Optical fiber management bridge

An optical fiber management bridge comprising:

• a broadband network comprising a broadband access network (BAN) with optical fibers for providing broadband communications;
• said BAN comprising an optical module with an electronics package (e-pack) in a container;
• said container comprising a housing with pivotable sections having wall portions including a base providing a bottom and a top providing a lid, said container being moveable and pivotable from an open position to access said e-pack to a closed position to cover and enclose said e-pack;
• said e-pack comprising a broadband optical receiver providing a forward receiver module for converting downstream optical signals to electrical signals upstream towards a customer's location, a broadband optical transmitter providing a return path transmitting module for converting upstream electrical signals from the customer's location to optical signals towards a downstream optical path, said modules comprising electronic circuitry with electronic components, said e-pack including optical fibers with fiber optic connectors and at least some of said optical fibers extending between said base and top of said container;
• and
• an optical hinge providing an optical bridge secured to said base and top for pivotally connecting said base and top, said bridge having surfaces positioned and secured against portions of said base and top and having an optical fiber-supporting surface providing an optical bed for cushioning and receiving portions of said optical fibers extending between the top and bottom of the housing;
• wherein said optical bridge comprises an elongated flexible elastomeric resilient bridge comprising polypropylene with a thickness less than about 0.15 inch to accommodate over 1 million flexings.

An optical fiber management bridge comprising:

• a broadband network comprising a hybrid fiber-coaxial (HFC) broadband access network (BAN) with optical fibers and coaxial cable for providing digital communications;
• said BAN comprising a HFC optical module with an electronics package (e-pack) in a container;
• said container comprising a housing with pivotable sections having wall portions including a base providing a bottom and a top providing a lid, said container being moveable and pivotable from an open position to access said e-pack to a closed position to cover and enclose said e-pack;
• said e-pack comprising a broadband optical receiver providing a forward receiver module for converting downstream optical modulated signals to electrical signals upstream towards a customer's location, a broadband optical transmitter providing a return path transmitting module for converting upstream electrical signals from the customer's location to optical signals towards a downstream optical path, electronic circuitry with electronic components, and optical fibers with fiber optic connectors, and at least some of said optical fibers extending between said base and top of said housing of said container;
• and
• an elongated optical living hinge providing an optical bridge secured to said base and top for pivotally connecting said base and top, said bridge having an abutment surface abuttingly positioned and secured against wall portions of said base and top and having a optical fiber-supporting surface providing an optical bed for supporting, cushioning, and receiving portions of the optical fibers that are routed and extend between said top and bottom of said housing, and said optical fiber-supporting surface having an intermediate convex portion for controlling a bend radius of said optical fibers in the closed position;
• wherein said digital communications are selected from the group consisting of:
• digital television, high definition television (HDTV), digital video, digital video streaming, video on demand (VOD), data transmission, internet communications, radio frequency (RF) communications, telephone communications, computer communications, telecommunications, and combinations of any of the preceding;
• wherein said HFC optical module are selected from the group consisting of an optical amplifier, optical passives, a HFC optical node, a strand mounted wireless node, and combinations thereof;
• wherein said optical fibers are selected from the group consisting of:
• single mode optical fibers, multiple mode optical fibers, fiber optic cables, fiber jumpers, and combinations thereof;
• wherein said container is selected form the group consisting of:
• a box, a water-resistant box, an insulated box, a receptacle, an enclosure, a cabinet, and combinations of any of the preceding;
• and
• wherein said container has an array of cooling fins extending outwardly from said housing to dissipate heat.

An optical fiber management bridge comprising:

• a broadband network comprising a hybrid fiber-coaxial (HFC) broadband access network (BAN) with optical fibers and coaxial cable for providing digital communications;
• said BAN comprising a HFC optical module with an electronics package (e-pack) in a container;
• said container comprising a housing with pivotable sections having wall portions including a base providing a bottom and a top providing a lid, said container being moveable and pivotable from an open position to access said e-pack to a closed position to cover and enclose said e-pack;
• said e-pack comprising a broadband optical receiver providing a forward receiver module for converting downstream optical modulated signals to electrical signals upstream towards a customer's location, a broadband optical transmitter providing a return path transmitting module for converting upstream electrical signals from the customer's location to optical signals towards a downstream optical path, electronic circuitry with electronic components, and optical fibers with fiber optic connectors, and at least some of said optical fibers extending between said base and top of said housing of said container;
• an elongated optical living hinge providing an optical bridge secured to said base and top for pivotally connecting said base and top, said optical bridge having an abutment surface abuttingly positioned and secured against wall portions of said base and top and having a optical fiber-supporting surface providing an optical bed for supporting, cushioning, and receiving portions of the optical fibers that are routed and extend between said top and bottom of said housing, and said optical fiber-supporting surface having an intermediate convex portion for controlling a bend radius of said optical fibers in the closed position;
• said optical bridge comprising a generally I-shaped optical bridge in a flattened or expanded position having an overhead portion providing a top panel secured to one of said pivotable sections, a base portion secured to another of said pivotable sections, and an elongated optical intermediate narrower portion extending between and connecting said overhead and base portions;
• said base portion having a flange integrally connected to said intermediate portion, a transverse mounting panel positioned at an angle of inclination to and integrally connected to said flange, and reinforcement ribs extending between and integrally connected to said flange and said mounting panel;
• said base potion and said overhead portion each having a greater transverse span than said intermediate portion;
• and
• said intermediate portion having a longer length than said base portion and said overhead portion.

An optical fiber management bridge comprising:

• a broadband network comprising a hybrid fiber-coaxial (HFC) broadband access network (BAN) with optical fibers and coaxial cable for providing digital communications;
• said BAN comprising a HFC optical module with an electronics package (e-pack) in a container;
• said container comprising a housing with pivotable sections having wall portions including a base providing a bottom and a top providing a lid, said container being moveable and pivotable from an open position to access said e-pack to a closed position to cover and enclose said e-pack;
• said e-pack comprising a broadband optical receiver providing a forward receiver module for converting downstream optical modulated signals to electrical signals upstream towards a customer's location, a broadband optical transmitter providing a return path transmitting module for converting upstream electrical signals from the customer's location to optical signals towards a downstream optical path, electronic circuitry with electronic components, and optical fibers with fiber optic connectors, and at least some of said optical fibers extending between said base and top of said housing of said container;
• an elongated optical living hinge providing an optical bridge secured to said base and top for pivotally connecting said base and top, said optical bridge having an abutment surface abuttingly positioned and secured against wall portions of said base and to and having a optical fiber-supporting surface providing an optical bed for supporting, cushioning, and receiving portions of the optical fibers that are routed and extend between said top and bottom of said housing, and said optical fiber-supporting surface having an intermediate convex portion for controlling a bend radius of said optical fibers in the closed position;
• an elongated generally rectangular bar for abuttingly positioning against said base portion to help reinforce and secure said base portion to one of said wall portions;
• optical fasteners for securing said optical fibers to said bed, said optical fasteners selected from the group consisting of crimped fastening bars comprising elongated transverse bars with crimped end portions, twist ties, harnesses, straps, clamps, and combinations of any of the preceding;
• said elongated intermediate portion of said optical bridge defining openings to receive portions of said optical fasteners;
• said optical intermediate portion having raised section with notched central portion positioned in proximity to said optical fasteners for lifting, cradling and snugly holding portion of said optical fibers;
• and
• said elongated intermediate portion comprising a set of generally rectangular transverse hinge segments comprising a set of interconnected hinged panels pivotally connected by transverse hinge portions having a thickness less than said hinge segments for accommodating bending, flexing and further controlling the fiber bend radius of the optical fibers in the closed position.

An optical fiber management bridge comprising:

• a broadband network comprising a hybrid fiber-coaxial (HFC) broadband access network (BAN) with optical fibers and coaxial cable for providing digital communications;
• said BAN comprising a HFC optical module with an electronics package (e-pack) in a container;
• said container comprising a housing with pivotable sections having wall portions including a base providing a bottom and a top providing a lid, said container being moveable and pivotable from an open position to access said e-pack to a closed position to cover and enclose said e-pack;
• said e-pack comprising a broadband optical receiver providing a forward receiver module for converting downstream optical modulated signals to electrical signals upstream towards a customer's location, a broadband optical transmitter providing a return path transmitting module for converting upstream electrical signals from the customer's location to optical signals towards a downstream optical path, electronic circuitry with electronic components, and optical fibers with fiber optic connectors, and at least some of said optical fibers extending between said base and top of said housing of said container;
• and
• an elongated optical living hinge providing an optical bridge secured to said base and top for pivotally connecting said base and top, said optical bridge having an abutment surface abuttingly positioned and secured against wall portions of said base and top and having a optical fiber-supporting surface providing an optical bed for supporting, cushioning, and receiving portions of the optical fibers that are routed and extend between said top and bottom of said housing, and said optical fiber-supporting surface having an intermediate convex portion for controlling a bend radius of said optical fibers in the closed position;
• wherein said optical bridge comprises an elongated flexible elastomeric resilient bridge comprising polypropylene with a thickness less than about 0.15 inch to accommodate over 1 million flexings.