Multi-Fiber Reel and Fixed Adapters for Slack-Free Cable Deployment
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Solution Overview
Problem
Technicians face challenges in determining the exact length of fiber cable needed for FDH installations, leading to issues with excess slack or insufficient cable, and conventional FDHs require disconnecting drop cables during deployment due to adapter rotation.
Innovation Solution
A multi-fiber reel and adapter assembly with a base, cable reel, and fixed adapters that allow drop cables to be connected before deployment, enabling the reel to rotate while keeping cables attached, using flanges and header portions to manage cable slack and rotation.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Ease of operation
If the adapter plate is mounted to the spool and rotates with the spool during cable deployment, then the adapter plate can be connected to the spool easily, but the drop cables connected to the adapter plate will be damaged due to rotation
Solution Approach 1:
The system is divided into two independent parts: the spool assembly that rotates during deployment, and the adapter plate that remains stationary. The breakout cables are routed through guides to separate the rotational motion of the spool from the adapter plate, preventing damage to connected drop cables while maintaining ease of assembly
Solution Approach 2:
Cable guides act as intermediaries between the rotating spool and the stationary adapter plate. These guides redirect the breakout cables so that they rotate with the spool initially, then transition to a fixed path that prevents rotation at the adapter plate connection point, protecting connected cables
2Productivity
If the technician approximates the length of input fiber cable before installing the FDH, then the installation can proceed without delay, but the approximated length may be too short requiring splicing or too long creating excess slack
Solution Approach 1:
The spool assembly provides dynamic cable length adjustment. The technician can pay out cable as needed during installation, converting a static approximation problem into a dynamic adjustment process. This allows the cable length to be precisely tailored to the actual distance between the FDH and fiber connection point, eliminating both splicing requirements and excess slack
Solution Approach 2:
The system prepares for variable cable length requirements by providing a spool with sufficient cable length from the outset. This preliminary preparation eliminates the need for post-installation splicing or slack management, as the correct length can be paid out during the installation process itself
Data Source
AI summary
A multi-fiber reel and adapter assembly includes a base, a cable reel mounted to the base, and a plurality of adapters fixedly mounted to the base. The cable reel is configured to rotate relative to the base and the adapters, and each of the adapters is configured to couple a fiber optic cable from the cable reel with a fiber optic drop cable that is configured to run from the respective adapter to a location of an end user that is remote from the assembly.