Note: Descriptions are shown in the official language in which they were submitted.
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FIBER TRANSITION TROUGH COUPLING SYSTEM
Technical Field
This invention pertains to a system for the management and routing of fiber
optic cables,
more particularly to system for coupling transition elements or transition
troughs, to other
troughs and junctions.
Background Art
In the telecommunications industry there are numerous locations where a
significant
amount of fiber optic cable must be routed within a facility or from one
facility to another. The
routing within a facility may be from one piece of equipment to another, or
from outside lines
coming into a central office and to fiber optic connectors where they are
connected to equipment
within the facility.
The number of fibers may be great and the fibers must all be handled with
great care to
avoid damage to the fiber cable, which hinders its performance.
In a typical facility, fiber optic troughs are normally used to carry or route
the fiber optic
cables. Although not necessarily, in most facilities the troughs are located
overhead and over the
location of the fiber optic distribution frames, bays and equipment.
In certain types of facilities, a significant trough network is needed to
contain and route
the fiber cables. The installation time and expense can be substantial for
said trough systems.
The installation time and expense is further increased when the troughs,
trough supports and
junctions are not readily adaptable to the configuration desired in the
facility and when the
troughs, couplings, junctions, downfalls and other equipment do not readily or
easily assemble,
or when tools such as screwdrivers are required for installation. The typical
prior art system
requires numerous screws to secure the covers and other components together.
The design, layout and assembly of these trough systems are further
complicated because
of the unique nature of fiber cables and how the fiber cable must be placed,
routed and managed.
In the management of fiber optic cables, it is important to maintain a minimum
bend radius to
protect the fiber optic cables. One typical standard minimum bend radius is
one and one-half
inches, while another standard minimum bend radius is thirty millimeters
(30mm).
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It is also desirable to minimize the number and size of bumps, cracks, holes
and other
deviations from a smooth surface to which the fibers are exposed, or on which
the fibers are
supported.
For many years there has been an unsatisfied need to reduce the assembly time
and/or expense by providing a trough system which minimizes or eliminates the
need for the
use of screws and other time consuming fasteners and holders, while still
providing a trough
system which protects the integrity of the fiber cables.
In the typical prior art system numerous screws are utilized to attach the
various
components to one another. As anyone who has assembled children's toys can
attest, it can
be tedious to screw in a lot of screws to put something together. While such
screw based
systems are easier to design, they burden the facility owner with the
unnecessarily high
expense of assembly with screws for example, and with attempting to make the
system fit
the particular facility.
Some embodiments of this invention provide a new transition trough coupling
system which reduces the assembly and installation time and expense
significantly and
requires no tools to accomplish the assembly. Other embodiments of this
invention allow
transition troughs to be moved together with recipient troughs in a pre-
determined way to
assemble the two together without any further tools, screws or hardware.
In one aspect, the present invention resides in a fiber optic transition
trough coupling
system for coupling a transition trough to a recipient trough, the coupling
system
comprising: (a) a recipient trough with a fiber support surface, a first side
wall and a second
side wall, and at a first end, the recipient trough further comprising: (i) a
first recipient
trough latch on the first side wall; (ii) a second recipient trough latch on
the second side wall;
(iii) a third recipient trough latch, wherein the third recipient trough latch
comprises a
flexible member including a detent; (b) a transition trough with a fiber
support surface, a first
side wall and a second side wall corresponding to the recipient trough, the
transition trough
further comprising: (i) a first and a second transition trough latch which
correspond to and
engage the first and second recipient trough latches, the first and second
transition trough
latches being disposed to provide lateral support to retain the transition
trough at a position
adjacent the recipient trough; and (ii) a third transition trough latch
corresponding and
complementary to the third recipient trough latch, and disposed to engage the
third recipient
trough latch, wherein the third transition trough latch comprises a tab
configured to engage
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2a
the detent of the third recipient trough latch and being configured to prevent
movement
of the recipient trough relative to the transition trough.
In a further aspect, the present invention resides in a fiber optic transition
trough
coupling system for coupling a transition trough to a recipient trough, the
coupling
system comprising: (a) a recipient trough with a fiber support surface, a
first side wall, a
second side wall and at least two recipient trough latches; and (b) a
transition trough with
a fiber support surface, a first side wall and a second side wall
corresponding to the
recipient trough, and at least two transition trough latches corresponding and
complementary to the recipient trough latches; wherein the recipient trough
and the
transition trough are disposed to operatively attach to one another by
movement together
in a predetermined way; and (c) wherein at least one of the at least two
recipient trough
latches comprises a detent or a tab, and wherein the corresponding and
complementary
transition trough latch comprises a tab or detent configured to engage the
detent or tab,
respectively, of the corresponding recipient trough latch and being configured
to prevent
movement of the recipient trough relative to the transition trough.
In yet a further aspect, the present invention resides in a process for the
assembly of a
fiber optic transition trough to a recipient trough, the process comprising
the following steps:
(a) providing a recipient trough which includes a fiber support surface, a
first side wall, a
second side wall, and at least two recipient trough latches; (b) providing a
transition trough
which includes a fiber support surface, a first side wall, a second side wall
corresponding to
the recipient trough, and at least two transition trough latches which
correspond and are
complementary to the at least two recipient trough latches, the at least two
transition trough
latches further being one piece with the transition trough; (c) providing at
least one of the at
least two recipient trough latches with a flexible member including a detent;
(d) providing
the corresponding and complementary transition trough latch with a tab
configured to engage
the detent of the recipient trough latch to prevent movement of the recipient
trough relative
to the transition trough; and (e) moving the transition trough and the
recipient trough
together in a predetermined way to form an operative attachment, wherein
moving the
transition trough and the recipient trough together in the predetermined way
is the only step
required to form the operative attachment.
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2b
In yet a further aspect, the present invention resides in a process for the
assembly of a
fiber optic transition trough to a recipient trough, the process comprising
the following steps:
(a) providing a recipient trough which includes a fiber support surface, a
first side wall, a
second side wall, and at least two recipient trough latches; (b) providing a
transition trough
which includes a fiber support surface, a first side wall, a second side wall
corresponding to
the recipient trough, and at least two transition trough latches which
correspond and are
complementary to the at least two recipient trough latches, the at least two
transition trough
latches further being one piece with the transition trough; (c) providing at
least one of the at
least two recipient trough latches with a flexible member including a detent;
(d) providing
the corresponding and complementary transition trough latch with a tab
configured to engage
the detent of the recipient trough latch to prevent movement of the recipient
trough relative
to the transition trough; and (e) moving the transition trough and the
recipient trough
together to attach to at least one of the at least two transition trough
latches to a recipient
trough latch; and (0 pivoting the transition trough to move at least one of
the two transition
trough latches to attach to a recipient trough latch.
Brief Description of the Drawings
Preferred embodiments of the invention are described below with reference to
the
accompanying drawings, which are briefly described below.
Figure 1 is a perspective view showing embodiments of this invention with
multiple transition troughs and recipient troughs, in an application;
Figure 2 is a perspective view of an embodiment of a transition trough
sometimes referred to as a trumpet;
Figure 3 is a side view of the trumpet trough shown in Figure 2;
Figure 4 is a perspective view of one embodiment of a transition trough in the
process of being attached to an embodiment of a recipient trough;
Figure 5 is a perspective view of an embodiment of a transition trough as
contemplated by this invention, referred to as a downward elbow or
sometimes a downspout;
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Figure 6 is a perspective view of another embodiment of a transition
trough as contemplated by this invention, only with two latches
being located on the side walls of the transition trough;
Figure 7 is a bottom perspective exploded view of an embodiment of a
transition trough as contemplated by this invention, showing its
relation to a junction recipient trough, illustrating the tab latches
on the recipient trough which complement and correspond to the
latch on the bottom wall of the transition trough;
Best Modes for Carrying Out the Invention and Disclosure of Invention
Many of the fastening, connection, manufacturing and other means and
components utilized in this invention are widely known and used in the field
of the
invention described, and their exact nature or type is not necessary for an
understanding
and use of the invention by a person skilled in the art or science; therefore,
they will
not be discussed in significant detail. Furthermore, the various components
shown or
described herein for any specific application of this invention can be varied
or altered
as anticipated by this invention and the practice of a specific application or
embodiment
of any element may already be widely known or used in the art or by persons
skilled
in the art or science; therefore, each will not be discussed in significant
detail.
The terms "a", "an", and "the" as used in the claims herein are used in
conformance with long-standing claim drafting practice and not in a limiting
way.
Unless specifically set forth herein, the terms "a", "an", and "the" are not
limited to one
of such elements, but instead mean "at least one".
The term latch is used herein in a broad sense, and covers numerous different
mechanisms of attachment/detachment, including each component of a latch such
as
corresponding and complementary components which interact with one another.
The
term latch as used herein is in no way to be limited to the configuration(s)
shown in
the drawings or described herein. The term latch as used herein, by way of
example
but not limitation, would therefore include structures which fasten or retain,
such as a
flexible member with a detent or a tab contained thereon, which would then
interact
with a corresponding and complementary component (also referred to as a
latch), which
may be a detent or a tab. Latch is intended to cover each of the
configurations or
structures that attach or fasten to one another in a complementary way, or
would for
example allow a component to attach to the side wall of the trough. Further
the term
latch is intended to cover each of the two complementary components which
interact or
complement each other. Consistent with this definition and in the case of
transition
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troughs, the retention pegs and the lateral support structure are considered
and defined as latches.
The term trough as used herein means any straight, transition, curved or
junction trough.
The term junction trough or junction as used herein means any junction point
or area,
such as without limitation, horizontal elbows, tees, four way junctions or
intersections, and
others.
The term transition trough as used herein, means any trough component that
facilitates
the vertical routing of fiber optic cables, including without limitation, what
are referred to as a
downspout, downspout converter, down elbow, up elbow and as a trumpet, and
others.
The term recipient trough as used herein means any trough component that is to
be
coupled with the transition trough, such as straight troughs, junction troughs
or junctions, and
even including other transition troughs. For instance a downspout or down
elbow may be a
recipient trough at its lower end for a trumpet trough element, as shown in
the figures.
The term lateral support stop as used herein means any structure which has a
stop
element to engage the retention peg and prevent the movement of the transition
trough away
from the recipient trough (lateral movement), including without limitation, an
aperture into which
the retention peg may be placed. Additionally, the term lateral support stop
as used herein is
considered to be a latch as defined herein.
The term retainer peg as used herein means a peg or other structure which has
a
vertically oriented support structure. Depending on the orientation of the
trough, the vertically
oriented structure may actually be horizontal within the contemplation of this
invention, if the
movement apart of the transition trough from the recipient trough would
necessarily be in the
vertical direction. Additionally, the term retainer peg is considered to be a
latch as defined
above.
Figure 1 is a perspective view showing embodiments of this invention with
multiple
transition troughs and recipient troughs, in a possible application of
embodiments of this
invention. Figure 1 shows elbow trough 110 (a junction trough), with fiber
support surface
i i Oa, first side wall 11 Ob, second side all 11 Oc, retention peg 111,
retention peg 112, acting as a
recipient trough to trumpet transition trough 100, and coupled by trough
coupler 140 to junction
recipient trough 120, a four way junction trough.
Trumpet transition trough 100 is shown with fiber support surface 100a (or
bottom wall),
a latch represented by a lateral support stop 102 or structure on first side
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wall 100b, and a latch represented by a lateral support stop 101 on second
side wall 100c.
Junction recipient trough 120 has fiber support surface 120a (bottom wall),
first side wall
120b, second side wall 120c, and acting as a recipient trough for downspout
transition trough
130. Junction recipient trough 120 has retention pegs 121 and 122 which are
latches as that term
is used herein, to allow transition trough 130 to be attached to it.
Transition trough 130 with fiber support surface 130a, first side wall 130b,
second side
wall 130c, lateral support stops 131 and 132 (latches), and retention pegs 133
& 134. Transition
trough 130 also acts as a recipient trough via retention pegs 133 & 134 and
through one or more
tabs (not visible from this drawing), to trumpet transition trough 140.
Trumpet transition trough 240 is shown with fiber support surface 240a, first
side wall
240b, second side wall 240c, lateral support stop 141 (latch) on second side
wall 240c and lateral
support stop 142 on first side wall 240b.
Figure 2 is a perspective view of an embodiment of a transition trough
sometimes
referred to as a trumpet transition trough 100, illustrating a bottom wall
100a, a first side wall
100b and a second side wall 101 c.
Figure 2 also illustrates two of the numerous possible transition trough
latches which
may be used within the contemplation of this invention. The first two latches
are the combination
of lateral support structure 101 combined with latch aperture 103, and the
combination of lateral
support structure 102 combined with latch aperture 104. The apertures 103 and
104 may be
lifted above corresponding and complementary latches on a recipient trough,
and lowered onto a
retention peg as shown in later figures. The combination of the lateral
support structure 102
combined with latch aperture 104 provides lateral support and vertical
support, thereby retaining
trumpet transition trough 100 adjacent a recipient trough.
Figure 2 also shows a another embodiment of a latch as contemplated by this
invention, a
flexible member 105 with detents 106. As the trumpet transition trough 100 is
moved together
with a recipient trough after the upper latches have been placed on
corresponding retention pegs,
the flexible member flexes to allow flexible member 105 to move over two tabs
(latches) on the
recipient trough which complement the detents 106. Once the trumpet transition
trough 100 is in
the desired location relative to the recipient trough, the detents 106 will
match up to the tabs and
the flex member 105 will return toward its non-flexed position. It should be
noted that two
detents 106 are shown, and
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in that case, the spacer between the two detents 106 provides some lateral
support. However,
there may be any number of detents 106 within the contemplation of this
invention.
Figure 3 is a side view of the trumpet trough shown in Figure 2, and shows
second side
wall 100c, latch 101, flexible member 105 of the lower latch and detent 106.
The lower latch is
the combination of flexible member 105 and detent 106.
Figure 4 is a perspective view of one embodiment of a transition trough in the
process of
being attached to an embodiment of a recipient trough. The apertures 103 and
104 are lifted
above corresponding and complementary latches on a recipient trough, which in
Figure 4 are
retention pegs 111 & 112, which are located in a recess from the top of the
side walls of the
recipient elbow trough 110. Moving the transition trough and the recipient
trough together in a
pre-determined way involves lowering the lateral support structures 101 & 102
down such that
apertures 103 and 104 are lowered over and engage retention pegs 111 & 112.
This provides
lateral and vertical support. The retention pegs provide lateral support in
all lateral directions
when the peg corresponds to and complements the aperture in the other of the
recipient trough or
the transition trough. The recess around the peg also provides in a direction
perpendicular to the
lateral support, which would typically (but need not be) in the vertical
direction.
Once the top two latches are engaged on the recipient elbow trough 110, the
lower
portion of the transition trough is moved together with the lower portion of
the recipient trough,
causing flexible member 105 to flex to initially allow it to pass over
corresponding tabs on the
bottom of recipient elbow trough 110. The tabs or latches on the bottom of
recipient trough are
corresponded to the transition trough latch such that when the troughs are in
the desired location,
the detent 106 engages and surrounds the corresponding tabs on the recipient
trough, thereby
preventing the bottom walls 110a and 100a from moving apart.
The movement described above is merely one embodiment or example of a
predetermined movement together of the transition trough with the recipient
trough as
contemplated by this invention.
Figure 4 also shows first side wall 100b, second side wall 100c, and bottom
wall 100a
(also fiber support surface) of trumpet transition trough 100, as well as
first side wall 110b,
second side wall 110c, and bottom wall 100a or fiber support surface of
recipient elbow trough
110.
Figure 5 is a perspective view of an embodiment of a transition trough 130 as
contemplated by this invention, referred to as a downward elbow or sometimes a
downspout.
Figure 5 illustrates bottom wall 130a, first side wall 130b. second side wall
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130c, a latch comprised of flexible member 135 and detent 136 at a first end
of transition trough
130. At the first end of first side wall 130b is a latch, the latch being
comprised of lateral support
structure stop 132 and aperture 134. At the first end of second side wall 130c
is a latch, the latch
being comprised of lateral support structure stop 131 and aperture 133.
Figure 5 also illustrates how an embodiment of a transition trough may also be
a
recipient trough to another transition trough, in that the transition trough
130 has a second end
which further comprises a first recipient trough latch 138 on the first side
wall 130b; a second
recipient trough latch 137 on the second side wall 130c; and a third recipient
trough latch of a
flexible member 135 with detent 136 thereon, attached to the bottom wall 130a.
Therefore when the term lowered is used herein in connection with a lateral
support
aperture being lowered onto a retention peg for example, it is not required
that this be only in a
vertical direction, but instead means placing or sliding the latch aperture in
the lateral support
stop or lateral support structure, over and onto the retention peg. Also, when
the term bottom
wall is used herein, it refers to a fiber support surface which does not
necessarily have to be
vertically lower than the side walls, depending on the orientation of the
trough being described.
Figure 5 shows retention peg 137 (latch) on the second end of second side wall
130c,
and retention peg 138 on the second end of first side wall 130b. In the
application shown in
Figure 5, a trumpet may be the transition trough attached to the second and of
transition trough
130.
Figure 6 is a perspective view of another embodiment of a transition trough
200 as
contemplated by this invention, only with two latches being located on the
side walls of the
transition trough instead or in replacement of the latch represented by
flexible member 135
combined with detent 136 (shown in Figure 5).
On the first side wall 200b of transition trough 200 is a first latch
represented by flexible
member 205 and detent 206, in addition to the latch represented by lateral
support structure 202
and aperture 203. Also, on the second side wall 200c is a latch represented by
flexible member
207 and detent 208, in addition to the latch represented by lateral support
member 201 combined
with aperture 204. Figure 6 also shows transition trough bottom wall 200a or
fiber support
surface.
Figure 7 is a bottom perspective exploded view of an embodiment of a
transition trough
130 as contemplated by this invention, showing its relation to a junction
recipient trough 120,
illustrating the tab latches 139 on the junction recipient trough 120 which
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complement and correspond to the latch on the bottom wall of the transition
trough 130
which is represented by flexible member 135 and detent 136.
Figure 7 also shows the bottom wall 130a or fiber support surface of
transition
trough 130, first side wall 130b, second side wall 130c, retention posts 137
and 138
at a second end of the trough, and which would be latches to render transition
trough
130 a recipient trough if desired.
Figure 7 also shows recipient trough bottom wall 120a or fiber support
surface,
first side wall 120b and second side wall 120c.
It should also be noted that while the retention peg latches shown and
described
herein are preferably at or near a top of side wall, they need not be and can
be located
anywhere thereon within the contemplation of this invention.
As will be appreciated by those of reasonable skill in the art, there are
numerous
embodiments to this invention, and variations of elements and components which
may
be used, all within the scope of this invention.
One embodiment of this invention for example for the fiber optic cable
transition
trough coupling system for coupling a transition trough to a recipient trough,
the
coupling system is comprised of: a recipient trough with a fiber support
surface, a, first
side wall and a second side wall, and further comprising: a first recipient
trough latch
on the first side wall; a second recipient trough latch on the second side
wall; a third
recipient trough latch; a transition trough with a fiber support surface, a
first side wall
and a second side wall corresponding to the recipient trough, the transition
trough
comprised of: a first and a second transition trough latch which correspond to
and
engage the first and second recipient trough latches, the first and second
transition
trough latches being disposed to provide lateral support to retain the
transition trough
at a position adjacent the recipient trough; and a third transition trough
latch
corresponding and complementary to the third recipient trough latch, and
disposed to
engage the recipient trough latch.
In related embodiments the first transition latch may be a lateral support
stop,
and the first recipient trough latch may be a retention peg, and combinations
of the
different types of latches may be used.
There are also embodiments of this invention in which one trough is both a
transition trough and a recipient trough, such as the trough shown in Figure
5.
In another embodiment of the invention, a fiber optic transition trough
coupling
system for coupling a transition trough to a recipient trough is provided,
wherein the
coupling system comprises: a recipient trough with a fiber support surface, a
first side
wall, a second side wall and at least two recipient trough latches; and a
transition
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trough with a fiber support surface, a first side wall and a second side wall
corresponding to the recipient trough, and at least two transition trough
latches
corresponding and complementary to the transition trough latches; wherein the
recipient
trough and the transition trough are disposed to operatively attach to one
another by
movement together in a predetermined way. Further embodiments of this would be
when
the recipient trough is one piece, and/or the transition trough is one piece.
Process embodiments are also disclosed, such as a process for the assembly of
a fiber optic transition trough to a recipient trough, the process comprising
the following
steps: providing a recipient trough which includes a fiber support surface, a
first side
wall, a second side wall, and at least two recipient trough latches; providing
a transition
trough which includes a fiber support surface, a first side wall, a second
side wall
corresponding to the recipient trough, and at least two transition trough
latches which
correspond and are complementary to the at least two recipient trough latches,
the at
least two transition trough latches further being one piece with the
transition trough; and
moving the transition trough and the recipient trough together in a
predetermined way
to form an operative attachment, wherein moving the transition trough and the
recipient
trough together in the predetermined way is the only step required to form the
operative
attachment. Similar to the apparatus embodiments, further process embodiments
of this
would be when the recipient trough is one piece, and/or the transition trough
is one
piece.
Another process embodiment disclosed is one wherein the transition trough and
the recipient trough are moved together in a predetermined way to attach the
two and
no tools are required and no additional components need be added, to form the
operative
attachment.
