Flexible Cable Breakout Assembly for Hybrid Trunk to Jumper Transition
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Solution Overview
Problem
The transition from hybrid trunk cables to jumper cables in wireless infrastructure is cumbersome, leading to installation challenges such as time inefficiency, safety concerns, and connector damage due to the need for field connections and potential errors in power and fiber connections.
Innovation Solution
A flexible cable breakout assembly with serially arranged connector modules and flex members that maintain axial spacing while allowing for flexibility, enabling easier installation and reduced risk of connector damage, featuring a hybrid trunk cable with power and optical fibers connected through these modules.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Ease of operation
If connections are made inside the enclosure in the field, then the transition from trunk cable to jumper cable is achieved, but installation time increases and safety concerns arise
Solution Approach 1:
The connector modules are pre-assembled with connectors attached outside the field, and the cable breakout assembly is pre-configured with all necessary connections made during manufacturing rather than during installation. This preliminary preparation eliminates time-consuming field connection work and reduces installation errors.
Solution Approach 2:
The cable breakout assembly serves as an intermediary device that pre-establishes all connections between trunk cable conductors and jumper cable connectors. By acting as a pre-configured intermediate component, it eliminates the need for field technicians to make direct connections, thereby reducing installation time and improving safety.
2Ease of operation
If connections are made in the field, then the transition is completed, but connection errors such as loose power connections and poor fiber cleaning occur
Solution Approach 1:
All connections are pre-made in a controlled manufacturing environment where proper techniques and quality control can be ensured. Connectors are pre-attached and tested before the assembly reaches the installation site, eliminating field errors related to loose connections and improper fiber handling.
Solution Approach 2:
The cable breakout assembly is designed to be self-contained with all connections pre-established. The assembly essentially installs itself as a complete unit, removing the need for field technicians to perform connection tasks that are prone to human error, thereby improving connection reliability.
3Adaptability or versatility
If multiple runs of RF cable are used, then each sector can be powered, but the system complexity and installation difficulty increase
Solution Approach 1:
The invention consolidates multiple cable runs into a single hybrid trunk cable that carries both power and optical fibers. The cable breakout assembly merges multiple conductor paths into one integrated cable system, reducing the number of separate cable installations needed while maintaining the ability to power multiple sectors.
Solution Approach 2:
The hybrid trunk cable serves multiple functions simultaneously by carrying both power conductors and optical fibers through a single cable. The cable breakout assembly is designed to handle this multi-functional cable and distribute both power and data signals to multiple sectors, reducing overall system complexity.
4Adaptability or versatility
If connector modules are arranged in serial relationship with gaps, then flexibility is enabled, but the axial spacing may increase causing instability
Solution Approach 1:
The cable breakout assembly uses a flexible outer covering or sheath that envelops the serially arranged connector modules. This flexible shell maintains the axial spacing between modules while allowing the entire assembly to bend and flex as needed during installation and routing, preventing both excessive spacing and rigid structural failures.
Data Source
AI summary
A cable breakout assembly includes: a cable including a plurality of signal-carrying members enclosed in a protective jacket; a plurality of connector modules, each of the connector modules having at least one side wall and a connector mounted thereto, wherein the connector modules are arranged in serial relationship along an axis, with a gap between adjacent connector modules; and at least one flex member extending between the connector modules that substantially prevents the axial spacing of the gaps between adjacent connector modules from increasing, but enables adjacent connector modules to flex about the axis relative to each other. Each of the signal carrying-members is connected with a respective connector.