MDU Façade Fiber Cable Routing with Drop-Line Strain Control
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Solution Overview
Problem
There is a need for a reliable and aesthetically viable system to manage and support service drop lines from a fiber optic trunk cable on the façade of a multidwelling unit (MDU) building, avoiding excessive strain and unsightly appearances.
Innovation Solution
The system involves fixing connection enclosures on the façade and using cable support members to route and secure fiber optic distribution cables and drop lines, ensuring adequate support and minimizing visual impact.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Strength
If service drop lines are lashed to a fiber optic trunk cable, then the drop lines can be supported, but the strain on the trunk cable increases significantly
Solution Approach 1:
The support function is segmented between multiple independent elements: connection enclosures mounted on the building façade, cable support members with gripping elements, and the trunk cable itself. This distributes the mechanical load rather than concentrating it on the trunk cable, allowing the drop lines to be supported without excessive strain on the fiber optic infrastructure.
Solution Approach 2:
Cable support members act as intermediary elements between the drop lines and the trunk cable. These support members include gripping elements that securely hold the drop lines while attaching to the trunk cable through openings in the connection enclosures, providing mechanical support without directly lashing the drop lines to the trunk cable in a manner that would create excessive strain.
2Strength
If traditional copper wire cables are lashed to the trunk cable for support, then the drop lines can be supported, but the installation complexity and cost increase due to make-ready work
Solution Approach 1:
The connection enclosures and cable support members are designed to be self-contained units that can be directly mounted on the building façade and secured to the trunk cable without requiring extensive pre-preparation or make-ready work. The enclosures include integrated mounting mechanisms and the support members have gripping elements that simplify the attachment process, reducing installation complexity compared to traditional methods.
Solution Approach 2:
The connection enclosures serve multiple functions: they provide a mounting structure for the cable support members, offer protection for the fibers, and enable secure attachment to the trunk cable. This multi-functionality eliminates the need for separate support wires and reduces the overall complexity of the installation system.
3Ease of manufacture
If drop lines are allowed to hang loosely on the façade, then installation is simpler, but the appearance becomes unsightly and the lines are vulnerable to damage
Solution Approach 1:
The cable support members incorporate flexible gripping elements that can adapt to the position and orientation of the drop lines while maintaining secure support. This dynamic capability allows the system to accommodate various routing configurations and maintains an organized, aesthetically pleasing appearance without requiring rigid or complex mounting structures.
Data Source
AI summary
A procedure for providing fiber optic service to users in living units inside a multidwelling unit (MDU) building having an outside wall or façade. A number of connection enclosures are fixed on the façade along a path extending in the region of a set of living units to be serviced via associated drop lines. A feeder cable containing fibers assigned to service the living units is routed through the enclosures. Inside a given enclosure, fibers of a given drop line are connected to a set of fibers in the feeder cable that are assigned to service a living unit with which the line is associated. Before the drop lines pass through the façade to enter the living units, the lines are managed over the façade by inserting them into one or more cable support members that are fastened to the façade and in which the feeder cable is also inserted for support.