US 6,487,357 B1Granted

Strain relief device with bend limiter and slack storage

AssigneeLucent Technologies Inc.

InventorsBassel H. Daoud, David S. Kerr, Ivan Pawlenko

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Abstract

A fiber strain relief apparatus is disclosed with bend radius limiter and slack storage. The strain relief mechanism is a bend limiter drum with three lugs, a strain relief pivoting top with latch, a latch stopper handle, a compressible gasket, and a base with latch. Fiber slack is wound around the bend limiter drum. Fibers are prevented from sliding off by the lugs. A gasket compresses on to the fibers producing a strain relief action, while the slack is being stored on the drum. Unlatching the strain relief top is performed by compressing the top latch against the latch stopper. The strain relief top pivots around a living hinge producing access to the drum. Cable is coiled around the drum and the strain relief top is latched, holding the fiber against the drum. A base latch is provided allowing the device to be mounted and removed from a panel.

Claims8

Dependent claims

A strain relieving and bend limiting apparatus for optical fibers and providing slack storage therein, said apparatus comprising:

(a) a base having a bottom surface and a top surface;
(b) a plate with a first edge and a second edge attached to said top surface of said base at said first edge;
(c) a strain relief drum with a given radius attached at one end to said plate;
(d) a first post attached to a corner of said plate;
(e) a strain relief top with a first end and a second end and with a contoured side and a flat side, the contoured side of said strain relief top is curved to parallel the curve on said strain relief drum;
and,
(f) a hinge means for connecting said first end of said strain relief top with said post together in a hinged manner so that said second end of said strain relief top can rotate about said hinge means from an open position to a closed position so as to be held against said strain relief drum,
wherein said strain relief top can move from said open position to said closed position to hold said optical fibers on said strain relief drum.

5 more elements

Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.