Fiber Optic Splice Enclosure Basket With Inner Outer Channels
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing fiber optic splice enclosures are not suitable for advanced optical fiber and ribbon technologies, often requiring protective buffer tubes and experiencing congestion issues during routing, leading to delays and difficulties in splicing operations.
Innovation Solution
A fiber optic splice enclosure design featuring a basket with an outer shell and insert that defines inner and outer channels, allowing for improved routing and protection of optical fibers without the need for buffer tubes, and a splice tray assembly with tabs and a base wall for secure placement and reduced congestion.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Object-affected harmful factors
If protective buffer tubes are used to protect optical fibers in known enclosures, then fiber protection is improved, but assembly time increases significantly
Solution Approach 1:
The patent removes the buffer tube component from the fiber optic enclosure system entirely. The enclosure is designed to directly receive and protect optical fibers without requiring intermediate buffer tubes, thereby eliminating the time-consuming installation step while maintaining fiber protection through the enclosure's structural design
Solution Approach 2:
The enclosure structure serves multiple functions simultaneously: it provides mechanical protection for optical fibers, defines routing pathways, and serves as the final protective barrier. This multi-functionality replaces the need for separate buffer tubes, reducing assembly complexity and time
2Device complexity
If access points for optical fibers to enter splice trays are concentrated, then enclosure structure is simplified, but routing difficulty increases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent divides the fiber access system into multiple distributed access points located at different positions around the enclosure perimeter. This segmentation allows fibers to enter at various locations and be routed to appropriate splice trays without congestion, improving routing ease while maintaining structural simplicity through modular design
3Device complexity
If known enclosures are used with advanced optical fiber ribbons without buffer tubes, then design simplicity is improved, but fiber protection is compromised
Solution Approach 1:
The patent provides fibers with three-dimensional routing pathways defined by sidewalls and base walls, creating protected channels that guide fibers from access points to splice trays. This spatial dimensionality provides protection without requiring additional protective components like buffer tubes, maintaining both simplicity and protection
Data Source
AI summary
A fiber optic splice enclosure includes a basket. The basket includes an outer shell, the outer shell including an outer sidewall defining at least a portion of a periphery of the basket. The basket further includes an insert disposed within the outer shell, the insert including a first sidewall and a second sidewall spaced apart from each other along a transverse axis and each extending along a longitudinal axis to define an inner channel therebetween. The first sidewall and the second sidewall are each further spaced apart from the outer sidewall along the longitudinal axis to define a first outer channel and a second outer channel. The fiber optic splice enclosure further includes a splice tray assembly including at least one splice tray, the splice tray assembly disposed within the inner channel.