WO2024248140A1 - Optical panel - Google Patents

Abstract

According to the present disclosure, an optical fiber cable can be fixed such that the bending strain applied to the periphery of the portion of the optical fiber cable where the optical fiber is stripped is reduced.　An optical panel (100) according to the present disclosure is provided with a gripping tool (13) that grips an optical fiber cable (22), and a housing (10) in which a stripped optical fiber (21) from the optical fiber cable (22) is wired. The housing (10) is provided with a plurality of attachment parts (16). The gripping tool (13) has a plurality of fixing parts (46) that can engage with the attachment parts (16) of the housing (10). The number of the attachment parts (16) is greater than the number of the fixing parts (46).

Description

Light Panel

The present disclosure relates to light panels.
This application claims priority based on Japanese Application No. 2023-091708 filed on June 2, 2023, and incorporates by reference all of the contents of the above-mentioned Japanese application.

　Conventionally, optical panels are known that include an adapter to which an optical connector attached to the end of an optical fiber is connected, and a wiring plate to which the optical fiber is wired. Patent Document 1 discloses an optical cabinet that includes a cabinet body into which an optical fiber cable is pulled, a wiring plate to which the optical fiber is wired, and a cable fixing part that fixes the optical fiber cable on the wiring plate. In an optical cabinet such as that described in Patent Document 1, after the optical fiber cable is fixed to the cable fixing part, the optical fiber that exits from the optical fiber cable is wired to the wiring plate.

Japanese Patent Application Publication No. 2001-264545 U.S. Pat. No. 1,048,1358

The optical panel of the present disclosure comprises a gripping tool for gripping an optical fiber cable, and a housing in which the optical fibers coming out of the optical fiber cable are wired, the housing is provided with a plurality of mounting parts, the gripping tool has a plurality of fixing parts that can engage with the mounting parts of the housing, and the number of the mounting parts is greater than the number of the fixing parts.

FIG. 1 is a perspective view showing a configuration of an optical panel according to an embodiment of the present disclosure. FIG. 2 is a top view showing the internal configuration of the housing shown in FIG. 1 and a state in which optical fibers led out from an optical fiber cable are wired inside the housing. FIG. 3 is a rear view of the light panel shown in FIG. FIG. 4 is a partial enlarged view showing a detailed configuration of the base portion and the gripping tool shown in FIG. FIG. 5 is a partial enlarged view showing an example of a state in which the position of the gripping tool has been changed from the state shown in FIG. FIG. 6 is a partial enlarged view (part 1) showing an example of a state in which the inclination of the gripping tool is changed from the state shown in FIG. FIG. 7 is a second enlarged partial view showing an example of a state in which the inclination of the gripping tool is changed from the state shown in FIG.

[Problem to be solved by the invention]
However, when an optical fiber cable is bent with a small radius of curvature according to the distance and angle of the optical fiber wiring route, the bending strain applied to the periphery of the portion of the fixed optical fiber cable where the optical fiber is exposed can become too large.

The present disclosure aims to provide an optical panel that can fix an optical fiber cable so that bending strain applied to the periphery of the portion of the optical fiber cable where the optical fiber is exposed is reduced.

[Effects of disclosure]
According to the present disclosure, an optical fiber cable can be fixed so that bending strain applied to the periphery of a portion of the optical fiber cable from which the optical fiber is exposed is reduced.

<Description of the embodiments of the present disclosure>
First, embodiments of the present disclosure will be listed and described.
The optical panel according to the embodiment of the present disclosure includes:
(1) A fiber optic cable measuring instrument comprising: a gripping tool for gripping an optical fiber cable; and a housing in which optical fibers extending from the optical fiber cable are wired, the housing being provided with a plurality of mounting portions, the gripping tool having a plurality of fixing portions capable of engaging with the mounting portions of the housing, the number of mounting portions being greater than the number of fixing portions.

With this configuration, the position of the gripping tool relative to the housing can be adjusted by selecting an attachment part to engage with the fixing part of the gripping tool from among the multiple attachment parts provided on the housing. This makes it possible to fix the optical fiber cable so that the bending strain applied to the periphery of the part of the optical fiber cable where the optical fiber is exposed is reduced.

(2) In the optical panel of (1) above, the multiple mounting portions may be arranged in two different directions.

This configuration allows the inclination of the gripper relative to the housing to be adjusted.

(3) In the light panel of (1) or (2) above, the gripping device may be attached to the outside of the housing.

Since the optical fiber is wired inside the housing, the configuration in which the gripping tool is attached to the outside of the housing as described above allows for greater freedom in the attachment position of the gripping tool compared to when the gripping tool is attached to the inside of the housing.

(4) In any of the optical panels (1) to (3) above, the gripping tool may further have a positioning part that fixes the position of the optical fiber cable, and a support part to which the fixing part is attached and that supports the positioning part, and the orientation of the positioning part relative to the support part may be changeable.

For example, one gripping tool may secure an optical fiber cable routed from the left side of the housing, and another gripping tool may secure an optical fiber cable routed from the right side of the housing. Even in such a case, by changing the orientation of the positioning parts of each gripping tool relative to the support parts, these optical fiber cables can be secured to the housing using gripping tools of the same configuration.

(5) In any of the optical panels described above in (1) to (4), the optical fiber cable is held by the gripping tool on the outside of the housing, and the housing has a fiber inlet formed in the center of the surface on which the gripping tool is provided, and the optical panel may further have a first fiber fixing part that holds the optical fiber exiting from the end of the optical fiber cable held by the gripping tool toward the fiber inlet, and a second fiber fixing part that is provided near the fiber inlet inside the housing and holds the optical fiber introduced into the fiber inlet.

With this configuration, the optical fiber coming out from the end of the optical fiber cable is guided to the fiber inlet by the first fiber fixing part, and is further held near the fiber inlet by the second fiber fixing part and guided inside the housing. Therefore, regardless of the introduction direction of the optical fiber cable, the optical fiber can be guided to the fiber inlet formed in the center of the above-mentioned surface of the housing.

(6) In any of the optical panels described above in (1) to (5), the optical fiber cable may be held by the gripping device on the outside of the housing, and the optical panel may further include a cover that covers the portion of the optical fiber that is extended from the optical fiber cable and is located outside the housing.

This configuration makes it possible to prevent the optical fiber coming out of the optical fiber cable from coming into contact with other components outside the housing, even if the optical fiber cable is fixed to the outside of the housing.

<Details of the embodiment of the present disclosure>
Specific examples of the light panel of the present disclosure will be described below with reference to the drawings. Note that the present disclosure is not limited to these examples, but is defined by the claims, and is intended to include all modifications within the meaning and scope of the claims.

In the following explanation, the terms "front," "back," "left," "right," "up" and "down" may be used, but these directions are relative directions set for convenience of explanation. In each figure, "F" is "front," "B" is "back," "L" is "left," "R" is "right," "U" is "up," and "D" is "down." In addition, in the following explanation, the "horizontal direction" is the direction that includes "left" and "right." The "vertical direction" is the direction that includes "up" and "down."

[Overall configuration]
Fig. 1 is a perspective view showing a configuration of an optical panel 100 according to an embodiment of the present disclosure. The optical panel 100 includes a plurality of housings 10 stacked in a vertical direction. In Fig. 1, as an example, three housings 10, that is, housings 10A, 10B, and 10C, are stacked from bottom to top in the order of housing 10C, housing 10B, and housing 10A. A plurality of adapters 11 are provided in front of each housing 10.

Optical fibers derived from an optical fiber cable (described later) are wired inside each housing 10. Then, for example, an optical connector attached to the end of each optical fiber is connected to an adapter 11.

Fig. 2 is a top view showing the internal configuration of the housing 10 shown in Fig. 1 and the state in which the optical fiber 21 derived from the optical fiber cable 22 is wired inside the housing 10. As shown in Fig. 2, a gripper 13 for gripping the optical fiber cable 22 and a base portion 14 for attaching the gripper 13 to the housing 10 are provided on the outside of the back surface 12 of the housing 10.

The optical panel 100 is also provided with a first fiber fixing portion 19 and a second fiber fixing portion 20 for fixing an optical fiber 21 led out from an optical fiber cable 22. An opening (fiber inlet) 18 is formed in approximately the center in the horizontal direction of the rear surface 12 of the housing 10. For example, the first fiber fixing portion 19 is provided near the gripping tool 13, and the second fiber fixing portion 20 is provided near the opening 18.

At the end of the optical fiber cable 22 fixed by the gripping device 13, the outer sheath 24 has been removed, and the optical fiber 21 and tension member 25 are exposed. In addition, a cover 15 is provided on the outside of the rear surface 12 of the housing 10 to cover the gripping device 13, as well as the optical fiber 21 and tension member 25 that are exposed from the optical fiber cable 22. This makes it possible to prevent the optical fiber 21 and tension member 25 from coming into contact with other parts, etc., outside the housing 10.

In addition, a through hole 17 is formed in a part of the cover 15. The optical fiber cable 22 is routed through the through hole 17 toward the gripping device 13 inside the cover 15.

The optical fiber 21 coming out of the optical fiber cable 22 is fixed to the first fiber fixing portion 19 and the second fiber fixing portion 20, and guided into the housing 10. The optical fiber 21 then passes through the tray 32, for example, while bending inside the housing 10, and is connected to an optical fiber on the downstream side appropriately inside the tray 32 and wired toward the adapter 11. Note that although one optical fiber 21 is illustrated in FIG. 2, multiple optical fibers 21 may be wired inside the housing 10.

FIG. 3 is a rear view of the optical panel 100 shown in FIG. 1. In FIG. 3, the cover 15 is shown with a dashed line to illustrate the gripper 13 and the base portion 14. As shown in FIG. 3, mounting angles 31A and 31B through which one or more optical fiber cables 22 are inserted are provided on the left and right sides of the optical panel 100.

In the example shown in FIG. 3, two optical fiber cables 22A and 22C, which are optical fiber cables 22, are inserted into a mount angle 31A provided on the right side of the optical panel 100. Also, one optical fiber cable 22B, which is optical fiber cable 22, is inserted into a mount angle 31B provided on the left side of the optical panel 100.

In the housings 10A and 10C, a base portion 14 is provided to the left of an opening 18 on the back surface 12, and a gripping device 13 is provided on the back surface 12 via the base portion 14. Two optical fiber cables 22A and 22C that pass through the inside of the mount angle 31A are each wired toward the gripping device 13 provided inside the cover 15 via an insertion hole 17 in the cover 15 provided on the back surface of the housings 10A and 10C.

In the housing 10B, a base portion 14 is provided to the right of an opening 18 on the rear surface 12, and a gripping device 13 is provided on the rear surface 12 via the base portion 14. The optical fiber cable 22B that passes through the inside of the mount angle 31B is wired toward the gripping device 13 provided inside the cover 15 via an insertion hole 17 of the cover 15 provided on the housing 10B.

[Detailed configuration of base portion and gripper]
(a) Base Part Fig. 4 is a partial enlarged view showing the detailed configuration of the base part 14 and the gripper 13 shown in Fig. 2. In Fig. 4, the cover 15 is shown by a dashed line, and the optical fiber 21 is omitted. As shown in Fig. 4, a plurality of first holes (mounting parts) 16 are formed in the base part 14. These first holes 16 are, for example, tap holes, and are formed side by side in two different directions. Specifically, as an example, 25 first holes 16 are formed, five each in the vertical direction and the horizontal direction, spaced apart from each other by 20 mm.

(b) Grip Tool The grip tool 13 includes a positioning portion 41 that fixes the position of the optical fiber cable 22, an attachment portion 42 provided between the positioning portion 41 and the base portion 14, and a support portion 43 that supports the positioning portion 41 and the attachment portion 42. The positioning portion 41 has a first positioning portion 51 that fixes the jacket 24 of the optical fiber cable 22, a second positioning portion 52 that fixes the tension member 25 protruding from the optical fiber cable 22, and a connecting portion 53 that connects the first positioning portion 51 and the second positioning portion 52.

The mounting portion 42 is connected, for example, to the front of the first positioning portion 51 of the positioning portion 41. A plurality of fitting portions 44 that protrude downward are provided on the underside of the mounting portion 42. In the example shown in FIG. 4, two fitting portions 44 are provided aligned in the front-rear direction.

The support portion 43 has a plate-shaped plate portion 54 and an extension portion 55 that extends downward at the front end of the plate portion 54. A plurality of second holes 45 are formed in the plate portion 54. For example, of the plurality of second holes 45, two second holes 45 that are aligned in the front-to-rear direction near the left end of the plate portion 54 are fitted into two mating portions 44 in the mounting portion 42. In this way, the mounting portion 42 and the positioning portion 41 connected to the mounting portion 42 are attached to the support portion 43.

The extension 55 of the support 43 is fitted with a number of screws (fixing parts) 46 that can engage with the first holes 16 of the base 14. The number of screws 46 is less than the number of first holes 16 formed in the base 14. For example, as shown in FIG. 4, there are 25 first holes 16 and two screws 46.

These two screws 46 engage with two of the 25 first holes 16 in the base portion 14, thereby attaching the gripper 13 to the base portion 14. In the example shown in FIG. 4, two screws 46 are engaged with the two first holes 16 that are aligned horizontally in the bottom row of the 25 first holes 16.

(b-1) Changing the Orientation of the Positioning Part with Respect to the Support Part The orientation of the positioning part 41 and the mounting part 42 can be changed with respect to the support part 43 that supports the positioning part 41 and the mounting part 42. More specifically, the multiple second holes 45 formed in the plate part 54 of the support part 43 include two second holes 45 aligned in the front-rear direction near the left end part, as well as two second holes 45 aligned in the front-rear direction near the right end part. In the example shown in FIG. 4, as described above, the two fitting parts 44 in the mounting part 42 of the positioning part 41 are fitted into the two second holes 45 aligned in the front-rear direction near the left end part of the plate part 54.

In this state, the first positioning portion 51 is located on the left side of the gripping device 13, and the second positioning portion 52 is located on the right side. By using the gripping device 13 assembled in this manner, it is possible to fix the optical fiber cable 22 that is wired from the left side of the housing 10, such as the optical fiber cable 22B shown in Figure 3.

Furthermore, when the two fitting portions 44 of the mounting portion 42 are fitted into the two second holes 45 lined up near the right end of the plate portion 54, the first positioning portion 51 is located on the right side of the gripper 13, and the second positioning portion 52 is located on the left side. By using the gripper 13 assembled in this manner, it is possible to fix the optical fiber cable 22 that is wired from the right side of the housing 10, as in the optical fiber cables 22A and 22C shown in FIG. 3.

In other words, as described above, by allowing the orientation of the positioning portion 41 to be changed relative to the support portion 43, the optical fiber cable 22 can be fixed to the housing 10 using a gripping tool 13 of the same configuration regardless of the wiring direction of the optical fiber cable 22.

(b-2) Adjustment of the Position and Inclination of the Grip Tool Fig. 5 is a partially enlarged view showing an example of a state in which the position of the grip tool 13 has been changed from the state shown in Fig. 4. In Fig. 5, as in Fig. 4, the cover 15 is shown by a dashed line, and the optical fiber 21 is not shown. In the example shown in Fig. 5, two screws 46 of the grip tool 13 are inserted into two first holes 16 arranged horizontally in the top row among the multiple first holes 16 formed in the base part 14. This allows the grip tool 13 to be positioned higher than in the state shown in Fig. 4.

In this way, since the multiple first holes 16 are lined up in the vertical direction, the vertical position of the gripping device 13 relative to the housing 10 can be adjusted according to the selection of the first hole 16 with which the screw 46 is engaged. Similarly, since the multiple first holes 16 are lined up in the horizontal direction, the horizontal position of the gripping device 13 relative to the housing 10 can be adjusted according to the selection of the first hole 16 with which the screw 46 is engaged.

FIGS. 6 and 7 are partial enlarged views showing an example of a state in which the inclination of the gripper 13 has been changed from the state shown in FIG. 4. In FIGS. 6 and 7, as in FIG. 4, the cover 15 is shown by a dashed line, and the optical fiber 21 is not shown.

In the example shown in FIG. 6, the left screw 46 of the gripper 13 is inserted into one of the first holes 16 formed in the second row from the bottom among the multiple first holes 16 formed in the base portion 14. Also, the right screw 46 of the gripper 13 is inserted into one of the first holes 16 formed in the bottom row. This makes it possible to adjust the inclination of the gripper 13 so that the second positioning portion 52 is lowered relative to the first positioning portion 51.

In the example shown in FIG. 7, the left screw 46 of the gripper 13 is inserted into one of the first holes 16 formed in the bottom row of the multiple first holes 16 formed in the base portion 14. Also, the right screw 46 of the gripper 13 is inserted into one of the first holes 16 formed in the second row from the bottom. This allows the inclination of the gripper 13 to be adjusted so that the second positioning portion 52 is raised relative to the first positioning portion 51. In this way, since the multiple first holes 16 are lined up in the vertical and horizontal directions, the inclination of the gripper 13 can be adjusted depending on the selection of the first hole 16 with which the screw 46 is engaged.

Here, as shown in FIG. 6, the extension portion 55 of the gripping tool 13 has two through holes 47 formed therein, through which two screws 46 pass, respectively. At least one of these two through holes 47 has an elongated hole shape and extends in a direction along a straight line passing through the two screws 46. In the example shown in FIG. 6, the through hole 47 located on the right side has an elongated hole shape. This allows the distance between the two screws 46 to be changed. Therefore, even if the distance between the two first holes 16 selected according to the inclination of the gripping tool 13 changes, the two screws 46 can be engaged with these two 16, respectively.

In addition, instead of the screw 46, the gripper 13 may be provided with a latch, a magnet, or the like as a fixing part. For example, if the gripper 13 is provided with a latch as a fixing part, the base part 14 is formed with a hole that can engage with the latch as an attachment part. Also, for example, if the gripper 13 is provided with a magnet as a fixing part, the base part 14 is provided with another magnet that can engage with the magnet as an attachment part.

Furthermore, the optical fiber cable 22 fixed to the gripping device 13 is not limited to one that includes a tension member 25, and may be one that does not include a tension member 25.

Furthermore, the base portion 14 is not limited to a configuration in which the first holes 16 are formed in both the vertical and horizontal directions, but may be a configuration in which multiple first holes 16 are formed in the vertical or horizontal directions. For example, if the vertical length of the housing 10 is short, the base portion 14 attached to the housing 10 may be formed with only multiple first holes 16 formed in the horizontal direction.

In addition, the optical panel 100 shown in FIG. 1 includes multiple housings 10 stacked vertically, but the optical panel 100 according to the present disclosure may be configured to include multiple housings 10 arranged horizontally, or may be configured to include a single housing 10.

[Optical fiber wiring method]
2 again, when connecting the optical fiber 21 to the adapter 11 in the optical panel 100, the worker first wires the optical fiber cable 22 to the gripping tool 13 through the insertion hole 17 formed in the cover 15. Then, the worker fixes the optical fiber cable 22 to the positioning portion 41 of the gripping tool 13.

Next, the worker selects a first hole 16 into which to insert the screw 46 of the gripping tool 13 from among the multiple first holes 16 formed in the base portion 14 so that the radius of curvature near the outlet of the optical fiber cable 22 is large, as shown in Figures 4 to 7. The worker then inserts the screw 46 of the gripping tool 13 into the selected first hole 16, thereby fixing the gripping tool 13 and the optical fiber cable 22 to the housing 10. In this way, the position and inclination of the gripping tool 13 and the optical fiber cable 22 relative to the housing 10 can be adjusted, thereby reducing the bending strain applied near the outlet of the optical fiber cable 22.

Referring again to FIG. 2, the worker bends the optical fiber 21 coming out of the optical fiber cable 22 fixed by the gripping tool 13 within the allowable bending angle range of the optical fiber 21, and fixes it to the first fiber fixing part 19 provided near the second positioning part 52.

The worker also guides the optical fiber 21 to the opening 18 formed in approximately the center of the back surface 12 of the housing 10, and has the optical fiber 21 grasped by the second fiber fixing portion 20 provided near the opening 18. The worker then wires the optical fiber 21 inside the housing 10. This allows the optical connector attached to the tip of the optical fiber 21 to be connected to the adapter 11.

In the embodiment illustrated in Figures 1 to 7, the gripper 13 is attached to the outside of the rear surface 12 of the housing 10, but this is not limited to the configuration, and it may be attached to the inside of the rear surface 12, for example.

Furthermore, the gripping tool 13 is not limited to being attached to the rear surface 12 of the housing 10, and may be attached, for example, to the inside of the bottom surface 26 of the housing 10. That is, the base portion 14 to which the gripping tool 13 is attached may be provided on the inside of the bottom surface 26 of the housing 10 so as to follow the bottom surface 26. In this case, the multiple first holes 16 formed in the base portion 14 are aligned, for example, in the front-rear and horizontal directions of the housing 10. Therefore, the position and inclination of the gripping tool 13 can be adjusted in the front-rear and horizontal directions.

However, as described above, the optical fiber 21 is wired inside the housing 10. Therefore, attaching the gripper 13 to the outside of the housing 10 allows greater freedom in the attachment position of the gripper 13 compared to when the gripper 13 is attached to the inside of the housing 10.

　Although the present disclosure has been described above based on specific embodiments, the present disclosure is not limited to these examples, but is instead indicated by the scope of the claims, and is intended to include all modifications within the meaning and scope equivalent to the scope of the claims.

10, 10A, 10B, 10C Housing 11 Adapter 12 Rear surface 13 Grip 14 Base portion 15 Cover 16 First hole 17 Insertion hole 18 Opening (fiber introduction port)
Reference Signs List 19 First fiber fixing portion 20 Second fiber fixing portion 21 Optical fiber 22, 22A, 22B, 22C Optical fiber cable 24 Outer jacket 25 Tension member 26 Bottom surfaces 31A, 31B Mount angle 32 Tray 41 Positioning portion 42 Attachment portion 43 Support portion 44 Fitting portion 45 Second hole 46 Screw (fixing portion)
47 Through hole 51 First positioning portion 52 Second positioning portion 53 Connection portion 54 Plate portion 55 Extension portion 100 Light panel

Claims (6)

a gripping tool for gripping the optical fiber cable;
a housing in which the optical fiber extending from the optical fiber cable is wired,
The housing is provided with a plurality of mounting portions,
the gripping tool has a plurality of fixing portions that can be engaged with the mounting portion of the housing,
The number of the mounting portions is greater than the number of the fixing portions. The optical panel of claim 1, wherein the mounting portions are arranged in two mutually different directions. The optical panel according to claim 1 or claim 2, wherein the gripping device is attached to the outside of the housing. The gripping tool further includes:
a positioning portion for fixing a position of the optical fiber cable;
a support portion to which the fixing portion is attached and which supports the positioning portion,
The light panel according to claim 1 , wherein an orientation of the positioning portion relative to the support portion is changeable. the optical fiber cable is held by the holding tool on the outside of the housing,
The housing has a fiber introduction port formed at the center of a surface on which the gripping tool is provided,
The light panel further comprises:
a first fiber fixing portion that holds the optical fiber protruding from the end portion of the optical fiber cable held by the holding tool so as to face the optical fiber introduction port;
5. The optical panel according to claim 1, further comprising: a second fiber fixing portion provided inside the housing near the fiber inlet, the second fiber fixing portion holding the optical fiber introduced into the fiber inlet. the optical fiber cable is held by the holding tool on the outside of the housing,
The light panel further comprises:
The optical panel according to claim 1 , further comprising a cover for covering a portion of the optical fiber extending from the optical fiber cable and positioned outside the housing.

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