IP Library › Granted Patent US 10,606,017
Granted Patent B2
US 10,606,017 · App. 16/185,346 · Granted Mar 31, 2020

Fiber optic payout assembly including cable spool

Inventors: Scott C. Kowalczyk (Savage, MN); Jonathan Walter Coan (Savage, MN); Jonathan R. Kaml (Shakopee, MN)
Assignee: CommScope Technologies LLC
G02B6/4457G02B6/3897G02B6/445G02B6/4441G02B6/4446G02B6/4452G02B6/4453G02B6/4454G02B6/4471G02B6/46
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Quick Facts
Patent No.
US 10,606,017
App. No.
16/185,346
Filed
Nov 9, 2018
Granted
Mar 31, 2020
Kind
B2
Examiner
ULLAH, AKM E
Art Unit
2874
USPC
385/135
Abstract

A fiber optic enclosure assembly includes a housing having an interior region and a bearing mount disposed in the interior region of the housing. A cable spool is connectedly engaged with the bearing mount such that the cable spool selectively rotates within the housing. A termination module disposed on the cable spool so that the termination module rotates in unison with the cable spool. A method of paying out a fiber optic cable from a fiber optic enclosure includes rotating a cable spool, which has a subscriber cable coiled around a spooling portion of the cable spool, about an axis of a housing of the fiber optic enclosure until a desired length of subscriber cable is paid out. A termination module is disposed on the cable spool.

Claims (31)

1. A fiber optic assembly comprising:

a wall mountable enclosure arrangement defining a front access opening;

a cable spool mounted within the enclosure arrangement so that the cable spool rotates relative to the enclosure arrangement about an axis, the cable spool having a spooling portion, a first end facing the front access opening, and a second end facing away from the front access opening;

a cable management structure disposed at the first end of the cable spool, the cable management structure defining a cable routing path and providing fiber bend radius protection;

a fiber optic cable wrapped around the spooling portion of the cable spool, the fiber optic cable having an optical fiber having a connectorized end, the connectorized end being held at the first end of the cable spool to rotate in unison with the cable spool relative to the enclosure arrangement when the fiber optic cable is paid out from the cable spool;

a fiber optic adapter for receiving the connectorized end of the optical fiber; and

a front cover for selectively covering the front access opening, the front access opening being defined at least in part by opposite sidewalls, the front cover engaging the sidewalls and extending directly in front of the fiber optic adapter when positioned to cover the front access opening.

2. The fiber optic assembly of claim 1 , wherein the cable management structure includes a curved wall that projects forwardly from the first end of the cable spool.

3. The fiber optic assembly of claim 2 , wherein the curved wall is integrally formed with the first end of the cable spool.

4. The fiber optic assembly of claim 3 , wherein the cable management structure includes a front lip that projects from a front end of the curved wall.

5. The fiber optic assembly of claim 1 , wherein the cable routing path includes at least a portion that is circular.

6. The fiber optic assembly of claim 1 , wherein the connectorized end includes an SC connector and the fiber optic adapter includes an SC fiber optic adapter.

7. The fiber optic assembly of claim 1 , wherein the first end of the cable spool defines a passage through which the optical fiber of the fiber optic cable extends.

8. The fiber optic assembly of claim 1 , wherein the fiber optic adapter mounts at an adapter mounting location configured for mounting a plurality of fiber optic adapters.

9. The fiber optic assembly of claim 1 , wherein the optical fiber of the fiber optic cable is one of a plurality of optical fibers.

10. The fiber optic assembly of claim 9 , wherein the fiber optic adapter is one of a plurality of fiber optic adapters.

11. The fiber optic assembly of claim 10 , wherein the plurality of optical fibers has a number of optical fibers, wherein the plurality of fiber optic adapters includes a number of fiber optic adapters, and wherein the number of fiber optic adapters matches the number of optical fibers.

12. The fiber optic assembly of claim 1 , wherein the fiber optic adapter is one of a plurality of fiber optic adapters.

13. The fiber optic assembly of claim 1 , wherein the cable spool is configured to be locked such that the cable spool does not rotate relative to the enclosure arrangement.

14. A fiber optic assembly comprising:

a wall mountable housing having a rear adapted to face toward a wall when the housing is mounted to the wall, the housing also including a front cover;

a spool disposed within the housing, the spool being rotatable relative to the housing about an axis of rotation that intersects the front cover when the front cover is positioned at an open front of the housing, the spool defining a first surface that faces away from the wall when the housing is mounted to the wall;

a fiber optic cable including an optical fiber extending between a first end and a second end, the first end of the optical fiber being connectorized, and the second end of the optical fiber being connectorized at a single-fiber connector;

the fiber optic cable having a first portion towards the connectorized first end and a second portion towards the connectorized second end, the first portion being coiled around the spool such that the first portion is payable from the spool while the spool is positioned within the housing by pulling the connectorized first end of the fiber optic cable from the housing causing the spool to rotate relative to the housing about the axis of rotation as the first portion is paid out from the spool, the single-fiber connector rotating with the spool as the first portion is paid out from the spool, the second portion of the fiber optic cable being coiled about bend radius limiters disposed at the first surface defined by the spool; and

a fiber optic adapter for coupling the single-fiber connector to a connectorized end of a subscriber cable, the fiber optic adapter being positioned at a location within the housing.

15. The fiber optic assembly of claim 14 , wherein the optical fiber is one of a plurality of optical fibers of the fiber optic cable, wherein second ends of the optical fibers are each terminated by a single-fiber connector.

16. The fiber optic assembly of claim 15 , wherein the fiber optic adapter is one of a plurality of fiber optic adapters positioned within the housing, each of the fiber optic adapters being configured to receive the single-fiber connector at the second end of one of the optical fibers.

17. The fiber optic assembly of claim 15 , wherein the first ends of the optical fibers are terminated by a common multi-fiber connector.

18. The fiber optic assembly of claim 14 , wherein the spool is configured to be fixed such that the spool does not rotate relative to the housing.

19. The fiber optic assembly of claim 14 , wherein the housing includes sidewalls extending forwardly from the rear, and wherein the front cover is pivotally coupled to one of the sidewalls.

20. The fiber optic assembly of claim 14 , wherein the fiber optic adapter is carried with the spool as the spool rotates relative to the housing.

Assignments (6)
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 Dec 17, 2024
From: ARRIS ENTERPRISES LLC; COMMSCOPE TECHNOLOGIES LLC; COMMSCOPE INC., OF NORTH CAROLINA; OUTDOOR WIRELESS NETWORKS LLC; RUCKUS IP HOLDINGS LLC
To: APOLLO ADMINISTRATIVE AGENCY LLC
Reel/Frame 069889/0114 →
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 →
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 →
PATENT SECURITY AGREEMENT Recorded Jul 3, 2019
From: COMMSCOPE TECHNOLOGIES LLC
To: WILMINGTON TRUST, NATIONAL ASSOCIATION, AS COLLATERAL AGENT
Reel/Frame 049892/0051 →
Continuity (12)
Continuation 15470311 · Mar 27, 2017
Continuation 14979870 · Dec 28, 2015
Continuation 14539459 · Nov 12, 2014
Continuation 14132691 · Dec 18, 2013
Continuation 13924191 · Jun 21, 2013
Continuation 13479015 · May 23, 2012
Continuation 13032337 · Feb 22, 2011
Continuation 12793556 · Jun 3, 2010
Continuation 12182705 · Jul 30, 2008
Provisional Application 61029248 · Feb 15, 2008
Provisional Application 60954214 · Aug 6, 2007
Related Publication 20190079259A1 · Mar 14, 2019
Cited By (3)
US 12,235,506 US 12,253,734 US 12,449,623