Fiber Optic Pulling Grip Assembly for Sealed Pre-Terminated Routing
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Solution Overview
Problem
The installation of high fiber-count optical fiber cables in data centers is labor-intensive and requires significant time, with varying quality due to field splicing, and pre-termination poses challenges in fitting and protecting the cables during routing through limited ducts and outdoor environments.
Innovation Solution
A fiber optic cable assembly with a pulling grip assembly that provides sealed protection for pre-terminated fiber end sections, allowing for a small footprint and effective routing of high fiber-count cables, using a furcation body and pulling grip design to secure and protect the fibers during installation.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Productivity
If fusion splicing is performed in the field to connect optical fibers, then connectivity between buildings is achieved, but installation time and labor are excessive (two weeks for two technicians)
Solution Approach 1:
The patent applies pre-termination of optical fibers at the factory before cable deployment. Connectors are attached to optical fibers during manufacturing, eliminating the need for time-consuming field splicing operations. This preliminary action reduces installation time from two weeks to a fraction of that time while maintaining connection quality.
2Productivity
If pre-termination with optical connectors is used to reduce installation time, then installation speed improves, but the cable diameter increases making it difficult to route through limited ducts
Solution Approach 1:
The patent nests the pre-terminated optical fiber connectors within a compact furcation body structure. The furcation body organizes multiple connectors in a space-efficient arrangement that minimizes the overall cable diameter, allowing the pre-terminated cable to fit through standard ducts while maintaining factory-terminated quality.
3Manufacturing precision
If pre-terminated cables are used to eliminate field splicing, then installation quality becomes consistent, but the terminated ends require protection from environmental conditions during routing
Solution Approach 1:
The patent employs a protective covering that encapsulates the pre-terminated optical fiber ends within the furcation body. This protective shell shields the exposed fiber ends from environmental contaminants such as moisture and dust during cable installation and routing, preventing degradation while allowing the cable to be handled and installed.
4Length of moving object
If a large number of terminated optical fibers are placed in a small space to reduce cable size, then cable routing becomes easier, but the density increases making installation and organization difficult
Solution Approach 1:
The patent segments the high fiber-count cable into multiple subunits, each containing a manageable number of optical fibers. The furcation body organizes these subunits with individual connectors accessible in an ordered arrangement, allowing installers to work with smaller groups of fibers rather than handling all thousands of fibers simultaneously, thus maintaining ease of operation while achieving compact cable dimensions.
Data Source
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AI summary
A fiber optic cable assembly comprises: a cable jacket; distinct groups of optical fibers carried within the cable jacket and extending beyond a first end of the cable jacket; a furcation body positioned on the first end of the cable jacket such that the distinct groups of optical fibers extend beyond the furcation body; and a pulling grip assembly having a proximal end selectively secured to the furcation body, a distal end opposite the proximal end, and an interior between the proximal end and the distal end that contains fiber end sections. The interior of the pulling grip assembly is sealed off from an exterior of the cable assembly to provide sealed protection for the fiber end sections over an ambient temperate range of at least between -20 to 50 °C while applying a tensile load of at least 300 lbs to the distal end of the pulling grip assembly.