Optical fiber rearrangement device with containment channels
AssigneeUS Conec Ltd.
InventorsCraig M. Conrad, Darrell R. Childers, Brian J. Gimbel, Brian Pruett, Myron W. Yount
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Abstract
A device for rearranging optical fibers has a proximal and distal end. The ends have openings therein to allow optical fibers to pass therethrough. The openings in the distal end have a width that is less than twice the optical fiber's diameter. Dividers separate the distal end openings and have a projection that narrows the distal openings to prevent the optical fibers from accidentally moving out of the openings. A lid is also provided to assist with organization and compression of the optical fibers.
Claims9
A method for reorganizing a plurality of optical fibers, the plurality of optical fibers having a diameter, comprising:
- receiving the plurality of optical fibers at a device, the device having a plurality of openings with a divider therebetween and each of the plurality of openings having a width that is greater than the diameter of the plurality of optical fiber and less than twice the diameter of the optical fibers;
- passing at least two optical fibers from the plurality of optical fibers through one of the plurality of openings;
- and
- retaining the at least two optical fibers with a fixed relative positioning thereof within the one of the plurality of openings.
A method of rearranging optical fibers from a first grouping to a different second grouping, each of the optical fibers having a diameter, the method comprising:
- providing the optical fibers in a first grouping at a rearrangement device having a plurality of openings separated by at least one divider therebetween, each of the plurality of openings having a width more than the diameter of the optical fibers and less than twice the diameter of the optical fibers;
- enlarging the width of a first one of the plurality of openings to insert a first optical fiber therein;
- inserting a second optical fiber in the first one of the plurality of openings;
- and
- reducing the width of the opening to an original width prior to said enlarging to maintain the relative positions of the optical fibers in the first one of a plurality of openings to yield a different second arrangement thereof.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.