SLINGS FOR TELECOMMUNICATIONS EQUIPMENT, INCLUDING PORTS AND COUPLING CONNECTORS

Abstract

A telecommunications closure includes a plurality of connector ports and a plurality of dust caps for the connector ports, where a sling connects one of the dust caps to one of the ports. The dust caps can be attached to and detached from each port. The closure, with the dust caps in place, is sealed for outdoor use. All port bodies are the same overall color. All dust caps are the same overall color as the port bodies. The slings may be different colors from the port bodies and different colors from the dust caps. Some slings may match the color of the port bodies and / or the dust cap bodies. At least two slings may be different colors from each other. One or more identification areas may be provided on the sling for labeling, printing, or marking with coded markings.

Description

SLINGS FOR TELECOMMUNICATIONS EQUIPMENT, INCLUDING PORTS AND COUPLING CONNECTORS Cross-reference to related request This application is filed on October 8, 2020 as an international PCT patent application and claims the benefit of US patent application serial no. 62 / 913,051, filed on October 9, 2019, the description of which is incorporated herein by reference in its entirety. Background Fiber optic telecommunications networks are becoming increasingly common, partly because service providers want to offer high-bandwidth communication capabilities to customers. In some cases, the telecommunications equipment may be located outdoors in the form of a telecommunications enclosure or terminal that connects incoming and outgoing cables. This enclosure provides the telecommunications equipment with sealed ports for connecting to connectors that terminate at the ends of the fiber optic cables. The connection between the port and the connector is generally considered to be connectable and detachable as needed. There is a need for identification devices, systems, and methods to assist technicians who need to connect cables to connectors and ports, and / or technicians who need to disconnect cables from connectors and ports. Compendium The aspects described herein pertain to coding systems that facilitate the efficient and effective implementation of a fiber optic network. In certain examples, the coding system may include coded slings that link a telecommunications equipment port to a dust cap for the port or adapter. Typically, the equipment port is for receiving a fiber optic connector at the end of a cable, where the port includes a fiber optic adapter within the port to connect to a second fiber optic connector inside the closure or terminal. In certain examples, fiber optic connectors may also include a dust cap with a coded sling. In certain examples, fiber optic connectors and fiber optic ports or adapters may include hardened / reinforced constructions for outdoor environmental use. In certain examples, connectors, adapters, and dust caps may include twist-lock interfaces. In certain examples, connecting slings may include coded identification markings such as identification colors, markings, shapes, letters, symbols, numbers, or similar. In some instances, these coded markings on the slings may be coordinated with optical components intended to be mated together, allowing a field installer to easily recognize and identify which components are to be mated. ακΓπηη / ζζηζ / Β / γίΛΐ The following description will set forth a variety of additional aspects. These inventive aspects may relate to individual features and to combinations of features. It is understood that both the preceding general description and the detailed description that follows are merely illustrative and explanatory and do not restrict the broad concepts upon which the modalities described herein are based. Brief description of the figures The accompanying figures, which are incorporated into and form part of this descriptive report, illustrate aspects of the present description and, together with the description, serve to explain its principles. The following is a brief description of the figures: Figure 1 is a perspective view of a first terminal closure or housing where dust caps are retained with slings on the terminal ports and where a dust cap is retained on a connector on a cable extending from the terminal; Figure 2 is a perspective view of a hardened fiber optic port from Figure 1 and a dust cap and sling; Figure 3 is a perspective view of a fiber optic connector attached to the port in Figure 2 where the dust cap and sling are removed; Figure 4 is a perspective view of the fiber optic connection system illustrative of Figure 3 with the SC internal connector disconnected from the hardened portion of the fiber optic adapter; Figure 5 is a perspective view of the hardened connector portions and the port from Figure 4; Figure 6 is an exploded perspective view of another terminal showing the hardened fiber optic port, a sling, and a dust cap in the exploded view; Figure 7 is a perspective view of another telecommunications terminal, where certain ports are connected to fiber optic connectors, and other ports are sealed with dust caps that include a retention sling; Figure 8 shows an illustrative telecommunications terminal mounted on a pole extending above the ground; Figure 9 is a perspective view of a telecommunications cable and a hardened connector sealed by a dust cap where the dust cap is retained by a sling; Figure 10 is a cross-sectional view of the telecommunications cable, the connector, and the dust cap including the retention sling of Figure 9; Figure 11 is a first alternative sling to the slings shown in Figures 1-10; Figure 12 is a bottom perspective view of the sling in Figure 11; Figure 13 is a top view of the sling in Figure 11; Figure 14 is a side view of the sling in Figure 11; Figure 15 is a bottom view of the sling in Figure 11; Figure 16 is a view of the end of the sling from Figure 11; Figure 17 is a top perspective view of a second alternative sling; Figure 18 is a bottom perspective view of the sling in Figure 17; Figure 19 is a top view of the sling in Figure 17; Figure 20 is a side view of the sling in Figure 17; Figure 21 is a bottom view of the sling in Figure 17; Figure 22 is a view of the end of the sling from Figure 17; Figure 23 is a top perspective view of a third alternative modality of a sling; Figure 24 is a bottom perspective view of the sling in Figure 23; Figure 25 is a side view of the sling in Figure 23; Figure 26 is a top view of the sling in Figure 23; Figure 27 is a top perspective view of a fourth alternative modality of a sling; Figure 28 is a bottom perspective view of a sling from Figure 27; Figure 29 is a side view of the sling in Figure 27; Figure 30 is a top view of the sling in Figure 27; Figure 31 is a top perspective view of a fifth alternative modality of a sling; Figure 32 is a bottom perspective view of the sling in Figure 31; Figure 33 is a side view of the sling in Figure 31; Figure 34 is a top view of the sling in Figure 31; Figure 35 is a top perspective view of a sixth alternative modality of a sling; Figure 36 is a bottom perspective view of the sling in Figure 35; Figure 37 is a side view of the sling in Figure 35; Figure 38 is a top view of the sling in Figure 35; Figure 39 is a top perspective view of a seventh alternative modality of a sling; Figure 40 is a bottom perspective view of the sling in Figure 39; Figure 41 is a side view of the sling in Figure 39; Figure 42 is a top view of the sling in Figure 39; Figure 43 is a top perspective view of an alternative eighth modality of a sling; Figure 44 is a bottom perspective view of the sling in Figure 43; Figure 45 is a side view of the sling in Figure 43; Figure 46 is a top view of the sling in Figure 43; Figure 47 is a top perspective view of a ninth alternative modality of a sling; Figure 48 is a bottom perspective view of the sling in Figure 47; Figure 49 is a side view of the sling in Figure 47; Figure 50 is a top view of the sling in Figure 47. Detailed description Referring now to Figures 1-10, various telecommunications closures (terminals), cables, connectors, ports (adapters), and dust caps are shown. In the illustrated examples, the closures are generally sealed against dirt, dust, and water, and are suitable for outdoor use. The adapters, in the form of ports on the outside of the closures, are sealed with a dust cap before being connected to a cable connector. The port-connector interface is also sealed once the port and connector are connected. For example, O-rings can be used on dust caps and connectors on ports. In addition, connectors are also protected with a sealed dust cap in some examples. In the case of a terminal or closure with a sealed port, a mating dust cap is provided. A sling is used to connect the dust cap to the port so that when the dust cap is removed, it remains close to the port. At a later time, the same dust cap can be reinserted into the port to reseal it. Similarly, if a connector is sealed with a dust cap, the connector's dust cap is also connected to the connector with a sling. In some cases, when a connector and a port are connected together, the connection is sealed. The connection is removable if changes to the telecommunications system's connectivity are required. Furthermore, the connector's dust cap and the port's dust cap can be interlocked to keep each component clean, such as for future sealing of the connector and / or port.When I describe it as "sealed," it generally means protected against dust, dirt, water, or damage. Port identification on locks is important. Locks typically have multiple ports, and it's necessary to identify and distinguish between them so that technicians making connections and disconnections can perform the correct operation. Identification can take the form of a port number, a port type (e.g., direct or reverse feed, indicating unused ports), "no internal connection to the port," marking which customers, such as house numbers, are connected to the port, or a bypass value if a port is used to connect a signal for testing or monitoring. Identification or coding systems that use coded slings help facilitate the efficient and effective deployment of a fiber optic network. In certain examples, slings may use coded identification markings such as identification colors, markings, shapes, letters, symbols, numbers, or similar. In certain examples, coded identification marks can be coordinated between optical components intended to be coupled together so that an installer in the field can easily recognize and identify which components should be coupled together. In the case of a sling, the sling must remain connected to the port at one end and the dust cap at the other. A visual indicator, such as a color, can be seen from a significant distance by a technician who is not immediately next to the closure. For example, the closure might be twenty feet in the air on a pole. Similarly, a sling associated with a connector and a connector coupling dust cap can be easily identified, such as by color, if the closure with the connector attached to a port is separated by a distance from the technician. Referring now to Figure 1, a telecommunications closure 100 is shown, which has three ports 102 and an extension 104. Each port 102 can be identical, or it can be of a different style and size relative to the other ports. Similarly, mating connectors 106, 108, and 110 are sized to be received by a respective port 102. Each connector 106, 108, and 110 terminates a cable 106a, 108a, and 110a. Each port 102 includes a dust cap 112. The dust cap 112 is detachable from the respective port 102. Each dust cap 112 is held close to the port 102 by a sling 10. The sling 10 has one end that secures or maintains the connection to the dust cap and an opposite end that secures or maintains the connection to the port. Connectors 106, 108, 110 are shown without protective dust covers or slings.However, as will be described below, each of these connectors 106,108,110 may have a protective dust cap that helps a sling 20. Extension 104 includes a cable 120, a connector 122, and a dust cap 124. The dust cap 124 is held in place by the connector 122 when the dust cap 124 is removed from one end of the connector 122 by means of the sling 20. These slings 10 and 20 for ports (or adapters) 102 or for connector 122 can be supplied with coded markings to distinguish ports within a group or from each other, and connectors within a group or from each other. A useful coded marking is the use of a different color. Using colored slings for identification purposes eliminates the need to color dust caps, ports, or connectors. Many of these parts are molded, and offering colored versions can complicate manufacturing and use. Adding a coloring agent to plastic parts can give molded plastic parts different properties that could affect performance, such as sealing with other components or longevity in the field under varying weather or sunlight conditions.Furthermore, colored dust caps, ports, and connectors require that different colored parts be manufactured, procured, and monitored for distribution, sales, and field deployment, ensuring that the desired colors are always available when needed. If the ports, dust caps, and connectors are similar in color, none of these issues arise. Two parts of a reinforced port are shown, including a port body 130 defining a basin portion 132, and threads 134. The dust cap 112 includes a plug body 140 having an external end 142 and a threaded opposite end 144. A seal 146, such as an O-ring, is used in some implementations to aid sealing. Sling 10 includes a first end 150 in the form of a loop. A second end 154 is also in the form of a loop. Each of the loops 150, 154 is pressed onto the flanges 152, 148 to retain the respective first and second ends 150, 140 of sling 10 so that the dust cap 112 is retained with the port body 130. Other constructions besides complete loops, including open loops, are possible. Figure 3 shows an additional view of port 102 with a docking connector 106. Figure 4 shows an exploded view of an internal connector 160, the external connector 106, and the port body 130. Figure 5 shows another port body 130 and another plug body 140 for connecting 106. Figure 6 shows a different closure 200 having four hardened ports 202 each hardened port includes a sling, where the base has been removed to show the interior. Figure 7 shows another closure 300 where some of the ports 302a are connected to connectors and other ports 302b are protected by dust caps 112 each connected by a sling 310 shown schematically. Figure 8 shows a 400 latch mounted on a 402 post that is above ground and not easily accessible to a technician except via a ladder or a cherry-picking device (basket crane). Color-coded markings on the slings can help the technician correctly identify the ports from a distance and potentially identify different latches based on the ports identified by the colored slings. The color-coded markings can save time and / or prevent errors by the technician. Figure 9 shows in more detail an illustrative connector 122 and a dust cover 124 connected by the sling 20. Figure 10 shows in cross section some internal features of the connector 122 and the internal threads 126 that connect the dust cap 124 to the threads 128 of the connector 122. The similar part numbering in Figures 11-50 follows the part numbering used in Figures 1-10. With reference now to Figures 11-16, a sling 410 is shown, which includes a first end 450 and a second end 454. Both the first and second ends 450, 454 are loop-shaped. In this case, complete loops are shown. The webbing body or webbing portion 420 connects both ends. Each loop 450, 454 includes internal retaining lugs 430 to help retain the respective ends, 450, 454, with the port body 130 and the plug body 140 when the loops are pressed onto the flanges. The strap portion 420 is flexible and is shown in the position where the plug body 140 is placed in the basin 132 of the port body 130. The strap portion 420 is flexible to allow the dust cap to be unscrewed and removed from the basin 132. The sling 410 does not impede the rotation of the dust cap. Sling 410 includes two identification areas 460 and 470, which in this example extend from the respective first end 450 and second end 454. These identification areas can be used to further distinguish different slings or to identify ports. For example, the areas can be provided with a tacked-on label, printed with ink, or handwritten, such as with a permanent marker. Although two identification areas 460 and 470 are shown, only one can be provided if desired. With reference now to Figures 17-22, a different 510 sling is shown which has a different size, for use with a different coupling port body 130 and plug body 140. Similar part numbers are used for similar parts described above, e.g., 520, 550, 554, 560, 570. With reference now to Figures 23-26, a different modality of a 610 sling includes two identification areas that extend in a form of tabs extending downward from a 620 webbing portion. Similar part numbers are used for similar parts described above, e.g., 620, 650, 654, 660, 670. With reference now to Figures 27-30, the sling 710 includes a double-hinged webbing portion 720 and an identification area 760 that is coplanar with the first end 750. Similar part numbers are used for similar parts described above, e.g., 720, 750, 754, 760. With reference now to Figures 31-34, the sling 810 includes an identification area 860 that extends at a transverse angle from a webbing portion 820. With reference now to Figures 35-38, the sling 910 includes an identification area 950 in a hinge area of ​​a webbing portion 920. With reference now to Figures 39-42, the sling 1010 with a webbing portion 1020 includes a unique identification area 1060 similar to the sling 410. With reference now to Figures 43-46, the sling 1110 with a includes two identification areas 1160 and 1170 that extend from the first and second ends 1150 and 1154 at different angles to each other and at an angle to a webbing part 1120. With reference now to Figures 47-50, the sling 1210 includes two side tabs 1230 that extend from a webbing portion 1220 to form an identification area 1260. In some cases, the dust cap slings may match the colors of the port body and dust cap. Depending on the user's preference, a matching color may indicate a standard or unused port, while different colors may be assigned to ports and / or sockets for special purposes. The slings may be changed over time as the port's purpose evolves. In preferred configurations, ports, dust caps, and slings are used to close and identify ports on a hardened terminal. Once the dust cap is removed, the sling continues to identify the port by encircling at least part of it. The identification areas mentioned above are larger than a small protrusion, such as a finger tab, which might be useful for removing the sling. The identification area should preferably be large enough to provide a surface for legible text, numbers, or symbols, etc., readable by a technician. The identification area has at least one, and preferably two, dimensions larger than the width of the strap portion. See Figure 11; dimension X and dimension Y are larger than dimension W. The Identification area has at least one, and preferably two, dimensions greater than the width of the looped structures. See Figure 11; the X dimension and the Y dimension are greater than the L1 and L2 dimensions. Preferably, the identification areas project from the strap portion, or far enough from the loop ends so that the coded markings in the identification areas can be seen when mounted on the port or dust cap (i.e., the port and dust cap structures do not cover the coded markings). If two identification areas are provided on the sling, preferably, the two areas are not covered when viewed in an axial direction of the port (i.e., the two areas are offset). If two identification areas are provided, in one modality, it is preferred that one be associated with the loop end for the port, and the other be associated with the loop end for the dust cap.

Claims

1. A telecommunications closure comprising: a body defining a sealed interior for housing cables and fiber optic components; a plurality of ports in the closure body, wherein the ports include a body connecting to the closure body and defining an opening for receiving a telecommunications connector in a sealed manner; a plurality of dust caps, each dust cap including a body that can be received in one of the port bodies; a plurality of slings connecting one of the port bodies to one of the dust cap bodies; wherein the dust cap body can be connected in a sealed manner to the respective port body, and wherein the dust cap body can be removed from the port body to allow access to a connector body; wherein all the port bodies are constructed of a similar color;where all the dust cap bodies are constructed from a similar color; where at least one of the slings has a different color from the port bodies and a different color from the dust cap bodies.; 2. The closure of claim 1, wherein at least two of the slings have different colors from each other.

3. The closure of any of claims 1 and 2, wherein at least one of the slings includes an identification tab defining an identification area extending from a loop of the sling, and / or a webbing portion of the sling.

4. The closure of claim 3, wherein the identification area extends at least partially away from at least one of two loops of the sling.

5. The closure of claims 1-4, wherein two identification areas are included, one of the identification areas being associated with a first loop of the sling and a second identification area being associated with a second loop of the sling.

6. The closure of claims 1-5, wherein all port bodies and all dust cover bodies are constructed of a similar color.

7. The closure of claims 1-6, wherein all port bodies and all dust cap bodies are constructed of a similar molded material, and preferably the same molded material.

8. A telecommunications closure comprising: a body defining a sealed interior for housing cables and fiber optic components; a plurality of ports in the closure body, wherein the ports include a body connecting to the closure body and defining an opening for receiving a telecommunications connector in a sealed manner; a plurality of dust caps, each dust cap including a body that can be received in one of the port bodies; a plurality of slings connecting one of the port bodies to one of the dust cap bodies; wherein the dust cap body can be connected in a sealed manner to the respective port body, and wherein the dust cap body can be removed from the port body to allow access to a connector body;wherein at least one of the slings includes an identification tab extending from a loop of the sling, or a webbing portion of the sling.; 9. The closure of claim 8, wherein the identification area extends at least partially away from at least one of two loops of the sling.

10. The closure of any of claims 8 and 9, wherein two identification areas are included, one of the identification areas being associated with a first loop of the sling and a second identification area being associated with a second loop of the sling.

11. A telecommunications identification device comprising: a sling including two loops connected by a webbing portion; wherein an identification tab defining an identification area extends from: one of the sling loops, two of the sling loops, and / or the webbing portion of the sling.

12. The device of claim 11, wherein the identification area extends at least partially away from at least one of the two sling loops parallel to a plane defined by the at least one loop.

13. The device of any of claims 11 and 12, wherein two identification areas are included, one of the identification areas being associated with a first of the sling loops and a second identification area being associated with a second sling loop.

14. The device of claim 13, wherein one of the identification areas associated with a first of the sling loops extends along the webbing portion, and a second identification area associated with a second sling loop extends away from a center of the second loop and separates from the webbing portion.

15. The device of claims 13 and 14, wherein one of the identification areas associated with a first of the sling loops and a second identification area associated with a second sling loop are both at least partially visible when viewed along an axis of each loop when the axis of each loop is collinear.

16. The device of claim 11, wherein the identification area extends at least partially away from the strap portion and does not extend from either of the two sling loops.

17. The device of claim 11, wherein the identification area associated with a first of the sling loops extends along the webbing portion to form a wider portion than an additional extension webbing portion 5.

18. The device of claim 11, wherein two identification tabs are provided, wherein each identification tab extends from: one of the sling loops, two of the sling loops, and / or the webbing portion of the sling.

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