Hinged Optical Fiber Enclosure for Fast Access and Contaminant Sealing
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing fiber optic enclosures are unsuitable for frequent access and maintenance at distribution points near end-user premises, requiring cumbersome opening and closing procedures that can lead to water leakage and complications in splicing operations, and lack protection from contaminants.
Innovation Solution
A non-circular optical fiber enclosure with a hinged base unit and a removably engaged top unit, featuring an auto-lock mechanism and compressed polymer sealing, allowing easy access and secure closure, and accommodating modular components for enhanced protection and maintenance.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Object-affected harmful factors
If vault-type enclosures are used to protect optical fibers and splices, then protection from contaminants is improved, but access complexity increases significantly requiring removal of bulky lids and sealed splice cases
Solution Approach 1:
The enclosure is divided into a stationary base portion and a removable cover portion. The base portion remains installed at the distribution point while the cover can be easily removed and reattached. This segmentation allows the enclosure to maintain protection when closed while enabling quick access when open, resolving the contradiction between security and accessibility.
Solution Approach 2:
The splicing operation is extracted from the enclosed protected environment and performed outside the enclosure. The design allows technicians to work on splices in accessible locations rather than requiring the entire splice case to be removed from the protected vault, maintaining protection while enabling field splicing operations.
2Reliability
If sealed splice cases with multiple fasteners are used, then enclosure security is improved, but servicing time increases making them unsuitable for frequent access
Solution Approach 1:
The fastening system is segmented into a minimal set of fasteners located only on the cover portion. When the cover is removed, all servicing activities can be performed without requiring additional fasteners to be undone. This reduces the time for frequent access while maintaining security when the cover is attached.
Solution Approach 2:
All necessary splicing components and tools are arranged in advance within the cover portion before it is attached to the base. The cover is pre-configured with splice trays, cable management, and access points so that when attached, everything needed for splicing is already in position, enabling quick field splicing without additional setup time.
3Object-affected harmful factors
If buried vault enclosures are used, then protection from weather and contaminants is improved, but installation and access become cumbersome requiring removal of multiple components
Solution Approach 1:
The enclosure is segmented into a base portion that is installed in the ground conduit and a separate cover portion that is attached afterward. This allows the base to be installed using standard conduit installation procedures while the cover is simply snap-fit or screwed onto the base, dramatically simplifying installation compared to installing complete sealed vaults.
Solution Approach 2:
The base portion is designed to be universal and can be installed in standard ground conduits without requiring special vault installation procedures. The same base can accommodate different cover configurations for different splicing needs, making the system adaptable to various installation scenarios while maintaining simple installation procedures.
Data Source
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AI summary
The present disclosure relates to an optical fiber enclosure (102) comprising a non-circular base unit (106) defined by one or more walls (1110, 1112) having a burying end (1204) and a connection end (1202), and a non-circular top unit (402) defined by an open end (606) and a closed end (602). In particular, the burying end (1204) is an open end configured for subterranean placement beneath a land surface. And, the open end (606) of the non-circular top unit (402) is removably engageable with the connection end (1202) of the non-circular base unit (106). Further, the one or more walls (1110, 1112) of the non-circular base unit (106) are removably hinged along adjacent vertical edges (1114) and partially openable to enable access to optical fiber components inside the non-circular base unit (106).