US5024498A
Expired / Lapsed
US
⏱️ 0.0 years remaining
Switch box for producing freely selectable optical plug connections
Assignee: Nexans Deutschland GmbH
•
Filing: 1989-11-09
•
Granted: 1991-06-18
•
Expires: 2009-11-09
Abstract
Abstract The invention relates to a switch box for producing freely selectable optical connections between the LWGs of incoming optical cables and the LWGs of outgoing optical cables by means of optical shunting lines. The production of any connection is made possible in an ordered and certain way in an arrangement in which LWG groups of the incoming optical cables are connected to a first group of adjacent termination units, LWG groups of the outgoing optical cables are connected to a second group of adjacent termination units, the individual LWGs of the incoming and of the outgoing cables are connected to optical plug connector elements provided on the terminal units, the shunting lines are connected on both sides to mating connector elements, and excessive lengths of the shunting lines not required for producing a connection are stored in storage elements.
Inventors
- 👤 Johann A. Becker
- 👤 Peter G. Deusser
- 👤 Olaf W. R. Holzmann
Bibliographic Details
Application Number
—
Jurisdiction
US
Data Source
google_patents
Last Synchronized
2026-11-07 15:04
CPC Classifications
G; G02; G02B; G02B6/00; G02B6/44; G02B6/4439; G02B6/444; G02B6/4453; G02B6/4454; G02B6/4452; G02B6/44524; G02B6/44528
Claims Analysis
Total Claims: 14
Claim 1
Independent Claim
143 words
A switch box for producing freely selectable optical plug connections between LWG groups (27) of incoming optical cables and LWG groups of outgoing optical cables by means of optical shunting lines (7, 8), wherein LWG groups (27) of the incoming optical cables are connected to a first group of adjacent termination units (2) and LWG groups of the outgoing optical cables are connected to a second group of adjacent terminating units (5), the individual LWGs of the incoming and the outgoing cables being connected to optical plug connector elements (11, 12, 13, 14) provided on the termination units (2 and 5, respectively), the shunting lines (7, 8) being connected at both ends to mating connectors (20, 21), and wherein storage elements (9) are provided for storage of excessive lengths of the shunting lines (7, 8) not required for the production of a connection.
Claim 2
Dependent Claim
143 words
A switch box for producing freely selectable optical plug connections between LWG groups (27) of incoming optical cables and LWG groups of outgoing optical cables by means of optical shunting lines (7, 8), wherein LWG groups (27) of the incoming optical cables are connected to a first group of adjacent termination units (2) and LWG groups of the outgoing optical cables are connected to a second group of adjacent terminating units (5), the individual LWGs of the incoming and the outgoing cables being connected to optical plug connector elements (11, 12, 13, 14) provided on the termination units (2 and 5, respectively), the shunting lines (7, 8) being connected at both ends to mating connectors (20, 21), and wherein storage elements (9) are provided for storage of excessive lengths of the shunting lines (7, 8) not required for the production of a connection.
Claim 3
Dependent Claim
68 words
A switch box as claimed in claim 1, wherein the termination units (2, 5) are constructed as slide-in units which can be slid into the switch box and to which a LWG group (27) either of an incoming or of an outgoing cable is held, the units (2, 5) also comprising storage spaces (22, 23) for storing available lengths of the LWGs required for producing spliced connections (29).
Claim 4
Dependent Claim
49 words
A switch box as claimed in claim 1 or 2, wherein storage holders (10, 30) for a number of storage elements (9) corresponding to the number of plug connector elements (11, 13) of the termination unit (2) are spatially associated at least with a part of the termination units.
Claim 5
Dependent Claim
21 words
A switch box as claimed in claim 3, wherein the storage holders (10, 30) are parts of the termination units (2).
Claim 6
Dependent Claim
25 words
A switch box as claimed in claim 4, wherein the storage holders (10, 30) are associated with the termination units (2) for the incoming cables.
Claim 7
Dependent Claim
31 words
A switch box as claimed in claim 3, wherein the storage spaces (22, 23) and the storage holders (10, 30) are provided on oppositely located sides of the termination units (2).
Claim 8
Dependent Claim
43 words
A switch box as claimed in claim 3, wherein the storage elements (9) for the shunting lines (7, 8) can be stored in the storage holders (10, 30) for the termination units (2) in a direction substantially perpendicular to the direction of insertion.
Claim 9
Dependent Claim
38 words
A switch box as claimed in claim 3, wherein guides (14', 15, 17, 18) for the ends (8b, 8c) of the shunting line (8) terminating from each storage element (9) are associated with the storage holders (10, 30).
Claim 10
Dependent Claim
54 words
A switch box as claimed in claim 8, wherein the guides (14', 15) are provided on the termination units (2) in such a manner that the ends (8b) of the shunting lines (8) to be guided to other terminal units (5) extend freely and unconnectedly in the front area of a termination unit (2).
Claim 11
Dependent Claim
34 words
A switch box as claimed in claim 1, wherein guides (16) for inserting the switching lengths of the shunt lines (7, 8) are provided outside the pull-out area of the termination units (2, 5).
Claim 12
Dependent Claim
58 words
A switch box as claimed in claim 10, wherein the groups of termination units (2 and 5, respectively) of the incoming and outgoing cables are arranged in a common row and the guides (16) for the switching lengths of the shunting lines (7, 8) are provided, preferably on both sides, beside the row of termination units (2, 5).
Claim 13
Dependent Claim
51 words
A switch box as claimed in claim 1, wherein the shunting lines (7, 8) are guided loosely by an S-shaped channel of their storage elements (9) and excessive lengths of the shunting lines (7, 8) can be wound parallel and in common around a coil former of the storage elements (9).
Claim 14
Dependent Claim
86 words
A switch box as claimed in claim 1, wherein the termination units (2) comprise two storage spaces (22, 23) of which the former (22) serves to provide a length of store of the overall length of the LWG (27) guided in the termination unit (2), while in the second storage space (23) available lengths of the LWGs and of pigtail-LWGs (26) required for the production of the spliced connections (29) can be provided between the individual LWG and the pigtail-LWGs (26) of the plug connector elements.
References Cited (Backward Citations)
US4792203A
Cited
US4818054A
Cited
US4824196A
Cited
US4805979A
Cited
US4895425A
Cited
US4884863A
Cited
US4971421A
Cited
US4976510A
Cited
US4976510B1
Cited
US4976510B2
Cited
USPTO Annuity & Maintenance Windows
| Annuity Stage | Window Opens | Payment Deadline | Surcharge Period Until | Estimated Fee | Status |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 3.5 Years (Year 4) | 1994-06-17 | 1994-12-17 | 1995-06-18 | $2000.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 7.5 Years (Year 8) | 1998-06-17 | 1998-12-17 | 1999-06-18 | $3760.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 11.5 Years (Year 12) | 2002-06-17 | 2002-12-17 | 2003-06-18 | $7700.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |