Fiber Optic Cabinet Lift Mechanism for Underground Vault Access
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Solution Overview
Problem
Conventional fiber optic cabinets are difficult to install and maintain due to above-ground placement restrictions and high costs associated with underground installations, necessitating a compact, high-density solution for underground fiber optic systems.
Innovation Solution
A compact fiber optic telecommunication cabinet with a lift mechanism that allows the cabinet to be raised above ground for easier access, combined with modular optical fiber termination blocks for increased connectivity and maintenance flexibility.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Ease of operation
If fiber optic cabinets are placed above ground level, then accessibility for installation and maintenance is improved, but obtaining permits becomes difficult and installation costs increase
Solution Approach 1:
The patent employs a lift mechanism that dynamically changes the cabinet's position between underground (operational) and above-ground (maintenance) states. This dynamic positioning allows the system to achieve both underground cost-effectiveness and above-ground accessibility when needed, resolving the contradiction between permanent placement location and operational accessibility.
Solution Approach 2:
The lift mechanism serves as an intermediary device between the underground vault and the cabinet. It mediates the transition of the cabinet between locations, enabling the cabinet to benefit from underground installation costs while maintaining above-ground accessibility for maintenance operations through controlled vertical movement.
2Ease of operation
If fiber optic cabinets are placed above ground level, then accessibility for installation and maintenance is improved, but permit acquisition becomes increasingly difficult
Solution Approach 1:
The dynamic lift mechanism allows the cabinet to be temporarily positioned above ground for maintenance without requiring permanent above-ground installation permits. The system adapts to regulatory constraints by maintaining underground permanent placement while enabling above-ground access during operational maintenance windows.
3Adaptability or versatility
If underground fiber optic cabinet systems increase capacity and functionality, then network deployment flexibility is improved, but cabinet size reduction becomes challenging
Solution Approach 1:
The patent divides the cabinet into modular segments including removable trays, interchangeable components, and segmented storage sections. This segmentation allows the cabinet to be configured in different capacities and functionalities while maintaining a compact overall size that can fit within underground vault constraints, thereby achieving both high adaptability and size reduction.
Data Source
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AI summary
The present invention relates to a fiber optic telecommunication cabinet for use in fiber optic telecommunication networks combined with a lift to raise the cabinet out of an underground vault. The fiber optic telecommunication cabinet comprises a base and a housing. The base has a plurality of ports passing through the base to allow passage telecommunication cables into the fiber optic cabinet. The fiber optic telecommunication cabinet further includes an optical fiber termination block attached to the base. The optical fiber termination block has a plurality of optical modules supported by the mounting frame, wherein the optical modules may be rotated in a plane perpendicular to the longitudinal direction of the fiber optic telecommunication cabinet from a first storage position to a second accessible position. The lift comprises a lift platform on which the cabinet is disposed. A lifting rod is attached to the lift platform at one end and at another end to a winch via a hook thereof, in order to raise the cabinet.