US 5,863,083 A · Pulling grip for pre-connectorized fiber optic cable

Abstract

The pulling grip includes an elongated, flexible pulling grip housing for use in installing fiber optic cable and, more particularly, for installing a fiber optic cable which contains a number of pre-connectorized optical fibers. The pulling grip housing includes first and second portions which mate to form the pulling grip housing and which open to provide access to an internal cavity for placement of the pre-connectorized optical fibers of the fiber optic cable. The pulling grip housing can secure the connectors within the internal cavity to prevent undesirable tangling of the optical fibers during installation. For example, the pulling grip housing can include an adhesive surface or a number of slots for retaining respective ones of the connectors. The pulling grip is also connected to an end portion of the fiber optic cable and, more particularly, a strength element of the fiber optic cable such that forces imparted during the advancement of the pulling grip housing through a conduit are transferred to the strength element of the fiber optic cable and do not place undesirable strain on the optical fibers. The pulling grip housing therefore protects the optical fibers and the respective connectors from damage during installation while permitting pre-connectorized fiber optic cables to be installed regardless of the leg lengths of the optical fibers.

Claims34

Dependent claims

A cable assembly for installing a fiber optic cable comprising:

a fiber optic cable having a plurality of pre-connectorized optical fibers extending from a first end thereof, wherein at least two of said pre-connectorized optical fibers are of equal length;
a pulling grip operably connected to the first end of said fiber optic cable, wherein said pulling grip comprises an elongated, flexible pulling grip housing defining an internal cavity, and wherein said pulling grip housing comprises first and second portions which mate to form the pulling grip housing and which open to provide access to said internal cavity for receiving said plurality of pre-connectorized optical fibers including said pre-connectorized optical fibers of equal length;
said first and second portions define first and second internal compartments, respectively, which cooperate to form the internal cavity;
the first portion of the pulling grip housing comprises
first and second opposed sides which define a portion of the first internal compartment;
first and second retaining edges extend inwardly from the first and second sides, respectively, into the first internal compartment for retaining the optical fibers therein;
at least one of said first and second retaining edges comprises at least one notch to facilitate the routing of optical fibers from said first internal compartment to said second internal compartment.

4 more elements

A pulling grip for use in installing a fiber optic cable which contains a plurality of pre-connectorized optical fibers including at least two pre-connectorized optical fibers of equal length, said pulling grip comprising:

an elongated, flexible pulling grip housing extending between a first end and a second end and defining an internal cavity, wherein said pulling grip housing comprises first and second portions which mate to form the pulling grip housing and which open to provide access to said internal cavity for placement of the plurality of pre-connectorized optical fibers including at least two pre-connectorized optical fibers of equal length in a predetermined positional relationship;
said first and second portions define first and second internal compartments, respectively, which cooperate to form the internal cavity;
at least one internal compartment defines a plurality of slots for temporarily retaining respective ones of the connectors while installing the fiber optic cable;
and
wherein the Plurality of slots defined by the internal compartment are disposed in a longitudinally extending row such that the pre-connectorized optical fibers are looped within the internal cavity defined by said pulling grip housing while installing the fiber optic cable.

2 more elements

Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.

Pulling grip for pre-connectorized fiber optic cable

Life of this patent

Pulling grip for pre-connectorized fiber optic cable

Life of this patent

Abstract

Claims34