External optical terminal box (Machine-translation by Google Translate, not legally binding)

ES 1 134 583 U

DESCRIPTION

Outdoor Optical Terminal Box

Object of the invention

The present invention has application in the technical sector of fiber optic telecommunications and especially in outdoor optical terminal boxes that provide customers with service and access to the operators' fiber optic networks.

Background of the invention

At present, fiber optic networks have optical terminal boxes as an essential element to give physical access to the end customers to the central network and thus be able to access the services offered by the different operators.

These boxes house the elements necessary to precisely divide the existing resources between the connected clients.

The external location of the optical terminal boxes entails a series of essential requirements in terms of resistance to weather conditions, vandalism, accessibility or security. The state of the art proposes different solutions to safeguard the interior elements with more or less armored designs, but one of the most critical points are the accesses, which ideally should be able to be easily manipulated by authorized installers (and more taking into account that the boxes they are usually installed in locations that are not easily accessible in height to avoid vandalism) but at the same time they have to guarantee the maximum tightness and resistance possible.

One of the possibilities offered in the state of the art are external optical boxes, such as the one proposed in the Electroson utility model ES1077394U, where a box is described that delimits the power network of the distribution network and incorporates only the first stage divider. Inside it has 24 miniCAU-type splice trays, but in terms of accesses, it only includes accesses for cables 2

ES 1 134 583 U multifiber, so that end customers cannot hang directly from it.

In addition, size limitations are also a problem to face depending on the location chosen for installation, as well as the internal components of the boxes. State-of-the-art solutions do not offer room for maneuver when faced with the need to install a box in a location with space restrictions and it lacks solutions with a reduced size that allow the installation of 1:16 dividers inside or internal manipulations. Small products are often inaccessible internally and with less capacity (Corning Multiport and TE Connectivity).

The existence of any type of optical terminal box or other invention of similar application that presents appropriate technical, structural and configuration characteristics for the connection in a robust and direct way of the customer at an interconnection point between the power supply and the operator's dispersion network, so solutions in this sense would be a contribution to be taken into account by the state of the art.

Description of the invention

The present invention relates to an outdoor pre-connectorized optical terminal box. Said box comprises a base (3) that has at least one access (2) for power cables; a cover that has a sealing gasket (10) and that is attached to the base by means of first fixing means; a housing for a cassette-type pre-connected optical splitter (6) and at least one splice tray (8), inside the box. The box is characterized in that its base also comprises reinforced external connectors (4), for example of the bayonet type, in such a way that a pre-connected connection from a customer can be connected directly from the outside of the box to any one of said connectors.

The shape of the optical divider used in the preferred embodiment is that of a parallelepiped measuring 100x50x10 (mm), with a 1:16 divider inside. The outputs of the divider are 1.8mm diameter cords and are 530 + -20mm long. All outputs are terminated on SC / APC connectors. In this way, when connecting a connectorized customer connection compatible with the present invention, it is directly 3

ES 1 134 583 U is connecting with the optical splitter. The use of this type of splitter allows its installation in the field in a simple way since it is only necessary to fuse the input of the splitter with one of the supply fibers of the box.

The splice tray can be fixed to the base by means of second fixing means, which are pivotable and allow the tray to pivot to facilitate access to it by an operator. One of the embodiments of the invention comprises a hinge as a pivotable element.

The box can further comprise organizing means inside it to guide and store tubes, fibers, pigtails, splices, connectors and / or passive devices inside the box.

According to an embodiment of the invention, the organizing means comprise flanges and clips for fixing the wiring to the box.

The organizing means may comprise a storage winch (9) to receive the excess lengths of the output fibers from the optical splitter.

Additionally, the outer connectors may comprise a plug (5) to maintain the tightness of the box, which plugs each of the outer connectors when they are not used to connect a connection.

The other accesses for cables, according to an embodiment of the invention, can have a shutter that allows the box to be watertight.

One of the embodiments of the invention, which is referred to as a "small box", contemplates that the box maintains adequate proportions to be installed inside an outdoor cabinet. The realizations that do not respond to space limitations, which are referred to as "big box" maintain standard proportions that allow them to house more elements inside and thus offer more functionalities.

One of the embodiments of the large box of the invention comprises that the first fixing means for attaching the lid to the base comprise clip-type closures (46) and a hinge (33). In this way, the lid and base can be opened and closed, but always 4

ES 1 134 583 U are held together at least by the hinge.

The present invention may additionally have universal access points (38) in the base for multi-fiber cables. This embodiment has an internal distribution of the elements that allows the loose tubes not to intersect at any point with the outlets of the dividers.

Additionally, a removable plate (41) with a cable entry can be installed in the large box embodiments, said plate is attached to the base with tie-down means (78). Using a corner profile, the plate can be fixed both to the front and to the bottom of the box, whereby by removing the plate the cable can be prepared on the outside of the box and then reinserting the plate. The fastening means, preferably screws, guarantee the perfect tightness of the assembly once they are secured.

A particular embodiment of the invention contemplates that at least 5 splice trays are included inside the box. When the box of the present invention is not to be subjected to very severe space restrictions, this large box embodiment with at least 5 trays is preferable as it offers more functionality.

Optionally, the box of the present invention may comprise a second component-type optical splitter attached to one of the trays. The upper tray is preferably used.

Optionally, the box of the present invention may comprise a second outer lid and / or base to protect the interior of the box in the event of accidental breakage.

According to one of the embodiments of the invention, it is contemplated to include fixing elements (45) in the base of the box for installation on a wall by means of screws. These same or other fixing means can also be used to fix a support for concrete posts.

The present invention therefore develops a new solution that functions as an interconnection point between the power supply network and the operator's dispersion network. The functionality and design of the box of the present invention, allows sharing the section of 5

ES 1 134 583 U dispersion with other operators, since it uses pre-connected external connections and also allows to house a certain number of splice trays, a certain capacity for tubes in passage, trays for changing sections and / or trays for the accommodation of optical splitters. The use of a cassette-type pre-connectorized divider located outside the splice trays, is a solution that allows the splice trays to be free for other uses, which provides great functionality to the box and, together with the internal distribution of the elements , contributes to quick installation times by facilitating said installation.

Description of the drawings

To complement the description that is being made and in order to help a better understanding of the characteristics of the invention, according to a preferred example of a practical embodiment thereof, a set of drawings is attached as an integral part of said description. for illustrative and non-limiting purposes, the following has been represented:

Figure 1.- Shows a detailed view of a first embodiment of the invention of reduced dimensions and suitable for placing in an outdoor cabinet, where the splice tray can be seen in a perpendicular position with respect to the base.

Figure 2.- Shows a second detailed view of the first embodiment of the invention, where the splice tray is now shown in a parallel position with respect to the base.

Figure 3.- Shows a detailed view of a second embodiment of the invention of larger dimensions, the cover attached to the base by means of a hinge and other additional functionalities to the embodiment shown in Figures 1 and 2.

Figure 4.- Shows a view of the second embodiment of the invention with alternative accesses included in a removable plate.

Figure 5.- Shows a detailed view of the front part of the second embodiment of the invention, where all the connectors can be clearly seen.

Figure 6.- Shows a detailed view of the removable plate, according to one of the embodiments 6

ES 1 134 583 U of the invention.

Figure 7.- Shows a plan view of the second embodiment of the invention where the details of the organizing system can be seen.

Figure 8.- Shows a detailed view of the second embodiment of the invention, where all the trays are shown in a vertical position with respect to the base.

Detailed description of the invention

In view of these figures, it can be seen how the external optical terminal box (CTO) of the present invention is constituted, according to one of its embodiments shown in figure 1, by an enveloping casing (1) of reduced dimensions or " small box ”, suitable for those locations in the operator's fiber optic access network where space limitations exist and the installation of a standard outdoor CTO is not possible. Preferably these dimensions will not exceed 195 x 220 x 120 mm (width x height x depth), which is perfectly appropriate for a general application scenario in dispersed areas that are served from outdoor cabinets.

As the interconnection point between the distribution networks and the operator's dispersion network, the CTO allows the connection of individual connections. It has the capacity to serve up to 16 clients and is made up of a substantially rectangular enclosure, a fiber organizing system and passive elements.

According to this embodiment suitable for limited spaces, the CTO has an access (2) that allows access to at least one pointed power cable. A cable gland can be included in said access.

The installation can be carried out outdoors, either on facades, roofs or poles, although given its small dimensions, it is very appropriate for locations where there are space limitations, such as outdoor cabinets. The base of the CTO has the necessary elements for its fixation (45), which will allow its subjection by means of fixing elements such as screws and / or plugs, in addition to allowing the fixation

ES 1 134 583 U CTO brackets on concrete poles.

The casing consists of a base and a lid, which can be replaced independently and are in contact by means of a sealing gasket (10), so that when the box is closed the interior is completely watertight. The cover can be separated from the base (3) according to this embodiment of the invention, according to which both are joined together by means of inserts and / or screws. As it is intended for very confined spaces, the use of a hinged lid is not considered appropriate.

The base of the box has at least one cable access (2) that is located in the lower part of the front of the box. This access allows the entry of a pointed cable of up to 16mm in diameter.

The cable entry has an appropriate shutter that allows the box to be watertight, protecting it from the entry of dust and liquids.

The cable entry system will be reusable, so that the cables can be assembled and disassembled without the addition of auxiliary material and without the need to use heat-shrink tubing.

The base of the CTO box has, in the lower part of the front of the box, 16 reinforced bayonet-type adapters (4). The reinforced adapters withstand the weather conditions in which the box is installed, providing protection to the corresponding low-loss connectors arranged on the front of the base. All reinforced adapters on the outside of the box are protected by a suitable and captive plug (5), which provides watertightness and a minimum degree of protection of IP 65. On the inside of the box, these adapters allow the connection of the connectors type SC / APC of the output ports of the dividers.

The distribution of the connectors, as can be seen in the figures, is designed in such a way that the connection and disconnection of a connection can be carried out comfortably and does not affect the optical circuit of an adjacent connection. Each of these connectors, or

ES 1 134 583 U input ports, is perfectly identified from the outside of the box. Said identification can be carried out, for example, with numbering printed next to each port and / or including the identification on the cover.

In figure 2 it can be seen how part of the front panel (21) protrudes in an embodiment of the invention to further facilitate connection and disconnection of connections by an operator.

The pre-wired connections compatible with this box will use a reinforced bayonet-type connector (4) which, once coupled to the CTO, guarantees sufficient environmental protection for outdoor conditions (minimum IP 65). For customer registration, it is not necessary to open the box to make the connection of the pre-wired connection cables. All you have to do is remove the cap from the corresponding adapter and insert the cable connector, fixing it properly. In this way, the connections are made individually, without any other element of the box being affected in the process.

The organizing system contained inside the box includes all the means and elements necessary for the correct guidance, respecting the radius of curvature of the fibers, from the connectorized outputs of the divider to the internal part of the connection panel, where all positions are identified, and from the divider entrance to the splice tray. Guiding comprises guiding the loose tubes to the splice trays; guiding the pigtails (which contain fibers with low sensitivity to bending) and strands from the splice trays to the patch panel; guiding and storing excess cable from the splitter outputs to the connection panel.

Figure 1 shows the organizing system for the implementation of the invention of reduced dimensions where the reserved space (6) can be seen for housing a pre-connected 1:16 cassette-type divider, with its outputs terminated in an SC / APC connector and the pointed entry. For example, a divider with dimensions 100x50x10 mm can be used. There is also a thread guide (7) to guide the entrance of the divider to the tray.

ES 1 134 583 U connection (8). The outputs of the divider can lead to excess lengths, for which a storage winch (9) is provided to roll them up. There are also clips (21) to tie the aramid of the power cable, as shown in figure 2.

Inside the box there is at least one splice tray (8) with capacity for 16 fusions. The splice tray (8) can pivot thanks to a hinge (23), adopting two different positions, perpendicular or parallel with respect to the base, as seen in figures 1 and 2 respectively, thereby facilitating access to the tray by an operator. The size of the heat shrink splice protector used once contracted is 45mm long x 2.6mm diameter. The support to fix it is made of flexible material to allow a correct fixation that also absorbs small tolerances in diameter in the splice protectors.

A second embodiment of the invention, or "large box", represented in Figures 3-7, contemplates measures more in accordance with the usual standards, which do not respond to any space limitation, and the CTO has dimensions of approximately 240 x 375 x 120 mm (width x height x depth). By forgoing the compact measurements of the previous small box embodiment, this second embodiment retains all the features, but also extends the functionality as described below.

According to figure 3, the cover (32) is attached to the base (31) by means of a hinge (33) that makes it possible to open and close it, making it impossible to separate the base and the cover. without causing it to break, once the box is closed.

The cover includes a metal support (34) with a guide (36) through which a second support (35) located on the base and retained by said guide slides, allowing the open cover to be held in at least two fixed working positions. at 90 ° and approximately 130 ° from the base.

There is a gasket (37) in the contact area between the cover and the base that guarantees the sealing of the assembly when the box is closed. The closing of the box is therefore 10

ES 1 134 583 U watertight to prevent the entry of water or dust. The sealing of the box is carried out by mechanical or cold procedures, avoiding the sealing processes that require flame or heat. When required, for maintenance or expansion, the boxes can be reopened and re-closed without interrupting operating circuits.

This larger alternative embodiment has at least two entrances at the base (38) of the box or a double entry that allows access for a cable in passing, with a maximum modularity of 64 fo (PKP type). Cable entries are universally accessible, avoiding having to thread loose tubes through oval entries or cable glands. When closing the box, the tab (30) on the cover presses the cables, keeping them fixed.

Figure 4 shows an alternative that also has two additional inputs (39) that, each one of them, allows access to any of the following cable combinations:

• One PKP type cable up to 64 fo • Two 7 mm diameter type KT cables • Two 8.5 x 4.7 mm flat type cables

The central cable entries, instead of being universal accesses as in figure 3, respond to oval entries (40) installed on a removable plate (41) at the base of the box, secured by means of a screw (43). The plate is removable, so that from the front of the box, represented in figure 5, the plate (41) that contains the oval inlets (40) can be removed by manipulating the clamping screw (44) that fixes it to the front from the box to keep it watertight. The advantage is that cable preparation can be done out of the box.

Figure 6 shows a detailed view of the plate, which as a result of using oval inlets that need to thread the cables, adds some cable glands.

Regarding the organizing system, figure 7 shows how to fix the multi-fiber cable to the box there is, on the one hand, a system of flanges (71) for the retention of 11

ES 1 134 583 U the cover and, secondly, some clips (72) for the retention of the aramid of said cables.

There are some thread guides (73) for the outputs of the dividers and, to manage the excess length of the outputs of the dividers, hangers (74) are placed.

Directly on the base, there is a housing space (75) for a 1:16 pre-connected cassette-type divider. The space has appropriate dimensions at least for models with dimensions 100x50x10 mm. There is also space to store loose tubes in passage (up to a maximum of 7 tubes of 2.5 mm in diameter and 2 m in length).

Embodiments of the invention without size restrictions may have multiple trays (76). In figure 8 one of the preferred possibilities can be seen, located on the storage space and facilitating access to the different splice trays by rotating them around an element (81) that allows them to pivot, preferably a hinge, thus remaining in a vertical position when the box is installed. The minimum number of trays of trays contemplated in this second embodiment is 5, in order to allow a change of section of the input cable to the box in step (maximum 64 fo), if necessary and the installation of a 1x16 divider (component type) in one of the trays. With the first 4 trays it is possible to feed the box and change the section (cable repair) of up to 64 fibers, while the fifth tray is reserved for the installation of a second divider, this time component type and not pre-connected. In this tray, the fusions of the 16 outputs are made with the fibers of other cables that would serve other boxes that depend on this first one.

Additionally, an additional tray can be provided in an alternative embodiment, so that the section change can be made without interfering with the feeding trays.

Splice trays accommodate G652 and G657 type optical fibers without risk of 12

ES 1 134 583 U signal attenuation increase.

There is also space to install a second component tray type divider, with the exit ports terminated in 250 micron fibers. This second divider is fixed in one of the free splice trays.

Another embodiment of the invention has a second base, to which the fiber organizer system and passive elements are attached in such a way that, in the event of accidental breakage of the outer base or the cover, it can be replaced without the need for reinstall those items.

The materials used to make the cable splice are compatible with each other, with the cover materials and with other materials commonly used outdoors. These materials in contact with the outside are sufficiently resistant to fungi and solar radiation, keeping their color and resistance properties intact over the years.

In the customer registration process, the only element accessible to the installer is the connection panel located on the outside of the box, it is not necessary to open the box for the customer registration process. The pre-wired and hardened customer lines will be connected to the assigned external position of the patch panel without the need to open the box.