Lucent Technologies Inc.

At+t Corp.

Fitel USA Corporation

Marc Duane Jones

Denis Edward Burek

Wesley W Jones

William H Small

Phillip M Thomas

Gary S Cobb

Ian A White

Sean L Jones

John F Malluck

David N Ridgway

Francis G McCormack

John James Blee

Kenneth Michael Yasinski

Leon J Burcum

A variable attenuator has first and second substantially identical ferrules or capillaries, each being mounted in a barrel or splice housing and extending toward each other, with their distal ends being separated by a gap of a first width. The width of the gap is controlled by a sleeve into which the ferrules are inserted, the ends of the sleeve butting against the front faces of the barrels. The ferrules are made by producing a glass rod mounted between the barrels and having a bore offset from and parallel to the centerline of the rod and breaking or cleaving the rod at its longitudinal center. The broken ends are then polished. The barrels are keyed to a housing member so that the offset bores are coincident in the zero position as defined by the keys.

Variable attenuator for optical fiber applications and method of making

A grip block for holding and immobilizing elongated cylindrical members, such as cables, has a base member having a central axis and first and second pivot arms, one mounted on each side of the axis. An actuating member has a body which has two or more cable receiving channels therein which are oriented parallel to the central axis and depending actuating pins for actuating the pivot arms to force one or more cables into the discrete channels. The base and actuating member are held together by means of studs within a splice closure or by both in conjunction with a mounting bracket.

Splice closure universal grip block

A ground lug insulator assembly having a base member that mounts to a ground lug stud projecting from a splice closure. The base member is cup-shaped and houses a wire connector therein which is connected to the ground lug. A cup-shaped cap member is adapted to mate with the base member and to latch thereto after both are filled with B-sealant gel.

Splice closure ground lug insulator

A preferred embodiment of the present invention includes a base member with first and second base portions that are angled relative to each other for aligning a longitudinal axis of the base member in a parallel relationship with a longitudinal axis of a pole. Preferably, first and second side walls extend outwardly from the base member for engaging mounting ribs of the splice closure. Preferably, the mounting ribs of the splice closure engage the bracket in a straddled configuration.

Apparatus for pole-mounting an optical fiber splice closure

An optical fiber cable splice closure has a base member and a cover mated therewith. The cover is extended to accommodate stacking large numbers of splice trays or splice holders so that the coverall capacity of the closure is increased over prior art structures. The extended cover has a plurality of longitudinal and transverse strengthening ribs molded integrally with the top and side walls of the cover. For increased resistance to outside forces, the top wall is bowed and strengthened and supported by the ribs both above and below the wall. In a second embodiment, the side walls are also bowed, as are the strengthening ribs.

Splice closure with extended cover

A U-shaped universal ground assembly with oversheath protection for use in grounding a cable, the grounding clip having a ground `block` including a framework with a generally open end and a spaced closed end. The framework includes a pair of bifurcated leg members extending from the open end of the framework toward the closed end thereof. An arcuate toothed portion is formed as a lower grip member at the closed end of the framework, and an opposed upper grip member, slidably positioned on the framework, is adapted to be moved toward the closed end of the framework. The grounding block also includes a wire retainer pivotally and slidably supported on the open end of the framework and adapted to be moved into a generally closed position across the open end of the framework. At least one ground wire opening is defined in the framework, and at least one ground wire opening is defined in the wire retainer in substantial registry therewith.

U-shaped universal grounding clamp

A mass fusion splice tray assembly increases the capacity of a splice closure which has support members thereon for supporting the assembly. The assembly include a splice tray which latches to a support member and which has locating slots to contain two splice holder inserts. A cover member has latching legs which latch to wedge shaped latches on the splice tray. The cover member is adapted for pivotally mounting a discrete splice tray on the top surface thereof so that the total splice capacity of the splice tray assembly is increased.

Mass fusion splice tray

A racetrack grommet of resilient material for use in providing a seal between two flanged closure members has first and second spaced sides thereon adapted to be positioned between the flanges, and transverse end sections having insert receiving members having bores therein. Insert members are configured to fit within the bores in end to end butting relationship to provide a seal between a cable entering or leaving the assembled closure and the insert receiving members which, in turn, provide seals for end openings in the assembled closure. The bores in the insert receiving members have holding and sealing means therein and each insert has mating means thereon for mating with the holding means to provide a seal between each of the insert members and the insert receiving member. One or more port plugs seal the unused bores in the insert receiving members. Each insert has a split thereon to facilitate insertion of a cable within the insert, and each insert receiving member has a split therein for facilitating insertion of an insert therein.

Racetrack grommet for optical fiber cable splice closure

A mass splice tray for holding a plurality of optical fiber splices, such as mechanical or fusion type splices for optical fiber ribbons, has a floor and front and rear and end walls defining an interior of the tray. A support shelf extends from the rear wall into the interior, spaced from the floor, for supporting splice holders above the floor at one side of the tray. Extensions on the end walls define, with the rear wall, channels for routing fiber, especially ribbon fibers, into and out of the tray. Splice holder inserts have locating means thereon for mating with locating means in the rear wall to position the inserts on the support shelf, and splice holders are dimensioned to fit within the inserts. The elevation of the splice holders permits routing slack fibers or ribbons within the interior of the tray without interference from the splice holders. Protective tabs extend from the top edges of the walls to maintain the fibers or ribbons within the tray.

Mass splice tray for optical fibers

An optical fiber cable splice closure assembly includes a base member and a mating cover which, when assembled, form a hollow splice closure with openings at each end. One or more cable gripping members are located within the closure adjacent the open ends for gripping cables passing through the open ends, and a cable strength member is located adjacent to, and aligned with, the cable gripping member. One or more elongated pedestals extend from the floor of the base member, each having latching means on the distal end thereof. A splice tray adapter plate is latched to the distal end of the pedestal or pedestals, thereby creating a slack fiber storage space below the plate. The adapter plate can pivotally hold two or more standard splice trays on one side thereof, or a discrete or mass splice tray on the reverse side thereof. A race track grommet member having insert receiving members on each end thereof form a sealing means for the closure when the base member and the cover member are clamped together.

Optical fiber cable splice closure

A central strength member anchor for use, for example, in a splice closure, for anchoring the central strength member of a cable entrant into the closure has a planar member having at least one upstanding leg at one end thereof. The distal end of the leg has clamping a strength member receiving member having a bore into which the strength member is to be inserted. The receiving member has clamping arrangement, such as one or more set screws, for clamping the strength member in the bore. The height of the leg is such that the bore in the receiving member is substantially axially aligned with the cable strength member. The planar member has locating holes therein for locating the anchor in the closure, and side walls depending from the planar member have slots for mounting the anchor in the enclosure. The side walls also have at least one slit therein and the planar member is scored so that a portion of the anchor member may be broken off to shorten it.

Central strength member anchor for optical fiber cables

A grip block assembly for gripping cables or other elongated members has a substantially hollow frame member having openings in the walls thereof to allow an elongated member to pass therethrough. First and second lever arms pivotal on the same axis are adapted to be pivoted in a scissoring action to grip a portion of the elongated member and to force it into contact with a gripping surface on an actuator block which is reciprocally movable within the hollow frame member. The actuator block has depending members which contact the lever arms for causing them to pivot with respect to each other, and a captive bolt held in place by a cap on the frame functions to move the actuator block.

Cable grip block assembly

A seal for use in an optical closure is formed in the general shape of a truncated cone. The seal has an aperture which extends completely through the conical shape portion of the seal and which terminates within a plug located at the larger end of the seal. A sinusoidal shaped slit is formed completely through the seal from the small end of the seal to a small distance away from the large end of the seal. The seal is placed within an angled section of a port within an optical closure and an end cap is screwed into the port thereby forcing the seal further into the angled section. The seal can be used for both sealing ports which receive optical cables and ports which do not receive any cables. For the ports that do receive an optical cable, the plug is removed from the seal and the slit is extended all he way to the rear of the seal. When the optical cable is passed through the slit into the aperture of the seal, portions of the seal on either side of the slit become separated from each other.

Seal for cable splice closure

A splice tray for holding and protecting optical fiber splices within a splice closure is adapted to be mounted on support members within the closure. The tray has a longitudinal axis and passages formed therein for holding and guiding the fibers to a splice area of the tray while protecting them from being bent too sharply. A splice holder insert is removably mounted to the splice tray in the splice area, and has a plurality of alternating pass-through channels and splice holding channels extending parallel to the longitudinal axis of the tray and arrayed across the width of the tray in two such arrays, longitudinally spaced from each other. In one embodiment, each of the splice holding channels is defined by a wall of a pass-through channel and a longitudinally extending a resilient member. In this embodiment, resilient fiber holder is located at each end of each pass-through channels. In another embodiment, the splice holding channels are defined by U-shaped end members at each end of the channel.

Universal splice tray

An optical fiber cable closure assembly includes a base member and a mating cover which, when assembled form a hollow splice closure with openings at each end. Mounted to the base member at at least one end thereof is a grip block assembly which grips the optical cable entering the adjacent open end, and which automatically adjusts to differing sizes of cables. The grip block assembly has an upper member and a lower member and includes first and second pivotally mounted arms on the lower member which are actuated by actuating pins on the upper member and which, as the upper member is tightened down on the lower member, pivot until they bear against and grip the cable. Included within the closure assembly are one or more optical fiber splitters which are used to separate and segregate individual fibers or groups of fibers to be spliced. One or more fiber splice trays are mounted on the base member and function to hold a plurality of splices of any of a large number of types in position after the fibers are spliced, and to store excess fiber without allowing the fibers to be bent to their critical bending radius.

Growing community of inventors

Lithonia, GA, United States of America

Marc Duane Jones