Optical Junction Box Pivoting Tray for Fiber Access
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Solution Overview
Problem
Current optical junction boxes for FTTx networks face challenges in fiber management and risk of fiber damage due to limited access and coupling issues between cable storage, splicing, and retaining areas, especially after initial installation.
Innovation Solution
An optical junction box design featuring a base with a pivotally attached retaining tray that separates cable storage, splicing, and routing areas, allowing for improved access and reduced risk of fiber damage through configurable apertures and sealing mechanisms, enabling easier maintenance and operation.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If the junction box uses a fixed coupled arrangement between lower tray and upper tray, then the structure is stable and compact, but the access to fiber receiving area is limited and fiber damage risk increases
Solution Approach 1:
The retaining tray is made movable relative to the base through a pivotal connection, allowing it to rotate between a closed position (protecting fibers) and an open position (providing access). This dynamic mechanism resolves the contradiction by enabling both protection and accessibility at different operational stages.
2Ease of operation
If the junction box provides full access to fiber receiving area, then ease of operation is improved, but fiber damage risk increases
Solution Approach 1:
The pivotal connection allows the retaining tray to be opened only when needed for installation or maintenance, and closed during normal operation to protect fibers. This controlled accessibility resolves the contradiction by providing full access when required while minimizing exposure time that could lead to damage.
3Ease of operation
If the junction box separates cable storage, splicing, and retaining areas, then fiber management is improved, but device complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The junction box is divided into distinct functional areas: a base with fiber receiving area, a retaining tray with splicing area, and separate cable storage sections. This segmentation improves fiber management by organizing different operations in dedicated zones while the integrated design keeps overall complexity manageable.
Solution Approach 2:
The retaining tray is positioned above the base in a vertical arrangement, creating separate operational layers. This vertical dimensionality allows independent access to splicing and cable management areas without interfering with each other, improving fiber management while maintaining a compact footprint.
Data Source
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AI summary
An optical junction box (1) comprising a base (10) having a fiber receiving area (11) and a sidewall (12) surrounding the fiber receiving area (11) and defining an access aperture (13) to the fiber receiving area (11); the sidewall (12) comprising one or more first apertures (14) configured to receive optical cables (2) having one or more optical fibers and one or more second apertures (15) configured to receive pre-connectorized optical cables (3); a retaining tray (20) pivotally attached to the base (10) to pivot between a closed position, in which the retaining tray (20) prevents access to the fiber receiving area (11), and an open position, in which the retaining tray (20) is rotated with respect to the base (10) to allow access to the fiber receiving area (11); the retaining tray (20) has a first surface (20a) facing the fiber receiving area (11) in the closed position and an opposite second surface (20b); the retaining tray (20) comprising cable retaining members (30) arranged on the second surface (20b) and configured to retain the pre-connectorized optical cables (3) to constrain the retained pre-connectorized optical cables (3) to the retaining tray (20) and to hold optical adapters (4) for connecting the retained pre-connectorized optical cables (3) to optical fibers (5), fiber routing apertures (40) configured to route one or more optical fibers (5) of optical cables (2) from the fiber receiving area (11) to the optical adapters (4) held by the cable retaining members (30), tray splicing members (100) arranged on the second surface (20b) and configured to hold optical fiber splices.