US5631993A — Optical fiber splice case

Claim 1

Independent Claim 146 words

A housing assembly for enclosing fiber optic cable splices comprising: a pair of housing members having main body portions with peripheral clamping flanges extending outwardly therefrom and cooperatively positioned in opposed relationship to be clamped together; said clamping flanges having inner end portions adjacent said main body portions and having free outer end portions; a resilient sealing gasket positioned between the flanges inner end portions; and, there being rigid rib means at the free outer end portions of the flanges, the total thickness of the rigid rib means between he opposed clamping flanges being greater than the normal uncompressed thickness of the sealing gasket such that when the clamping flanges are clamped together, engagement takes place first on the rigid rib means and subsequent sealing engagement with the gasket requires application of sufficient clamping force to produce deflection of the flanges about the rigid rib means.

Claim 2

Dependent Claim 146 words

A housing assembly for enclosing fiber optic cable splices comprising: a pair of housing members having main body portions with peripheral clamping flanges extending outwardly therefrom and cooperatively positioned in opposed relationship to be clamped together; said clamping flanges having inner end portions adjacent said main body portions and having free outer end portions; a resilient sealing gasket positioned between the flanges inner end portions; and, there being rigid rib means at the free outer end portions of the flanges, the total thickness of the rigid rib means between he opposed clamping flanges being greater than the normal uncompressed thickness of the sealing gasket such that when the clamping flanges are clamped together, engagement takes place first on the rigid rib means and subsequent sealing engagement with the gasket requires application of sufficient clamping force to produce deflection of the flanges about the rigid rib means.

Claim 3

Dependent Claim 28 words

The housing assembly as defined in claim 1 wherein the pair of housing members each have a generally semi-cylindrical configuration and the peripheral flanges extend generally radially therefrom.

Claim 4

Dependent Claim 32 words

The housing assembly as defined in claim 2 wherein there are a spaced pair of circular disks received between the pair of housing members to define longitudinal ends of the housing assembly.

Claim 5

Dependent Claim 33 words

The housing assembly as defined in claim 3 wherein there are portions of the said sealing gasket sealingly engaged between the circular disks and at least one of the pair of housing members.

Claim 6

Dependent Claim 24 words

The housing assembly as defined in claim 4 wherein the clamping flanges of the pair of housing members are releasably clamped by threaded connectors.

Claim 7

Dependent Claim 26 words

The housing assembly as defined in claim 5 including a support bar extending longitudinally between the circular disks and splice trays supported from the support bar.

Claim 8

Dependent Claim 30 words

The housing assembly as defined in claim 1 wherein the housing members each have a generally semi-cylindrical configuration and are provided on their external surfaces with circumferentially extending stiffening ribs.

Claim 9

Dependent Claim 17 words

The housing assembly as defined in claim 7 wherein the stiffening ribs extend between the clamping flanges.

Claim 10

Dependent Claim 32 words

The housing assembly as defined in claim 7 wherein at least some of the stiffening flanges have an outer surface contoured to allow the housing to stably rest on a planar surface.

Claim 11

Dependent Claim 20 words

The housing assembly as defined in claim 1 wherein each housing member has its respective flanges in a common plane.

Claim 12

Dependent Claim 142 words

A housing assembly for enclosing and storing cable splices comprising: first and second end plates axially spaced from one another and defining a storage space therebetween; a pair of rigid bars extending in spaced apart parallel relationship through the storage space and having their ends rigidly joined to the end plates; a pair of opposed housing members contoured to enclose the end plates and the storage space, said housing members being releasably and sealing clamped to each other and to said end plates; a pair of rods carried by one of the rigid bars at axially spaced locations; and, a plurality of splice storage trays in stacked relationship and extending between the pair of rods, the trays having end slots which receive and are guided on the rods and connecting means on the rods for releasably clamping the stack of trays together.

Claim 13

Dependent Claim 142 words

A housing assembly for enclosing and storing cable splices comprising: first and second end plates axially spaced from one another and defining a storage space therebetween; a pair of rigid bars extending in spaced apart parallel relationship through the storage space and having their ends rigidly joined to the end plates; a pair of opposed housing members contoured to enclose the end plates and the storage space, said housing members being releasably and sealing clamped to each other and to said end plates; a pair of rods carried by one of the rigid bars at axially spaced locations; and, a plurality of splice storage trays in stacked relationship and extending between the pair of rods, the trays having end slots which receive and are guided on the rods and connecting means on the rods for releasably clamping the stack of trays together.

Claim 14

Dependent Claim 35 words

The housing assembly as set forth in claim 11 wherein the end plates have a generally circular configuration and said housing members have a generally semi-cylindrical configuration with peripheral clamping flanges extending generally radially therefrom.

Claim 15

Dependent Claim 33 words

The housing assembly as set forth in claim 12 wherein said housing members are releasably and sealingly clamped to each other and to said end plates by bolts extending through the clamping flanges.

Claim 16

Dependent Claim 20 words

The housing assembly as defined in claim 13 wherein said housing members are molded of a fiber reinforced resinous material.

Claim 17

Dependent Claim 20 words

The housing assembly as defined in claim 13 wherein said end plates are molded of a fiber reinforced resinous material.

Claim 18

Dependent Claim 23 words

The housing assembly as set forth in claim 11 wherein the housing members have external stiffening ribs extending outwardly of the exterior thereof.

Claim 19

Dependent Claim 31 words

The housing assembly as set forth in claim 16 wherein at least some of the stiffening ribs are contoured to allow the housing assembly to stably rest on a planar surface.

Claim 20

Dependent Claim 26 words

The housing assembly as set forth in claim 11 wherein the rods are threaded and the connecting means a releasable strap member extending between the rods.

Claim 21

Dependent Claim 133 words

A housing assembly for enclosing and storing cable splices comprising: first and second end plates of generally circular configuration axially aligned and spaced from one another; a first rigid bar member having opposite terminal ends joined to the first and second end plates to hold them in their axially aligned and spaced relationship; a pair of rod members carried by the first rigid bar member and extending generally parallel to the first and second end plates at locations therebetween and adjacent thereto; an aligned stack of splice storage trays extending between the pair of rod members and carried thereby, said trays having end slots which received and guided on the rods; and a set of housing members releasably clamped to the first and second end plates to sealingly enclose the stack of trays.

Claim 22

Dependent Claim 133 words

A housing assembly for enclosing and storing cable splices comprising: first and second end plates of generally circular configuration axially aligned and spaced from one another; a first rigid bar member having opposite terminal ends joined to the first and second end plates to hold them in their axially aligned and spaced relationship; a pair of rod members carried by the first rigid bar member and extending generally parallel to the first and second end plates at locations therebetween and adjacent thereto; an aligned stack of splice storage trays extending between the pair of rod members and carried thereby, said trays having end slots which received and guided on the rods; and a set of housing members releasably clamped to the first and second end plates to sealingly enclose the stack of trays.

Claim 23

Dependent Claim 34 words

The assembly as defined in claim 19 wherein the housing members comprise a pair of semi-cylindrical, shell-like members which extend about the end plates and are connected to each other by releasable fastener means.

Claim 24

Dependent Claim 18 words

The assembly as defined in claim 20 wherein said housing members include connecting flanges that extend axially thereof.

Claim 25

Dependent Claim 16 words

The assembly as defined in claim 21 wherein the connecting flanges are connected by threaded fasteners.

Claim 26

Dependent Claim 18 words

The assembly as defined in claim 20 including gasket means between said shell-like members and said end plates.

Claim 27

Dependent Claim 37 words

The assembly as defined in claim 20 including retaining means releasably engaged with said rod members for preventing undesired movement of the splice trays on the support rods in directions away from the first rigid support bar.

Claim 28

Dependent Claim 42 words

The assembly as defined in claim 24 wherein the first rigid bar member carries bracket members which maintain the said splice trays a predetermined distance from the support bar and provide a storage space between the splice trays and the support bar.

Claim 29

Dependent Claim 45 words

The assembly as defined in claim 19 including a second rigid bar member extending between the first and second end plates, said second rigid bar member having first and second terminal ends respectively joined to the first and second end plates by releasable connecting means.

Claim 30

Dependent Claim 37 words

The assembly as defined in claim 26 wherein said second rigid bar extends parallel to the first rigid bar member, said first and second rigid bar member located diametrically from each other relative to the end plates.

Claim 31

Dependent Claim 47 words

The assembly as defined in claim 19 including a second rigid bar member extending parallel to the first rigid bar member, said second rigid bar member having spaced terminal ends releasably connected to said first and second end plates and overlying said stack of splice storage trays.

Annuity Stage	Window Opens	Payment Deadline	Surcharge Period Until	Estimated Fee	Status
3.5 Years (Year 4)	2000-05-19	2000-11-18	2001-05-20	$2000.00	Window Closed / Lapsed
7.5 Years (Year 8)	2004-05-19	2004-11-18	2005-05-20	$3760.00	Window Closed / Lapsed
11.5 Years (Year 12)	2008-05-19	2008-11-18	2009-05-20	$7700.00	Window Closed / Lapsed

Optical fiber splice case

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