Cable slack storage device
AssigneeCommScope Connectivity Belgium BVBA
InventorsJohan GEENS, Jan Willem RIETVELD, Bart VOS, Olivier Hubert Daniel Yves ROUSSEAUX
Life of this patent
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Abstract
A cable storage device (100) includes a removal station (110) and a storage spool (120). Slack length of the cable (190) is advanced into the cable storage device. At least a jacket (195) of the cable (190) is removed at the removal station (110). At least a signal-carrying portion of the cable (190) is wound at the storage spool (120). The removed jacket (195) exits the cable storage device (100). The cable (190) can be axially secured at the cable storage device (100). Certain types of spools can index the cable.
Claims50
A storage device for storing excess length of a cable, the storage device comprising:
- a housing defining an entrance aperture and an exit aperture;
- a spool carried by the housing, the spool being rotatable relative to the housing, the spool defining a cable port;
- a cutting tool carried by the housing, the cutting tool being disposed between the entrance aperture and the spool;
- and
- a channel defined in the housing leading from the cable entrance, past the cutting tool, to the exit aperture, the channel also opening to a drum of the spool.
A storage device storing excess length of a cable extending between first and second axial ends of the cable, the cable having a first jacketed portion disposed at the first axial end, a second jacketed portion disposed at the second axial end, and an unjacketed portion disposed between the first and second jacketed portions, the second jacketed portion of the cable being longer than the first jacketed portion of the cable, the storage device comprising:
- a housing defining an interior;
- a first cable port through which the first jacketed portion of the cable extends into the housing so that the first axial end of the cable is external of the housing;
- a second cable port through which the second jacketed portion of the cable extends into the housing so that the second axial end of the cable is external of the storage device;
- a removal station disposed at the housing, the removal station being configured to separate an inner portion of the second jacketed portion of the cable from a jacket of the second jacketed portion of the cable, thereby lengthening the unjacketed portion of the cable;
- a storage spool disposed within the interior of the housing, the storage spool being configured to wind the inner portion of the cable;
- and
- an exit aperture through which the jacket from which the inner portion is separated exits the housing.
The storage device of any preceding claim, wherein the storage spool defines at least one drop port.
A system for assembling multiple types of terminals using a selection of different types of components, the system comprising:
- a main housing defining an interior, the main housing defining a cable port leading to the interior;
- a first component structured to selectively mount within the interior of the main housing so that a first portion of the first component is accessible from an exterior of the main housing, the first portion defining a second cable port, the first component including a cable spool that is rotatable relative to the main housing when mounted within the interior of the main housing;
- and
- a second component that is different from the first component, the second component being structured to selectively mount within the interior of the main housing instead of the first component so that a second portion of the second component is accessible from an exterior of the main housing, the second portion defining a second cable port and at least one drop port;
- wherein either of the first component or the second component can be assembled to the main housing to form a terminal.
A method of customizing an amount of slack length of a cable that can be stored, the cable extending from a first axial end to a second axial end, the cable having an inner portion surrounded by a jacket, the method comprising:
- separating the jacket of the cable from the inner portion of the cable along a first length of the cable to form an unjacketed portion of the cable, the unjacketed portion extending between a first jacketed portion of the cable and a second jacketed portion of the cable, the first jacketed portion forming the first axial end of the cable, the second jacketed portion forming the second axial end of the cable;
- and
- routing the unjacketed portion of the cable through an interior of the cable storage device so that the second jacketed portion of the cable extends out of a second cable port defined in the cable storage device, the separated jacket extends out of an exit aperture defined in the cable storage device, and the first jacketed portion of the cable extends out of a first cable port defined in the cable storage device.
A method of storing slack length of a cable using a cable storage device, the cable extending between first and second axial ends, the method comprising:
- rotating a handle of the cable storage device;
- pulling the cable into the cable storage device and past a removal station by rotating the handle;
- making an incision in the jacket of the cable as the cable is pulled past the removal station to enable separation of the jacket from an inner portion of the cable;
- separating the jacket from the inner portion of the cable by routing the jacket from the removal station to an exit aperture while routing the inner portion of the cable from the removal station to a storage cavity disposed within the cable storage device;
- and
- winding the inner portion of the cable within the storage cavity.
A method of storing excess slack length of an indexing cable having at least a first signal-carrying portion extending between first and second axial ends of the indexing cable, the indexing cable also having at least a second signal-carrying portion extending from the first axial end to a drop end separate from the second axial end, wherein the first signal-carrying portion is indexed between the first and second axial ends, the indexing cable having an unjacketed portion disposed inside of a cable storage device, the second axial end and drop end being carried by a first portion of the cable storage device, the method comprising:
- connecting the second axial end of the indexing cable at a connection location;
- taking up slack length of the indexing cable by rotating the first portion of the cable storage device relative to the second portion;
- mounting the cable storage device at a mounting location;
- determining a desired orientation of the drop end of the cable storage device relative to the second axial end of the indexing cable;
- rotating the first portion relative to the second portion until the drop end faces in the desired orientation;
- and
- locking the first portion of the cable storage device relative to the second portion.
A method of storing excess slack length of a cable extending between first and second axial ends, the method comprising:
- separating a jacket from an inner portion of a segment of a cable to form an unjacketed segment, the unjacketed segment being spaced from the axial ends of the cable so that the axial ends of the cable remain jacketed;
- directing the separated jacket away from the inner portion of the unjacketed segment;
- winding the inner portion of the unjacketed segment of the cable around a cable spool of a cable storage device;
- and
- securing the jacket to the cable storage device.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.