2. During the history of invention people have developed
and invented new products and redesigned current
products to meet the demands of technology. The face
of invention is ever-changing, cultivated by a need to
improve upon systems and practices already in place; as
is the case in the area of fiber drop slack storage left at a
fiber drop terminal (FDT) and the slack left in the placing
of a multiport terminal from factory installed termination
systems (FITS).
Evolutionary Redesign vs. Revolutionary Design
While many innovative products are legitimately
revolutionary, meaning that they actually change the
way something is done; most products, especially in
the communications industry, are evolutionary. They
are perfected by a process of growth, change, and
development.Inbiologyevolutionincludesnaturalselection
and genetic variations. In astronomy dynamic properties
and changes in structure are at the foundation of evolution.
In communications we build on what we know; we develop,
engineer, and commoditize the framework for our industry.
From there we observe; for it is in this observation that the
necessity for change is revealed.
Safe Fiber Storage
Illustrious project managers recognize the need to protect
fiberwhenstoringitinthefieldforfutureuse.Attheforefront
of efficiency in fiber storage is the clear understanding
that bend radius must never be compromised. In a Fiber-
To-The-X (FTTX) system drop fiber slack has often been
mishandled by coiling and tie wrapping leftover drop fiber
in a way that can cause negative effects to cable memory
through cable stress and tiny fractures to the tender fibers
inside the sheath. In recent years a storage system was
designed purposefully to store and organize the small
amount of slack from a fiber drop that is to be left at a
fiber drop terminal (FDT) in an FTTX system. It is also to be
used for the organization or storage of the minimal amount
of unused multi-fiber drop in the placing of a multiport
terminal from termination system splices. Additionally,
the remaining cable left for future use is safely stored, as
opposed to slack hanging in a vertical coil. This procedure
stores the coil in a more unobtrusive, horizontal fashion.
Sometimes design makes
something look better, but design
from an engineering and functional
perspective can also mean creating
something worthwhile that
improves upon a system already
in place, paving the way to a new,
more innovative way of doing
something that’s already great.
Or, design can mark the beginning
of a revolutionary or evolutionary
process.
2 | DROP CABLE
“Design is a funny word. Some people think design
means how it looks. But of course, if you dig deeper,
it’s really how it works.”
-Steve Jobs
3. Until recently, reputable contractors used a product
commonly referred to as a “Horse-Shoe”, a small
aluminum Opti-Loop®
type of device with an outward
facing channel and clips to secure fiber inside that channel.
This product achieved the goal of protecting and storing
the fiber drops in a neat and efficient manner, but over
the next few years engineers observed the key functional
attributes of cable and made a very simple and obvious
evolutionary product discovery that merited a change
in the original Horse-Shoe device. Cable has a natural
inclination to flare outward, so instead of wrapping the
cable around the exterior of the bend, they reengineered
that same loop and put the channel on the inside, thereby
inverting the protected storage area. This inversion not
only harnesses the logical propensity akin to the cable’s
own manufacturing design, it also eliminates the clips
that were necessary with the outward facing version. In
addition, the previous design offered flared ends that
were difficult to manufacture, that are now unnecessary
with the new design. Three simple tie wraps installed over
the protected channel in the manufactured slots keep
the cables safely inside. Moving from aluminum to UV
protected plastic not only makes this product more cost
effective, it is also lighter weight and easier to install.
The new patented design also features angled slots
to accomodate the use of banding material on steel or
concrete poles. Installation has also been made easier
by utilizing safety grooves within the plastic part that
keeps tie wraps secure. A key design feature that remains
the same is the recessed bracket seat that keeps a tap
mounting bracket or ADSS direct attach bracket from
turning once installed.
Benefits
The benefits associated with using this plastic inverted
storage are:
• The unit is much lighter in weight.
• Can be used for aerial, pole, or below-grade hand holes.
• Weather resistant, non-rusting.
• Can be used on all cable types.
• Adjustable length of reserve fiber, restricted only by
the distance between the attachments.
• Easily stackable by using a longer bolt.
• Future drops can be added without disturbing the
original bundle.
• Can be installed with a bolt, a TMK bracket or a
Direct Attach ADSS bracket to accomodate multiple
applications.
3 | DROP CABLE
