical connector 11 of the optical cable with connector 3 is connected in parallel to the two adapters 17a on one side of the adapter unit 16 (here, the cable introduction units 6 and 7 side). The optical connector 11 of the optical cable with connector 2 is connected to the adapter 17 in parallel. Protruding portions 18 and 19 for attaching the adapter portion 16 to the closure body 4 are provided on both side surfaces of the adapter portion 16, respectively. As shown in FIG. 6, holding concave portions 19 a are provided on both side surfaces of the protruding portion 19.
[0018]
Adapter attachment members 20 and 21 that respectively support the protrusions 18 and 19 of the two adapter portions 16 arranged in two upper and lower stages are fixed to the closure body 4. As shown in FIG. 6, the adapter mounting member 21 has an L-shaped base portion 22, and the lower adapter portion 16 is placed on the base portion 22. As a result, a space S through which the optical cord 9 of the optical cable with connector 3 passes is secured below the adapter portion 16.
[0019]
As shown in FIGS. 6 to 8, the protrusions 18 and 19 of the lower adapter section 16 are fixed to the adapter mounting members 20 and 21 by screws 23, respectively. On the other hand, as shown in FIGS. 6 and 7, the protruding portion 18 of the upper adapter portion 16 is rotatably attached to the adapter mounting member 20 via the shaft portion 24. In addition, as shown in FIG. 8, the adapter mounting member 21 is provided with two holding convex portions 21 a that fit into the holding concave portions 19 a formed in the protrusion portion 19 of the adapter portion 16.
[0020]
Here, normally, as shown by a two-dot chain line in FIG. 6, the holding concave portion 19 a of the upper adapter portion 16 and the holding convex portion 21 a of the adapter mounting member 21 are fitted to each other so that the upper adapter portion 16 is fitted. Keep level. When the optical connectors 11 of the optical cables 2 and 3 with connectors are attached to and detached from the adapters 17a and 17b of the lower adapter section 16, the upper adapter section 16 is rotated upward as shown by a solid line in FIG. Thereby, even if the optical connector 11 is connected to the adapters 17 a and 17 b of the upper adapter section 16, the attachment / detachment work of the optical connector 11 with respect to the lower adapter section 16 is not hindered.
[0021]
Returning to FIG. 1 and FIG. 2, an extra length storage portion for storing the extra length of the optical cord 9 of the optical cables 2 and 3 with connectors is formed between the adapter portions 16 arranged on the left and right sides of the closure body 4. The extra length pressing plate 25 is arranged. The extra length presser plate 25 extends from one end of the closure body 4 toward the other end, and has a plurality of R guides 26 for guiding the extra length of the optical cord 9. The R guide 26 has a curved guide surface 26 a that keeps the bending radius of the extra length of the optical cord 9 at 30 mm or more. Thereby, even when the optical cord 9 hangs down by its own weight, the optical cord 9 is not suddenly bent, and the optical cord 9 is prevented from being damaged.
[0022]
As shown in FIG. 9, a cable protection plate 28 is rotatably coupled to the upper surface of the R guide 26 located at the end opposite to the cable introduction portions 6 and 7 in the closure main body 4 via a hinge 27. ing. The cable protection plate 28 is for protecting the extra length of the optical cord 9 guided by the guide surface 26 a outside the R guide 26. Two claw portions 29 are provided at the distal end portion of the cable protection plate 28.
[0023]
When the extra length of the optical cord 9 is routed along the outer guide surface 26a of the R guide 26, the cable protection plate 28 is tilted downward. Then, as shown in FIG. 10, the claw portion 29 of the cable protection plate 28 is hooked on the closure main body 4 so as to enter the closure main body 4. As a result, the extra length of the optical cord 9 is not exposed at the outer guide surface 26 a but is protected by the cable protection plate 28. Therefore, when the cover 5 is attached to the closure main body 4, the optical cord 9 is prevented from being caught, so that the optical cord 9 is not damaged.
[0024]
Returning to FIGS. 1 and 2, when the optical cable 2 with the connector on the upper side and the optical cable 3 with the connector on the lower side are connected in the closure 1 as described above, first, the optical cables 2 and 3 with the connectors are connected to the cable introduction part 6. 7 are introduced into the closure body 4. And the branch part 10 of the optical cables 2 and 3 with a connector is pressed and fixed with the screw 15. Next, the optical cord 9 of the optical cable with connector 2 is passed through the space S below the adapter section 16 (see FIG. 6), and the optical connector 11 of the optical cable with connector 2 is connected to the adapter 17b of the adapter section 16. At this time, if the extra length of the optical cord 9 is long, the connector 11 is connected to the adapter 17b with the extra length of the optical cord 9 wired in, for example, a figure of 8. Further, the connector 11 of the optical cable with connector 3 is connected to the adapter 17 a of the adapter unit 16. Also at this time, if the extra length of the optical cord 9 is long, the connector 11 is connected to the adapter portion 17a in a state where the extra length of the optical cord 9 is wired in, for example, a figure 8. Finally, the cover 5 is attached to the closure body 4.
[0025]
Thus, the optical cables 2 and 3 with connectors can be easily introduced into the closure body 4 and connected. Further, since the optical cables 2 and 3 with connectors can be accommodated in the closure body 4 in a space efficient manner, the closure 1 can be downsized.
[0026]
Further, on the back surface of the closure main body 4, two utility pole attachment brackets 30 for attaching the closure 1 to the utility pole, and a suspension wire attachment bracket 32 for attaching the closure 1 to a steel cable support line (suspension line) 31. And are provided.
[0027]
When the closure 1 is attached to the utility pole, as shown in FIG. 11, the attachment band 33 made of stainless steel or the like is passed through the two utility pole attachment fittings 30 and wound around the utility pole 34.
[0028]
The hanging wire mounting bracket 32 has a mounting plate 35 fixed to the back surface of the closure body 4, and a pair of gripping members 36 for gripping the hanging wire 31 are attached to the mounting plate 35 by bolts 37. ing. On one side surface of each gripping member 36, for example, a gripping groove 38 that engages with a thick suspension line 31 having an outer diameter of about 6 to 16.1 mm is provided. On the other side surface of each gripping member 36, there is provided a gripping groove 39 that has a size smaller than that of the gripping groove 38 and engages with a thin suspension line 31 having an outer diameter of about 2.6 to 3.2 mm, for example. It has been.
[0029]
When the closure 1 is attached to the thick suspension line 31 by using such a suspension wire mounting bracket 32, as shown in FIG. 12, the gripping groove portions 38 of the pair of gripping members 36 face each other, and the gripping groove portions At 38, the suspension line 31 is sandwiched, and the holding members 36 are fastened and fixed with bolts 37. On the other hand, when the closure 1 is attached to the thin suspension line 31, as shown in FIG. 13, the pair of gripping members 36 are turned over from the state shown in FIG. Then, the suspension wire 31 is sandwiched between the gripping groove portions 39, and the gripping members 36 are fastened and fixed with bolts 37.
[0030]
Thus, since both the thick suspension line 31 and the thin suspension line 31 can be gripped by the same gripping member 36, it is not necessary to prepare a plurality of gripping members according to the diameter of the suspension line 31. Accordingly, the cost of parts can be reduced.
[0031]
The optical cable connection closure according to the present invention is not limited to the above embodiment.
[0032]
For example, instead of the optical cables 2 and 3 with connectors shown in FIG. 3, an optical cable 40 with connectors as shown in FIG. 14 can be used. The optical cable with connector 40 has a branch portion 41 having a structure different from that of the branch portion 10 described above. A plurality of positioning concave portions 42 are provided on the upper surface of the branch portion 41, and a plurality of positioning convex portions (not shown) are provided on the lower surface of the branch portion 41.
[0033]
When fixing such a branch part 41 to the closure body 4, for example, as shown in FIG. 15, a base 44 having a plurality of positioning recesses 43 on the upper surface is provided. Then, the branch portion 41 is placed on the base 44 so that the positioning convex portion (not shown) of the branch portion 41 fits into the positioning concave portion 43 of the base 44. Further, when the branch portions 41 are stacked in two stages, the positioning convex portions (not shown) of the upper branch portion 41 are fitted into the positioning concave portions 42 of the lower branch portion 41. In this state, the cable fixing member 45 provided with the pressing portion 45 a for pressing the branch portion 41 is attached to the closure body 4.
[0034]
Further, the optical connector of the optical cable with a connector is not limited to the SC type connector described above, and FC type, LC type, MU type, MPO type connectors, and the like can also be used.
[0035]
【The invention's effect】
According to the present invention, the cable fixing means for fixing the optical cable with connectors introduced into the closure main body to the closure main body, the adapter portion to which the connectors of the optical cables with connectors are connected, and the excess of the optical cables with connectors. Since the extra cable length storage part for storing the length is provided, the optical cables with connectors can be easily and reliably connected and protected.
[Brief description of the drawings]
FIG. 1 is a plan view showing an internal structure of an embodiment of an optical cable connection closure according to the present invention.
2 is an exploded side view of the optical cable connection closure shown in FIG. 1. FIG.
3 is a perspective view showing an example of an optical cable with a connector applied to the optical cable connection closure shown in FIG. 1. FIG.
4 is a cross-sectional view showing a state in which a branch portion of the optical cable with a connector shown in FIG. 3 is fixed to the closure body, and is a view when viewed from the side of the closure body.
5 is a cross-sectional view showing a state where a branch portion of the optical cable with a connector shown in FIG. 3 is fixed to a closure body, and is a view when viewed from an end face side of the closure body.
6 is a front view of the adapter unit shown in FIG. 1. FIG.
7 is a cross-sectional view taken along the line VII-VII when the upper adapter section shown in FIG. 6 is in a normal state.
8 is a cross-sectional view taken along the line VIII-VIII when the upper adapter portion shown in FIG. 6 is in a normal state.
9 is a perspective view showing an R guide and a cable protection plate provided on the extra length presser plate shown in FIG. 1. FIG.
10 is a perspective view showing a state in which the optical cord is protected by the cable protection plate shown in FIG. 9. FIG.
11 is a plan view showing a state in which the optical cable connection closure shown in FIGS. 1 and 2 is attached to a utility pole. FIG.
12 is a side view showing a state where the optical cable connection closure shown in FIGS. 1 and 2 is attached to a thick suspension line. FIG.
13 is a side view showing a state where the optical cable connecting closure shown in FIGS. 1 and 2 is attached to a thin hanging line. FIG.
14 is a perspective view showing another example of an optical cable with a connector applied to the optical cable connection closure shown in FIGS. 1 and 2. FIG.
15 is a perspective view showing a state in which the branching portion of the optical cable with connector shown in FIG. 14 is fixed to the closure body. [Description of Symbols]
DESCRIPTION OF SYMBOLS 1 ... Optical cable connection closure, 2 ... Optical cable with connector, 3 ... Optical cable with connector, 4 ... Closure main body, 5 ... Cover, 9 ... Optical cord, 10 ... Branch part, 11 ... Optical connector, 14 ... Cable fixing material (cable Fixing means), 15 ... Screw (cable fixing means), 16 ... Adapter part, 17a, 17b ... Adapter, 18 ... Projection part, 19 ... Projection part, 19a ... Retention recess, 20 ... Adapter attachment member, 21 ... Adapter attachment Member: 21a: Holding convex part, 24: Shaft part, 25: Extra length pressing plate (cable extra length storage part), 26 ... R guide (cable guide), 26a ... Guide surface, 27 ... Hinge, 28 ... Cable protection Plate 31 suspending wire 32 suspending wire mounting bracket (mounting means) 36 gripping member 38 gripping groove (first gripping groove) 39 gripping groove (second grip Use grooves), 40 ... connector with an optical cable, 41 ... branch portion, 45 ... cable fixing member (cable fixing means).

Claims (3)

A closure body into which multiple optical cables with connectors are introduced;
Cable fixing means for fixing the optical cables with connectors introduced into the closure body to the closure body;
An adapter unit provided in the closure body and having an adapter to which a connector of the optical cable with each connector is connected;
A cable surplus length storage section that is provided in the closure body and that stores the surplus length of the optical cable with each connector;
A cover for protecting the inside of the closure body;
An attachment means for attaching the closure body to a suspension line ;
The cable surplus length storage section is coupled to a cable guide having a curved guide surface for guiding the surplus length of the optical cable with a connector, and the cable guide, and the guide outside the cable guide. A cable protection plate for protecting the extra length of the optical cable with the connector guided on the surface,
A claw portion is provided at a tip portion of the cable protection plate, and the guide surface outside the cable guide is formed by tilting the cable protection plate toward the closure main body and hooking the claw portion on the closure main body. A closure for connecting an optical cable, characterized in that the optical cable with a connector guided by the connector is protected . The adapter part is arranged in two upper and lower stages,
2. The optical cable according to claim 1, wherein the upper adapter portion is supported by an adapter mounting member fixed to the closure body so as to be rotatable upward from a horizontal state with respect to the closure body. Connection closure. The attachment means has a pair of gripping members that grip the hanging line,
A first gripping groove that engages with the suspension line is provided on one side surface of each gripping member, and the other side surface of each gripping member engages with the suspension line and engages with the first gripping member. The optical cable connection closure according to claim 1 or 2, wherein a second gripping groove having a size smaller than the groove is provided .

Images