Patents by Inventor Donald K. Larson

Donald K. Larson has filed for patents to protect the following inventions. This listing includes patent applications that are pending as well as patents that have already been granted by the United States Patent and Trademark Office (USPTO).

  • Patent number: 9640958
    Abstract: A duct for distributing one or more telecommunication lines comprises an elongated body having a length and a conduit portion with a lengthwise bore formed therein. The conduit portion contains one or more telecommunication lines. The duct also includes a flange extending lengthwise adjacent the main body to mount the duct to a mounting surface, such as a wall. The duct also includes an adhesive layer disposed on a surface of the flange, the adhesive layer comprising a removable adhesive to permit removal of the duct from the mounting surface after mounting.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 24, 2011
    Date of Patent: May 2, 2017
    Assignee: 3M Innovative Properties Company
    Inventors: William V. Dower, James L. Bries, Donald K. Larson, Victor J. Borer
  • Publication number: 20160349472
    Abstract: Fiber management assembly comprises an optical fiber splitter, a splice holding section having a fiber splice device mounted therein, and a slack storage system. The optical fiber splitter, splice holding section and slack storage system are disposed on one of a tray and an interior surface of an enclosure body. In addition, patch panel tray having a patch panel comprising a plurality of adapters mounted thereon is provided, wherein a bare end of a splitter input fiber is routed via the slack storage system to a first end of the splice device, and wherein pre-connectorized splitter output fibers are routed to different adapters of the plurality of adapters.
    Type: Application
    Filed: May 16, 2016
    Publication date: December 1, 2016
    Inventors: William J. Clatanoff, Zachary M. Thompson, Donald K. Larson
  • Patent number: 9477059
    Abstract: A system for adhering a length of continuous substrate to a mounting surface is disclosed. The continuous substrate can be attached to a mounting surface by a regular array of spaced apart adhesive segments disposed longitudinally along the continuous substrate and between the mounting surface and the continuous substrate.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 5, 2013
    Date of Patent: October 25, 2016
    Assignee: 3M Innovative Properties Company
    Inventors: Donald K. Larson, Zachary M. Thompson, Curtis E. Maynes
  • Publication number: 20160238800
    Abstract: A communication enclosure is described that includes an enclosure body having a first body portion and a second body portion. An adapter mounting mechanism is disposed in the first body portion, and a connector adapter mounted into the mounting mechanism that is configured to accept an optical fiber connector. The enclosure includes at least one integrated tool for terminating field mountable optical fiber connectors wherein the at least one integrated tool is disposed on one of the first body portion and the second body portion. In an exemplary aspect, the at least one integrated tool is a connector polishing platform.
    Type: Application
    Filed: January 20, 2016
    Publication date: August 18, 2016
    Inventors: Donald K. Larson, Joseph C. Sawicki, Zachary M. Thompson, William J. Clatanoff
  • Patent number: 9389370
    Abstract: An optical connector for terminating a jacketed optical fiber cable comprises a housing configured to mate with a receptacle. The connector also includes a collar body disposed in the housing, the collar body securing, at a first end, a ferrule. The collar body includes a gripping mechanism disposed in a second portion of the collar body. The collar body further includes a buffer clamp configured within a third portion of the collar body, the buffer clamp configured to clamp at least a portion of a buffer cladding of the optical fiber upon actuation. The optical connector also includes a backbone to retain the collar body within the housing. The backbone includes a mounting structure surrounding a central bore at one end of the backbone, the mounting structure having at least one pocket region configured to receive a slit portion of the cable jacket. A fiber connector termination and assembly tool is also provided.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 12, 2014
    Date of Patent: July 12, 2016
    Assignee: 3M Innovative Properties Company
    Inventors: Jerome A. Pratt, Ronald P. Pepin, Joseph C. Sawicki, Shirley E. Ball, Wesley A. Raider, Donald K. Larson
  • Publication number: 20160178859
    Abstract: A ruggedized cable connection structure configured to direct mate first and second ruggedized optical fiber connectors is disclosed. The connection assembly has a housing having a channel extending from a first end of the housing through to the second end of the housing, an adapter secured within the channel near a midpoint of the housing to enable direct mating of the first and second ruggedized optical fiber connectors, and an integral mounting flange extending from the housing to allow connection to a mounting surface.
    Type: Application
    Filed: December 10, 2015
    Publication date: June 23, 2016
    Inventors: Zachary M. Thompson, Donald K. Larson
  • Patent number: 9343885
    Abstract: A cable routing system is described. More specifically, described is a cable routing system that includes a main fiber channel configured to receive a drop fiber to allow it to fit within the main fiber channel, where the channel is surrounded by a discontinuous segmented duct, and the duct comprises a continuous flange structure to provide support for the system as it is installed on or fastened to a wall or other generally flat surface.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 21, 2015
    Date of Patent: May 17, 2016
    Assignee: 3M Innovative Properties Company
    Inventors: Donald K. Larson, Wesley A. Raider
  • Patent number: 9343886
    Abstract: A cable routing system is described. More specifically, described is a cable routing system that includes a main fiber channel configured to receive a drop fiber to allow it to fit within the main fiber channel, where the channel is surrounded by a discontinuous segmented duct, and the duct comprises a continuous flange structure to provide support for the system as it is installed on or fastened to a wall or other generally flat surface.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 26, 2015
    Date of Patent: May 17, 2016
    Assignee: 3M Innovative Properties Company
    Inventors: Donald K. Larson, Linnea M. Wilkes, Victor J. Borer, Kurt H. Petersen, Wesley A. Raider, William V. Dower, Zachary M. Thompson, Daniel J. Treadwell, Rutesh D. Parikh, William G. Allen
  • Patent number: 9341801
    Abstract: Fiber management assemblies, trays and network interface devices for use in telecommunications that incorporate such assemblies and trays are described. Fiber management trays can include integrated slack storage systems and mechanical fiber splice devices mounted into integrated splice holding grooves, where the mechanical fiber splice devices are actuated by a fiber splice actuation mechanism positioned over the mechanical fiber splice device, as are network interface devices incorporating such assemblies and trays.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 27, 2015
    Date of Patent: May 17, 2016
    Assignee: 3M Innovative Properties Company
    Inventors: William J. Clatanoff, Zachary M. Thompson, Donald K. Larson
  • Publication number: 20160116699
    Abstract: Drop cable assemblies that can be routed from an outdoor terminal directly to an indoor wall outlet without disruption, and adhered to the interior of a dwelling after removal of the drop cable jacket and utilization of a pre-applied adhesive layer are described. Additionally, telecommunications systems utilizing such assemblies, methods of routing such assemblies and methods of making such assemblies are described.
    Type: Application
    Filed: October 20, 2015
    Publication date: April 28, 2016
    Inventors: Donald K. Larson, Daniel J. Treadwell, Zachary M. Thompson, William J. Clatanoff, Joseph C. Carls, Victor J. Borer, Cary A. Kipke, Brian M. Cole
  • Publication number: 20160099553
    Abstract: A device to strip the external coating layer off of a coated optical fiber is provided. The optical fiber coating removal device includes a one piece molded body having a first body portion connected to a second body portion by a flexible region and a blade secured in one of the first body portion and the second body portion wherein the blade includes a U-shaped slot having cutting edges on the inside of the slot, wherein the flexible portion allows the first and second body portions to move between an open state and a closed state for stripping an optical fiber.
    Type: Application
    Filed: August 24, 2015
    Publication date: April 7, 2016
    Inventors: Donald K. Larson, William G. Allen
  • Publication number: 20150346449
    Abstract: Fiber management assemblies, trays and network interface devices for use in telecommunications that incorporate such assemblies and trays are described. Fiber management trays can include integrated slack storage systems and mechanical fiber splice devices mounted into integrated splice holding grooves, where the mechanical fiber splice devices are actuated by a fiber splice actuation mechanism positioned over the mechanical fiber splice device, as are network interface devices incorporating such assemblies and trays.
    Type: Application
    Filed: May 27, 2015
    Publication date: December 3, 2015
    Inventors: William J. Clatanoff, Zachary M. Thompson, Donald K. Larson
  • Publication number: 20150310964
    Abstract: Cable assemblies, premises and wireless cabling systems utilizing such assemblies, and cable units found within such cable assemblies are described. More particularly, cable assemblies that can be furcated and include both optical fibers and electrical conductors are described. Such assemblies can include a plurality of cable units disposed within a primary jacket that surrounds the cable units, with at least some units including optical fibers and at least some units including electrical conductors that may have a conductivity of greater than 1 e7 S/m.
    Type: Application
    Filed: August 18, 2014
    Publication date: October 29, 2015
    Inventors: Donald K. LARSON, Stephen C. KING, Curtis L. SHOEMAKER, William J. CLATANOFF, Stephen Paul LeBLANC, Robert M. ANDERTON, LayLonie L. Le VAN-ETTER
  • Patent number: 9103995
    Abstract: An optical fiber connector includes a housing configured to mate with a receptacle, a collar body that includes a fiber stub and a mechanical splice device, a backbone to retain the collar body within the housing, and a boot. The backbone includes a fiber jacket clamping portion to clamp a jacket portion that surrounds a portion of the terminated optical fiber upon actuation. The boot actuates the fiber jacket clamping portion of the backbone upon attachment to the backbone. The optical fiber connector can be terminated in the field without the need to use a separate termination platform or tool.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 21, 2014
    Date of Patent: August 11, 2015
    Assignee: 3M INNOVATIVE PROPERTIES COMPANY
    Inventors: Chansool Park, Donald K. Larson
  • Publication number: 20150171609
    Abstract: A cable routing system is described. More specifically, described is a cable routing system that includes a main fiber channel configured to receive a drop fiber to allow it to fit within the main fiber channel, where the channel is surrounded by a discontinuous segmented duct, and the duct comprises a continuous flange structure to provide support for the system as it is installed on or fastened to a wall or other generally flat surface.
    Type: Application
    Filed: February 26, 2015
    Publication date: June 18, 2015
    Inventors: Donald K. Larson, Linnea M. Wilkes, Victor J. Borer, Kurt H. Petersen, Wesley A. Raider, William V. Dower, Zachary M. Thompson, Daniel J. Treadwell, Rutesh D. Parikh, William G. Allen
  • Publication number: 20150131953
    Abstract: A cable routing system is described. More specifically, described is a cable routing system that includes a main fiber channel configured to receive a drop fiber to allow it to fit within the main fiber channel, where the channel is surrounded by a discontinuous segmented duct, and the duct comprises a continuous flange structure to provide support for the system as it is installed on or fastened to a wall or other generally flat surface.
    Type: Application
    Filed: January 21, 2015
    Publication date: May 14, 2015
    Inventors: Donald K. Larson, Wesley A. Raider
  • Publication number: 20150020956
    Abstract: A system for adhering a length of continuous substrate to a mounting surface is disclosed. The continuous substrate can be attached to a mounting surface by a regular array of spaced apart adhesive segments disposed longitudinally along the continuous substrate and between the mounting surface and the continuous substrate.
    Type: Application
    Filed: February 5, 2013
    Publication date: January 22, 2015
    Inventors: Donald K. Larson, Zachary M. Thompson, Curtis E. Maynes
  • Publication number: 20140363130
    Abstract: An optical fiber connector includes a housing configured to mate with a receptacle, a collar body that includes a fiber stub and a mechanical splice device, a backbone to retain the collar body within the housing, and a boot. The backbone includes a fiber jacket clamping portion to clamp a jacket portion that surrounds a portion of the terminated optical fiber upon actuation. The boot actuates the fiber jacket clamping portion of the backbone upon attachment to the backbone. The optical fiber connector can be terminated in the field without the need to use a separate termination platform or tool.
    Type: Application
    Filed: August 21, 2014
    Publication date: December 11, 2014
    Inventors: Chansool PARK, Donald K. LARSON
  • Patent number: 8876405
    Abstract: An LC format optical connector for terminating an optical fiber includes a housing configured to mate with an LC receptacle. A backbone is configured to engage an outer surface of the outer shell of the housing and includes a mounting structure that is configured to engage a boot. A collar body is retained between the outer shell and the backbone and includes a fiber stub disposed in a first portion of the collar body, the fiber stub being mounted in a ferrule. A mechanical splice is disposed in a second portion of the collar body, the mechanical splice configured to splice the fiber stub to the optical fiber. The backbone also includes a fiber jacket clamping portion to clamp a jacket portion that surrounds a portion of the optical fiber upon actuation.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 25, 2012
    Date of Patent: November 4, 2014
    Assignee: 3M Innovative Properties Company
    Inventors: Donald K. Larson, Wesley A. Raider, Daniel J. Treadwell, Martin G. Afflerbaugh, David Gonzalez, Daniel H. Henderson, William G. Allen
  • Patent number: 8851765
    Abstract: An optical fiber connector for terminating an optical fiber is provided. The optical fiber connector includes a housing configured to mate with a receptacle. The connector also includes a collar body disposed in the housing and retained between the housing's outer shell and a backbone. The collar body includes a swivel head coupled to a front end portion of the collar body, where the swivel head is configured to receive a ferrule. The swivel head is configured to pivot with respect to the front end portion of the collar body by a controlled amount upon a side pull force being placed on the connector and/or optical fiber.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 1, 2010
    Date of Patent: October 7, 2014
    Assignee: 3M Innovative Properties Company
    Inventors: Donald K. Larson, Wesley A. Raider, Joseph C. Sawicki, Daniel J. Treadwell