Patents Represented by Attorney Janet A. Kling
  • Patent number: 8313250
    Abstract: An inlet device is described herein for inserting a telecommunication cable into a telecommunications enclosure. An exemplary inlet device comprises a housing, and a compression member. The housing can include a compressible portion at the second end of the housing and a securing zone adjacent to the first end of the housing. The securing zone can include a plurality of deformable locking elements which protrude from opposite sides of the housing to lock the inlet device in a close fitting port of a telecommunication enclosure.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 17, 2009
    Date of Patent: November 20, 2012
    Assignee: 3M Innovative Properties Company
    Inventor: Patrick Drouard
  • Patent number: 8315057
    Abstract: Disclosed is an embedded communication enclosure for housing and supporting communication devices and communication cables, comprising: an enclosure body; a cable connecting member, provided within said enclosure body to connect communication cables, where an input cable from the exterior of the enclosure body is connected to a plurality of distribution cables to be brought out of the enclosure body; and a first door connected with the enclosure body, for opening and closing the front of the enclosure body, said first door comprising a second door embedded therein to provide access to the cable connecting member; wherein said cable connecting member is arranged to correspond to said second door in such a manner that said cable connecting member is exposed to outside when said second door is opened.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 25, 2009
    Date of Patent: November 20, 2012
    Assignee: 3M Innovative Properties Company
    Inventors: Zhiyong Xu, Bin Yu, Min Lin, Pierre Bonvallat, Ahmed M. Ghazy
  • Patent number: 8282424
    Abstract: A telecommunications jack 1 is described that comprises a housing 2 defining a port for receiving a plug; contacts 7 for making an electrical connection with wires of a cable; interface contacts 4 for making an electrical connection with contacts of the plug; and a multilayer printed circuit board (PCB) 5 for electrically connecting the contacts 7 and the interface contacts 4. The multilayer PCB comprises a free-floating ground plane structure formed from two outer layers of the multilayer PCB and a plurality of internal layers 15B, 15C, 15D, 15E having a plurality of electronic devices 16, 17 disposed thereon. The two outer layers 15 of the multilayer PCB include a continuous coating 19 of electrically conductive material covering at least those parts of the PCB that include the electronic devices and wherein the two outer layers of the PCB are electrically connected with each other and are electrically isolated from the internal layers of the PCB.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 12, 2010
    Date of Patent: October 9, 2012
    Assignee: 3M Innovative Properties Company
    Inventors: Christian Weinmann, Stefan Schoene, Anton Kuepper, Gerardus A. C. A. Nuiten
  • Patent number: 8270797
    Abstract: The present invention discloses a splice holder, which is used for holding at least one splicing sleeve (4), each of the splicing sleeves (4) is used for coupling two optical fibers. The splice holder comprises: a body; a splice channel (7) provided on the body; and an elastic device (9) in each splice channel, wherein the elastic device holds the splicing sleeve (4) elastically in the splice channel. The present invention also includes a communication socket having a splice holder mounted therein. By the splice holder of present invention, optical fiber connection points can be accommodated in a communication socket, so that electrical cables and optical fibers in the communication socket may be managed in an orderly way. Furthermore, inclusion of the inventive splice holder ensures than a minimum bending radius of optical fiber can be maintained when the optical fiber is stored in the communication socket.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 10, 2008
    Date of Patent: September 18, 2012
    Assignee: 3M Innovative Properties Company
    Inventors: Junsheng Zhou, Pierre Bonvallat, Zhiyong Xu
  • Patent number: 8270799
    Abstract: An inlet device is described for inserting a telecommunication cable into a telecommunications enclosure. The inlet device includes a housing compressible portion and a strength member securing section configured to fasten at least one strength member of the cable to the housing. The cable is centered in the housing when a protective sleeve is applied over a compressible portion of the housing. A method for preparing a cable assembly is also described. A telecommunications enclosure including an inlet device is also described.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 17, 2008
    Date of Patent: September 18, 2012
    Assignee: 3M Innovative Properties Company
    Inventor: Patrick Drouard
  • Patent number: 8184939
    Abstract: An inlet device is described for inserting a cable containing optical fibers into a telecommunications enclosure. The inlet device includes a housing and an optical device holder. The optical device holder may be configured to hold an optical fiber spice and/or an optical device such as an optical splitter, coupler or a dense wavelength division multiplexing (DWDM) device.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 22, 2009
    Date of Patent: May 22, 2012
    Assignee: 3M Innovative Properties Company
    Inventors: Rutesh D. Parikh, William G. Allen, Thomas E. Bludau
  • Patent number: 8165443
    Abstract: A communication socket comprises a housing including a base portion having a bottom wall and a plurality of sidewalls and a cover portion. The base portion and the cover portion are detachably engaged with each other. The base portion includes a plurality of knock-off holes for inserting an optical fiber at different positions in the sidewall and/or a plurality of fiber entries for inserting a fiber through the bottom wall. The fiber-connector-mounting portion extends from the base. Each of the fiber-connector-mounting portion includes a spacer for maintaining a fiber connector at a distance away from the bottom wall, and a space for inserting the fiber between the fiber connector and the bottom wall. The volume of the communication socket can be minimized, the integration thereof can be improved, the fiber can enter the communication socket in all directions while the fiber's bend radius is satisfied, and the management on the fiber and cable in the communication socket is effective.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 26, 2008
    Date of Patent: April 24, 2012
    Assignee: 3M Innovative Properties Company
    Inventors: Junsheng Zhou, Pierre Bonvallat, Zhiyong Xu
  • Patent number: 8135352
    Abstract: A remote monitoring system for telecommunication enclosures includes a low profile or flush mounted sealed transceiver or antenna unit, an electronic module inside of the enclosure electrically connected to the transceiver and a communication device to send signals to the electronic module through the transceiver. The sealed housing generally comprises a portion extending through the exterior surface of the enclosure. In some embodiments, the transceiver may include a radio frequency antenna, a photoelectric cell, a light sensor or an infrared sensor, and the communication device may be a handheld device, a transponder, or a networked computer.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 2, 2007
    Date of Patent: March 13, 2012
    Assignee: 3M Innovative Properties Company
    Inventors: Ronald L. Langsweirdt, Herbert Anders, Bernd Lindenbeck, Bernhard Schneider, Joerg Hahn, Marian Starosta, Manuel Steinbrink, Manfred Stieglitz
  • Patent number: 8069907
    Abstract: A heat pipe for cooling a heat-generating component has a generally planar, sealed flexible body having an evaporator section, a condenser section, and a flexible bellows section. The bellows section is located between the evaporator section and the condenser section along a longitudinal length of the body. A chamber extends from the evaporator section to the condenser section inside the body and contains a working fluid. The bellows section includes internal supports to keep the chamber open during repeated bending of the heat pipe at the bellows section.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 13, 2007
    Date of Patent: December 6, 2011
    Assignee: 3M Innovative Properties Company
    Inventors: Johnny P. Bryant, James R. Bylander, Vern E. Radewald
  • Patent number: 8073302
    Abstract: In one aspect, the invention described herein provides an enclosure for containing telecommunication lines and/or telecommunication line splices therein. In one embodiment, the enclosure comprises a housing wherein the housing is removeably securable to the base. The base includes an edge wall extending from the bottom plate of the base. A sealing member is disposed on an outer surface of the edge wall. The housing includes an outer side wall and an inner lip spaced apart from the outer side wall. When the housing is secured to the base, the edge wall of the base is inserted between the outer side wall and the inner lip.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 25, 2009
    Date of Patent: December 6, 2011
    Assignee: 3M Innovative Properties Company
    Inventors: William G. Allen, Rutesh D. Parikh
  • Patent number: 8063306
    Abstract: A re-enterable enclosure for a cable splice includes a first cover member and a second cover member configured for engagement with each other, and movable between an open position and a closed position. The first and second cover members form a cavity for enclosing the cable splice when the cover members are in the closed position. Internal walls in at least one of the first and second cover members are configured to define a sealant containment space that at least partially surrounds the cavity. At least one latch is configured to maintain the first and second cover members in the closed position, the at least one latch configured to exert a compression force along a line extending through the sealant containment space.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 21, 2007
    Date of Patent: November 22, 2011
    Assignee: 3M Innovative Properties Company
    Inventors: Jingwen Zhong, Pierre Bonvallat, Zhiyong Xu, Bin Lu
  • Patent number: 7967642
    Abstract: A connector (10) in the field of telecommunications has contacts (12) with which wires are connectable inside the connector (10), and at least three wire openings (16, 116), each opening (16, 116) being adapted to accommodate at least two wires and exposed on an outside of the connector (10) distal from the contacts, the wire openings (16, 116) being exposed in at least three different directions.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 30, 2008
    Date of Patent: June 28, 2011
    Assignee: 3M Innovative Properties Company
    Inventors: Stefan Schoene, Gerardus A. C. A. Nuiten, Christian Weinmann, Hermanus Franciscus Maria Van Meijl, Mathieu Nesme, Guy Metral
  • Patent number: 7943868
    Abstract: A sealed housing (10) accommodates at least one electric or electronic component (12, 14), and has a portion (20) extending through the mounting surface, as well as a rotation preventor (16, 28) preventing rotation of the housing (10) relative to the mounting surface. A kit of parts includes at least one such housing (10) and at least one spacer (18). A combination of the housing or kit of parts and a door, preferably of a cabinet or an installation room, or a cabinet in the field of telecommunications having the mounting surface is described. A use of a friction enhancing element, preferably an O-ring, for mounting a housing to a mounting surface in a non-rotatable manner is also described.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 26, 2007
    Date of Patent: May 17, 2011
    Assignee: 3M Innovative Properties Company
    Inventors: Herbert Anders, Bernd Lindenbeck
  • Patent number: 7892046
    Abstract: A telecommunications module (10) has contacts (12, 14, 16) for connecting wires therewith, the contacts (12, 14, 16) being arranged in a number of substantially parallel rows, which is three or a multiple of three, at least one row of contacts (12, 14, 16) which is assigned to transmit a specific signal, such as a POTS, a line or a DSLAM signal, being assigned to transmit a different signal than any adjacent row of contacts within each multiple of three rows.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 15, 2005
    Date of Patent: February 22, 2011
    Assignee: 3M Innovative Properties Company
    Inventors: Guy Metral, Gaetan Perrier, Pierre Bonvallat
  • Patent number: 7894209
    Abstract: The invention relates to an assembly of at least one carrier (12), at least one telecommunications module (10) mounted on the carrier (12) and at least two grounding elements (14, 16), at least one grounding element (14) being fitted to the telecommunications module, and at least one grounding element (16) being fitted to the carrier (12), wherein the grounding elements (14, 16) are in direct contact with each other and can be pivoted with regard to each other while keeping the contact.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 2, 2006
    Date of Patent: February 22, 2011
    Assignee: 3M Innovative Properties Company
    Inventor: Guy Metral
  • Patent number: 7844049
    Abstract: An assembly (10) of three telecommunications modules (12, 14, 16) each having an equal number of contacts for connecting wires (18, 20, 28) therewith, comprises splitter circuits (30?, 30?), the number of splitter circuits (30?, 30?) being equal to half of the number of contacts of each module (12, 14, 16), one third of the contacts (24, 74) of the assembly (10) being adapted to transmit a line signal, one third of the contacts (22, 72) of the assembly (10) being adapted to transmit a POTS signal, and one third of the contacts (26) of the assembly (10) being adapted to transmit a DSLAM-signal. A module, particularly for use within an assembly, is open at a side other than a front side, at which contacts are exposed, so as to allow at least one splitter circuit (30?, 30?) to be at least partially inserted into the module.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 3, 2005
    Date of Patent: November 30, 2010
    Assignee: 3M Innovative Properties Company
    Inventor: Gaetan Perrier
  • Patent number: 7828567
    Abstract: A carrier useful in the field of telecommunications to which a plurality of telecommunications modules are mountable. The carrier includes at least one spacer adapted to create a wire or cable slack by spacing the wires or cables from that part of the carrier on which the spacer is provided. An assembly comprising at least one carrier and at least one telecommunications module is also disclosed.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 24, 2007
    Date of Patent: November 9, 2010
    Assignee: 3M Innovative Properties Company
    Inventors: Pierre Bonvallat, Guy Metral, Gaetan Perrier
  • Patent number: 7778003
    Abstract: An overvoltage protection module can be fitted to a telecommunications module having telecommunications contacts, to which telecommunications lines are connectable, and has at least two overvoltage protectors, at least one ground contact, and at least two pairs of protection module contacts for contacting the telecommunications contacts at contact points, so that at least two telecommunications lines are protectable, wherein the contact points are located on at least two different levels, and both contacts of each pair of protection module contacts are connected to the same overvoltage protector.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 2, 2006
    Date of Patent: August 17, 2010
    Assignee: 3M Innovative Properties Company
    Inventors: Guy Metral, Guy J. Barthes
  • Patent number: 7738759
    Abstract: An inlet device is described for inserting a cable containing optical fibers into a telecommunications enclosure. The inlet device includes a housing with a strength member securing section configured to fasten at least one strength member to the housing. The inlet device further includes a fiber guide device. The inlet device may be used in a single fiber optical cable assembly or multi-fiber optical cable assembly. A method for preparing a cable assembly is described. A telecommunications enclosure including an inlet device is also described.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 22, 2008
    Date of Patent: June 15, 2010
    Assignee: 3M Innovative Properties Company
    Inventors: Rutesh D. Parikh, William G. Allen
  • Patent number: 7697812
    Abstract: An enclosure includes a housing defining an internal splicing area and at least one port at least one port configured for passage of at least one telecommunications cable into the enclosure. The enclosure protects the optical fibers, optical fiber splices and optical devices contained therein. A support basket is disposed in the splicing area and extends longitudinally within the housing. The support basket is shaped to substantially conform to a portion of the circumferential shape of the splicing area. A repositionable, removable support platform is disposed on the support basket in a first orientation for storage and disposed in a second orientation for installation and maintenance of the fiber optic splices and optical devices housed in the enclosure. The optical fiber splices and optical devices are disposed in a splice tray which is adjacent to the support platform. Additionally, the support basket includes a multilayer slack storage compartment.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 11, 2008
    Date of Patent: April 13, 2010
    Assignee: 3M Innovative Properties Company
    Inventors: Rutesh D. Parikh, William G. Allen, Thomas E. Bludau