Ofs Fitel, LLC

Lucent Technologies Inc.

Ofs Fitel Llc, a Delaware Limited Liability Company

Willard C White

Denis Edward Burek

Kelvin B Bradley

John E George

Xavier Chiron

Lynda Price

Daniel E Hendrickson

Gregory Alen Sandels

Jimmy Joy

Bernard Miles Malofsky

Adam Gregg Malofsky

Roger A Vaughn

Jinkee Kim

William H Mann

Stephen Clement Mettler

Paul R Dickinson

James C Bandy

John Louis Siereveld

Joseph E Bradley

Clem McConnell

John Pacholski

Edward V Charbonneau

John George

Paul Dicksinson

A guide tool device for an optical fiber or cord includes a tool base that mounts on an adhesive syringe. A cord guide head has a flat leading edge, a key removably insertable into a keyway in the tool base, a guide channel for guiding a fiber toward the leading edge, and a tube for receiving an adhesive. An opening in the guide channel communicates adhesive from the tube into the channel, for applying the adhesive along a fiber while it is guided toward the leading edge on the guide head. A fitting is arranged to connect in sealing relationship with a distal end of the syringe, and a flexible tubing is connected between the fitting and the other end of the tube on the cord guide head. When urged toward the distal end of the syringe, the adhesive is communicated into the guide channel in the cord guide head.

Installation of small form factor fibers at user premises

An optical fiber distribution module includes a base having a surrounding wall, a cover, and a sealing element in the cover. A pair of cable ports are formed in the base wall to pass an outdoor fiber distribution cable through an interior region of the module. One or more fiber ports in the wall pass corresponding drop fibers from the interior region where the fibers connect to designated fibers of the distribution cable, to a number of premises for which the fibers are designated inside a multi-dwelling unit building. Grommet seals are dimensioned and formed to be inserted in any unused fiber ports, and to surround the distribution cable and the drop fibers in their corresponding ports. The grommet seals cooperate with the sealing element in the cover to seal all the ports from the environment when the module is closed.

Fiber optic network distribution module for use along an outdoor multi-fiber network distribution cable

A fiber storage module having a removable supply spool is mounted inside a user premises. The module is arranged to retain the spool at either a first position where the spool can freely rotate, or a second position where the spool is locked. While the spool is removed from the module, a length of fiber sufficient to route from an entry point to the premises to the mounted module, and from the module to an optical device inside the premises, is wound on the spool. The spool with the wound fiber is retained at the first position inside the module, and the fiber is unwound and adhered or fastened to a supporting surface along a determined routing path at the premises. The spool is then locked at the second position, and a length of the remaining fiber is removed for connection to the optical device.

Method of installing an optical fiber at user premises

A device for retaining an optical fiber or cord at a desired position while the cord is being installed along a defined route at a user premises. The device includes a bend limiter having an open channel that extends between opposite ends of the limiter, wherein the channel is sized to receive a cord and allow the cord to slide freely inside the channel. An elongated retainer is arranged to overlie the bend limiter and thus close the channel when the retainer is secured to the bend limiter, so that the cord is confined inside the channel as the cord slides between the opposite ends of the bend limiter. A latch is arranged to close the device by securing the retainer to the bend limiter, and the bend limiter is configured to conform in shape with one or more surfaces against which it will be installed at the premises.

Optical cord retaining device

A compact adapter module for installation at customer premises includes a base for mounting on a supporting surface, and a cover. The base is constructed for mounting a connector adapter operative to connect two communication lines to one another at a given location along a routing path at customer premises. A cover protectively encloses the adapter and connectors mated to the adapter which terminate the lines. Space inside the covered module is limited substantially for storing only the adapter and mated connectors, so the module is compact in size and unobtrusive when mounted at the given location. The lines are received at two ports of the module, and an edge of the base is flush with the supporting surface at each port so the lines can be adhered directly to the supporting surface at the ports. Any adverse visual impact of the lines at the module is therefore minimized.

Compact adapter module for installation at customer premises

A module for storing optical fiber at user premises. A fiber supply spool has at least one winding section for storing a length of fiber to be routed at the premises. A spool plate has a base with retaining fingers for mounting the supply spool for rotation, and a hinge pin supported between the ends of two arms extending from the base. An elongated adapter plate is arranged for fastening over an opening cut in a drywall at the premises. The adapter plate includes at least one hinge mount for seating the hinge pin on the spool plate for swiveling movement. The spool plate can swivel on the adapter plate together with the mounted spool between a position where fiber is unwound from the spool for routing at the premises, and a position where the spool with remaining fiber is passed through the opening to be stored behind the drywall.

Behind-the-wall fiber spool module

An optical fiber storage module has a base, and a wall having an opening for paying out an optical fiber from inside the module. Spool retention fingers extend from the base. One or more fingers have a first rim at a first height above the base, and one or more fingers have a second rim at a second height above the base. A fiber supply spool has a hub, and an annular support disk inside the hub which forms a third rim. The spool is movable on the retention fingers between a first position where the third rim of the support disk is captured between the first and the second rims on the retention fingers, thus allowing the spool to turn when fiber is unwound, and (b) a second position where the spool engages one or more bosses formed on the module base to lock the spool from further rotation.

Fiber optic storage module installation at user premises

A module for optical fiber installation and storage at customer premises has a base, and a fiber supply spool mounted for rotation on the base. An elongated adapter plate has a front end portion for mounting a connector adapter. A rear end portion of the adapter plate has first hinge parts at one side of the plate, and the fiber supply spool has second hinge parts for engaging the first hinge parts of the plate to define a hinge axis. The adapter plate can swivel about the hinge axis between a position where the plate lies flush on the supply spool and the spool can turn as fiber unwinds, and a position where a port of a connector adapter mounted on the plate is accessible for connection to an outside device when the module is closed, and the plate engages the module base to restrain the spool from rotation.

Module for optical fiber installation and storage at customer premises

A module for installing and storing an optical fiber includes a supply spool containing fiber for routing between the module and a service module at a customer premises. An adapter inside the module connects the fiber on the spool with an outside connector associated with a device at the premises. A wall of the module has a payout opening, and an edge of the module base is set back from the outside surface of the wall at the payout opening. A ramp area formed on the base inclines downward from the spool toward the payout opening. A lower edge of the ramp area substantially coincides with the setback edge and is substantially flush with a supporting surface beneath the base. Fiber drawn from the module can be adhered to the supporting surface at the payout opening and thus ameliorate any adverse visual impact of the fiber near the module.

A tool system for threading an optical fiber through a hole formed in a wall at customer premises, and for protecting the fiber inside the wall. A tool body has forwardly projecting fingers for capturing a connector at an end of the fiber from a direction approaching a front face of the connector. A back end of the tool body is arranged to engage a rod handle of such length that its free end can be threaded through the hole and out the opposite side of the wall. Using the handle, the tool body is pulled through the hole along with a captured connector and associated fiber. A hole plug has a hollow cylindrical body and an access slit for passing the fiber inside the body for protection. The plug body has teeth for engaging the premises wall and retaining the plug at a desired angular position in the wall.

Tool system for routing an optical fiber or cable through walls at customer premises

An installation tool and method of embedding an optical fiber in an adhesive bead deposited along a structural corner or crevice in a building room or hallway, without a ladder and while an installer stands safely on the floor. The tool includes a neck portion arranged to be joined to a distal end of a pole, a trough for receiving and containing the optical fiber, a guide channel disposed at a downstream end of the trough for retaining the fiber, and a tool nose disposed at a downstream end of the guide channel. When the installer manipulates the tool to sweep the tool nose over the bead while urging the tool nose against the bead, the fiber enters the tool nose from the guide channel and becomes embedded in the adhesive bead.

Tool for installing an optical fiber in a building room or hallway

A compact point-of-entry fiber storage module includes a base, and a cover arranged to be fastened to the base for enclosing optical fibers when routed inside the module for storage. The base is constructed and arranged to mount a connector adapter at a selected one of multiple positions with respect to the base. The adapter has an axis, and first and second ports at opposite axial ends of the adapter. When the adapter is mounted at a selected position, optical fibers of various lengths that are routed and retained over the base for storage can connect to corresponding ports at the ends of the adapter without bending the fibers beyond a specified critical limit.

Compact point-of-entry fiber storage module

A storage and distribution module for optical fiber and cable includes a base having a bottom wall, and the bottom wall has a raised boss. A number of spool mounting fingers are arranged and configured on top of the boss to retain a fiber supply spool containing slack windings of an optical fiber. The bottom wall of the base, the boss, and an end face of the spool when retained on the mounting fingers, define a storage region underneath the spool for storing a slack length of a provider cable. A bracket is fixed inside the base, and the bracket is formed to support a connector adapter for connecting a first connector that terminates the slack fiber windings contained on the supply spool when retained on the mounting fingers, with a second connector that terminates the slack length of provider cable stored in the region under the spool.

Compact storage and distribution module for optical fiber and cable

An optical fiber is permanently routed easily, quickly, and unobtrusively at a customer premises using an inventive hand tool, without staples or other fasteners. The fiber has an adhesive outer coating that is activated as the fiber is applied by the tool on an exposed surface such as a wall, ceiling, molding, groove, or corner at the premises. When the activated coating hardens, the fiber is bonded to the surface on which it was applied, and the hardened coating also provides physical protection for the fiber. In the disclosed embodiment, the coated fiber is supplied on a spool that mounts on the tool, and the coating is activated by guiding the fiber as it unwinds from the spool through a chamber containing an activating substance. The fiber with the activated coating is then guided to an applicator wheel on the tool which applies the fiber to the surface.

Optical fiber installation at customer premises

An optical fiber cable connector includes a ferrule with a guide hole that is shaped to closely receive a multicore fiber having a flat side indicative of the rotational orientation of the cores of the multicore fiber. The ferrule includes a flat surface at one side of the guide hole, corresponding in position to the flat side of the multicore fiber. Installing the multicore fiber into the guide hole with its flat side abutting the flat surface along the side of the guide hole provides alignment of the cores with respect to an optical component to which the multicore fiber endface is to be connected.

Growing community of inventors

Suwanee, GA, United States of America

Willard C White