U.S. patent application number 15/979941 was filed with the patent office on 2019-07-04 for detachable mounting cap and fiber optic distribution box having the same.
The applicant listed for this patent is Amphendol Fiber Optic Technology (Shenzhen) Co. Ltd., Gloriole Electroptic Technology Corp.. Invention is credited to David FREY, Shu-Hui HSU, Songsheng LI, Anh NGUYEN, Jun WEN, Jinan ZHOU, Linghua ZHU.
Application Number | 20190204520 15/979941 |
Document ID | / |
Family ID | 62644106 |
Filed Date | 2019-07-04 |
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United States Patent
Application |
20190204520 |
Kind Code |
A1 |
ZHOU; Jinan ; et
al. |
July 4, 2019 |
DETACHABLE MOUNTING CAP AND FIBER OPTIC DISTRIBUTION BOX HAVING THE
SAME
Abstract
A fiber optic distribution box includes a box body and
detachable mounting caps to mount fiber optic connectors to the box
body. The box body has a box terminal wall formed with through
holes. The detachable mounting caps are disposed on the through
holes and connected detachably to the box terminal wall. Each
detachable mounting cap has a hollow cap body, and a mount hole
formed inside the hollow cap body. The hollow cap body includes a
cap bottom surface lying on the box terminal wall, and a front
inclined cap surface inclined with respect to the box terminal
wall. The mount hole extends through the front inclined cap surface
and the cap bottom surface to communicate with a cable reception
space of the box body through the respective through hole.
Inventors: |
ZHOU; Jinan; (Shenzhen City,
CN) ; LI; Songsheng; (Shenzhen City, CN) ;
WEN; Jun; (Shenzhen City, CN) ; ZHU; Linghua;
(Shenzhen City, CN) ; FREY; David; (Shenzhen City,
CN) ; NGUYEN; Anh; (Shenzhen City, CN) ; HSU;
Shu-Hui; (Kaohsiung City, TW) |
|
Applicant: |
Name |
City |
State |
Country |
Type |
Gloriole Electroptic Technology Corp.
Amphendol Fiber Optic Technology (Shenzhen) Co. Ltd. |
Kaohsiung City
Shenzhen City |
|
TW
CN |
|
|
Family ID: |
62644106 |
Appl. No.: |
15/979941 |
Filed: |
May 15, 2018 |
Current U.S.
Class: |
1/1 |
Current CPC
Class: |
G02B 6/4442 20130101;
G02B 6/4452 20130101; G02B 6/4472 20130101; G02B 6/3897
20130101 |
International
Class: |
G02B 6/44 20060101
G02B006/44 |
Foreign Application Data
Date |
Code |
Application Number |
Jan 2, 2018 |
TW |
107200010 |
Claims
1. A fiber optic distribution box for connecting a fiber optic
cable to a plurality of fiber optic connectors, comprising: a box
body having a box terminal wall and a surrounding box wall
connected to said box terminal wall, said box terminal wall and
said surrounding box wall cooperatively bounding a cable reception
space, said box terminal wall being formed with a plurality of
spaced-apart through holes communicating with said cable reception
space, said surrounding box wall being formed with an input hole
for the fiber optic cable to extend into said cable reception
space; and a plurality of detachable mounting caps disposed
respectively on said through holes and connected detachably to said
box terminal wall, each of said detachable mounting caps having a
hollow cap body detachably mounted to said box terminal wall, and a
mount hole formed inside said hollow cap body, said hollow cap body
including a cap bottom surface and a front inclined cap surface,
said cap bottom surface lying on said box terminal wall above a
respective one of said through holes, said front inclined cap
surface inclinedly extending upward from said cap bottom surface
and inclined with respect to said box terminal wall, said mount
hole extending through said front inclined cap surface and said cap
bottom surface to communicate with said cable reception space and
to mount one of the fiber optic connectors; wherein said hollow cap
body further includes a recess that is indented from said cap
bottom surface and that surrounds said mount hole, and a seal ring
that is received in said recess and that is disposed between said
cap bottom surface and said box terminal wall to provide a seal
between said cap bottom surface and said box terminal wall.
2. The fiber optic distribution box as claimed in claim 1, wherein
said hollow cap body further includes a rear inclined cap surface
that inclinedly extends upward from said cap bottom surface
oppositely of said front inclined cap surface and that has a top
end meeting a top end of said front inclined cap surface, and two
spaced apart opposite side surfaces, each of which is connected
between said front and rear inclined cap surfaces.
3. The fiber optic distribution box as claimed in claim 1, wherein
said box terminal wall is flat so that said through holes lie in a
same plane.
4. The fiber optic distribution box as claimed in claim 1, wherein
said hollow cap body further includes an inner surrounding surface
bounding said mount hole, said inner surrounding surface having an
internal thread configured for threadedly connecting one of the
fiber optic connectors.
5. The fiber optic distribution box as claimed in claim 1, wherein
said mount hole of said hollow cap body has a first hole portion
and a second hole portion, said first hole portion penetrating said
cap bottom surface and extending upwardly away from said box
terminal wall of said box body, said second hole portion connecting
said first hole portion and penetrating said front inclined cap
surface, said second hole portion being smaller in cross section
than said first hole portion.
6. (canceled)
7. The fiber optic distribution box as claimed in claim 1, further
including a plurality of packing rings, each of which is disposed
between said box terminal wall and said cap bottom surface of one
of said detachable mounting caps, each of said packing rings having
a ring hole aligned with said mount hole of the respective one of
said detachable mounting caps and one of said through holes of said
box body.
8. The fiber optic distribution box as claimed in claim 1, wherein
an inclining angle between said cap bottom surface and said front
inclined cap surface ranges between 10 degrees and 60 degrees.
9-14. (canceled)
Description
CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATION
[0001] This application claims priority of Taiwanese Patent
Application No. 107200010, filed on Jan. 2, 2018.
FIELD
[0002] The disclosure relates to a distribution box, and more
particularly to a fiber optic distribution box for connecting a
fiber optic cable to fiber optic connectors.
BACKGROUND
[0003] For a fiber optic distribution application, optical fibers
of a fiber optic cable are spread in connection with a plurality of
fiber optic connectors. To facilitate storage and connection, the
fiber optic cable is received in a fiber optic distribution box,
and the fiber optic connectors are mounted to the fiber optic
distribution box.
[0004] As shown in FIG. 1, in order for allowing optical fibers
(not shown) to extend at a specific angle, a fiber optic
distribution box 1 has a plurality of inclined surfaces 11 inclined
at the specific angle. The inclined surfaces 11 are respectively
connected to fiber optic connectors 12, such that the optical
fibers can extend at the specific angle through the fiber optic
connectors 12.
[0005] However, each inclined surface 11 is formed unitarily as one
piece with the fiber optic distribution box 1. When it is necessary
to provide a different optical fiber output angle, a new fiber
optic distribution box has to be manufactured, thereby increasing
manufacture costs and causing disadvantages for modularization.
Further, the fiber optic distribution box 1 is unable to match with
different types of fiber optic connectors, thereby reducing its
usability for general applications.
SUMMARY
[0006] Therefore, one object of the disclosure is to provide a
fiber optic distribution box that can alleviate at least one of the
drawbacks of the prior art.
[0007] According to the disclosure, a fiber optic distribution box
is for connecting a fiber optic cable to a plurality of fiber optic
connectors, which includes a box body and a plurality of detachable
mounting caps.
[0008] The box body has a box terminal wall and a surrounding box
wall connected to the box terminal wall. The box terminal wall and
the surrounding box wall cooperatively bound a cable reception
space. The box terminal wall is formed with a plurality of
spaced-apart through holes communicating with the cable reception
space. The surrounding box wall is formed with an input hole for
the fiber optic cable to extend into the cable reception space.
[0009] The detachable mounting caps are disposed respectively on
the through holes and connected detachably to the box terminal
wall. Each of the detachable mounting caps has a hollow cap body
detachably mounted on the box terminal wall, and a mount hole
formed inside the hollow cap body. The hollow cap body includes a
cap bottom surface and a front inclined cap surface. The cap bottom
surface lies on the box terminal wall immediately above a
respective one of the through holes. The front inclined cap surface
inclinedly extends upward from the cap bottom surface and is
inclined with respect to the box terminal wall. The mount hole
extends through the front inclined cap surface and the cap bottom
surface to communicate with the cable reception space and to mount
one of the fiber optic connectors.
[0010] Another object of the disclosure is to provide a detachable
mounting cap for detachably connecting a fiber optic connector to a
fiber optic distribution box.
[0011] Accordingly, a detachable mounting cap for detachably
connecting a fiber optic connector to a fiber optic distribution
box includes a hollow cap body that is configured to detachably
connect a box body of the fiber optic distribution box, and a mount
hole formed inside the hollow cap body.
[0012] The hollow cap body includes a cap bottom surface configured
to lie on the box body, and a front inclined cap surface inclinedly
extending upward from the cap bottom surface and configured to be
inclined with respect to the box body.
[0013] The mount hole extends through the front inclined cap
surface and the cap bottom surfaces, and is configured to
communicate with a through hole of the box body and to detachably
mount the fiber optic connector.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
[0014] Other features and advantages of the disclosure will become
apparent in the following detailed description of the embodiment
with reference to the accompanying drawings, of which:
[0015] FIG. 1 is a side view of a conventional fiber optic
distribution box;
[0016] FIG. 2 is a perspective view of a fiber optic distribution
box according to an embodiment of the present disclosure;
[0017] FIG. 3 is another perspective view of the embodiment, viewed
from a bottom side;
[0018] FIG. 4 is a fragmentary sectional view of the embodiment,
illustrating a detachable mounting cap, a packing ring and a box
body of the fiber optic distribution box in an assembled state;
[0019] FIG. 5 is a fragmentary sectional view of the embodiment,
illustrating a fiber optic connector mounted to the fiber optic
distribution box;
[0020] FIG. 6 is a fragmentary sectional view of the embodiment,
illustrating another fiber optic connector mounted to the fiber
optic distribution box; and
[0021] FIG. 7 is a perspective view of the embodiment, illustrating
the fiber optic distribution box in use.
DETAILED DESCRIPTION
[0022] Before the disclosure is described in greater detail, it
should be noted that where considered appropriate, reference
numerals or terminal portions of reference numerals have been
repeated among the figures to indicate corresponding or analogous
elements, which may optionally have similar characteristics.
[0023] Referring to FIGS. 2 and 3, a fiber optic distribution box
according to an embodiment of the present disclosure includes a box
body 2, a plurality of detachable mounting caps 3 (only one is
shown in FIG. 2), and a plurality of packing rings 4 (only one is
shown in FIG. 2).
[0024] The box body 2 has a box terminal wall 21 and a surrounding
box wall 22 perpendicularly connected to the box terminal wall 21.
In this embodiment, the surrounding box wall 22 extends downwardly
from the periphery of the box terminal wall 21. The box terminal
wall 21 and the surrounding box wall 22 cooperatively bound a cable
reception space 20. The box terminal wall 21 is formed with a
plurality of spaced-apart through holes 211 communicating with the
cable reception space 20. The box terminal wall 21 is flat so that
the through holes 211 lie in a same plane. The surrounding box wall
22 is formed with an input hole 221 communicating with the cable
reception space 20. As shown in FIG. 3, retaining members 23 are
disposed in the cable reception space 20. The retaining members 23
not only can serve as structural reinforcement ribs, but also can
be used to mount PLC splitters 51 (as indicated by the phantom
lines) or cable hubs 24.
[0025] Referring to FIG. 4, in combination with FIG. 2, the
detachable mounting caps 3 are disposed respectively on the through
holes 221 and connected detachably to the box terminal wall 21.
Each detachable mounting cap 3 has a hollow cap body 31, a mount
hole 313 formed inside the hollow cap body 31, and a seal ring 32.
The hollow cap body 31 is detachably mounted to the box terminal
wall 21. The hollow cap body 31 includes a cap bottom surface 311,
a front inclined cap surface 312, a recess 314, a rear inclined cap
surface 318, and two spaced apart opposite side surfaces 319. The
cap bottom surface 311 lies on the box terminal wall 21 immediately
above a respective one of the through holes 221. The front inclined
cap surface 312 inclinedly extends upward from the cap bottom
surface 311 and is inclined with respect to the box terminal wall
21. The mount hole 313 extends through the front inclined cap
surface 312 and the cap bottom surface 311 to communicate with the
cable reception space 20 via the respective through hole 211. The
recess 314 is indented from the cap bottom surface 311 and
surrounds the mount hole 313. The rear inclined cap surface 318
inclinedly extends upward from the cap bottom surface 311
oppositely of the front inclined cap surface 312 and has a top end
meeting a top end of the front inclined cap surface 312. Each of
the side surfaces 319 is connected between the front and rear
inclined cap surfaces 312, 318. In this embodiment, the hollow cap
body 31 further includes an inner surrounding surface 317 bounding
the mount hole 313. The inner surrounding surface 317 has an
internal thread 3170. The seal ring 32 is received in the recess
314 and is disposed between the cap bottom surface 311 and a
respective one of the packing rings 4 to provide a seal between the
cap bottom surface 311 and the respective packing ring 4. In
alternative embodiments, the packing rings 4 are omitted, and each
seal ring 32 is received in the respective recess 314 and is
disposed between the respective cap bottom surface 311 and the box
terminal wall 21 to provide a seal between the cap bottom surface
311 and the box terminal wall 21.
[0026] In this embodiment, each packing ring 4 is disposed
removably between the box terminal wall 21 and the cap bottom
surface 311 of a respective one of the detachable mounting caps 3.
Each packing ring 4 has a ring hole 41 aligned in communication
with the mount hole 313 of the respective detachable mounting cap 3
and the respective through hole 211 of the box body 2, so that the
mount hole 313 can communicate the cable reception space 20. A
bottom end of each packing ring 4 abuts the box terminal wall 21,
and a top end of each packing ring 4 abuts the cap bottom surface
311 of the hollow cap body 31 and the seal ring 32. Alternatively,
the diameter of the ring hole 41 may be enlarged such that the seal
ring 32 is situated within the respective packing ring 4 and abuts
the box terminal wall 21. Four screws 52 (FIG. 2) are disposed
within the cable reception space 20. Each screw 52 extends upwardly
through the box terminal wall 21 and the respective packing ring 4
and is threaded into the respective detachable mounting cap 3. Each
packing ring 4 may be made from, but not limited to, a rubber or
resilient material. With the compressible property of such a
material, an effective seal can be provided between the cap bottom
surface 311 and the box terminal wall 21.
[0027] The detachable mounting caps 3 may be provided with
different configurations to match with different kinds of fiber
optic connectors, and may be exchangeably mounted to the box body
2. Two configurations of the detachable mounting caps 3 are
respectively shown in FIGS. 5 and 6.
[0028] Referring to FIG. 5, the detachable mounting cap 3
threadedly connects a fiber optic connector 6 through the internal
thread 3170. A bottom end of the fiber optic connector 6 is
inclinedly inserted into the cable reception space 20 in a
direction substantially perpendicular to the front inclined cap
surface 312 of the detachable mounting cap 3 and is inclined with
respect to the box terminal wall 21. When a dust cap 61 of the
fiber optic connector 6 is opened, optical fibers (not shown) in
the cable reception space 20 are allowed to extend outwardly at a
specific angle through the fiber optical connector 6 for external
connection. In order to avoid excessive bends of the optical
fibers, an inclining angle between the cap bottom surface 311 and
the front inclined cap surface 312 may be arranged to range between
10 degrees and 60 degrees. The detachable mounting caps 3 may be
manufactured with different inclining angles of the front inclined
cap surfaces 312 and different sizes of the mount holes 313, and
may be exchangeably mounted to the box body 2 to meet the needs of
different fiber optic connectors 6.
[0029] Referring to FIG. 6, another fiber optic connector 6' is
connected to the detachable mounting cap 3. The mount hole 313 of
the detachable mounting cap 3 has a first hole portion 315 and a
second hole portion 316. The first hole portion 315 penetrates the
cap bottom surface 311 and extends upwardly away from the box
terminal wall 21 of the box body 2. The second hole portion 316
connects the first hole portion 315 and penetrates the front
inclined cap surface 312. The second hole portion 316 is smaller in
cross section than the first hole portion 315. The fiber optic
connector 6' has a portion, which is greater in cross section than
the second hole 316 and which is retained on the detachable
mounting cap 3. To fix the fiber optic connector 6' to the
detachable mounting cap 3, a coupling key 53 is used to position
the fiber optic connector 6', and a clamp 54 that is greater in
cross section than the second hole portion 316 but smaller than the
first hole portion 315 is threadedly attached to a base section of
the fiber optic connector 6' to provide a clamping force to secure
the fiber optic connector 6'.
[0030] Referring to FIG. 7, in combination with FIG. 5, a fiber
optic cable 7 is inserted into the cable reception space 20 through
the input hole 221 of the box body 2. The detachable mounting caps
3 are connected to the fiber optic connectors 6. The fiber optic
connectors 6 are inclined at particular angles with respect to the
box terminal wall 21. In that manner, optical fibers of the fiber
optic cable 7 in the cable reception space 20 are distributed to
the fiber optic connectors 6, through which the optical fibers exit
at particular inclining angles. On the other hand, the dust cap 61
of each fiber optic connector 6 is connected to one end of a tether
62. The other end of the tether 62 is connected to the front
inclined cap surface 312 of the respective detachable mounting cap
3. Because the detachable mounting caps 3 are detachable from the
box body 2, the detachable mounting caps 3 having different
configurations may be exchanged to match with desired fiber optic
connectors, or to allow optical fibers to exit at desired inclining
angles. The box body 2 is a common component that can be used
commonly for different kinds of fiber optic connectors. By
providing the common box body 2, manufacture costs may be reduced
and general usability may be improved.
[0031] In the description above, for the purposes of explanation,
numerous specific details have been set forth in order to provide a
thorough understanding of the embodiments. It will be apparent,
however, to one skilled in the art, that one or more other
embodiments may be practiced without some of these specific
details. It should also be appreciated that reference throughout
this specification to "one embodiment," "an embodiment," an
embodiment with an indication of an ordinal number and so forth
means that a particular feature, structure, or characteristic may
be included in the practice of the disclosure. It should be further
appreciated that in the description, various features are sometimes
grouped together in a single embodiment, figure, or description
thereof for the purpose of streamlining the disclosure and aiding
in the understanding of various inventive aspects, and that one or
more features or specific details from one embodiment may be
practiced together with one or more features or specific details
from another embodiment, where appropriate, in the practice of the
disclosure.
[0032] While the disclosure has been described in connection with
what is considered the exemplary embodiment, it is understood that
this disclosure is not limited to the disclosed embodiment but is
intended to cover various arrangements included within the spirit
and scope of the broadest interpretation so as to encompass all
such modifications and equivalent arrangements.
* * * * *