Description:TECHNICAL FIELD
The present disclosure relates generally to a cable routing system, and, more particularly, to a high-density fiber enclosure.
BACKGROUND
An increasing number of users for high-speed optical fiber communication networks is increasing network density and making it more difficult to accommodate the optical fiber cables. Due to the development of optical fiber communication, extremely dense optical communication networks are now necessary, which calls for high-density cables and accessories. Further, high-density enclosures are needed in the network due to the increase in need of data connectivity. Contemporary solutions for optical fiber communication have enclosures with one exit port for each output drop cable which is not suitable for high-density enclosures.
The prior art reference US2022252817A1 discloses an optical fiber fanout assembly having an fanout device to route plurality of optical fibers via separate paths. The fanout assembly can be used with a fiber termination housing.
The prior-art reference US9548601B2 discloses a fiber breakout assembly which is environmentally sealed and includes a fiber splice puck assembly. The fiber splice puck assembly includes plurality of input fiber at one end in a single hole and plurality of output fibers at other end with multiple holes.
The prior-art references US9575277B2 and US11067759B2 disclose breakout assembly having a connecting end for routing individual fiber cables as output. However, the prior art references do not provide a stable solution for high-density enclosures that can be used for accommodation of high-density optical fiber networks.
Thus, there is a need for an optical fiber enclosure that overcomes the above stated disadvantages of conventional optical fiber enclosures.

DEFINITIONS
The term “housing” as used herein is referred to as a closed structure configured to enclose one or more inlet ports and one or more output ports.
The term “drop fiber cable” as used herein is referred to as a cable that run from the distribution point to the subscriber or user.
The term “splitter” as used herein is referred to as a device configured to split an optical fiber cable signal into two or more optical fiber cable signals.
The term “port gland” as used herein is referred to as a device designed to attach the high-density fiber enclosure to the drop fiber cables.
The term “terminal box” as used herein is referred to as the external junction box at which the optical fiber cable connects with the user’s internal cable.
The term “The term “output ratio” as used herein is referred to as a volume of the high-density fiber enclosure of each longitudinal passage of the one or more passages.
The term “distal perspective view” as used herein is referred to as a perspective isometric view of the port gland from a distal end of the port gland.
The term “proximal perspective view” as used herein is referred to as “a perspective isometric view of the port gland from a proximal end of the port gland.
The term “volume per drop cable” as used herein is referred to as a volume of the high-density fiber enclosure that is dedicated for each drop cable of the plurality of drop fiber cables.
SUMMARY
In an aspect of the present disclosure, a high-density fiber enclosure includes a housing, one or more inlet ports, and one or more output ports. The one or more inlet ports are configured to receive one or more cables in the housing. The one or more output ports are configured to receive one or more port glands such that each of the port gland of the one or more port glands is configured to receive a plurality of drop fiber cables. Each port gland of the one or more port glands includes a first end, a second end, and a connecting passage. The first end is at least partially embedded inside the one or more output ports and is defined by a first area. The second end is defined by a second area. The connecting passage is between the first end and the second end. The connecting passage is configured to allow passage of a plurality of optical fibers such that a numerical count of the plurality of drop fiber cables is equal to a numerical count of the plurality of optical fibers.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF DRAWINGS
The following detailed description of the preferred aspects of the present disclosure will be better understood when read in conjunction with the appended drawings. The present disclosure is illustrated by way of example, and not limited by the accompanying figures, in which, like references indicate similar elements.
FIG. 1A illustrates an isometric view of a high-density fiber enclosure.
FIG. 1B illustrates a front view of the high-density fiber enclosure of FIG. 1A.
FIG. 1C illustrates an isometric view of a port gland.
FIG. 1D illustrates a distal perspective view of the port gland.
FIG. 1E illustrates a proximal perspective view of the port gland.
FIG. IF illustrates an optical fiber coupled to a plurality of drop cables via the port gland of FIG. 1E.
FIG. 2 illustrates a side view of the port gland of FIG 1C.
FIG. 3 illustrates a front expanded view of an output port of FIG. 1B.
DETAILED DESCRIPTION
The detailed description of the appended drawings is intended as a description of the currently preferred aspects of the present disclosure, and is not intended to represent the only form in which the present disclosure may be practiced. It is to be understood that the same or equivalent functions may be accomplished by different aspects that are intended to be encompassed within the spirit and scope of the present disclosure.
FIG. 1A illustrates an isometric view of a high-density fiber enclosure 101. The high-density fiber enclosure 101 may include a housing 102, one or more inlet ports 103 (as shown later in FIG. 1B), and one or more output ports 104 (as shown later in FIG. 1B). The one or more output ports 104 may enable a plurality of drop fiber cables 110 to connect to the high-density fiber enclosure 101. In some aspects of the present disclosure, the plurality of drop fiber cables 110 may be covered by way of an hollow tubular sleeve 116 at a junction of the housing 102 and the plurality of drop fiber cables 110. The hollow tubular sleeve 116 may be a hollow structure that may be external to the housing 102 and may be configured to accommodate the one or more port glands 105 (shown as “port gland 105a” later in FIG. 1C)
FIG. 1B illustrates a front view of the high-density fiber enclosure 101 of FIG. 1A. The high-density fiber enclosure 101 may have the housing 102, the one or more inlet ports 103, and the one or more outlet ports 104. The one or more inlet ports 103 may be configured to receive one or more cables 122 in the housing 102. Specifically, the one or more inlet ports 103 may have two inlet ports (i.e., a first inlet port 103a and a second inlet port 103b). Although FIG. 1B illustrates that the high-density fiber enclosure 101 has two inlet ports (i.e., the first inlet port 103a and the second inlet port 103b), it will be apparent to a person skilled in the art that the scope of the present disclosure is not limited to it. In various other aspects, the one or more inlet ports 103 may have any number of inlet ports, without deviating from the scope of the present disclosure. In such a scenario, each inlet port of the one or more inlet ports 103 is adapted to serve one or more functionalities in a manner similar to the functionalities of the first inlet port 103a and the second inlet port 103b as described above.
The one or more cables 122 may be configured to carry input optical signals to the high-density fiber enclosure 101. Specifically, each inlet port of the one or more inlet ports 103 may be adapted to receive one cable of the one or more cables 122. Specifically, the first inlet port 103a may be configured to receive a first cable 122a of the one or more cables 122, and the second inlet port 103b may be configured to receive a second cable 122b of the one or more cables 122. Further, each cable of the one or more cables 122 may have one or more optical fibers (not shown).
The one or more output ports 104 may be configured to receive one or more port glands 105 (as shown later in FIG. 1C) such that each port gland of the one or more port glands 105 may be configured to receive the plurality of drop fiber cables 110 (as shown earlier in FIG. 1A). Specifically, the one or more output ports 104 may have twelve output ports (i.e., first through twelfth output ports shown as 104a-104l). Although FIG. 1B illustrates that the high-density fiber enclosure 101 has twelve output ports (i.e., the first through twelfth output ports shown as 104a-104l), it will be apparent to a person skilled in the art that the scope of the present disclosure is not limited to it. In various other aspects, the one or more output ports 104 may have any number of output ports, without deviating from the scope of the present disclosure. In such a scenario, each output port of the one or more output ports 104 is adapted to serve one or more functionalities in a manner similar to the functionalities of the first through twelfth output port 104a-104l as described above.
In some aspects of the present disclosure, the one or more inlet ports 103 and the one or more output ports 104 may be aligned in two rows (i.e., an upper row 126a and a lower row 126b). In some aspects of the present disclosure, due to the presence of the hollow sleeves 116 (as shown earlier in FIG 1A), a length of one or more upper port glands (i.e., port glands of the one or more port glands 105 in the upper row 126a) may be less than a length of one or more lower port glands (i.e., port glands of the one or more port glands 105 in the lower row 126b) that may avoid entangling of the plurality of drop cables 110.
FIG. 1C illustrates an isometric view of a port gland 105a of the one or more port glands 105. The one or more port glands 105 may be adapted to be inserted into the one or more output ports 104. The port gland 105a of the one or more port glands 105 may have a first end 106, a second end 107, and a connecting passage 108 between the first end 106 and the second end 107. The first end 106 may be partially embedded inside the one or more output ports 104. The first end 106 may be defined by a first area (A1). In some aspects of the present disclosure, the first end 106 may have a plurality of fingers 120 that may be disposed on a periphery of the first end 106. In some aspects of the present disclosure, the first end 106 may further have a threaded portion 113 to removably engage the port gland 105a inside the housing 102.
In some aspects of the present disclosure, the second end 107 may have one or more outlets 109 that may be adapted to enable the port gland 105a to couple with the plurality of drop cables 110 (as shown later in FIG 1D). The second end 107 may be defined by a second area (A2). The second area A2 may be greater than the first area A1. The drop cables 110 may be terminated with one or more optical fiber hardened connectors 119 (hereinafter interchangeably referred to and designated as “one or more connectors 119”) at the second end 107.
The connecting passage 108 may be configured to allow passage of a plurality of optical fibers 121 (as shown in FIG. 1B) such that a numerical count of the plurality of drop fiber cables 110 is equal to a numerical count of the plurality of optical fibers 121.
In some aspects of the present disclosure, the connecting passage 108 may have a plurality of longitudinal compartments 112. Each longitudinal compartment of the plurality of longitudinal compartments 112 may be configured to house one optical fiber of the plurality of optical fibers 121. In some aspects of the present disclosure, each longitudinal compartment of the plurality of longitudinal compartments 112 may be separated from one another. In some aspects of the present disclosure, the port gland 105a may further have a shoulder 123 at the second end 107 that may restrict an insertion of the port gland 105a into the one or more output ports 104 at a predefined position.
In some aspects of the present disclosure, each longitudinal compartment of the plurality of longitudinal compartments 112 may have at least one walled region 111 and an open peripheral zone 128 that may define an area of the connecting passage 108. The area of the connecting passage 108 may be greater than 1100 milli meter square (mm2).
FIG. 1D illustrates a distal perspective view of the port gland 105a of the one or more port glands 105. In some aspects of the present disclosure, the high-density fiber enclosure 101 may further have a coupling nut 114 that may be adapted to be engaged with the threaded portion 113 of the port gland 105a of the one or more port glands 105 to removably engage the port gland 105a inside the housing 102. In some aspects of the present disclosure, the coupling nut 114 may have an internal threaded portion 129 that may act as a female coupler to enable coupling of the coupling nut 114 with the threaded portion 113 of the port gland 105a.
In some aspects of the present disclosure, the high-density fiber enclosure 101 may further have a cylindrical sealing element 115. The cylindrical sealing element 115 may be configured to be inserted into the plurality of fingers 120 of the port gland 105a of the one or more port glands 105. The cylindrical sealing element 115 may further be configured to environmentally seal the port gland 105a of the one or more port glands 105 with the coupling nut 114 such that when the coupling nut 114 is engaged, the plurality of fingers 120 captures the cylindrical sealing element 115 tightly. The cylindrical sealing element 115 may further provide sealing to the port gland 105a, when a dust cap 127 (as shown in Fig. 1F) of a connector of the one or more connectors 119 is left off.
FIG. 1E illustrates a proximal perspective view of the port gland 105a of the one or more of port glands 105. In some aspects of the present disclosure, the cylindrical sealing element 115 may have one or more longitudinal passages 117 that may be configured to facilitate the plurality of optical fibers 121 (as shown in FIG. 1B) to enter the connecting passage 108 (as shown in FIG. 1C). In some aspects of the present disclosure, a numerical count of the one or more longitudinal passages 117, a numerical count of the optical fibers of the plurality of optical fibers 121, and a numerical count of the plurality of longitudinal compartments 112 may be same, that may enable each optical fiber of the plurality of optical fibers 121 to enter one longitudinal compartment of the plurality of longitudinal compartments 112 via one longitudinal passage of the one or more longitudinal passages 117. Specifically, the one or more longitudinal passages 117 may have four longitudinal passages (i.e., first through fourth longitudinal passages 117a-117d). Although FIG. 1E illustrates that one or more longitudinal passages 117 have four longitudinal passages (i.e., the first through fourth longitudinal passages 117a-117d), it will be apparent to a person skilled in the art that the scope of the present disclosure is not limited to it. In various other aspects, the one or more longitudinal passages 117 may have any number of longitudinal passages without deviating from the scope of the present disclosure, that may depend on the count of the numerical count of the optical fibers of the plurality of optical fibers 121 and/or the numerical count of the plurality of longitudinal compartments 112. In such a scenario, each longitudinal passage of the one or more longitudinal passages 117 is adapted to serve one or more functionalities in a manner similar to the functionalities of the first through fourth longitudinal passages 117a-117d as described above.
In some aspects of the present disclosure, an output ratio of the high-density fiber enclosure 101 may be less than 200. The term “output ratio” as used herein is referred to as a volume of the high-density fiber enclosure 101 of each longitudinal passage of the one or more longitudinal passages 117.
FIG. IF illustrates the optical fiber 125 coupled to the plurality of drop cables 110 via the port gland 105a of the one or more port glands 105. The optical fiber 125 may be coupled to a splitter 118a of the one or more splitters 118. The splitter 118a may be configured to split an optical signal in the optical fiber 125 into one or more optical fibers of the plurality of optical fibers 121.
The one or more optical fibers of the plurality of optical fibers 121 may be adapted to be received by the port gland 105a. The port gland 105a may further be configured to couple the one or more optical fibers of the plurality of optical fibers 121 with the plurality of drop cables 110 that may be connected to a terminal box (not shown) at the user’s end by way of one or more connectors 119. In some aspects of the present disclosure, a volume of the high-density fiber enclosure 101 may be 4225-4240 milli meter cube (mm3), and a volume per drop cable of the plurality of drop cables 110 may be equal to 88 mm3.
FIG. 2 illustrates a side view of the port gland of FIG 1C. In some aspects of the present disclosure, the port gland 105a may have a first length 202, a second length 204, a first width 206, a second width 208, and a third width 210. The first length 202 may be a length of the port gland 105a from the plurality of fingers 120 on the port gland 105a to the shoulder 123 of the port gland 105a. In some aspects of the present disclosure, a numerical value of the first length 202 may be equal to 48.5 milli metres (mm). In some other aspects of the present disclosure, the numerical value of the first length 202 may be equal to 75.5 mm. The second length 204 may be a length from the shoulder 123 of the port gland 105a to the one or more outlets 109 of the port gland 105a. In some aspects of the present disclosure, a numerical value of the second length 204 may be equal to 19 mm. The first width 206 may be a width of the connecting passage 108. In some aspects of the present disclosure, a numerical value of the first width 206 may be equal to 18 mm. The second width 208 may be a width of the plurality of fingers 120 on the port gland 105a. In some aspects of the present disclosure, a numerical value of the second width 208 may be equal to 12.3mm. The third width 210 may be a width of either of the one or more outlets 109. In some aspects of the present disclosure, a numerical value of the third width 210 may be equal to 7.4 mm.
FIG. 3 illustrates a front expanded view of an output port 104a of the one or more output ports 104 of FIG. 1B. The output port 104a may have a radius 302 such that a numerical value of the radius 302 of the output port 104a may be equal to 24 mm.
In some aspects of the present disclosure, the one or more port glands 105 of the high-density fiber enclosure 101 may have one or more splitters 118 such that each port gland of the one or more port glands 105 may have a splitter of the one or more splitters 118. Each splitter of the one or more splitters 118 may be configured to split the optical signal into four signals. The four optical fibers of the plurality of optical fibers 121 may work as four inputs for the connecting passage 108 coupled to the high-density fiber enclosure 101. Further, the connecting passage 108 may couple the four fibers of the plurality of optical fibers 121 with four LC adapters (not shown), SC connectors, or any other type of connectors, to work as drop cables 110. The cylindrical sealing element 115 with the one or more longitudinal passages 117, at least one walled region 111, and the open peripheral zone 128 may enable accommodation and routing of each fiber of the four fibers of the plurality of optical fibers 121. Thus, the high-density fiber enclosure 101 may provide one or more of, high-density optical fiber cable accommodation, compatible with existing fiber enclosures (or terminal boxes), and an ease of management of the plurality of drop cables 110.
While various aspects of the present disclosure have been illustrated and described, it will be clear that the present disclosure is not limited to these aspects only. Numerous modifications, changes, variations, substitutions, and equivalents will be apparent to those skilled in the art, without departing from the spirit and scope of the present disclosure, as described in the claims. Further, unless stated otherwise, terms such as “first” and “second” are used to arbitrarily distinguish between the elements such terms describe. Thus, these terms are not necessarily intended to indicate temporal or other prioritization of such elements.
, Claims:I/We claim(s):

1. A high-density fiber enclosure (101) comprising:
a housing (102);
one or more inlet ports (103) configured to receive one or more cables (122) in the housing (102); and
one or more output ports (104);
one or more port glands (105) adapted to be inserted into the one or more output ports (104), each port gland of the one or more port glands (105) is configured to receive a plurality of drop fiber cables (110), where each port gland of the one or more port glands (105) comprising:
a first end (106) that is at least partially embedded inside the one or more output ports (104), where the first end (106) is defined by a first area (A1);
a second end (107) that is defined by a second area (A2), where the second area (A2) is greater than the first area (A1); and
a connecting passage (108) between the first end (106) and second end (107), where the connecting passage (108) is configured to allow passage of a plurality of optical fibers (121), such that a numerical count of a plurality of drop fiber cables (110) is equal to a numerical count of the plurality of optical fibers (121).

2. The high-density fiber enclosure (101) of claim 1, where the connecting passage (108) has a plurality of longitudinal compartments (112) such that each longitudinal compartment of the plurality of longitudinal compartments (112) is configured to house one optical fiber.

3. The high-density fiber enclosure (101) of claim 2, where each longitudinal compartment of the plurality of longitudinal compartments (112) is separated from one another.

4. The high-density fiber enclosure (101) of claim 2, where each longitudinal compartment of the plurality of longitudinal compartments (112) has at least one walled region (111) and an open peripheral zone (128) defining an area of the connecting passage (108).

5. The high-density fiber enclosure (101) of claim 1, where the second end (107) comprising a plurality of outlets (109) adapted to connect a plurality of drop cables (110).

6. The high-density fiber enclosure (101) of claim 1, where each port gland of the one or more port glands (105) are cylindrical shaped, where each port gland of the one or more port glands (105) comprising the plurality of longitudinal compartments (112) that are separated from one another.

7. The high-density fiber enclosure (101) of claim 1, where each port gland of the one or more port glands (105) further comprising a shoulder (123) at the second end (107) to restrict an insertion of a port gland of the one or more port glands (105) into the output port (104) at a predefined position.

8. The high-density fiber enclosure (101) of claim 1, where each port gland of the one or more port glands (105) further comprising a plurality of fingers (120) disposed on a periphery of the first end (106).

9. The high-density fiber enclosure (101) of claim 1, further comprising a cylindrical sealing element (115) configured to be inserted into the plurality of fingers (120) of a port gland of the one or more port glands (105).

10. The high-density fiber enclosure (101) of claim 1, where each port gland of the one or more port glands (105) further comprising a threaded portion (113) at the first end (106) to removably engage the one or more port glands (105) inside the housing (102).

11. The high-density fiber enclosure (101) of claim 1, further comprising one or more coupling nuts (114), where each coupling nut of the one or more coupling nuts (114) is adapted to be engaged with the threaded portion (113) of a port gland of the one or more port glands (105) to removably engage the port gland of the one or more port glands (105) inside the housing (102).

12. The high-density fiber enclosure (101) of claim 1, where an output ratio of the high-density fiber enclosure (101) is less than 200.