Fiber optic furcation device including expansion chamber

Abstract

An optical fiber device with an optical fiber extending from a first outer jacket through a fiber receiving device from a first outer jacket to a second outer jacket. The first outer jacket is anchored to a side of a housing of the fiber receiving device and the second outer jacket is anchored to a side of the fiber receiving device. The housing defines an interior which received the optical fiber and provides space for accumulating excess length of optical fiber generated by differential thermal contraction of the jackets and the optical fiber.

1 . An optical fiber device comprising:
 an optical fiber with a first end slidably enclosed within a first cable jacket and a second end slidably received within a second cable jacket, the first end of the fiber constrained with respect to the first cable jacket and the second end of the fiber constrained with respect to the second cable jacket;   wherein a fiber receiving device positioned between the first and second cable jackets permits the excess fiber length to accumulate without bending in a radius smaller than a minimum bend radius.   
   
   
       2 . The optical fiber device of  claim 1 , wherein the fiber receiving device includes a housing with a open sided body portion and a cover defining an interior, the first and second cable jackets extending to a side of the housing and the optical fiber passing through the interior of the housing between the first and second cable jackets. 
   
   
       3 . The optical fiber device of  claim 2 , wherein the optical fiber forms a loop within the interior. 
   
   
       4 . The optical fiber device of  claim 3 , further comprising a central support within the interior, and wherein the loop of the optical fiber extends about the central support. 
   
   
       5 . The optical fiber device of  claim 4 , wherein the central support provides bend radius protection to the optical fiber. 
   
   
       6 . The optical fiber device of  claim 1 , wherein a plurality of fibers extend within the first cable jacket and into the fiber receiving device, and a plurality of second cable jackets each receive one of the optical fibers from within the fiber receiving device. 
   
   
       7 . The optical fiber cable of  claim 1 , wherein the first end of the optical fiber and the first cable jacket are constrained with respect to each other at an optical fiber connector. 
   
   
       8 . The optical fiber cable of  claim 1 , wherein the second end of the optical fiber and the second cable jacket are constrained with respect to each other at an optical fiber connector. 
   
   
       9 . A method of assembling an optical fiber device comprising:
 providing a first optical fiber cable with an optical fiber extending within an inner opening of a first outer jacket, the optical fiber and the first outer jacket each having a first end and a second ends, the first ends of the first outer jacket and the optical fiber constrained within respect to each other;   extending the second end of the optical fiber beyond the second end of the first outer jacket;   extending the second end of the optical fiber through a first opening into an interior of a fiber receiving device;   anchoring the second end of the first outer jacket to the side of the fiber receiving device at the first opening;   anchoring a first end of a second outer jacket of a second optical fiber cable to the fiber receiving device at a second opening;   extending the second end of the optical fiber from the interior through the second opening and into an inner opening of the second outer jacket.   
   
   
       10 . The method of  claim 9 , wherein the second end of the first outer jacket and the first end of the second outer jacket are anchored to opposite sides of the fiber receiving device. 
   
   
       11 . The method of  claim 9 , wherein the second end of the first outer jacket and the first end of the second outer jacket are anchored to the same side of the fiber receiving device. 
   
   
       12 . The method of  claim 9 , wherein the first optical fiber cable includes a plurality of optical fibers extending within the first outer jacket into the fiber receiving device, and a plurality of second outer jackets each receive one of the optical fibers through the second opening of the fiber receiving device. 
   
   
       13 . The method of  claim 9 , wherein the fiber receiving device includes a housing defining the interior and the interior includes a central support about which the optical fiber is extended.