Optical Fiber Closure Partition for Flood Water Drainage
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Solution Overview
Problem
Optical fiber cable closures face challenges with water immersion, particularly when installed on roads, as they can be flooded during rain, leading to prolonged water contact with coated fibers, which weakens the fibers and requires quick opening and closing to minimize traffic obstruction.
Innovation Solution
A closure with a funnel-shaped partition and a frustum-shaped coated optical fiber housing that allows for easy drainage by separating the interior into two spaces, with a smaller base cable insertion hole on the road side to prevent water retention and a sealing lid for rapid opening and closing, utilizing a sealing material to prevent air venting and further water ingress.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If the closure is designed for underground installation with waterproof measures, then water protection is improved, but the drainage function during temporary flooding is insufficient and water retention occurs
Solution Approach 1:
The closure interior is divided into a first space (road side) and a second space (opposite side) by the coated optical fiber housing with different functions: the first space allows water entry and drainage, while the second space protects the connection part. This segmentation enables differentiated water management in different zones.
Solution Approach 2:
The cable insertion hole is extracted from the bottom surface of the first space, creating a separate opening that allows water to drain out quickly while maintaining the protective function of the closure body.
2Ease of manufacture
If the closure is designed with traditional structure, then manufacturing simplicity is maintained, but opening and closing time is excessive and obstructs traffic
Solution Approach 1:
The lid is designed to be movable and removable, transforming the closure from a fixed structure to a dynamic one that can be quickly opened and closed. This enables rapid access to the connection part while maintaining protection during normal operation.
3Productivity
If the closure allows water entry for drainage, then drainage function is improved, but water may contact the connection part
Solution Approach 1:
The coated optical fiber housing creates a clear division between the first space (water-permeable) and the second space (water-protected), ensuring that drainage occurs in the first space while the connection part in the second space remains protected from water contact.
Solution Approach 2:
The coated optical fiber housing acts as an intermediary structure between the water-exposed first space and the water-protected second space, allowing water to pass through the housing structure while protecting the sensitive connection components.
Applied Scientific Principles
This section explains which scientific principles are used to turn an abstract innovation direction into a practical engineering solution.
Function Achieved in This Case
The closure effectively prevents continuous water contact with optical fibers during temporary flooding and enhances workability by allowing quick opening and closing, reducing the time optical fibers are exposed to water and minimizing traffic disruptions.
Implementation Method 1
the coated optical fiber housing has a frustum shape with two bases each open, a base with a smaller area of the two bases protruding toward the side of the road... water entering the second space during flooding is easily drained from the cable insertion hole into the first space
Implementation Method 2
at least one of the main body or the lid preferably have a sealing material that adheres to the main body and the lid when the main body and the lid are screwed with each other
Data Source
AI summary
An object is to provide a closure with a structure having a drainage function to eliminate water immersion into a coated optical fiber against temporary flooding and to prevent water from continuously contacting the coated optical fiber. Another object is to provide a closure with improved workability for opening and closing.A closure according to the present invention protects a connection part that connects a coated optical fiber enclosed in a optical fiber cable with a coated optical fiber enclosed in a optical fiber cable. The closure includes a coated optical fiber housing that divides an interior of the closure into a first space that is on a side of a road and has a main body cable insertion hole for inserting the optical fiber cables from an exterior and a second space that is on an opposite side of the road and includes the connection part. The coated optical fiber housing has a frustum shape with two bases each open and a base with a smaller area of the two bases protruding toward the side of the road. The base with the smaller area of the two bases is a cable insertion hole for inserting the optical fiber cable from the first space into the second space and is not in contact with a bottom surface of the first space on the side of the road.