Fiber optic splice closure

Abstract

A fiber optic splice closure includes a series of stacked splice trays pivotally secured within a housing, and oval shaped generally flexible transport tubes carrying the exposed optical fibers to the splice trays within the closure. The transport tubes have a differential flexibility to permit bending i a direction generally normal to the major dimension of the tube while preventing bending in a direction generally normal to the minor dimension of the tube. Accordingly, optical fiber ribbons carried by the transport tubes are protected from bending in a direction normal to their minor dimension. The splice trays are pivotally secured at one end to a bracket secured to an end cap of the housing. A hinge for each splice tray includes detents to hold an individual tray in a raised position to thereby facilitate access to an underlying tray. In addition, splice holders are provided on each splice tray and include a series of generally flexible walls extending outwardly from a base. The flexible walls further include hollow cavities to more readily accommodate splices of different sizes. A generally rigid shell with a predetermined pattern of openings therein is positioned to overlie the base carrying the flexible walls.