Patent ID: 7546018
Filing Date: 2009-06-09
Classification: G02B

Abstract:
1. A system for deploying fiber optic cabling for serving units in a multi-dwelling or commercial building having a cable entry location, a riser shaft or conduit, and one or more floors on which the units are located; comprising: a splitter box in the vicinity of the cable entry location and arranged for terminating optical fibers of an outside cable routed to the splitter box from the entry location, wherein each one of the fibers of the outside cable corresponds to a unit in the building to be served; at least one riser cable routed through the riser shaft or conduit, wherein each riser cable has first optical fibers for serving units located on a different set of one or more floors of the building, and first ends of the first optical fibers are terminated at the splitter box for coupling with the optical fibers of the outside cable that correspond to the units served by the first optical fibers of the riser cable; an aggregation box installed in the vicinity of each different set of one or more floors for serving units located on a floor of the set, wherein the aggregation box is constructed and arranged to terminate second ends of the first optical fibers of a corresponding riser cable; a number of feeder cables each of which is routed from the aggregation box to a different floor of said set floors or to a different area of a single floor, wherein each feeder cable has a number of second optical fibers for serving units on a corresponding floor or in a corresponding floor area, and first ends of the second optical fibers are terminated at the aggregation box for coupling with corresponding ones of the first optical fibers of the riser cable terminated at the aggregation box; a drop box located in the vicinity of each floor or each area of a single floor where units served by the second optical fibers of the feeder cables are located, and each drop box is constructed and arranged to terminate second ends of the second optical fibers of a corresponding feeder cable; and a number of drop cables or fibers routed between a given drop box and the units that are served by the second optical fibers of the corresponding feeder cable terminated at the given drop box, a first end of each drop cable is terminated at the drop box for coupling with a second optical fiber of the feeder cable which fiber serves a given unit, and a second end of the drop cable is terminated at the site of the given unit, wherein at least one of the drop and the aggregation boxes includes: a base constructed and arranged for mounting on a wall or other surface at the building; a cylindrical drum region having an axis normal to the base and extending a certain height axially above the base and including; (a) an outer cylindrical wall dimensioned and formed to support a length of a first fiber optic cable when wound about said wall, (b) an inner cylindrical wall formed radially inward of the outer wall, wherein the inner and the outer cylindrical walls are each fixed at one axial end to the base and an annular fiber routing region is defined between the inner and the outer walls, and (c) a first cable entry port formed in the outer cylindrical wall for receiving an inside end portion of the first fiber optic cable so that optical fibers of the cable can be routed through the fiber routing region; and an interface compartment disposed atop the drum, wherein said compartment is constructed and arranged for interfacing a first set of fibers that are routed within the compartment, with a second set of fibers associated with a second fiber optic cable that is routed to the drop box.