Optical Fiber Cassette With Parallel Groove Combs
Find Innovative SolutionsGenerate Solutions
Solution Overview
Problem
Existing cassette designs for coiling and protecting optical fibers are bulky and require disassembly to add additional microtubes, leading to signal attenuation and fiber breakage risks.
Innovation Solution
A compact cassette design featuring combs with grooves parallel to the plane, integrated into the side edges, and recesses allowing microtubes to be added without disassembly, eliminating the need for flaps and ensuring secure fiber retention with ribs.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If a comb with grooves orthogonal to the cassette plane is used, then the microtubes are held securely, but the cassette becomes bulky and requires disassembly to add microtubes
Solution Approach 1:
The grooves in the comb are arranged substantially parallel to the plane of the cassette instead of orthogonal to it. This dimensional reorientation allows the comb to hold microtubes securely while reducing the vertical height requirement, thereby decreasing the overall cassette volume without compromising fiber retention reliability.
2Reliability
If a flap is used to cover the grooves, then the microtubes are protected, but the comb must be disassembled to add microtubes
Solution Approach 1:
The flap component is completely removed from the design. Instead, the comb structure itself provides both holding and protection functions through its open grooves that face the recess, eliminating the need for disassembly while maintaining fiber protection through the recess geometry and comb positioning.
3Device complexity
If the comb is integrated into the cassette, then the structure is simplified, but access to grooves becomes difficult
Solution Approach 1:
The comb is integrated into the cassette body with grooves oriented parallel to the cassette plane and opening toward a recess. This local structural arrangement provides easy access to the grooves through the recess while maintaining the simplified integrated structure, allowing microtubes to be inserted without disassembly.
Data Source
Figure 1~2
Figure 3~4
Figure 5
AI summary
The invention relates to a cassette (1) for coiling fibers and holding splices, comprising at least one fiber holding element (4) provided with grooves (4A), called a comb (4), the grooves (4A) of the comb (4) being substantially parallel to the plane of the cassette (1), characterized in that each comb (4) is disposed on the lateral edge (7) of the cassette (1) and in that the lateral edge (7) includes near the comb (4) a recess (10) allowing the passage of fibers.