Pushable Stub Cable Terminal for Underground Conduit Installation
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Solution Overview
Problem
Advancing a stub cable through an underground conduit for fiber optic networks is challenging due to the difficulty in accessing and maneuvering the cable within confined spaces.
Innovation Solution
A pushable stub cable with specific structural characteristics, including rigidity, flexibility, and frictional properties, allows for distal advancement through conduits by applying force from a proximal location, enabling installation even in tight spaces.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Ease of operation
If a stub cable is advanced through an underground conduit, then the cable can be installed in confined spaces, but the difficulty of accessing and maneuvering the cable increases
Solution Approach 1:
The cable is divided into two functional segments: a pushable stub cable portion that can be advanced through the conduit from the proximal end, and a separate termination assembly that is installed at the distal end. This segmentation allows the cable to be pushed through the confined conduit space without requiring complex maneuvering operations, as the stub cable can be advanced independently and then connected to the termination assembly at the remote location.
Solution Approach 2:
Instead of pulling the cable through the conduit from the distal end or maneuvering it through confined spaces, the invention inverts the approach by pushing the stub cable from the proximal end through the conduit to the distal end. This reversal of the traditional installation method simplifies the navigation process by using the larger access point at the proximal end to force the cable through the confined conduit pathway.
2Adaptability or versatility
If the conduit inner diameter is small, then more cables can be installed in tight spaces, but the cable cannot be pulled through without distal pulling
Solution Approach 1:
The invention inverts the traditional cable installation approach by pushing the stub cable from the proximal end through the conduit rather than pulling it from the distal end. This allows the cable to be advanced through small inner diameter conduits using the larger proximal access point, eliminating the need for distal pulling operations that would be impossible in confined spaces.
Solution Approach 2:
The pushable stub cable acts as an intermediary element that bridges the proximal access point and the distal termination assembly. By pushing the stub cable through the conduit first, then connecting it to the termination assembly at the distal end, the system enables cable installation in tight spaces without requiring direct access or pulling capability at the remote location.
3Strength
If the stub cable is made rigid, then it maintains structural integrity, but it becomes difficult to maneuver in confined spaces
Solution Approach 1:
The cable system is segmented into a stub cable portion and a termination assembly, allowing the stub cable to be designed with specific mechanical properties optimized for pushing through conduits, while the termination assembly provides the necessary structural integrity and connection functionality. This segmentation enables each component to be optimized independently for its specific function.
Solution Approach 2:
The stub cable is designed with specific physical parameters including controlled flexibility and frictional characteristics that allow it to be pushed through conduits while maintaining sufficient structural integrity. The cable's mechanical properties are carefully selected to balance pushability through confined spaces with the ability to maintain its form and function during installation and operation.
Data Source
AI summary
A fiber optic cable terminal proximally terminates a stub cable carrying one or more optical fibers. The stub cable is structurally adapted to be advanced through at least a portion of a conduit by distally pushing a distal end of the stub cable from a location that is proximal to a proximal end of the conduit and without applying any pulling force at any location that is distal to the proximal end of the conduit.