Patent Publication Number: US-2023152545-A1

Title: Module interface for telecommunications closure

Description:
CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATION 
     This application is being filed on Apr. 6, 2021 as a PCT International Patent Application and claims the benefit of U.S. Patent Application Ser. No. 63/005,907, filed on Apr. 6, 2020, the disclosure of which is incorporated herein by reference in its entirety. 
    
    
     BACKGROUND 
     Telecommunications enclosures include various structures for receiving cables, managing cables, and connecting cables to other cables through splices, splitters, or connectors and adapters. Many times the cables are fiber optic cables. 
     Improvements are desired for mounting various structures within a telecommunications closure. Some concerns in this area include ease of installation, ease of use, strength, and/or reliability. 
     SUMMARY 
     A mounting interface is provided for mounting a module, such as a cable management device, to a further structure, such as an organizer. The organizer can be part of a telecommunications closure or other telecommunications device or equipment. 
     In one embodiment, the cables to be managed are fiber optic cables. 
     A mounting interface is provided between the cable management device and a mating device, such as the organizer, and includes one or a plurality of mating shapes which interlock with one another to form a mating interface. 
     In one embodiment, the mating interface includes interlocking shapes or structures which provide engageable surfaces or shoulders which engage one another in at least one direction parallel to an axial direction of a cable or cables attached to the cable management device. 
     In one embodiment, the interlocking shapes include one or a plurality of V-shapes and a reciprocal surface for receiving the one or the plurality of the V-shapes. The interlocking shapes can include mating protrusions and recesses. 
     In one embodiment, two oppositely facing V-shapes are provided for mating along an axial or parallel direction of the cable in two opposite directions along the cable axis. 
     In one embodiment, the mounting interface may also include one or a plurality of flexible tabs which interlock with one or a plurality of mating shoulders. 
     In one embodiment, the mounting interface may also include, or alternatively include, one or a plurality of clips which interlock with one or a plurality of mating slots. 
     In one embodiment, the cable management device includes a base which holds a fiber optic adapter. The fiber optic adapter receives two cables and connectors terminating the cables in axial alignment. 
     In one embodiment, one connector terminates a cable internal to the closure, and a second connector mated to the first connector terminates a cable entering the closure. 
     In one embodiment, axial load applied to the second cable and the second connector is applied to the mounting interface, including the interlocking shapes, such as the protruding V-shapes, and the recessed V-shapes. 
     In one embodiment, the cable management device is removably mounted to the organizer, or other device. 
    
    
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
         FIG.  1    shows an embodiment of an organizer for use inside a closure for receiving a plurality of cables; 
         FIG.  1 A  shows the organizer of  FIG.  1    inside a closure; 
         FIG.  1 B  shows the closure of  FIG.  1 A  without the organizer, and showing the closure base and the closure top; 
         FIG.  2    shows an additional view of the organizer of  FIG.  1    with portions removed and showing the various cables being managed by the organizer; 
         FIG.  3    is a top view of the organizer of  FIG.  2   ; 
         FIG.  4   . is a perspective view of the organizer shown without any cables, or two of the cable management devices; 
         FIG.  5    is a top view of the organizer of  FIG.  4   ; 
         FIG.  6    is a perspective view of a first cable management device mountable to the organizer of  FIGS.  4  and  5   , including cables, connectors and adapters, where the adapters pivot for access; 
         FIG.  7    is a further perspective view of the cable management device of  FIG.  6   ; 
         FIG.  8    is a further perspective view of the cable management device of  FIG.  7   , without the cables, connectors and adapters; 
         FIG.  9    is a bottom perspective view of the cable management device of  FIG.  8   ; 
         FIG.  10    shows a portion of the organizer and a further embodiment of a cable management device, including cables, connectors and adapters; where the adapters pivot for access; 
         FIG.  11    shows a cross-sectional view of the cable management device of  FIG.  10    mounted to the organizer of  FIG.  10   ; 
         FIG.  12    is a top view of a portion of the organizer showing the mounting area for the cable management device; 
         FIG.  13    is a bottom view of the cable management device shown in  FIG.  10   ; 
         FIG.  14    is a cross-sectional side view of the cable management device of  FIG.  10   ; 
         FIG.  15    shows an example cable management device, like the device of  FIG.  6   ; 
         FIG.  16    shows a second example of a cable management device, like the device of  FIG.  10   ; 
         FIG.  17    shows another embodiment of a cable management device; where the adapters do not pivot; 
         FIG.  18    shows a cable management device holding four adapters; 
         FIG.  19    shows a cable management device holding four SC adapters and two duplex LC adapters; 
         FIG.  20    shows a cable management device holding six SC adapters and two duplex LC adapters; 
         FIG.  21    shows a cable management device holding four fixed SC adapters; 
         FIG.  22    shows a bottom view of the cable management device of  FIG.  21   ; 
         FIG.  23    shows a cable management device holding four fixed SC adapters and two fixed LC adapters; 
         FIG.  24    shows a bottom view of the cable management device of  FIG.  23   ; 
         FIG.  25    shows another embodiment of a cable management device, where the adapter holder is a separate part from the cable holder part, and mountable to the cable holder part; 
         FIG.  26    shows a bottom view of the cable management device of  FIG.  25   ; 
         FIG.  27    shows a closure organizer with two of the four pack cable management devices including cables, connectors and adapters as shown in  FIG.  6   ; 
         FIG.  28    shows a closure organizer with two of the six pack cable management devices including cables, connectors and adapters like that shown in  FIG.  23   . 
     
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION 
     Referring now to  FIGS.  1 - 5 ,  27  and  28   , a closure  10  is shown including a closure body  12  and an interior organizer  20 . Closure body  12  is generally a sealed structure for sealing against dust and moisture from entering an interior of closure body  12 . Cables  26  enter and exit closure body  12 . Within closure body  12 , the cables  26  are spliced, managed, split, or connected to other cables with other connectors through adapters, or otherwise managed within the interior of closure  10 . Closure body  12  in the illustrated example includes a base  14  and a top  16 . 
     Organizer  20  includes a base  22 , a cable seal  24 , and cable management devices  30 . In one example cable management device  30  manages cables  26  that are connected to other cables  28  through adapters  60  which connect cable connectors  62  of cables  26  through other cables with connectors  64 . 
     Other devices like trays  32  can be provided to further manage the cables, or old splices or splitters. Area  34  on base  22  can also hold other cable management devices. Also, the opposite side of organizer  20  can also include cables and cable management devices. 
     As shown in  FIG.  6   , cable management device  30  includes a structure for holding adapters  60  and mating connectors  62 ,  64 . In one example the adapters are SC type and clip into device  30 . Device  30  also includes a cable clip  68 . 
     Cable management device  30  includes a mounting interface  40  for mounting to base  22  of organizer  20 . In one embodiment, mounting interface  40  includes interlocking shapes  50  on cable management device  30  which mate with interlocking shapes  52  on organizer  20 . In the example shown, axially spaced triangular shapes  56  are provided on cable management device  30  which face in opposite directions. In one embodiment, at least two opposing triangular shapes  56  are provided. In some embodiments, two or more pairs of triangular shapes  56  are provided. Triangular shapes  56  mate with triangular shapes  56  of base  22  of organizer  20 . In some embodiments, only one shape (or a row of shapes) is provided, such as to take an axial pull applied to cables  26 . The opposing shapes in the illustrated embodiments take either pull or push loads on cables  26 . 
     In one embodiment, the V-shapes of the triangles are protrusions with fit into recesses  58  of base  22 . Surfaces  57  (two of them) define the mating surfaces for mating with the V-shaped surfaces  59  (two of them) of recesses  58 . As shown, recesses  58  are one continuous recess from a top edge  70  to a bottom edge  72 . Alternatively, the recesses can be separate for each protruding V-shape or pair of V-shapes. 
     In one embodiment, the mating shapes include at least one lower protrusion and a recess, wherein the recess is larger than the lower protrusion. In one embodiment, there are two spaced apart lower protrusions. The lower protrusions define V-shapes, and are spaced apart by at least an axial length of the V-shape in the cable axis direction. 
     The V-shapes also can perform a centering function for device  30  mounting to base  22 , so as to maintain the axial positions they are located in. 
     Other shapes besides V-shapes  57 ,  59  are possible, such as U-shapes. Round shapes can also work. One aspect that improves functioning of the shapes for mounting is that the recess is larger than the lower protrusion, such as in the axial direction of the cable. 
     Mounting interface  40  further includes in one embodiment one or more of flexible mounting tabs  42  which engage shoulders  44 . In addition, or in an alternative, mounting interface  40  includes clips  46  which engage slots  48 . Mounting tabs  42  and clips are on opposite sides of base portion  36  of cable management device  30 . 
     Notch  80  on tab  42  can be used to retract tab  442  to allow removal of device  30  from base  22 . 
     As shown in  FIGS.  6 - 9   , cable management device  30  can include upper structures  66  which allow for pivoting movement of adapters  60  as desired. 
     Referring now to  FIGS.  10 - 14   , an alternative embodiment of a cable management device  130  is shown where the adapters also pivot, but no cable clip is provided. However, a similar mounting interface  40  is utilized. 
     Referring now to  FIG.  15   , a further illustration of device  30  is provided for showing how the pivoting adapters  60  are mounted for improved access for connecting and disconnecting connectors to adapter  60 .  FIG.  16    shows structure for pivoting adapters in a smaller profile cable management device  130 . 
       FIG.  17    shows a cable management device  330  wherein the adapters  60  do not pivot and are permanently mounted in an axial direction. 
       FIGS.  18  through  20    show different embodiments of cable management devices  30 ,  30   a,    30   b  having different widths, and different numbers of adapters. A mounting interface  40  is provided along a lower surface of the cable management devices of  FIGS.  18  and  19   . 
       FIG.  18    shows a cable management device  30  holding four adapters. 
       FIG.  19    shows a cable management device  30   a  holding four SC adapters and two duplex LC adapters. 
       FIG.  20    shows a cable management  30   b  device holding six SC adapters and two duplex LC adapters. 
       FIGS.  21  and  22    show a cable management device  330   a  holding four fixed SC adapters. 
       FIGS.  23  and  24    show a cable management device  330   b  holding four fixed SC adapters and two fixed LC adapters. 
       FIGS.  25  and  26    show another embodiment of a cable management device  430 , where the adapter holder  400  is a separate part from the cable holder  402 , and mountable together with a snap  404 .  FIGS.  25  and  26    show an optional cable holder to be snapped on as needed for attaching to fiber optic cables. 
     The mounting interface  40  is provided for mounting a module, such as the noted cable management device  30 ,  130 ,  330 ,  430 , to a further structure, such as organizer  20  where cables are managed, organized, spliced, split or connected to other cables through fiber optic adapters and connectors, simplex or multi fiber. The organizer  20  can be part of a telecommunications closure  10  or other telecommunications device or equipment. 
     In one embodiment, the cables  26 ,  28  to be managed are fiber optic cables. 
     The mounting interface  40  is provided between the cable management device and a mating device, such as the organizer, and includes one or a plurality of mating shapes which interlock with one another to form a mating interface. The shapes are designed for ease of mating, where some looseness in the fit is provided. See gaps  90 ,  92  of  FIG.  11    parallel to base  22 . 
     In one embodiment, the mating interface  40  includes interlocking shapes or structures  50  which provide engageable surfaces or shoulders  57 ,  59  which engage one another in at least one direction parallel to an axial direction of a cable or cables attached to the cable management device. 
     In one embodiment, the interlocking shapes  50  include one or a plurality of V-shapes and a reciprocal surface for receiving the one or the plurality of the V-shapes. The interlocking shapes can preferably include mating protrusions and recesses. 
     In one embodiment, two oppositely facing V-shapes are provided for mating along an axial direction of the cable in two opposite directions along the cable axis  100 . 
     In one embodiment, the mounting interface  40  may also include one or a plurality of flexible tabs  42  which interlock with one or a plurality of mating shoulders  44 . Such a feature provides retention of the cable management devices. 
     In one embodiment, the mounting interface may also include, or alternatively include, one or a plurality of clips  46  which interlock with one or a plurality of mating slots  48 . Such a feature provides retention of the cable management devices. Such feature also may help take up any axial pull on cables  26 . 
     In one embodiment, the cable management devices include a base portion  36  which holds a fiber optic adapter  60  for receiving mating connectors  62 ,  64 . The fiber optic adapter receives two cables to be joined for signal transmission and the connectors which terminate the cables in axial alignment. 
     In one embodiment, one connector  64  terminates a cable  28  internal to the closure  10 , and a second connector  62  mated to the first connector  64  terminates a cable  28  entering the closure. 
     In one embodiment, axial load applied to the second cable and the second connector is applied to the mounting interface, including the interlocking shapes, such as the protruding V-shapes, and the recessed V-shapes. 
     In one embodiment, the cable management devices are removably mounted to the organizer  20 , or other device through the tabs  42  and clips  46 .