Tap-off closure systems and methods for using the same

An enclosure system for use with a fiber optic cable and a secondary fiber, the cable having a lengthwise cable axis and including a plurality of cable optical fibers, a jacket surrounding the cable optical fibers and a strength member extending through the jacket, the enclosure system comprising:

• an enclosure housing defining a chamber to receive the cable;
• routing features in the enclosure housing defining a prescribed cable arc path and configured to retain an arcuately bent cable segment such that the bent cable segment extends along the cable arc path, wherein the bent cable segment includes an uncut length of the strength member, the bent cable segment defining a cable plane and an interior region within the bent cable segment;
• and
• a fiber handling region disposed in the chamber in the interior region;
• wherein at least one of the cable optical fibers can be removed from the bent cable segment and routed into the fiber handling region to store at least a portion of the removed cable optical fiber in the fiber handling region and/or to splice the removed cable optical fiber with another optical fiber.

A method for enclosing a portion of a fiber optic cable, the cable having a lengthwise cable axis and including a plurality of cable optical fibers, a jacket surrounding the cable optical fibers, and a strength member extending through the jacket, the method comprising:

• providing an enclosure housing defining a chamber and a fiber handling region disposed in the chamber;
• positioning an arcuately bent cable segment of the cable in the chamber, wherein:
• the bent cable segment defines a cable plane and an interior region within the bent cable segment;
• at least one of the cable optical fibers extends fully through the enclosure housing uncut;
• the strength member extends fully through the enclosure housing uncut;
• the fiber handling region is disposed in the interior region;
• removing at least one of the cable optical fibers from the bent cable segment;
• routing the removed cable optical fiber into the fiber handling region;
• and
• storing at least a portion of the removed cable optical fiber in the fiber handling region and/or splicing the removed cable optical fiber with a secondary optical fiber in the fiber handling region.