Hinged Fiber Optic Routing Guide for Bend Radius Control
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Solution Overview
Problem
Current solutions fail to effectively control the bend radius of fiber optic cables over multiple turns while allowing easy access and accommodating multiple cable diameters, which is essential for proper operation and preventing damage, especially during service changes and circuit board replacements.
Innovation Solution
A hinged fiber optic routing guide with a retaining wall and tine system that maintains a pre-determined bend radius, allowing for easy access by hinging the guide up and accommodating multiple cable diameters through a specialized design with orthogonal components and multiple pockets for secure retention.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If fiber optic cables are routed through multiple turns to control bend radius, then cable damage is prevented and proper operation is ensured, but access to the cables becomes difficult and time-consuming
Solution Approach 1:
The routing guide is divided into multiple segments including a base portion, a first guide portion with first bends, and a second guide portion with second bends. This segmentation allows the cable to be routed through controlled bends in discrete sections, maintaining bend radius requirements while enabling access points between segments for service operations.
Solution Approach 2:
The routing guide incorporates flexible or movable components that allow dynamic adjustment of cable paths. The guide structure can be flexed or reconfigured to temporarily increase access to cables during maintenance while maintaining proper bend radius during normal operation, resolving the contradiction between reliability and ease of operation.
2Reliability
If a retention structure is designed for a specific cable diameter, then secure retention is achieved, but accommodation of multiple cable sizes becomes impossible
Solution Approach 1:
The routing guide employs universal retention features including a retention wall with multiple retention slots of different dimensions, and a retention clip with adjustable engagement points. These multi-functional elements can securely retain fiber optic cables of various diameters (1.6mm, 2.0mm, 2.2mm, 3.0mm) using the same structural component, achieving both reliable retention and versatility.
Solution Approach 2:
Different portions of the retention structure have locally optimized characteristics - the retention wall has vertically spaced slots for different cable sizes, while the retention clip has elastically deformable arms that can be pressed to release cables. This local differentiation allows secure retention of multiple cable diameters through a single unified structure.
3Reliability
If the routing guide structure is made rigid to maintain bend radius, then cable protection is ensured, but flexibility for routing adjustments and access is reduced
Solution Approach 1:
The routing guide incorporates flexible membrane portions and thin-walled structural elements that can bend and flex to accommodate routing adjustments and provide access during maintenance. These flexible portions maintain the required bend radius through their geometric design while allowing the necessary movement and reconfiguration for service operations.
Data Source
AI summary
A hinged fiber optic routing guide comprises a base having a front surface and a top edge, a hinge connected to the base top edge, a retaining wall connected to the base front surface, the retaining wall having a pre-determined bend radius, the retaining wall having an inside face, and a retaining tine connected to the retaining wall inside face.