JP5188187B2 - Optical fiber wiring for installation in apartment buildings (MDU) and commercial buildings - Google Patents

Description

  The present invention relates to systems and techniques for deploying fiber optic cables for users in multi-dwelling unit (MDU) buildings and commercial office buildings.

The deployment of fiber optic networks in apartment buildings (MDUs) and other subscriber buildings requires the use of so-called cable drop boxes that are designed to be installed on walls or other building structures. Today's industry practice is to have a cable entry on the left side of the box to receive fiber optic cables coming from the network provider, and to associate with individual subscribers in the building to connect with the corresponding fiber in the provider cable There is a need for a box having a right side with one or more ports through which a number of fibers are passed. For example, <www. Corning cable systems. com>, “Corning Cable Systems, Connector Housing that can be Wall Mounted”, and <www. adc. See “ADC Telecommunications, Indoor Fiber Distribution Terminal—Customer Building Equipment (CPE)” at com / productsandservices />. In addition, the 2007 Multilink Catalog, Vol. 1, which describes the “wall-mounted fiber optic cable housing series” available from Multilink of Eliria, Ohio, USA. 24, pages 87-94.
"Corning cable system, wall mountable connector housing" (http://www.corningcablesystems.com) “ADC Telecommunication, Indoor Fiber Distribution Terminals—Customer Building Equipment (CPE)” (http://www.adc.com/productsandservices/) "Wall-mounted fiber optic cable housing series" (2007 Multilink Catalog, Vol. 24, pages 87-94, Multilink, Erillia, Ohio, USA)

  However, it is difficult and time-consuming to install a conventional cable drop box by one worker in a subscriber building. Furthermore, it is dimensioned to accommodate older fiber optic cables that cannot withstand bending diameters smaller than 3 inches (76.2 mm) without compromising cable performance. Therefore, currently available drop boxes are quite large and are not suitable for widespread deployment of fiber optic networks in apartment buildings and other buildings without spending much time and effort.

  Further, in today's outdoor fiber-to-the-home (FTTH) deployment, fiber optic network services are brought to residence via fiber optic distribution and drop cable arrangements. For example, the distribution cable head end is terminated at a branch / junction box in the field, where the distribution cable connects to a relay cable coming from a central office. Then, the distribution cable is delivered to a residential area that receives a network service through aerial or underground. The drop cable reaching each resident is connected to the distribution cable by termination at a connection closure or by connection at a network terminal such as a so-called FlexNAP terminal sold by Corning. When the fiber in the distribution cable is used at an intermediate point, it is connected to a “tether” towards the end of the network or directly to a drop cable. However, the remaining portion of each fiber in the distribution cable remains unused and becomes “dead”. Thus, if a drop is required at many intermediate points, half of the fiber in the distribution cable remains unused or wasted.

  Another problem arises when fiber optic network distribution systems are introduced into apartment buildings or office buildings. For example, Corning's FlexSnap system requires the factory integration of the “tether” from the distribution cable at various points along the cable length. In the case of an outdoor aerial network, tethering can be handled fairly easily because it can be processed at any point using a “mobile crane” or similar lifting device. However, in residential or commercial office buildings, distribution cables are typically in the form of riser cables that are routed inside the vertical shafts or conduits between the building floors. The dimensions of the riser shaft and the method of treatment there generally vary from building to building. Thus, once the cable is placed in the riser shaft of an existing building, it is difficult if not impossible to handle the tether of fiber optic distribution cable.

  According to the present invention, a system for deploying an optical fiber cable to a planned residential unit on a floor of an apartment house or a commercial building is an outdoor cable routed to a branch box in the building to terminate the fiber routed by the cable. At least one branch box arranged to terminate the optical fiber. One or more riser cables terminated at one end of the branch box are routed through the building shaft. A given riser cable includes fibers associated with one or more sets of dwellings in a building. The other end of each riser cable is terminated with an integrated box associated with each floor of the set. A branch cable is routed between the integrated box and each floor of the set, or between corresponding sections of one floor. In order to terminate the corresponding branch cable, a drop box is provided on each floor or on a corresponding floor section. A drop cable is wired between the drop box and a dwelling unit on the planned floor or floor section.

  According to another aspect of the present invention, a method of deploying an optical fiber cable to a planned dwelling unit on a floor of an apartment house or a commercial building is a method in which a provider cable is routed to a branch box in a building and the fiber routed by the cable is used. Including termination at a branch box. One or more riser cables are terminated at a branch box and wired through the building shaft, and a given riser cable is associated with a dwelling on a given floor of a building or a dwelling on a different section of a floor Fiber. In this method, the other end of each riser cable is terminated with an integrated box provided in the target floor or the target section of one floor, and a branch cable is wired between the integrated box and the target floor or target section. In addition, a drop box is provided in a target section or a target section of one floor, and a corresponding branch cable is terminated in the drop box. The drop cable is wired between the drop box and a dwelling unit in the floor or target area to be provided.

  For a better understanding of the present invention, features and embodiments of the present invention will become apparent from the following discussion taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawings and claims. In addition, the component in these drawings is not necessarily according to the dimension.

  FIG. 1 shows a first embodiment of an optical fiber and cable processing apparatus in the form of a cable drop box 10 according to the present invention. Box 10 may be made of sheet metal and / or a plastic material such as but not limited to ABS or polycarbonate. If the box is installed outside the subscriber building, moisture-proof seals, gaskets and the like may be attached to the surface or inside of the box in a known manner. Box 10 has a base 12, and in the disclosed embodiment, the substrate is generally square, with mounting holes 14 formed at each corner, each side having a length of, for example, about 6.25 inches (158. 75 mm).

  The box 10 also has a reel portion 20 that extends in the axial direction from the center of the base 12 upward. The reel portion 20 includes an outer cylindrical wall 22, and a part of the outer periphery can be seen in FIG. 1. The outer diameter of the wall 22 is sufficient to allow a length of fiber optic cable (not shown) to be wound on the reel wall 22 with at least the minimum bending diameter defined for the cable for storage or preservation. is there. For example, when using an Allwave Flex® fiber cable available from OFS Fitel, the outer diameter of the reel wall 22 is about 3.0 inches (76.2 mm) or less. The inner end of the cable enters the cable entrance in the reel wall with the strain relief device 24 mounted in the entrance supported in a substantially straight path. The device 24 is described below in connection with FIGS. 7-9B, but leads the end of the cable through the cylindrical wall 22 along a line perpendicular to the outer periphery of the wall at the location of the device 24.

  The cable drop box 10 also has a connecting small chamber 30 disposed above the reel portion 20 and has a peripheral side wall 31. In the embodiment of FIG. 1, the small room 30 is made so that the installer can put his hand into the small room 30 from the outside, and is provided with a removable lid 32, which is disposed at the position of the lid so that it can be opened and closed. It has a connector protector or cover 34 attached. As described below, the connecting small room 30 comes from a cable that enters the small room 30 and is wound around the reel portion 20, or from a hole in the wall 31 of the small room (see FIGS. 2 and 3). The first set of optical fibers coming in is dimensioned to be able to be connected to the second set of optical fibers of the other cable terminated by a connector 36 visible below the cover 34 of FIG. The A large number of flat fingers or tabs 38 are formed so as to protrude outward from the lower end of the wall 31 of the small room and are parallel to the base 12. The tab 38 and the base 12 work together to limit the length of the cable wound around the winding frame wall 22 to the range between the base and the connecting chamber 30.

  2 is a cross-sectional front view of the drop box 10 of FIG. 1, and FIG. 3 is a view of the box 10 as seen from above with the lid 32 removed. The small connecting room 30 is characterized by a connector panel 40 supported so as to close the notch 41 of the side wall 31 of the small room. A number of optical connector adapters 42 are mounted over the corresponding openings in panel 40 so that the adapters 42 couple optical fiber connectors 36 on the outer surface of panel 40 with corresponding connectors 44 on the inner surface of the panel. Act on. Preferably, the panel 40 is attached to the side wall 31 so that it can be easily removed and replaced with other panels of the same size with different types of adapters attached. For example, the panel 40 may be slid in and out of the vertical grooves 43 formed at both ends of the notch 41 on the side wall. The desired panel 40 is selected from a number of different panels having adapters 42 that fit LC, SC, FC, ST, MPO, or MPX type connectors, for example, depending on the type of cable connector used in a given deployment. Good.

  As previously mentioned, the optical fiber routed to the connecting compartment 30 may come from the inner end of the cable wound on the reel section 20, which passes through the strain relief device 24 to the reel of the reel. Pass through the wall 22. For such use, the fiber is an annular ring extending between the outer cylindrical wall 22 and the inner cylindrical wall 48 of the reel portion where the wall 48 is formed radially inward of the outer wall 22. It is routed through the fiber wiring area 46. The dimensions of the strain relief 24 and the annular fiber wiring region 46 are such that the respective optical fibers do not have a smaller bending diameter than the value specified for the fiber before it enters the coupling chamber 30 and terminates at the connector 44. It is decided. For example, when using an AllwaveFlex® fiber available from OFS Fitel, the inner wall 48 may have an outer diameter on the order of 0.7874 inches (20 mm) and the fiber interconnect 46 has an average diameter of only about 2 0.0 inch (50.8 mm) may be sufficient.

  A side wall 31 of the connecting chamber 30 has a cable entry at the rear portion of the wall 31 for receiving an external fiber optic cable or cable assembly (not shown) whose fiber is connected to a fiber terminated by a connector 36. Alternatively, it has a passage 50 (FIGS. 2 and 3). Alternatively, the cable entry 50 may be in the form of a large opening through an alternative connector panel 40 (not shown) portion. For such use, the fiber of the cable entering from the rear port 50 may be routed directly to the corresponding one of the connectors 44 with slight, if any, bending. Furthermore, the use of a multi-fiber connector such as an MPO type in the connector panel 40 allows the box 10 to function as an integrated box. That is, a plurality of cables coming from other similar boxes on different floors of an apartment house (MDU) are connected via MPO connectors to a single cable routed to the box from different locations, for example, from the base floor of the MDU. It is possible to enter through the mouth 50 behind the connecting small box 30. See FIG. 13 and related text below. If not used, the rear cable entry 50 is properly blocked by a plug 52.

  FIG. 4 is a bottom view of the optical fiber cable drop box of FIG. A cylindrical tube 60 is formed to have a central axis passage 62. As shown in FIG. 1, the tube 60 has an upper end of the tube 60 that is flush with the gap of the cover lid 32 so as to be flush with the upper surface of the cover lid 32, and a tube passage 62 as seen in FIG. Extends axially between the bottom end of the tube that opens directly under the base 12. The axis of the tube passage 62 coincides with the axis of the cylindrical wall 22 outside the reel portion 20. In the disclosed embodiment, the tube 60 extends vertically up and down the center of a wall 63 that covers the upper axial end of the inner cylindrical wall 48 as seen in FIG.

  The diameter of the central passage 62 of the tube 60 is preferably above the box 10 so that an elongated tool such as a screwdriver shaft, bolt, or other payout mandrel functions as the shaft on which the box 10 can freely rotate. Or it is thick enough to be inserted through the passage from below. When this structure is necessary for network deployment in the MDU, it is possible for one worker to easily pay out the cable wound around the reel unit 20. For example, the box 10 rotates freely around the axis of the screwdriver, so that the operator can hold the inserted screwdriver handle in one hand and pull out the cable of the desired length from the reel portion 20. You can use your hand.

  5 to 7 show a second embodiment of a drop box 200 for an optical fiber cable according to the present invention. Components of the box 200 that are the same as or similar to the components of the box of FIGS. 1-4 have corresponding reference numbers increased by 200.

  Box 200 has an integral cover lid 232 with a hinge 235 that is integrated for a connector guard or cover 234. Further, the side wall 231 of the connecting small chamber 230 has a continuous disk-like flange 204 extending in the radial direction directly below the small chamber 230 in parallel with the box base 212. Both the flange 204 and the base 212 serve to limit the length of the optical fiber cable wound around the outside of the cylindrical wall 222 within the region between the flange 204 and the base 212. As in the box in FIGS. 1-4, the inner end of the cable is distorted to enter the annular fiber wiring region 246 in the box 200 in a nearly straight path at the location of the device 224 at a right angle to the outer periphery of the wall 222. Guided by the opening device 224.

  Further, as seen in FIG. 6, the base 212 of the drop box 200 is formed such that, for example, a screw or a collar is fitted into the bottom of the annular fiber wiring region 246 and fixed to the bottom of the winding frame 220. It is formed as a divided piece fixed by a fastener.

  FIG. 8 is an enlarged perspective view of the strain relief device 224 corresponding to the strain relief device 24 provided in the drop box 10 of FIG. As seen in FIG. 9, the strain relief device 224 has a generally U-shaped cross section having an outer sidewall 224a, an inner sidewall 224b, a base wall 224c, and a cover 209 attached to the top and extending between the sidewalls 224a, 224b of the device. The arch-shaped device body 208 is configured.

  As further shown in FIG. 9A, the outer side wall 224a is wrapped around the outer cylindrical wall 222 of the reel portion 220, for example, one end of the device 224 to receive the inner end of a flat ribbon fiber optic cable 260. Has an opening 226. The opening 228 at the opposite end of the device 224 leaves the fiber of the box 200 after each fiber of the cable exits the device and is preferably protected with a commercially available 900 μm sleeve, for example. Region 246 is entered.

  The cable 260 and the respective fibers follow a generally straight path between the device openings 226, 228 by a set of parallel fingers or guides 211 protruding upward from the sidewall 224c of the device 224 as seen in FIGS. 9 and 9A. Guided through. After the outer coating is stripped from the end of the cable 260, a predetermined length of aramid or Kevlar (R) yarn is wrapped around the fiber of the cable to serve as a reinforcement or reinforcement for the cable, epoxy or other suitable It is fixed to the guide 211 with a suitable adhesive. A commercially available protective sleeve (e.g., 900 [mu] m) is placed over each of the individual cable fibers, and the covered fiber is directed out of the opening 228 in the device. As shown in FIG. 9B, the device cover 209 is fixed to the housing 208 with a suitable adhesive, and the assembled cable strain relief device 224 has an outer cylindrical wall 222 and an inner cylindrical shape. Are firmly secured within the cable entry 225 between the two walls 248.

  Thus, the inner end of the cable 260 and its individual fibers travel perpendicular to the outer cylindrical wall 222 through the wall cable inlet 225 and enter the annular fiber routing region 246 of the box 200. Since the yarn surrounding the fiber is fixed to the guide 211 of the strain relief device 224, the external force applied to the cable 260 when the cable is wound or unwound around the cylindrical wall 222 on the outside of the winding frame, the fiber itself Rather, the device 224 is transferred to the fixed wall 222.

  10 to 12 show a third embodiment of a drop box 300 for an optical fiber cable according to the present invention. Components of the box 300 that are the same as or similar to the components of the box of FIGS. 1-4 have corresponding reference numbers increased by 300. The box 300 features an integral joint chamber 308 in the base 312, a connector attachment 313, and a number of security retaining holes 315.

Joining room 308
A typical MDU drop box installation has openings for single fiber exiting the box, each opening being associated with an associated living unit of the building in which the box is installed. Single fiber optic cables from each resident unit are often routed to drop boxes without terminating connectors. The bare ends of these cables can be terminated with drop boxes in a variety of ways. For example, one end-treated pigtail fiber is joined in a drop box so that the joining sleeve is housed in a common space. This requires a room or small room to house the joint to avoid damage and handle fiber sagging. Alternatively, a pigtail mechanical joint may be included, which requires a similar room or storage. Each single fiber cable may be terminated directly with a field installable connector, thereby eliminating the need for a room for bonding.

  The drop box 300 has an integral joining chamber or compartment 308 attached or formed under the base 312 and includes a joining tray 309 attached to the inside of the base. The joining tray 309 may be fixed in the box 300 or attached directly to the wall. In any case, the box 300 may be provided on the joining chamber 308. The pigtail or terminated end can enter and exit the lower part of the small room through a corresponding V-shaped notch gap 311 cut out in the side wall of the base 312.

Connector parking area 313
The connector parking area or section 313 can be stored while the terminated fiber end is not in use. The compartment 313 is dimensioned to receive and secure one (eg, SC type) selected from a number of different commercially available connector parking pieces 307 therein. This mechanism allows the use of different types of connectors in the future without the need to replace the box 300, while the installer can precede the installation.

Retaining hole 315
A number of retaining holes or security holes 315 are formed in the corresponding feet of the hinged cover lid 332. The retaining holes 315 allow the end user to take many closures. For example, a single plunger 315 can be used with a standard plunger-type locking mechanism to easily close the lid. Other holes 315 can be used to attach wire ties, closure tags, or other security locks.

Fiber Optic Cable Wiring for Installation in MDU or Commercial Building FIG. 13 shows a fiber optic cable distribution system installed in an apartment house or commercial building 400 according to the present invention. A number of drop boxes, such as the inventive box 10 of FIGS. 1-4, are installed at corresponding locations within the building 400. The drop box 10 may be located above the falling ceiling 412 of each floor 414 of the building, for example. Optical fibers 416 corresponding to individual building units (e.g., apartments or offices) or predetermined floors 414 or building units located within a defined section of floors 414 are connected to adapter 42 on the outer side of box panel 40. Terminate at the connected connector 36.

  Each fiber 416 is connected to a corresponding fiber of a branch cable 418 that is routed to the drop box 10, for example, above the ceiling of the associated floor 414. The cable 418 is first wound around the reel 20 of the drop box 10 and then part or all of the other box 10 functions as an “integrated” box, for example, located between the basement 420 of the building 400 and the roof 422. It is unwound for wiring. The fiber of the branch cable 418 terminates at a connector 44 that is connected to an adapter 42 on the inner side of the box connector panel 40.

  In the integrated box 10, each of the branch cables 418 containing fibers associated with the corresponding building floor or user in the designated area of the floor passes through the opening 50 or face plate mouth and enters the integrated box through the back path. . As previously mentioned, the fibers of each branch cable 418 may be bent slightly in some cases to connect to the corresponding adapter 42 on the inside side of the box panel 40 via a multi-fiber array (MPO) connector. May be wired in the integrated box. One or more main (or “riser”) fiber optic cables 424 intended for all network users in the building 400 include a cable entry or branch box 426 in the basement 420 and a riser cable fiber with a multi-fiber connector 36. Through the riser shaft or conduit in the building between the adapter 42 on the outer side of the box panel 40 and the corresponding integrated box 10 connected therein. The external network provider cable 430 is routed to the lead-in box 426 where it is terminated and the fiber of the cable 430 is connected to the corresponding fiber of each riser cable 424 in the lead-in box 426.

The various cable wiring box structures disclosed herein have the following distinguishing features.
1. Physically reduced dimensions that fit new types of fiber optic cables such as AllwaveFlex® that are available from OFS Fightel and have excellent bending properties.
2. An axial reel that allows the storage of external cables and keeps internal fiber wiring within safe bend limits.
3. A central through hole that facilitates the feeding of the cable wound outside the winding frame by using a common tool such as a screwdriver.

  In the fiber optic cable distribution system of FIG. 13, multiple drop boxes respectively associated with a corresponding floor or a dwelling unit of a specific section of one floor are connected via a branch cable 418 in a common integrated box, On the other hand, the integrated box is connected to a branch box 426 in the basement 420 of the building 400 via a riser cable 424. Preferably, the system uses a multi-fiber array connector such as an MPO type for each riser cable 424 and branch cable 418 to reduce size and speed system installation and deployment. Alternatively, the use of the single fiber connector and / or the fusion splicing may be performed on the riser cable 424 and the branch cable 418 if necessary.

  Each riser cable 424 is preferably a fiber optic ribbon cable to provide maximum fiber packing density and to minimize overall cable size. Further, as described above, the riser and branch cables 424 and 418 are preferably terminated with a multi-fiber array connector that can connect multi-fibers in one step. Multi-fiber array MPO connectors are commercially available from OFS Fightel as well as single mode and multimode riser grade ribbon cables.

  The system of FIG. 13 can be used for high-rise buildings (eg, 7 floors or higher) without the waste of fiber that occurs with known pre-assembled FTTx systems that employ loose tube distribution and drop cables, and Optitap connectors. This makes it possible to quickly lay cables. The system is “Fiber-To-The-Floor”, “Fiber-To-The-Premise” or “Fiber-to-The-Desk” (Fiber). -To-The-Desk) "is also used in high-rise / medium-rise buildings for commercial-based data networks.

Example in a High-Rise Building The system of the present invention can be deployed in a high-rise building by providing:
1. Terminate the external facility or provider cable 430 for the building 400 and branch the signal for each individual fiber 416 associated with a dwelling unit in the building to be optically coupled with the corresponding fiber of the provider cable 430. One or more branch boxes 426.
As previously mentioned, the branch box 426 is preferably located on the basement 420 or lower floor of the building 400.
2. One or more optical fiber riser cables 424, preferably ribbon type and terminated with a multi-fiber array (MPO) connector.
The advantage of using an MPO connector is that all the fibers of a ribbon are terminated at once when inserted into the common ferrule base of the connector. Each riser cable 424 has enough fiber for one or more floor dwellings, or one floor specific area dwelling. The provider end of the riser cable terminates in a branch box 426 and the cable is routed through a riser shaft or conduit in the building 400 to connect with a corresponding integration box. When many riser cables 424 are terminated at their respective connectors, the cables are bundled and pulled together through a fairly small shaft opening without interference by the connectors attached to the cable unit (subscriber) end Each cable preferably has a different length.
3. An integrated box deployed on each of the N floors.
Here, N is larger than 6, for example. The integrated box may be placed in a utility facility room or space for other telecommunications facilities. For example, in the case of a building having 12 dwelling units on one floor, an integrated box in which 72-fiber ribbon fiber riser cables having six 12-fiber ribbons are terminated may be provided every six floors. Each integrated box includes an adapter 42 for connecting the associated riser cable 424 with a branch cable 418 routed between each floor that the box is responsible for or a specific area of the floor.
If multiple dwellings on one floor require network service (eg 60 fibers are terminated on the same floor), the floor is divided into limited sections and the integration box is only for that one floor. May be installed. For example, if the service is provided for a building with a large footprint (eg all blocks), one integrated box is installed on a given floor and all associated branch cables and drop boxes are on that floor Will be placed at a predetermined floor level to provide service to the dwelling units.
4). Each integrated box has an associated branch cable 418 wired from one or more floor units in the building 400, or from a box that is symmetric to a limited range of units on one floor.
The branch cable 418 may be drawn from the telecommunication equipment room located on the floor where the dwelling unit is the target of the cable. In order to make the dwelling units on the floors above and below the room symmetrical, the branch cable 418 is routed from the equipment room and returns to the riser shaft and exits the shaft at the corresponding floor. For example, in a 6-story building with 12 units each, a series of 12-fiber fiber branch cables 418 are connected to the integrated box. If the integrated box is on floor "N", six 12-fiber branch cables are routed to floors N-3, N-2, N-1, N, N + 1, and N + 2. Preferably, the branch cable is terminated with a small shape factor multi-fiber array (eg, MPO) connector to minimize the size of the integrated box. That is, an integrated box with six 12-fiber MPO-MPO adapters 42 is more sized than a box configured to fit six 12-fiber MPO connectors with 72 individual LC connectors. It will be smaller. Also, if the MPO termination method is used, each branch cable 418 may conveniently be in the form of a single core ribbon for ease of termination. However, it is possible to terminate a 12-core loose fiber or a 12-core 900 μm buffer fiber with one MPO connector.

  In high-rise embodiments, each floor has one or more associated drop boxes 10 to terminate the corresponding branch cable 418, and the fiber of a given branch cable can be a dwelling unit on that floor or a limitation on that floor. To the smaller individual cables and / or fibers 416 that are routed to the dwelling units. An example of a suitable drop box is the box 10 disclosed herein; however, a dwelling site where branch cables 418 are routed directly to the dwelling of the building 400 and individual fibers of a given cable are associated with individual fibers. It is also possible to take it out.

Mid-rise Building Example The system of the present invention is deployed in a mid-rise building by comprising:
1. Terminate the external facility or provider cable 430 for the building 400 and branch the signal because each individual fiber 416 associated with a dwelling unit in the building is optically coupled to the corresponding fiber of the provider cable 430 One or more branching boxes 426 to perform. As previously mentioned, the branch box 426 is preferably located on the basement 420 or lower floor of the building 400.
2. Preferably, the branch cable 418 terminates at each end by a multi-fiber array (eg, MPO type) connector. The cable 418 may be directly wired between the branch box 426 on the basement 420 and each floor of the building 400 (or the telecommunication equipment room on each floor). Corresponding branch cables 418 at each floor or telecommunication connection point are routed to the drop box 10 associated for termination, and the corresponding fiber of the cable 418 is a smaller cable and / or associated with an individual dwelling on that floor. A fiber 416 is coupled in the drop box.

The advantages of the system of the present invention include in particular:
1. Rapid deployment.
Preferably, the riser and branch cables 424, 418 are supplied with a multi-fiber array (eg, MPO) connector pre-attached to the cable or assembled at the factory. In current deployments, fusion splices are often used for termination, which is costly and time consuming. The use of MPO connectors minimizes site footprint and construction time.
2. Easy installation within the riser shaft.
The system may be deployed in older residential buildings where riser shafts are generally not optimal for modern telecommunications infrastructure installations. Using a compact (eg, ribbon-type) riser cable 424 minimizes the size and number of riser cables required for deployment, and the use of an integrated box reduces the number of places where the riser cable must exit the riser shaft. To play a role.
3. Fiber without waste.
Existing cable distribution systems, such as the FlexNAP system described above, are pre-terminated and are designed for rapid deployment in the field. For residential deployments, loose-tube outdoor field distribution cables are usually routed on pillars or in culverts adjacent to the road. At some intervals, several fibers are drawn out of the distribution cable and terminated in a network access point (NAP) termination box, the equipment that connects the distribution cable fibers to the individual drop cable fibers. Each fiber that is drawn out at the access point is cut and terminated in the NAP box, so that the downstream portion of the fiber that remains inside the cable is left unused, i.e. does not carry any signal. (Dead) fiber. Thus, no matter how many drawers are made, about half of the fiber in the distribution cable is wasted after installation. In contrast, in the system of the present invention, all the fibers of the riser cable 424 transmit signals between the branch box 426 and the integration box and remain usable. Also, if the drop box 10 is used on each floor, all the fibers of each branch cable 418 that transmits signals between the integration box and the drop box 10 remain usable.

  Although the foregoing has shown preferred embodiments of the present invention, various modifications and variations can be made without departing from the spirit and scope of the invention, and the present invention is intended to alleviate such modifications and variations as described below. Those skilled in the art will appreciate that they are within the scope of the claims.

1 is a perspective view of a first embodiment of a cable drop box type optical fiber and cable processing apparatus capable of being installed on a wall according to the present invention. It is a cross-sectional front view of the drop box of FIG. 1 which shows the cable winding frame part of a box, and another internal element. It is the figure which removed the cover of the drop box of FIG. 1 and was seen from the top. It is the figure which looked at the drop box of Drawing 1 from the bottom. It is a perspective view of the 2nd Example of the cable drop box in which the wall surface installation by this invention is possible. It is a cross-sectional front view of the drop box of FIG. FIG. 6 is a side view of the drop box of FIG. 5 showing the position of the cable strain relief device according to the present invention. It is an expansion perspective view of a cable distortion release apparatus. FIG. 9 is a view of the strain relief device of FIG. 8 with the top cover removed. FIG. 2 is a view of the strain relief device, again with the top cover removed, showing the individual fibers of the fiber optic cable entering from one end of the device and the cable exiting from the opposite end of the device. The distortion release apparatus in the position of the reel part of a drop box is shown. It is a perspective view of the 3rd Example of the cable drop box in which the wall surface installation by this invention is possible. It is the figure which looked at the drop box of Drawing 10 from the bottom. It is a perspective view of the connector attachment position of the drop box base of FIG. 1 is a schematic diagram illustrating an optical fiber cable deployment or distribution system according to the present invention. FIG.

Explanation of symbols

10, 200, 300 Cable drop box, integrated box 12, 212, 312 Base 20 Winding frame 22 Cylindrical wall 24, 224 Strain release device 30, 230 Small chamber 32, 232 Cover lid 34 Connector cover 36, 44 Connector 38 Tab 40 Connector panel 42 Adapter 46, 246 Annular fiber wiring area 50 Cable inlet 60 Cylindrical tube 204 Flange 211 Guide 260 Cable 308 Integrated joint chamber 309 Joining tray 313 Connector mounting portion 315 Security retaining hole 400 Building 412 Falling ceiling 414 Floor 416 Optical fiber 418 Branch cable 420 Basement 422 Roof 424 Riser cable 426 Drop box 430 Provider cable

Claims (13)

A system for deploying fiber optic cable wiring installed in a dwelling unit on one or more floors of an apartment or commercial building having a cable entrance and a riser shaft or pipe line,
Including at least one branch box in the vicinity of the cable inlet, the branch box configured and arranged to terminate an optical fiber of an external cable routed from the cable inlet to the branch box, and terminated. Further, each of the fibers corresponds to a dwelling unit of the apartment house or commercial building, and
Including one or more riser cables wired through the riser shaft or pipeline of the building, and the predetermined riser cables of the riser cables are installed in a dwelling unit located on one or more floors of the building. A first end of the first optical fiber, wherein the first end of the first optical fiber is connected to the fiber of the external cable corresponding to the dwelling unit where the predetermined riser cable is installed. Terminated with
A first cable distribution box or an integration box installed near each floor or a plurality of floors where the predetermined riser cable is installed, and the integration box includes the first optical fiber of the predetermined riser cable; Configured and arranged to terminate the second end, and
A plurality of branch cables, each of the branch cables wired between the integrated box and each floor or the plurality of floors or a determined section of a plurality of defined sections of one floor Each of the branch cables has a plurality of second optical fibers associated with a corresponding set of dwelling units on the floor or a dwelling unit of the determined section on the one floor, and the second light The first end of the fiber is terminated with an integration box for coupling with a corresponding first optical fiber of the predetermined riser cable;
Each of the plurality of floors or a second cable distribution box or drop box installed near the determined section of the one floor, each of the drop boxes being a dwelling unit of the floor or the Constructed and arranged to terminate a second end of the second optical fiber of the branch cable associated with a dwelling unit of the determined section of one floor, and
A plurality of fiber optic drop cables, each of the plurality of fiber optic drop cables between the drop box and an associated dwelling unit of the floor or an associated dwelling unit of the determined section of the floor A first end of each of the optical fiber drop cables is connected to a second end of a corresponding second optical fiber of the branch cable by the drop box, and a second end of the optical fiber drop cable is connected. Is terminated at the site of the associated dwelling unit of the floor or the associated dwelling unit of the determined section of the floor;
Each of the first and second cable distribution boxes is
A connector chamber having a side wall and a connector panel, the connector panel operatively connecting an optical fiber connector associated with either the predetermined riser cable or the optical fiber drop cable outside the connector panel; Have an adapter,
When the second end of the first optical fiber of the predetermined riser cable is connected to the connector adapter outside the connector panel, the first optical fiber of the branch cable has the first optical fiber. The side wall of the connecting compartment has a port for receiving the branch cable so that an end can be connected to the connector adapter inside the connector panel, and the system further comprises:
The winding frame portion is fixed to the connecting small chamber and includes a winding frame portion extending under the connecting small chamber, the winding frame portion includes a first cylindrical wall having an axis, and the first cylindrical wall is It is sized to support a predetermined branch cable length wound around the outer periphery of the first cylindrical wall, and the first cylindrical wall is provided with the second end of the second optical fiber of the cable. A cable entry port is formed for receiving an end of the predetermined branch cable including, and
A tube supported to extend through the box, the tube having an axial passage that coincides with the axis of the first cylindrical wall, the axial passage connecting the branch cable to the box. Is wide enough to receive the elongate means such that the box is free to rotate around the elongate means when wrapped around or unwound from the reel section; and
When the predetermined branch cable is wound around the first cylindrical wall, the second end of the second optical fiber of the branch cable is connected to the connector adapter on the inner side of the connector panel. There to be wired in a small room for the coupling, the winding frame portion and the connecting small chamber is and arranged configuration, system.   The system of claim 1, wherein the riser cable comprises a ribbon fiber optic cable.   The system of claim 1, wherein the branch cable comprises a ribbon fiber optic cable.   The system of claim 1, wherein at least one of the riser cable and the branch cable is terminated with a multi-fiber array (MPO) connector.   A second cylindrical wall formed coaxially and radially inward with the first cylindrical wall of the cable distribution box, the cable inlet port of the first cylindrical wall and the connecting chamber of the distribution box To route the inner end of the predetermined branch cable, including the second end of the second optical fiber of the cable The system of claim 1, wherein the system is defined between a plurality of cylindrical walls.   So that the first connector panel having the first type of connector adapter can be removed and replaced with a second connector panel having a second type of connector adapter different from the first type. The system of claim 1, wherein the connecting compartment is configured and arranged to support the connector panel.   The system of claim 1, wherein one or more adapters of the connector panel are configured and arranged to connect multi-core fiber type (MPO) connectors together.   Including a base fixed to the bottom of the reel portion of both the first and second cable distribution boxes, each reel portion of the box extending from the base in a certain level in the axial direction. Item 4. The system according to Item 1.   The system of claim 8, wherein the base is formed as a piece.   9. The system of claim 8, wherein the base is constructed and arranged to mount both the first and second cable distribution boxes at desired locations in the apartment house or commercial building.   Each of the one or more cable distribution boxes has a predetermined cable length wound on the first cylindrical wall of the winding frame portion of the box, and terminates the outer end of the cable length. The system of claim 1, comprising a fiber connector.   Both the first and second cable distribution boxes have bases fixed to the bottoms of the respective reel parts of the boxes, and the reel parts extend from the base in a certain level in the axial direction. And the tube is supported such that the bottom end of the axial passage of the tube opens directly below the base and the top end of the passage opens in the region of the top surface of the connecting chamber of the box. Item 4. The system according to Item 1.   The system of claim 12, wherein an axis of the passage of the tube coincides with an axis of the first cylindrical wall of the reel portion.

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