IP Library Granted Patent US 8,774,588
Granted Patent B2
US 8,774,588 · App. 13/924,177 · Granted Jul 8, 2014

Fiber optic enclosure with tear-away spool

Inventors: Scott C. Kowalczyk (Savage, MN); Trevor D. Smith (Eden Prairie, MN); Jonathan R. Kaml (Shakopee, MN); Thomas G. LeBlanc (Westminster, MA)
Assignee: ADC Telecommunications, Inc.
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Quick Facts
Patent No.
US 8,774,588
App. No.
13/924,177
Filed
Jun 21, 2013
Granted
Jul 8, 2014
Kind
B2
Art Unit
2874
USPC
385/135
Abstract

A fiber optic enclosure includes a housing and a cable spool assembly disposed on an exterior surface of the housing. The cable spool assembly has a first tear-away end and a second tear-away end. The first and second tear-away ends include at least one area of weakness extending from an inner diameter of the cable spool assembly to an outer diameter of the cable spool assembly. A mounting plate is rotationally engaged with the cable spool assembly such that the cable spool assembly and the housing selectively and unitarily rotate about an axis of the mounting plate.

Claims (27)

1. A fiber optic cable spool arrangement comprising:

a cable spool assembly including a drum portion and a flange that projects radially outwardly from the drum portion, the drum portion being configured to hold a fiber optic cable wrapped thereabout, the cable spool assembly defining an area of weakness along which a portion of the cable spool assembly can be torn away from a remainder of the cable spool assembly.

2. A fiber optic enclosure as claimed in claim 1 , wherein the area of weakness is a perforation.

3. A fiber optic enclosure as claimed in claim 1 , wherein the area of weakness is a reduced thickness of material.

4. A fiber optic enclosure as claimed in claim 1 , wherein the portion of the cable spool assembly includes at least a portion of the flange.

5. A fiber optic enclosure as claimed in claim 1 , wherein the portion of the cable spool assembly includes the entire flange.

6. A fiber optic enclosure as claimed in claim 1 , wherein the area of weakness includes a radial area of weakness.

7. A fiber optic enclosure as claimed in claim 1 , wherein the area of weakness includes a circular area of weakness.

8. A fiber optic enclosure as claimed in claim 1 , further comprising a housing coupled to the cable spool assembly.

9. A fiber optic enclosure as claimed in claim 8 , wherein the housing is configured to rotate in unison with the cable spool assembly.

10. A fiber optic enclosure for enclosing optical fiber connections comprising:

a cable spool assembly including a drum portion and a flange that projects radially outwardly from the drum portion, the drum portion being configured to hold a fiber optic cable wrapped thereabout, the cable spool assembly defining an area of weakness along which a portion of the cable spool assembly can be torn away from a remainder of the cable spool assembly;

a housing coupled to the cable spool assembly; and

a fiber optic cable wrapped about the drum portion of the cable spool assembly, wherein the housing and the cable spool assembly rotate in unison to deploy the fiber optic cable.

11. A fiber optic enclosure as claimed in claim 10 , wherein the housing includes a fiber optic adapter.

12. A fiber optic enclosure as claimed in claim 10 , wherein the area of weakness is a perforation.

13. A fiber optic enclosure as claimed in claim 10 , wherein the area of weakness is a reduced thickness of material.

14. A fiber optic enclosure as claimed in claim 10 , wherein a first tear-away end of the cable spool assembly is in fastened engagement with an external surface of the housing.

15. A fiber optic enclosure as claimed in claim 10 wherein the housing includes a termination module.

16. A fiber optic enclosure as claimed in claim 15 , wherein the termination module includes a plurality of sliding adapter modules.

17. A method of installing a fiber optic cable comprising:

providing a cable spool assembly including a drum portion and a flange that projects radially outwardly from the drum portion, the drum portion holding a fiber optic cable wrapped thereabout;

unwinding a length of the fiber optic cable from the cable spool assembly; and

removing at least a portion of the flange from the cable spool assembly.

18. The method of claim 17 , wherein removing the portion of the flange from the cable spool assembly comprises tearing the portion of the flange along an area of weakness.

19. The method of claim 17 , wherein removing the portion of the flange from the cable spool assembly comprises removing the flange in its entirety.

20. The method of claim 17 , further comprising removing a housing from the cable spool assembly, the housing including a plurality of fiber optic adapters receiving connectorized ends of the fiber optic cable.

Assignments (13)
RELEASE OF SECURITY INTEREST AT REEL/FRAME 049905/0504 Recorded Dec 19, 2024
From: JPMORGAN CHASE BANK, N.A., AS COLLATERAL AGENT
To: ARRIS ENTERPRISES LLC (F/K/A ARRIS ENTERPRISES, INC.); ARRIS TECHNOLOGY, INC.; ARRIS SOLUTIONS, INC.; COMMSCOPE, INC. OF NORTH CAROLINA; COMMSCOPE TECHNOLOGIES LLC; RUCKUS WIRELESS, LLC (F/K/A RUCKUS WIRELESS, INC.)
Reel/Frame 071477/0255 →
SECURITY INTEREST Recorded Nov 19, 2021
From: ARRIS SOLUTIONS, INC.; ARRIS ENTERPRISES LLC; COMMSCOPE TECHNOLOGIES LLC; COMMSCOPE, INC. OF NORTH CAROLINA; RUCKUS WIRELESS, INC.
To: WILMINGTON TRUST
Reel/Frame 060752/0001 →
PATENT SECURITY AGREEMENT Recorded Jul 3, 2019
From: COMMSCOPE TECHNOLOGIES LLC
To: WILMINGTON TRUST, NATIONAL ASSOCIATION, AS COLLATERAL AGENT
Reel/Frame 049892/0051 →
TERM LOAN SECURITY AGREEMENT Recorded Jul 3, 2019
From: COMMSCOPE, INC. OF NORTH CAROLINA; COMMSCOPE TECHNOLOGIES LLC; ARRIS ENTERPRISES LLC; ARRIS TECHNOLOGY, INC.; RUCKUS WIRELESS, INC.; ARRIS SOLUTIONS, INC.
To: JPMORGAN CHASE BANK, N.A.
Reel/Frame 049905/0504 →
ABL SECURITY AGREEMENT Recorded Jul 3, 2019
From: COMMSCOPE, INC. OF NORTH CAROLINA; COMMSCOPE TECHNOLOGIES LLC; ARRIS ENTERPRISES LLC; ARRIS TECHNOLOGY, INC.; RUCKUS WIRELESS, INC.; ARRIS SOLUTIONS, INC.
To: JPMORGAN CHASE BANK, N.A.
Reel/Frame 049892/0396 →
RELEASE OF SECURITY INTEREST Recorded Apr 9, 2019
From: JPMORGAN CHASE BANK, N.A.
To: REDWOOD SYSTEMS, INC.; ALLEN TELECOM LLC; ANDREW LLC; COMMSCOPE, INC. OF NORTH CAROLINA; COMMSCOPE TECHNOLOGIES LLC
Reel/Frame 048840/0001 →
RELEASE OF SECURITY INTEREST Recorded Apr 9, 2019
From: JPMORGAN CHASE BANK, N.A.
To: REDWOOD SYSTEMS, INC.; ALLEN TELECOM LLC; ANDREW LLC; COMMSCOPE, INC. OF NORTH CAROLINA; COMMSCOPE TECHNOLOGIES LLC
Reel/Frame 049260/0001 →
PATENT SECURITY AGREEMENT (TERM) Recorded Jan 13, 2016
From: COMMSCOPE TECHNOLOGIES LLC
To: JPMORGAN CHASE BANK, N.A., AS COLLATERAL AGENT
Reel/Frame 037513/0709 →
PATENT SECURITY AGREEMENT (ABL) Recorded Jan 13, 2016
From: COMMSCOPE TECHNOLOGIES LLC
To: JPMORGAN CHASE BANK, N.A., AS COLLATERAL AGENT
Reel/Frame 037514/0196 →
ASSIGNMENT OF ASSIGNOR'S INTEREST Recorded Oct 29, 2015
From: COMMSCOPE EMEA LIMITED
To: COMMSCOPE TECHNOLOGIES LLC
Reel/Frame 037012/0001 →
ASSIGNMENT OF ASSIGNOR'S INTEREST Recorded Oct 26, 2015
From: TYCO ELECTRONICS SERVICES GMBH
To: COMMSCOPE EMEA LIMITED
Reel/Frame 036956/0001 →
ASSIGNMENT OF ASSIGNOR'S INTEREST Recorded Oct 21, 2015
From: ADC TELECOMMUNICATIONS, INC.; TE CONNECTIVITY SOLUTIONS GMBH
To: TYCO ELECTRONICS SERVICES GMBH
Reel/Frame 036908/0443 →
ASSIGNMENT OF ASSIGNOR'S INTEREST Recorded Sep 25, 2015
From: KOWALCZYK, SCOTT C.; SMITH, TREVOR D.; KAML, JONATHAN R.; LEBLANC, THOMAS G.
To: ADC TELECOMMUNICATIONS, INC.
Reel/Frame 036660/0930 →
Continuity (5)
Continuation 13554607 · Jul 20, 2012
Continuation 12973154 · Dec 20, 2010
Continuation 12199923 · Aug 28, 2008
Provisional Application 60970185 · Sep 5, 2007
Related Publication 20140010512A1 · Jan 9, 2014