Patent Abstract:
There is disclosed an optical waveguide distribution device having a distribution panel with splice cassettes removably connected thereto. Fiber optic splices are placed within the splice cassettes, so that removal of the splice cassettes allows improved access to the splices. In addition, the distribution panel includes a front wall upon which are positioned a plurality of couplings. The front wall is removably connected to the distribution panel to allow improved access to the couplings.

Full Description:
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
     1. Field of the Invention 
     The invention relates to an optical waveguide distribution device having at least one splice cassette and a plurality of couplings. 
     2. Technical Background 
     For example, in distribution cabinets for optical cables, distribution devices are used that are known from the product catalog “Accessories for OWG-cable networks, issue 2, page 227, year 2002, Corning Cable Systems GmbH &amp; Co. KG”. The optical, waveguide distribution device shown there comprises a distribution panel which is mounted or stored in a tray-like manner in a frame or a housing, the distribution panel having a front wall, a rear wall, two side walls extending between the front wall and the rear wall, and a base wall. In the region of the front wall of the distribution panel, couplings are positioned which are formed both on an outer side of the front wall and an inner side of the front wall, so that plugs of optical waveguides can be inserted into the couplings starting both from the outer side of the front wall and from the inner side of the front wall. In such an optical waveguide distribution device, it is usual for optical waveguides, which are prefabricated at one end with a plug, to be inserted into the couplings via the plug from the inner side of the of the front wall, free ends of these optical waveguides being placed in at least one splice cassette of the distribution panel. An optical cable with further optical waveguides can be introduced into the distribution device via the rear wall of the distribution panel, it being possible to splice the optical waveguides of the optical cable with the waveguides which are inserted into the couplings of the front wall via plugs from the inner side. Splices formed between these optical waveguides are placed in a splice cassette, which, according to prior art, is connected to the base wall of the distribution panel. If splices are to be formed between optical waveguides that are to be connected to each other in such an optical waveguide distribution device, it has proved to be problematic that the optical waveguides are relatively badly accessible for splicing work, which is especially the case when a plurality of splice cassettes are stacked one above the other in the distribution panel. 
     SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
     Against this background, the present invention is based on the problem of providing a novel optical waveguide distribution device. 
     This problem is solved by an optical waveguide distribution device having the features of claim  1 . 
     According to the invention, the or each splice cassette is removably connected with the distribution panel, the or each splice cassette being able to be placed on the front wall of the distribution panel, and the front wall of the distribution panel also being removably connected to the same in such a manner accommodated that the front wall can be displaced or repositioned relative to the distribution panel together with the or each splice cassette by the front wall and the splices placed in the or each splice cassette. 
     For the purpose of the present invention, it is suggested to removably connect the or each splice cassette and the front wall to the distribution panel, so that the front wall, together with the or each splice cassette accommodated in the region of the front wall, can be displaced or repositioned relative to the distribution panel. It can thereby be ensured, that the optical waveguides are more easily accessible for splicing work. 
     Preferably, the front wall of the distribution panel, on which the couplings are positioned, has holding elements on a top edge, in order to accommodate the or each splice cassette. 
    
    
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
       Preferred developments of the invention follow from the subclaims and the description below. Exemplary embodiments will be explained in more detail using the drawing, in which: 
         FIG. 1  shows a perspective side view of an optical waveguide distribution device for the purpose of the present invention; 
         FIG. 2  shows the optical waveguide distribution device according to the invention of  FIG. 1  with a splice cassette which has been displaced in comparison with  FIG. 1 ; and 
         FIG. 3  shows the optical waveguide distribution device according to the invention of  FIGS. 1 and 2  with a splice cassette which has been displaced in comparison with  FIGS. 1 and 2  and a front wall which has also been displaced. 
     
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION 
     The present invention will be described in greater detail below with reference to  FIGS. 1 to 3 . 
       FIGS. 1 to 3  show an optical waveguide distribution device  10  according to the invention comprising a distribution panel  11 , which is mounted in a tray-like manner in a frame or a housing  12 . The distribution panel  11  comprises a front wall  13 , a rear wall  14 , side walls  15  and  16  extending between the front wall  13  and the rear wall  14 , and a base wall  17 . The entire distribution panel  11  can be pulled out of the housing  12  in the manner of a drawer, the guidance of this drawer-like relative movement between the distribution panel  11  and the housing  12 , being served by assigning to the side walls  15  and  16  of the distribution panel  11  guide pins (not illustrated) which engage in guide grooves  18  of the housing  12 , the guide grooves  18  of the housing  12  extending approximately parallel to the side walls  15  and  16  of the distribution panel  11 . 
     A plurality of couplings  19  are assigned to the front wall  13  of the distribution panel  11 , the couplings  19  being formed both in the region of an outer side  20  of the front wall  13  and in the region of an inner side  21  of the front wall  13 . Plugs of prefabricated optical waveguides can be introduced into the couplings  19  formed in the region of the outer side  20  as well as of the inner side  21  of the front wall  13 , such optical waveguides prefabricated with connectors being referred to as “pigtails” or “patch cords.” 
     In the exemplary embodiment shown in  FIGS. 1 to 3 , plugs of the first optical waveguides, designed as pigtails, are inserted into the couplings  19  positioned in the region of the inner side  21  of the front wall  13 , these first optical waveguides being designed without a plug at an end opposite the connector plugs. An optical cable  22  with a plurality of second optical waveguides can be introduced into such an optical waveguide distribution device  10  via the rear wall  14 , the second optical waveguides of the optical cable  22  being spliced with the free ends of the first optical waveguides, which, at their opposite ends, are inserted into couplings  19  formed on the inner side  21  of the front wall  13  via plugs. Splices formed in this manner are placed in at least one splice cassette  23  of the distribution panel  11 , excess lengths of the second optical waveguides of the optical cable  22  being placed in the region of an excess length store, formed by guiding elements  24  of the distribution panel  11 . In the exemplary embodiment of  FIGS. 1 to 3 , only one splice cassette  23  is shown, but the optical waveguide distribution device  10  according to the invention or the distribution panel  11  may also have a plurality of splice cassettes  23  stacked one above the other. 
     For the purpose of the present invention, it is suggested that the splice cassette  23  is removably connected to the distribution panel  11 , to be precise, in such a manner that the splice cassette  23  can be displaced or repositioned relative to the distribution panel  11  together with the splices placed in the splice cassette  23 . In the exemplary embodiment shown, the splice cassette  23 , or a stack of splice cassettes  23 , is stored on or fixed to a carrier plate  25 , it being possible for the splice cassette  23  together with the carrier plate  25  to be displaced or repositioned relative to the distribution panel  11 . For this purpose, the carrier plate  25  is assigned locking elements  26 , via which the carrier plate  25  and thus the splice cassette  23  is anchored or removably connected in the position illustrated in  FIG. 1  to the guiding elements  24  in the region of the base wall  17  of the distribution panel  11 . The locking elements  26  are preferably designed in this case as so-called push/pull locks. 
     After opening of the locks  26 , the carrier plate  25 , together with the or each splice cassette  23  fixed to the carrier plate  25 , can be repositioned relative to the distribution panel  11 , to be precise in such a manner that the carrier plate  25  and thus the or each splice cassette  23  can be fitted onto the front wall  13  of the distribution panel  11 . For this purpose, the front wall  13  of the distribution panel  11  has holding elements  27  in the region of a top edge; said holding elements  27  interact with the locking elements  26  in order to accommodate the carrier plate  25  in the region of the front wall  13 . 
     After removing the or each splice cassette  23  from the position shown in  FIG. 1 , it therefore serves the purpose of the present invention to move the or each splice cassette into the position shown in  FIG. 2  and in so doing placing it in the region of the front wall  13  of the distribution panel  11 . Consequently, the excess lengths of the second optical waveguides of the optical cable  22  are easily or well accessible, said excess lengths being led to or placed in the region of the excess length store formed by the guiding elements  24 . 
     For the purpose of the present invention, the front wall  13  of the distribution panel  11  is furthermore removably connected to the latter, so that the front wall  13  can be displaced or repositioned relative to the distribution panel  11 . In the exemplary embodiment shown in  FIGS. 1 to 3 , the front wall  13  is removably connected to holding sections  29  via locking elements  28 , the holding sections  29  preferably being a component of the side walls  15  and  16  or a component of the base wall  17 . The locking elements  28 , just like the locking elements  26 , are preferably in turn designed as so-called push/pull locks, the front wall  13 , preferably together with the splice cassette  23  (see  FIG. 3 ) fitted onto the front wall  13 , can be displaced or repositioned relative to the distribution panel  11  after opening of the locking elements  28 . Consequently, the optical waveguides can be accessed particularly easily for splice work. Due to the combined displacement of the front wall  13  with the or each splice cassette  23  attached to or fitted onto the front wall  13  it is possible to lead the optical waveguides to be connected to a relatively distant splicer, without there being risk of damage to the pigtails with prefabricated plugs. 
     For the purpose of the present invention, an optical waveguide distribution device  10  is therefore suggested, in which a splice cassette  23  or a stack of splice cassettes  23  can be displaced relative to the distribution panel  11  of the optical waveguide distribution device  10 . The splice cassette  23  or the stack of splice cassettes  23  is accommodated a front wall  13  of the distribution panel  11 , in this case on the front wall  13  to be displaced or repositioned relative to the distribution panel  11  together with the splice cassette  23  or the stack of splice cassettes  23 . In the case of splice cassettes  23  fitted onto the front wall  13 , the first optical waveguides prefabricated with connectors and running between the front wall  13  and the splice cassettes  23 , remain almost completely uninfluenced by repositioning, there only being a need for the second optical waveguides, introduced via the optical cable  22 , to be provided with a corresponding excess length for repositioning or displacement. 
     LIST OF REFERENCE SYMBOLS 
     
         
           10  Optical waveguide distribution device 
           11  Distribution panel 
           12  Housing 
           13  Front wall 
           14  Rear wall 
           15  Side wall 
           16  Side wall 
           17  Base wall 
           18  Guide groove 
           19  Coupling 
           20  Outer side 
           21  Inner side 
           22  Optical cable 
           23  Splice cassette 
           24  Guiding element 
           25  Carrier plate 
           26  Locking element 
           27  Holding element 
           28  Locking element 
           29  Holding section

Technology Classification (CPC): 6