WO2002071123A1

WO2002071123A1 - A device for enclosing an electrooptic converter and at least one optical fibre connection

Info

Publication number: WO2002071123A1
Application number: PCT/SE2002/000256
Authority: WO
Inventors: Gojko Radojevic; Peter Lo Curzio; John Eriksson
Original assignee: Telefonaktiebolaget Lm Ericsson (Publ)
Priority date: 2001-02-16
Filing date: 2002-02-13
Publication date: 2002-09-12
Also published as: SE0100525D0; SE0100525L

Abstract

The present invention relates to a device for connecting one or more optical fibres to one or more computer connections through the medium of an optical converter. The device is preferably conceived for use in multi-apartment buildings and office premises, where connections point to a fibre optical network LAN and other types of fibre-optic communications networks are required for connecting optical fibres to electronic equipment. With the intention of simplifying an optical fibre installation, the installation of the optical fibre is terminated in a junction box or terminal box, in which an unused optical fibre can be stored together with a connector fitted to the optical fibre with said fibre coiled-up in the box. When an optical fibre (15) shall be connected to the electrooptic converter (14) fastened to the intermediate part (2) of said box, the optical fibres are connected directly to the converter in the opened box, by connecting the connectors (16) of respective optical fibres to the converter connector. When the upper part of the box has been placed in position, the electrical connection and computer connection can be made directly to the electrooptic converter housed in the box. The box fully covers the converter and the optical fibres connected thereto.

Description

A DEVICE FOR ENCLOSING AN ELECTROOPTIC CONVERTER AND AT LEAST ONE OPTICAL FIBRE CONNECTION

TECHNICAL FIELD

The present invention relates to a device for enclosing an electrooptic converter and at least one optical fibre connection. In spaces, e.g. rooms, in which units that in- elude electronic equipment shall be connected to optical fibres, the units are first connected to a converter for converting electrical signals to optical signals and the converter is then connected to one or more optical fibres. The inventive device is preferably conceived for use in apartment blocks and office blocks, where connection points, such as home loads, are required in fibre optic networks of the LAN- type (Local Area Networks), FTTH (Fibre to the Home) and other types of fibre optic communications networks that include installations for the connection of optical fibres to electronic equipment.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION When connecting units that include electronic equipment to optical fibres in spaces, or rooms, in dwelling houses, apartment blocks, and office premises for instance, optical fibres extending from the optical converters of such units are connected in wall-installed outlets to optical fibres extending from an optical fibre network, said network comprising optical fibres that have been drawn through ducts to the wall- installed outlets in respective spaces. In the case of fibre optic installations, an optical fibre is most often terminated in a fibre optic wall-installed outlet. A fibre optic conductor that has been provided with a circuit contact element or circuit connector is then connected to said wall-installed outlet, said conductor being, in turn, connected to the optical converter in a unit. Although this is a highly flexible solution, it, nevertheless, has several significant drawbacks. The fibre optic conductor is ex- pensive and considerably increases the cost of each connected link. Moreover, the conductor is very often relatively bulky and is easily damaged.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

In the case of many fibre optic installations, for instance in dwellings, it is possible that although a large number of fibre optic connecting devices are installed, only a few of these devices will actually be connected initially to an electrooptic converter. It is necessary that electrooptic converters can be connected-up easily when the need arises, and also that they can be easily disconnected when a link shall not be used. Typical examples in this respect are FTTH-installations (Fibre To The Home), when entire buildings, e.g. apartment blocks and the like, shall be connected to optical fibres. Initially, however, only a few people subscribe to a service offered in the fibre optic network. It would therefore be cost-effective to install electrooptic converters solely in those places in which people subscribe to the services on offer. It would be correspondingly easy to remove such equipment from a dwelling place, for instance, in the event of a tenant moving house. The same principles may also be applied to LAN installations. Flexibility can also be achieved, for instance, by using a separate optical fibre that has been fitted with a circuit connector in accordance with the above.

One solution to the problem may be to exclude the additional optical fibre and to connect the electrooptic converter directly to the connector-fitted optical fibre in a junction box or terminal box.

Consequently, with the intention of simplifying the installation of optical fibres in dwelling places and office premises for example, it is proposed in accordance with the invention that the optical fibres to be installed are terminated with fitted circuit connectors in a junction box or terminal box and that any unneeded fibre with its fitted connector is coiled up in the junction box for storage purposes and is left there for as long as the fibre link is not in use. The junction box may be provided on one side with an opening that can be closed with a blind plug. When an optical fibre installation shall be used actively, the blind plug is removed and the optical fibres are connected to their respective contacts in an electrooptic converter, a so-called media converter, mounted in the junction box. The junction box covers and protects the entire electrooptic converter and its connections.

The invention solves the following problems:

1. No additional optical fibre link is required, therewith considerably reducing the cost of each connection.

2. When no electrooptic converter is fitted in the junction box, optical fibres and connectors are fully protected against dust and careless treatment, among other things.

3. An electrooptic converter can be connected easily and quickly by virtue of the fact that it can be fitted directly in the junction box without requiring additional equipment, and optical fibres and connectors remain protected.

The invention will now be described in more detail with reference to preferred embodiments thereof and also with reference to the accompanying drawings.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

Figure 1 is a perspective view of a non-connected junction box according to the invention.

Figure 2 shows the upper part of the box.

Figure 3 shows the intermediate part of the box.

Figure 4 shows the bottom part of the box. Figure 5 is a simplified illustration of an inventive junction box with the upper part of the box removed and also shows an electrooptic converter fitted to the box.

DESCRIPTION OF PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS

Figure 1 illustrates a junction box 1 for connecting one or more optical fibres or an optical cable to an electrooptic converter. Subsequent to having been drawn by suction into or blown through an optical fibre duct or an optical fibre channel, optical fibres taken from an optical fibre network are connected to the box, wherein a loop of optical fibres and their respective connectors may have been placed in the box. Optical fibre ducts or optical fibre channels will preferably have been installed in walls of appropriate places or rooms, such as one or more rooms in a dwelling area. The box may comprise a generally flat back piece/bottom piece 2 by means of which the box can be for mounted on a wall for instance, a generally flat intermediate part 3 and an upper casing part 4, where the upper (or outer) casing may have an approximately heart-shaped domed configuration and adapted to allow it to be pressed easily and firmly onto the back piece with the intermediate part of the box located therebetween, so that the parts will form together a fixed and protective box for the optic fibres, connectors and optical converter contained within the box. Provided in the bottom edge of the box casing is a closable opening 5 through which electrical and computer contacts can be connected to the electrooptic converter. The closable opening may have the form of a detachable cover plate or a cover plate hinged to the casing.

Figures 2-3 illustrate a dismantled junction box 1, although in the absence of the optical converter. The bottom part 2 (shown in Figure 4) includes holes 6 by means of which said part can be fitted to a wall for instance. The bottom part 2 also includes devices 7 for facilitating coiling of one or more optical fibre loops, and a hole 8 through which one or more optical fibres can be inserted into the box. The intermediate part 3 of the box has the form of a plate which includes means 9 for fastening the plate to the bottom part of the box, said plate functioning to protect the optical fibre loops coiled in the bottom part, and also functioning as a support for the optical converter. The bottom part of the box includes means 10, such as resilient hooked elements, which co-act with the means 9 on the intermediate box part for fastening said parts together. The intermediate box part also includes a holder 11 for securing a connection to a connected optical fibre. The bottom box part also includes means for fastening the top part of the box to the bottom part. For example, hook-receiving holes 12 and resilient tongues 13 for co-action for projections on the inner edge of the top part of the box can be used to this end.

Figure 5 shows a media converter 14 or a so-called electrooptic converter, connected to the intermediate part 3 of the box fastened to the bottom part 2, and also shows a connector- fitted optical fibre 15 connected to its respective connection 16 on the optical converter. The converter is also provided with a connector 17 for power supply from a transformer function to a computer unit or the like, and two connectors 18, 19 to computer units, these connectors being of the RJ45 type for instance. Alternatively, the junction box itself may include a contact connection for supplying power to the converter, wherewith in addition to the power supply obtained through the contact of the connectors with the optical fibres, power will also be supplied to the converter upon contact of the converter with the junction box, possibly simultaneously. The junction box is preferably made of plastic material.

It will be understood that the invention is not restricted to the described and illustrated embodiment and that modifications can be made within the scope of the ac- companying claims.

Claims

1. A device for connecting at least one optical fibre to an electrooptic converter that has at least one outlet for an optical fibre connection, at least one outlet for a com- puter connection for instance, and at least one outlet for an electrical connection, characterised in that the device includes a protective space (4) for at least one optical fibre (15) and its connector (16); in that the protective space is adapted so that it can be fastened to a supportive surface, such as a wall surface; in that the protective space is adapted to receive at least one optical fibre (15) from an optical fibre duct, channel or the like connected to said protective space; and in that the protective space is adapted to enclose and fix an electrooptic converter (14) for the connection of at least one connector on the optical fibre to and its contact with an optical connector on said converter. (Is this what is meant ?)

2. A device according to Claim 1, characterised in the protective space (4) is adapted to receive the electrooptic converter (14) prior to, at the same time as, or subsequent to the insertion and fixation of the optical fibre connector or connectors into and in the protective space.

3. A device according to Claim 1, characterised in that the protective space has the form of a junction box or terminal box (1) that includes a back piece/bottom piece (2), an intermediate piece (3), and an outer casing/top piece (4).

4. A device according to Claim 3, characterised in that the protective space in- eludes an opening (5) for connection of electrical and computer connectors to the converter outlets (17-19).

5. A device according to Claim 4, characterised by a cover that functions to close the opening (5) when no connections have been made.

6. A device according to Claim 2, characterised in that the protective space (1) has a connection point for current supply to the converter (14), wherewith the converter can be coupled simultaneously to the optical fibre or fibres and connected to the current supply.