Patent Description:
Typically, optical fiber cables enter into an optical fiber splicing closure which includes splicing trays retaining a plurality of splices. The splicing trays usually are pivotally connected one another or to a central panel. Furthermore, the extra optical fibers are routed and/or coiled in specific areas on the splicing trays or externally to the splicing tray.

The access to the optical splices involves the relative motion of each splicing trays and the respective extra optical fibers. Consequently, the access to the splices is difficult and takes a lot of time to the operators in order to perform optical fiber installation process and/or splicing process.

<CIT> discloses an optical fiber distribution assembly including an enclosure formed by a circular base and a cover. The assembly also includes an inner body formed by four panel members to define four quadrants. Disposed on the inner body are plurality of cable management structures including inter alia radius limiters and splice trays.

<CIT> discloses splice trays and splice assemblies that provide convenient access to optical fiber slack within a relatively small area or volume. Some splice trays are adapted for use with microstructured optical fibers to further reduce the size of the splice tray or splice assembly. Some splice trays provide fiber routing devices on the cover of the splice tray. The fiber routing device may be positioned on an inside surface of the cover and/or on an outside surface of the cover. The splice trays and/or splice assemblies may be used with or as fiber drop terminals used within multiple dwelling units.

<CIT> discloses a fiber management tray which can have a body including a bottom wall with side walls extending outwardly from the bottom wall. The fiber management tray can include a termination region that has a first side and a second side. The termination region includes a termination panel that holds connectors. The fiber management tray can include a hinge area for mounting said tray to a tray tower and a storage basket located between the termination region and the hinge area. The storage basket can include a first pocket that communicates with the second side of the termination region and an opposite second pocket that communicates with the first side of the termination region. The fiber management tray can define at least one fiber routing path on each of the first and second pockets of the storage basket. The fiber management tray can define a fiber transition opening for transitioning optical fibers between the second pocket of the storage basket and first side of the termination region. The fiber transition opening can have an access structure for allowing optical fibers to be inserted into the fiber transition opening.

The Applicant has tackled the problem of providing an optical fiber splicing joint allowing an easy and quick access to every splice at all time without the need of storage of the fiber optical splices together with the loops of the optical fibers in pivoting stacked splice trays.

The Applicant has found that providing a splicing tray on the top of the optical fiber splicing joint and fiber splicing trays removably fixed to the splicing tray guarantee an easy and quick access to the optical fiber and to the optical splices.

Therefore, the present invention relates to an optical fiber splicing joint comprising a main body extending along a first direction between a lower fiber receiving portion, configured to receive one or more optical fibers, and an upper fiber splicing portion, the main body comprising two first side portions spaced apart along a second direction perpendicular to the first direction, a splicing tray associated to the upper fiber splicing portion and configured to retain one or more optical fiber splices and a fiber routing tray associated to one of the two first side portions and being configured to route one or more optical fibers towards the splicing tray.

Preferably, a fiber routing tray is associated to each first side portion.

According to the claimed invention, each fiber routing tray extends along the first direction between a lower portion arranged at the lower fiber receiving portion and an upper portion arranged at the upper fiber splicing portion and comprises an outward surface having first routing areas configured to route one or more optical fibers and an inward surface facing a respective first side portion.

Preferably, each fiber routing tray comprises one or more first routing members arranged on the first routing areas, each first routing member being configured to route one or more optical fibers towards the splicing tray.

Preferably, the splicing tray extends along the second direction between two opposed tray side portions, each tray side portion being coupled to the upper portion of the respective fiber routing tray.

Preferably, the main body comprises two second side portions spaced apart along a third direction perpendicular to the first direction and the second direction, the main body having second routing areas arranged at the second side portions, each second routing area being configured to route one or more optical fibers from the lower fiber receiving portion towards the fiber routing tray.

Preferably, each fiber routing tray comprises one or more openings, each opening being configured to allow passage of one or more optical fibers from the second routing areas towards the first routing areas.

Preferably, a first fastening assembly and a second fastening assembly are provided for fastening respectively the first side portions to the fiber routing trays and the fiber routing trays to the splicing tray.

Preferably, an external cover is provided for protecting the optical fibers and the optical fiber splices, the external cover being removably connected to the splicing tray.

Preferably, a connecting assembly is provided at the lower fiber receiving portion of the main body, the connecting assembly being configured to connect the main body to an optical fiber module delivering the one or more optical fibers.

Preferably, each fiber routing tray comprises a first distribution assembly arranged at the lower portion of the fiber routing tray and configured to route one or more optical fibers from the lower fiber receiving portion to the respective first routing areas and/or to the splicing tray and/or to the second routing areas, the main body comprises a second distribution assembly arranged at lower fiber receiving portion and configured to route one or more optical fibers from the lower fiber receiving portion to the second routing areas and/or to the first routing areas.

Preferably, the present invention relates also to an optical fiber splicing closure comprising a casing having openings for receiving one or more optical cables, each optical cable having one or more optical fibers and an optical fiber splicing joint according to any claims <NUM> to <NUM>.

The present invention will now be described in more detail hereinafter with reference to the accompanying drawings, in which some embodiments of the invention are shown.

<FIG> shows an optical fiber splicing closure <NUM> comprising an optical fiber splicing joint <NUM> and a casing <NUM>. Preferably, the optical fiber splicing joint <NUM> is arranged within the casing <NUM>.

The casing <NUM> has one or more openings for receiving one or more optical cables <NUM> wherein each optical cable an external sheath which contains one or more optical fibers <NUM>.

<FIG> shows an optical fiber splicing joint <NUM>, according to the claimed invention, adapted to manage one or more splices (not illustrated). The optical fiber splicing joint <NUM> is also adapted to storage one or more extra optical fibers delivered from an optical fiber module (not illustrated).

The optical fiber splicing joint <NUM> comprises a main body <NUM>, a splicing tray <NUM> and one or more fiber routing trays <NUM>.

The main body <NUM> extends along a first direction X-X between a lower fiber receiving portion <NUM> and an upper fiber splicing portion <NUM> opposed to the lower fiber receiving portion <NUM>. The lower fiber receiving portion <NUM> is configured to receive one or more optical fibers from the optical fiber module. The upper fiber splicing portion <NUM> is configured to guarantee an easily access to the fiber splices and to manage one or more optical fibers coming from the lower fiber receiving portion <NUM>.

The main body <NUM> comprises two first side portions 10a, 10b mutually spaced apart along a second direction Y-Y perpendicular to the first direction X-X.

Preferably, the main body <NUM> comprises two second side portion 10c, 10d mutually spaced apart along a third direction Z-Z perpendicular to the first direction X-X and second direction Y-Y.

According to one embodiment, the optical fiber splicing joint <NUM> comprises a connecting assembly <NUM> arranged at the lower fiber receiving portion <NUM>. The connecting assembly <NUM> is configured to secure the main body <NUM> to an optical fiber module.

Preferably, the connecting assembly <NUM> comprises one or more connecting element 6a removably fixed to the optical fiber module. Each connecting element 6a extends along the first direction X-X from the lower fiber splicing portion <NUM>.

The splicing tray <NUM> is associated to the upper fiber splicing portion <NUM>. With this arrangement, the splicing tray <NUM> is easily accessible to an operator since the splicing tray is arranged opposite the lower fiber receiving portion <NUM> along the first direction X-X.

Preferably, the optical fiber splicing joint <NUM> is configured to route the optical fibers from the optical fiber module to the splicing tray <NUM> to facilitate the access to the splices and/or the process of the fiber splicing.

According to the claimed invention, the splicing tray <NUM> is configured to retain one or more optical fiber splices directly accessible to the operator. With this arrangement, an operator can manage the end of the optical fibers at the splicing tray <NUM> without excessive efforts for access to the splicing tray <NUM>.

According to one embodiment, the splicing tray <NUM> comprises a base <NUM> connected to the upper fiber splicing portion <NUM> and extending along the second direction Y-Y and the third direction Z-Z.

In particular, the splicing tray <NUM> extends along the second direction Y-Y between two opposite tray side portions <NUM>. More preferably, the base <NUM> has two connecting edges 22a at the respective tray side portions <NUM>. Each connecting edge 22a is configured to be arranged at the respective first side portion 10a, 10b.

The splicing tray <NUM> further comprises one or more retaining walls <NUM> configured to retain one or more splices. Specifically, each retaining wall <NUM> extends along the second direction Y-Y substantially from one connecting edge 22a to the opposite connecting edge 22a and projects from the base <NUM> along the first direction X-X.

According to one embodiment, the splicing tray <NUM> is removable connected to the upper fiber splicing portion <NUM> thereby allowing the optical fiber splicing joint to adapt to different type of splices, splitters or crimps. For example, the splices could have the size <NUM> or <NUM>.

The fiber routing tray <NUM> is associated to one of the two first side portions 10a, 10b and is configured to route one or more optical fibers towards the splicing tray <NUM>.

Preferably, as shown in the figures, the fiber routing tray <NUM> is associated to each first side portion 10a, 10b.

Each fiber routing tray <NUM> extends along the first direction X-X between a lower portion <NUM> and an upper portion <NUM>.

According to the claimed invention, the lower portion <NUM> is arranged at the lower fiber receiving portion <NUM> and the upper portion <NUM> is arranged at the upper fiber splicing portion <NUM>.

According to the claimed invention, each fiber routing tray <NUM> comprises an outward surface <NUM> configured to route one or more fibers and an inward surface <NUM> facing the respective first side portion 10a, 10b. Each outward surface <NUM> has a first routing area <NUM> configured to route one or more optical fibers.

According to one embodiment, each fiber routing tray <NUM> is coupled to the first side portion 10a, 10b by connecting the inward surface <NUM> to the respective first side portion 10a, 10b.

Preferably, each fiber routing tray <NUM> comprises one or more first routing members <NUM> arranged on the outward surface <NUM>. Each first routing area <NUM> is configured to route one or more fibers towards the splicing tray <NUM>.

Each fiber routing tray <NUM> is, preferably removably, fixed to the respective first side portion 10a, 10b.

According to the embodiment in which the fiber routing tray <NUM> is removably fixed to the main body <NUM>, the optical fiber splicing joint <NUM> may be adapted to different types of optical fibers.

Preferably, each fiber routing tray <NUM> is associated to the splicing tray <NUM>. Specifically, the upper portion <NUM> of the fiber routing trays <NUM> is associated to splicing tray <NUM>. In details, each connecting edge 22a is removably fixed to the upper portion <NUM> of a respective fiber routing tray <NUM>.

Preferably, the interchangeability of both splicing tray <NUM> and the fiber routing trays <NUM> allows a wide adaptability of the optical fiber splicing joint <NUM> to the different types of optical fibers and splices.

According to one embodiment, the main body <NUM> comprises one or more second routing areas <NUM> arranged on second side portions 10c, 10d. Each second routing area <NUM> is configured to route one or more optical fibers from lower fiber receiving portion <NUM> towards the fiber routing trays <NUM>.

Preferably each second routing area <NUM> comprises second routing members <NUM> to route and coil the optical fibers. Each second routing member <NUM> projects from the second side portion 10c, 10d substantially along the third direction Z-Z.

More preferably, one or more fibers are coiled on the second routing members <NUM> and then routed to the fiber routing tray <NUM> and vice-versa.

Preferably, the first routing area <NUM> and the second routing area <NUM> cooperate for routing the optical fibers to the splicing tray <NUM> and/or coil extra optical fibers.

Inside the casing <NUM> the optical fibers are pulled out from the sheath in order to be routed on the first routing areas <NUM> and/or second routing areas <NUM>. More preferably, the single optical fibers are routed to the splicing tray <NUM> in order to facilitate the splicing process.

According to one embodiment, each fiber routing trays <NUM> comprises a first distribution assembly <NUM> arranged at the lower portion <NUM> and configured to route one or more optical fibers from the optical fiber module to the respective first routing areas <NUM> and/or to the splicing tray <NUM> and/or to the second routing areas <NUM>.

According to the embodiment shown in the figures, the first distribution assembly <NUM> comprises one or more dividing walls 37a. Preferably, each dividing wall 37a projects along the second direction Y-Y from each fiber routing tray <NUM> at the lower portion <NUM>.

Preferably, the first distribution assembly <NUM> is configured to separate and individually route each optical fiber coming from the optical fiber module.

According to one embodiment, the main body <NUM> comprises a second distribution assembly <NUM> arranged at the lower fiber receiving portion <NUM> for separating and individually routing each optical fiber from the lower fiber receiving portion <NUM>. The second distribution assembly <NUM> is further configured to route each optical fiber to a respective second routing area <NUM> and then to the respective fiber routing tray <NUM>.

According to the embodiment shown in the figures, the second distribution assembly <NUM> comprises one or more dividing walls 14a. Preferably, each dividing wall 14a projects along the third direction Z-Z from each second side portion 10c, 10d at the lower fiber receiving portion <NUM>.

Preferably, each dividing wall 14a and each second routing member <NUM> cooperate to route each fiber from the lower fiber receiving portion <NUM> to the second routing areas <NUM> and then, preferably, to the fiber routing tray <NUM> and vice-versa.

Preferably, each dividing wall 14a and each second routing area <NUM> are easily accessible by an operator in order to separate and route the optical fibers coming from the optical fiber module. Furthermore, the accessibility to the second side portion 10c, 10d of the main body <NUM> simplifies the routing tasks to the operator for example reducing the time for installation of the optical fiber module.

According to one embodiment, each fiber routing tray <NUM> comprises one or more openings <NUM> making the outward surface <NUM> in communication with the inward surface <NUM>.

Each opening <NUM> is configured to mutually allow passage of the optical fibers from the second routing area <NUM> to the first routing area <NUM>, thereby allowing passage of the optical fibers from the lower fiber receiving portion <NUM> to the splicing tray <NUM> through the fiber routing tray <NUM> and vice-versa.

Preferably, an external cover <NUM> is removably connected to the main body <NUM> and is configured to cover and protect the splicing tray <NUM> and the fiber routing trays <NUM> and the optical fibers and the splices arranged thereon.

The external cover <NUM> allows to protect the optical fibers routed and/or the optical fiber splices maintaining an easy access for the operator on the optical fibers and the splices.

Preferably the external cover <NUM> is easily removable from the fiber splicing tray <NUM> and the fiber routing trays <NUM> so as to facilitate the operation on the optical fibers by the operator.

Preferably, the optical fiber joint <NUM> comprises a first fastening assembly <NUM> configured to fasten the first side portions 10a, 10b to the respective fiber routing tray <NUM>. Preferably the fiber joint <NUM> further comprises a second fastening assembly <NUM> configured to fasten the fiber routing tray <NUM> to the splicing tray <NUM>. More preferably, the fiber joint <NUM> comprises a third fastening <NUM> assembly configured to fasten the external cover <NUM> to the splicing tray <NUM>.

According to one embodiment, the first fastening assembly <NUM> is configured to, preferably removably, fasten each fiber routing tray <NUM> to the respective first side portion 10a, 10b. Each first fastening assembly <NUM> comprises one or more first fastening elements <NUM> and second fastening elements <NUM> arranged respectively on the first side portion 10a, 10b and on the fiber routing tray <NUM>. Each first fastening element <NUM> comprises protrusions <NUM> projecting from the first side portion 10a, 10b along the second direction Y-Y. Each second fastening element <NUM> comprises seats <NUM> formed on the fiber routing tray <NUM>. Each protrusion <NUM> is configured to engage and fit in the seat <NUM> to restrain the fiber routing tray <NUM> to the main body <NUM>.

According to one embodiment, not shown in the figures, the first fastening element <NUM> and the second fastening element <NUM> are respectively arranged on the inward surface <NUM> and on the second side portion 10a, 10b.

According to the embodiment shown in the figures, the second fastening assembly <NUM> is configured to, preferably removably, fasten the splicing tray <NUM> to the fiber routing trays <NUM>. Preferably, the second fastening assembly <NUM> fasten each connecting edge 22a to the upper portion of the fiber routing tray <NUM>. More preferably, each second fastening assembly <NUM> comprises one or more first fastening elements <NUM> and second fastening elements <NUM> arranged respectively on each connecting edge 22a and to the upper portion <NUM>. Each first fastening element <NUM> comprises a protrusion <NUM>. Conversely, each second fastening element <NUM> comprises a seat <NUM> formed on the upper portion <NUM> of the fiber routing tray <NUM>. Each protrusion <NUM> is configured to engage and fit in the seat <NUM> to to restrain the fiber routing tray <NUM> to the splicing tray <NUM>.

According to one embodiment not shown in the figures, the first fastening element <NUM> and the second fastening element <NUM> of the second fastening assembly <NUM> are respectively arranged on fiber routing tray <NUM> and on the connecting edge 22a.

According to the embodiment shown in the figures, the third fastening assembly <NUM> is configured to removably fasten the external cover <NUM> to the splicing tray <NUM>. Preferably, each third fastening assembly <NUM> comprises one or more first fastening elements <NUM> and second fastening elements <NUM> arranged respectively on the splicing tray <NUM> and the external cover <NUM>. Each first fastening element <NUM> comprises a protrusion <NUM> and each second fastening element <NUM> comprises a seat <NUM> formed on the external cover <NUM>. Each protrusion <NUM> is configured to engage and fit in the seat <NUM> to to restrain the external cover <NUM> to the splicing tray <NUM>.

According to one embodiment not shown in the figures, the first fastening element <NUM> and the second fastening element <NUM> are respectively arranged on the external cover <NUM> and on the splicing tray <NUM>.

According to one embodiment, the first fastening assembly <NUM>, the second fastening assembly <NUM> and the third fastening assembly <NUM> are clips wherein one of the fastening elements is elastically deformable and the other fastening element is a seat.

According to one embodiment, the casing <NUM> of the optical fiber splicing closure <NUM> comprises a support tray <NUM>, a cap <NUM> and the optical fiber splicing joint <NUM> housed within the cap <NUM> between the support tray <NUM> and the cap <NUM>. Preferably, the cap <NUM> and the support tray <NUM> comprise respective fastening members configured to be removably connected for removably fastening the cap <NUM> and the support tray <NUM>. Preferably the fastening members comprise two wings 72a formed on the cap <NUM> and two teeth 71a formed the support tray <NUM>.

The support tray <NUM> has a receiving portion 71a connected the optical fiber module for receiving the ends of the optical cables <NUM> and a connection portion 71b connected to the optical fiber splicing joint <NUM> through the connecting assembly <NUM>.

According to one embodiment, the support tray <NUM> extends along the second direction Y-Y and the third direction Z-Z. Preferably, one or more openings <NUM> are provided on the support tray <NUM> for receiving the ends of the optical cables.

The optical fiber splicing joint <NUM> is connected to the support tray <NUM> at the lower fiber receiving portion <NUM> thereby receiving the optical fibers and routing them towards the splicing tray <NUM>.

Claim 1:
An optical fiber splicing joint (<NUM>) comprising:
- a main body (<NUM>) extending along a first direction (X-X) between a lower fiber receiving portion (<NUM>), configured to receive one or more optical fibers, and an upper fiber splicing portion (<NUM>), the main body (<NUM>) comprising two first side portions (10a, 10b) spaced apart along a second direction (Y-Y) perpendicular to the first direction (X-X);
- a splicing tray (<NUM>) associated to the upper fiber splicing portion (<NUM>) and configured to retain one or more optical fiber splices,
- a fiber routing tray (<NUM>) associated to one of the two first side portions (10a, 10b) and being configured to route one or more optical fibers towards the splicing tray (<NUM>);
wherein
each fiber routing tray (<NUM>) extends along the first direction (X-X) between a lower portion (<NUM>) arranged at the lower fiber receiving portion (<NUM>) and an upper portion (<NUM>) characterised in that said upper portion is arranged at the upper fiber splicing portion (<NUM>) and in that each fiber routing tray comprises
- an outward surface (<NUM>) having first routing areas (<NUM>) configured to route one or more optical fibers, and
- an inward surface (<NUM>) facing a respective first side portion (10a, 10b).