CA1298119C

CA1298119C - Optical fibre splice case

Info

Publication number: CA1298119C
Application number: CA000528593A
Authority: CA
Inventors: Joris Franckx; Valere Buekers
Original assignee: Raychem NV SA
Current assignee: Commscope Connectivity Belgium BVBA
Priority date: 1986-01-31
Filing date: 1987-01-30
Publication date: 1992-03-31
Anticipated expiration: 2009-03-31
Also published as: DE3751152T2; ATE120016T1; GB8602425D0; ES2071607T3; EP0232147A2; DE3751152D1; JPS62196605A; EP0232147B1; US4761052A; EP0232147A3

Abstract

ABSTRACT

Two optical fibres are spliced together, and the splice and a loop of fibre organised in an organiser, for example by securing the splice in a projection and accommodating the loop in a tray . The orga-niser also comprises an engagement means for example cylindrical extensions into engagement with which a heat recoverable sleeve (not shown) surrounding the organiser and splice can be recovered to enclose the splice.

Description

~298~19 Optical Fibre Splice Case.
_ The present invention relates to an organizer for a splice between optical fibre cables that can be used with simple dimensionally-recoverable sleeves to form a splice case.
Whilst dimensionally-recoverable, generally heat-shrinkable sleeves, have become widely used for sealing splices between copper conductor cables, they have not so far become accepted for optical fibre closures. One problem is that an optical fibre splice must be provided with an organizer (a term well understood in the art) for storing in an accessible fashion the individual fibre splices and for storing loops of fibre in order that the splice may be made a short distance, a few metres generally, away from the cables to be spliced.
The spare lengths of fibre either side of the fibre splice must therefore be accommodated in the splice case. The presence of the organizer means that the splice case has a large diameter compared with that of the ingoing and outgoing cables. If a simple, unshaped, shrinkable sleeve is to be used it must have a correspondingly high shrinkage ratio: before recovery it must be large enough to surround the organizer, and after recovery it must be small enough at it ends to engage the ingoing and outgoing cables.
Optical fibre splice cases generally, therefore, comprise rigid housing, often of metal and generally rectangular shape, having holes in their sides through which the cables pass. The holes may bear tubular pro-jections through which the cables pass. A small heat-shrink sleeve may be provided over each projection and the cable to seal the cable. Such a closure is disclosed in EP 0043570 (Siemens).

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An alternative prior art dssign is shown in US 4428645 (GK Technologies). Here two disc-shaped end plates are provided and the space between them closed by two half-shells which bear on the end plates. The end plates may be split, and in any case the ingoing and outgoing cables pass through holes in them. In both the Simens and GK Technologies designs the housing accom-modates an organizer comprising a series of plates each of which may store one or more fibre slices and associated loops of fibre.

These types of pr~or art solutions are generally satisfactory but suffer from some disadvantages. For example they are not easily made wrap-around (a term well known in thé
art and, in contrast with tubular, meaning installable on a length of cable without requiring access to a free cable end) without the risk of leak paths. They tend not to be adaptable to different numbers or sizes of spliced cables. Also the quality and reliability of seal may not be high, and entirely different components and techniques from those familiar in connection with copper are re~uired. We have now devised a simple organlzer that allows a splice case to be made using standard dimensionally recoverable sleeves.

Thus the invention comprises a method of an optical fibre assembly for enclosing a splice between optical fibre cables, comprising: means for securing the optical flbre splice;
means for accommodating a loop of fibre, the accommodating means including at least one substantially flat fibre organizing tray;
means for engaging a recoverable article that can be recovered to from an environmental seal that completely surrounds the tray;
and a recoverable article recovered so as to completely surround the accommodating means while maintaining the tray in a substantially flat attitude.

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~29~ L9 The inventlon also provides a method of enclosing a splice between optical fibre cables, comprising the steps of:
organizing the splice and a loop of fibre on an organizer, said organizer comprising at leas-t one substantially flat fibre oryanizing tray and means for engaging a recoverable article that can be recovered to form an environmental seal that completely surrounds the organizer; completely surrounding the organizer with the recoverable article; and recovering the article so as to maintain the tray in a substantially flat attitude.

The engagement means preferably comprises at least one extension to the organizer that can be used effectively to increase the size of the cables around which the article is to be recovered. The engagement means preferably has an entirely convex surface so that a recoverable article comprising a heat-shrinkable sleeve can shrink into tight engagement with it. For example in a first embodiment the engagement means may comprise a generally cylindrical extension at one or each end of the organizer which extension may be positioned to lie alongside the spliced cables. The surrounding shrinkable sleeve must now shrink down to seal to a pair of generally cylindrical articles (the cable and the extension) side-by-slde. Their combined size will be greater than that of the cable alone, thus requiring a recoverable sleeve oE smaller recovery ratio than would otherwise be required.

In this embodiment we prefer that some means be provided, preferably supplied as part of the assembly, -- 3 ~

~29~

by means of which a seal may be ensured between the cable and extension that lie generally side-by-side.
Although the cable and extension may each have entirely convex surfaces (for example circular) there will be a concave crutch region between them and the surrounding sleeve which must be sealed if a leak path into the splice case is to be avoided.
We prefer that this crutch region be sealed by a method using a branch-off clip as disclosed and claimed in GB 1604981 (N.V.Raychem S.A.) and/or 1604986 (N.V.Raychem S.A.) In some instances the method of GB
1604985 (N.V.Raychem S.A.) may be used. In the pre-ferred of these methods a branch-off seal is formed bet-ween a heat-shrinkable sleeve and at least two substrates (here the cable and the means for engagement) by a method that comprises, in any suitable order, the steps of:
(a) positioning a clip having at least two elongate legs on the heat-shrinkable sleeve at an open end thereof, with at least two of said legs being positioned externally of the sleeve so as to form at least two ter-minal conduits;
(b) positioning the substrate within the conduits;
and (c) applying heat so as to effect shrinkage and to form the desired seal.
The clip may comprise three (or more) legs where one of the legs is positioned within the sleeve between the two substrates. This may be desirable to form an improved seal and to reduce the chance of the clip "milking-off" the sleeve during shrinkage. The clip may comprise a heat-conductive material such that heat directed against the outside of the sleeve, primarily perhaps to cause heat-shrinkage, causes heat to be con-ducted via the outer legs of the clip into the inner leg within the sleeve there to actuate a heat-activatable sealing material that may be provided. The centre leg itself may comprise a heat-activatable sealant, for example a hot-melt adhesive. Some means may be provided for increasing heat-conduction along the inner leg where it consists essentially of sealing material. We prefer however that the inner leg comprises a metal, preferably integral with the outer legs, such inner leg being coated with the sealing material.
An alternative technique of sealing the crutch region between the cable and the engagement means is disclosed and claimed in GB 2124439 (N.V.Raychem S.A.).
Here a flexible seal is installed around or between the cable and engagement means and a filling material of the seal allowed or caused to harden. The recovering sleeve deforms the seal so that it conforms to the sur-faces of the cable and engagement means.
In a second embodiment, the engagement means may again be a generally cylindrical extension to the orga-nizer but here it surrounds the cable, ie it is hollow and the cable passes through it. The diameter of the engagement means will of course be larger than that of the cables. The recoverable article now recovers into engagement with, and generally only withl the engagement means. Some means ~ill in general be required to seal the engagement means to the cable since otherwise a leak path may exist between them. Such means may comprise a recoverable article, for example a heat-shrinkable sleeve, that extends from the engagement means in one or both directions down onto the cable that passes through it.

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The recoverable article provided as part of the assembly of the invention is preferably a heat-shrinkable sleeve, especially a wrap-around heat-shrinkable sleve. A wrap-around sleeve will preferably have some means at opposing edge portions that can be secured together to maintain the sleeve in a wrapped-around configuration. Thus the sleeve is wrapped around the cable, avoiding the need for a free end to the cable and saving space otherwise required for sliding along the cable, held in the wrapped configuration by the clo-sure means, and then recovered. The closure means pre-ferably comprise upstanding protrusions, known as rails, over which a channel can be slid. Such a wrap-around sleeve is disclosed and claimed in GB 1155470 (Raychem Corporation).
Where the sleeve is likely to be subjected to internal pressurization or severe mechanical wear, it may be desirable to employ a composite material, reco-verable by means of recoverable fibres thereof. Such a sleeve may comprise a recoverable fabric and a matrix material as disclosed and claimed in GB 2135632 (Raychem Corporation).
The sleeve is preferably substantially un-shaped, ie it comprises simply a sheet of material having clo sure means at opposing edge portions and is not moulded or otherwise fashioned with cavities etc to correspond to the shape of the article to be enclosed. It may however be in tubular for, again otherwise un-shaped and may be closed at one end where a butt splice bet~een cables is to be sealed although this is not at present preferred.
The organizer preferably has the following features. The engagement means are preferably so posi-tioned relative to the periphery of the organizer that the space available within the recoverable article is made the best use of. If the recoverable article will be generally cylindrical when installed, and if it reco-vers uniformly, it will be desirable that the engage-ment means is positioned substantially centrally of the organizer. The organizer and the engagement means are preferably integral or joined together. The engagement means preferably extends from opposing ends of the orga-nizer such that the overall arrangement of the splice case is in line as opposed to butt.
The organizer preferably comprises one or more trays each of which can accomodate one or more loops of f`ibre. Means for securing fibre splices may be part of one or more of the trays or may be separate, optionally joined to the trays. Where the means for securing is separate it may be arranged parallel to the tray or trays, but we prefer that it is held substantially per-pendicular to them~
The organizer may also provide means for strain relief between the spliced cables. Such means may comprise attachment means, for example a screw connec-tion, for attachment of strength members of the cable, generally a wire that runs centrally through the cables.
We prefer that means be provided for localizing the organizer proper (ie the trays or other means for securing the fibre splices and for accommodating loops of fibre) with respect to the engagement means, and therefore ultimately with respect to the ingoing and outgoing cables. Such means for localizing may comprise the integral nature of the means for engagement and the rest of the organizer, or it may comprise some form of ~298~9 connection between them. For example the means for enga-gement may have one or more slots into which one or more trays may be inserted.
Where further protection of the cable splice is preferred a liner may be provided. Such a liner may surround the organizer, and the recoverable article may then be recovered around it. The liner may comprise metal, especially aluminium, a plastics material, espe-cially polypropylene or a fibrous sheet material, espe-cially cardboard. The liner is preferably wrap-around, and preferably in the form of a roll of material or as substantially rigid half-shells. Means is preferably provided to provide a smooth transition from the larger central region, accommodating the organizer proper, down to the smaller end regions where the overlying sleeve engages the engagement means and optionally the cables.
The liner m~y incorporate a heat barrier, such as a foam, and/or a moisture vapour barrier such as a sheet of a metal such as aluminium. Examples of suitable liners are disclosed and claimed in GB 2059873 (N.V.
Raychem S.A.), GB2069773 (NoV~ Raychem S.A.) and GB
1431167 (N.V. Raychem S.A.).
The invention is further illustrated with reference to the accompanying drawings:
Figure l shows a prior art splice case comprising end plates and half~shells;
Figure 2 shows a first embodiment of an organizer of the invention with cables attached thereto;
Figure 3 shows a variation of the first embodiment;
Figure 4 shows the organizer of Figure 2 enclosed within a heat-shrink sleeve, ~2~8~ B123 _ g _ Figure 5 shows a combined clip and engagement means;
Figure 6 shows an installed splice case employing an organizer of a second embodiment of the invention;
Figure 1 shows a prior art design of splice case such as that disclosed in US 4428645 (GK Technologies Inc). This design comprises end plates, to which are attached organizers 2a and 2b that are hinged together, and are illustrated in an open position. The optical fibre splice may be stored in part 2b and loops of fibre to enable removal of a splice away from the case, stored in part 2a. Half-shells 3 complete the enclosure. An optical fibre, partially shown as 4, can be seen running from part 2b to part 2a. The cables to be spliced enter the splice case end plates 1 as shown at 5, and for ease of assembly the end plates 1 may be split as shown at 6.
One can see that there are many potential leak paths into the splice case and many surfaces that have to be sealed. Also, many parts are required and the design is likely to be rather expensive.
A first embodiment of an organizer 7 of the inven-ton is shown in Figure 2. Two optical fibre cables 8 enter the organizer and loops of individual fibres or groups of fibres 9 are shown spliced at 10. The orga-nizer thus comprises means 11 for securing a splice and means 12 for accommodating loops of fibre. The means 12 may comprise one or more trays, that may be hinged to a support member or to one another. The organizer also includes means for engagement 13, which in the embodi-ment illustrated comprises extensions, preferably substantially cylindrical from each end of the tray 12.
Where more than one tray 12 is provided, the means 13 ~2~

may extend from a support to which the trays are attached. The tray 12 and means 13, comprising an elongate member, are shown integral, but they may be f separate, preferably attached to one another. The means 13 is shown positioned at one edge of the tray 12, but it may be near the centre in which case the loops may run over both sides of the tray, or different loops be localized on each side. One way in which separate tray 12 and means 13 may be interconnected or attached is shown in Figure 3. Here a slot 13 in means 12 accepts the tray 12. In this case the means 13 is preferably near the centre of the tray 12 as illustrated.
Figure 3 also shows a wrap-around heat-shrinkable sleeve 18 partially wrapped around the organizer 7. The sleeve has closure members 19 in the form of rails at opposing edges. If desired, one of the closure members 19 may be set back from the extreme edge of the sleeve to provide a flap which may underlie the members 19 when brought together. When the members 19 are brought together a channel or other device (not shown), pre-ferably C-shaped in cross-section, may be slid longitu-dinally over them to hold them together. The sleeve is then shrunk down to engage the engagement means 13 and the ingoing and outgoing cables (not shown). Thus, a closed splice case is formed around the spliced fibres, protecting them from the environment. The sleeve 18 may be coated on its internal surface with a sealing material, such as a sealant for example a mastic or an adhesive for example a hot-melt adhesive. The sleeve may be recoverable over its entire surface, or end portions only may be radially recoverable for engagement with the means 13 and the cables. The sleeve may be electrically heat-shrinkable, in which case it may incorporate an electrical heater, particularly a self-regulating ~2~89L~9 electrical heater comprising a conductive polymer com-position. The heater may be arranged so as to heat only those parts which require heating, for example the end portions as referred to above.
Figure 4 shows an installed splice case employing an organizer similar to that of Figure 2 and a heat-shrinkable sleeve as shown in Figure 3. The closure mem-bers 19 are held together by a channel 2. Branch-off seals between the members 13 and cables 8 have been formed using branch-off clips 21 as disclosed in GB
1604981 or 1604986.
The members 13 may be seen not only to act as a cable build up, allowing sleeves of low recovery ratio to be used, but also to locate the organizer with respect to the cables 13 and the sleeve.
If desired, the clip 21 may be fixed to or integral with the organizer or with the means 13. This reduces the number of components required for assembly but may make installation of the sleeve between the legs of the clip difficult Such difficulty may, however, be avoided if the clips, although attached to the organizer or means 13 can be slid longitudinally with respect to them. For example, the clip may be rigidly attached to the member 13 and the member 13 slidable with respect to the organizer. Thus, the means 13 plus clip 21 are ini-tially in their extended position, the sleeve is wrapped around the organizer, and the means 13 plus clip 21 are slid inwardly to trap the sleeve between the legs of the clip. The crutch region within the sleeve between the means l3 and cable 8 is preferably sealed with a sealing material for example a hot-melt adhesive or a mastic.
The sealing material may be applied separately or it may ~298~9 _ 12 -be provided initially as an internal coating on the sleeve or on (or at least as part of) an inner leg of the clip 21.
Figure 5 shows one way in which a clip 21 can be integral with or attached to a means 13, and analogous techniques may be used to attach it to a tray 7 or other part of an organizer. The clip 21 here is a three legged clip having an inner leg 22 that comprises a sealing materialj preferably comprises a heat-conducting inner part coated with a hot-melt adhesive. The clip plus means 13 is positioned on a tray 7 or another part of an organizer 7 so that the tray extends partly into the slot 17. Then the sleeve is wrapped around and closed with a channel if appropriate. Then the means 13 is pushed further onto the tray such that the tray extends further into slot 17. This operation results in the sleeve passing through the gaps between the legs of the clip, thereby forming a branch-out at the end of the sleeve. The sleeve is shrunk to form the desired seal.
Other sllding arrangements than the slot 17 could be used if desired. The clip may simply be bonded or to otherwise attached to means 13, or it could be slidably engagable with it.
In Figure 6 the means 13 are substantially con-centric with the cable 8, and in this embodiment a branch-off clip 21 need not be used. The cables pass through means 13, and means 13 are sealed to the cables by means such as recoverable sleeves 23. The outer sleeve 18 that forms the major part of the splice case then is shrunk down to engage sleeve 23 or means 13. In this Figure a liner 24 is shown provided to give mecha-nical protection or heat protection or to provide a moisture vapour barrier. The liner has tapered ends, preferably formed by means of a series of circumferen-tially arnlnged tapering fingers that can bend inwardly. Adhesive 25 seals any voids that remain. In the embodiment illustrated the tray 12 extends perpen-dicular to the plane of the paper and the means 11 for securing splice 10 lies in the plane of the paper. The splice case is not cylindrical but is oval or flat in cross-section, being of greater dimension perpendicular to the paper. This need not however be so. The means 13 can be seen to build up the diameter of the cable 8 and also to locate the organizer.
The methods and articles of the invention are par-ticularly useful for optical fibre cables containing from 6-50, especially 12-24 fibres, and having a diameter of 5-20, especially 10-12mm. The trays or other means for accomodating preferably have locating flanges and can preferably store coils of fibre at a bend radius of at least 20, more preferably at least 35 especially at least 50mm. Standard organizers, for example that preferred by the Deutche Bundespost may be used. Where the cable diameters are small it may be desirable to provide cable over heat protection to avoid damage during heat-installation. Such protection may comprise a wrap of a backing plus adhesive that is installed around the cable at the region and where the outer sleeve is to engage it. The invention finds par-ticular use in the splicing of cables containing fibres within tubes, known in the art as a loose tube construc-tion. A typical organizer size employs trays of from 10_50, preferably 15-40, especially 15-30 cm in length and 5-300 preferably 5-20 especially 5-15 cm in width.
The engagement means is preferably generally circular in cross-section of diameter 2-10, preferably 2-8 espe-cially 3-7c~s.

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_ 14 -For the avoidance of doubt it is here stated that the invention provides a method and various components for making a cable splice case where an organizer or part of it can be encased by means of a simple, plain, dimensionally-recoverable sleeve. The method and com-ponents may incorporate any one or more of the features disclosed herein. For example any one or more of the organizer types, tray types, sleeve types, clip types, liner types, or sealing material types may be selected.

Claims

1. An optical fibre assembly for enclosing a splice between optical fibre cables, comprising: means for securing the optical fibre splice; means for accommodating a loop of fibre, the accommodating means including at least one substantially flat fibre organizing tray; means for engaging a recoverable article that can be recovered to form an environmental seal that completely surrounds the tray: and a recoverable article recovered so as to completely surround the accommodating means while maintaining the tray in a substantially flat attitude.

2. An assembly according to claim 1, the engaging means comprising an elongate member extending from the accommodating means, the elongate member having a size sufficiently large so as to significantly reduce a necessary shrinkage ratio of the recoverable article.

3. An assembly according to claim 1, the recoverable article comprising a heat-shrinkable wraparound sleeve.

4. An assembly according to claim 1, further comprising a branch-off clip which together with the recoverable article forms a seal between the engaging means and at least one of the cables.

5. An assembly according to claim 3, further comprising and a liner.

6. An optical fiber assembly according to claim 1, engaging means having a portion thereof arranged side-by-side with at least one of the cables so as to be substantially parallel and offset therefrom.

7. An optical fiber assembly according to claim 1, the recoverable aticle being recovered so as to form a seal against the engaging means and at least one optical fiber cable having an optical fiber therein connected to the optical fiber splice.

8. An optical fiber assembly according to claim 6, the recoverable article being recovered so as to form seals at first and second end section of the engaging means and the cables.

9. An optical fiber assembly according to claim 7, the engaging means comprising at least one cylindrical member.

10. A method of enclosing a splice between optical fibre cables, comprising the step of organizing the splice and a loop of fibre on an organizer, said organizer comprising at least one substantially flat fibre organizing tray and means for engaging a recoverable article that can be recovered to form an environmental seal that completely surrounds the organizer; completely surrounding the organizer with the recoverable article; and recovering the article so as to maintain the tray in a substantially flat attitude.

11. A method according to claim 10 the engaging means locating the organizer relative to the recoverable article.

12. A method according to claim 10, the engaging means comprising an elongate member that extends parallel to the cables.

13. A method according to claim 12, further comprising the step of positioning a branchoff clip on an open end of the recoverable article to form therein at least two terminal conduits, such that one can contain the elongate member and one can contain at least one of the cables.

14. A method according to claim 10, the recoverable article having a hot-melt adhesive thereon, and further comprising the step of activating the adhesive.

15. A method according to claim 10, the engaging means comprising at least one cylindrical member.

16. A method according to claim 10, the engaging means having a portion thereof arranged side-by-side with at least one of the cables so as to be substantially parallel and offset therefrom and further comerising the step of splicing one or more fibers of the cable.

17. A method according to claim 16, the article being recovered so as to form a seal against the engaging means and at least one of the optical fiber cables.

18. A method according to claim 16, the recoverable article being recovered so as to form seals at first and second end sections of the engaging means in the optical fiber cables.