Abstract: Apparatus for providing strain relief of an optical ribbon cable caused by bending or other type of non-linear forces includes a base portion and a pivot portion both having a recess. The pivot portion is hingedly connected to the base portion and the recesses define a ribbon cable holding location. Compression members are provided in each of the recesses and define a gap therebetween for retaining optical fiber ribbon cables. The base portion and pivot portion are unitary and formed from a material which is non-opaque. An anchor portion is in contact with the base portion. The anchor portion has a tab member for indexing the apparatus with a support structure and a first latch member for securing the apparatus to a support structure. The hinge portion of the apparatus also has a second latch member for securing the hinge portion to the base portion.

Abstract: Apparatus for enclosing a plurality of fiber optic cables in a sealed environment includes a housing, a lid, a hollow body projecting from the housing, at least one grommet disposed in the hollow body for securing one or more fiber optic cables in an orifice accessed by a slit provided therein and a cap disposed in front of the hollow body to compress the grommet and seal components passing through the grommet into the housing. The grommet is a single body with a plurality of orifices for receiving a plurality of fiber optic cables or a plurality of individually formed grommets each having one orifice.

Abstract: An optical fiber spice holder, including a base having an upper surface and a plurality of sidewalls coupled substantially orthogonal to the upper surface. Each pair of sidewalls of the plurality of sidewalls forms at least one channel therebetween. The at least one channel has a first radius sized to secure an optical fiber splice, and a plurality of channels are formed adjacent to each other.

Abstract: A cooling system that can be used, for example, for cooling electrical circuit boards housed in an equipment cabinet. The cooling system includes a flow-rate-amplifying pump configured to introduce ambient air into the cabinet. The flow-rate-amplifying pump is a passive device, which has a primary intake and a secondary intake and is designed to produce a large flow of relatively cool ambient air into the cabinet through the primary intake using a small volume of compressed air applied to the secondary intake. In one embodiment, the cooling system has an auxiliary pump driven by a windmill device. Rotation of a propeller in the windmill device is converted into piston oscillation in the auxiliary pump, which oscillation is used to compress air and apply it to the secondary intake of the flow-rate-amplifying pump. A cooling system of the invention can provide efficient cooling while being self-sustaining and generating less noise and/or electrical interference than prior art cooling systems.

Abstract: A system having a steerable antenna coupled to a temperature-dependent driver. The driver has a shape-memory element fabricated using a shape-memory alloy (SMA) and having the ability to change its shape as a function of temperature. The element is adapted to steer the antenna to improve signal reception and is controlled by a control circuit, which resistively heats the element while using the strength of the electrical signal generated by the antenna in response to a received radio-frequency signal as a feedback signal. The temperature of the element is adjusted to optimize the signal strength. Systems of the invention may enable customer-performed antenna alignment and are relatively simple and inexpensive to implement.

Abstract: A heat source is formed within one piece of a multi-piece mold designed to shape a glass tube. The one piece of the mold can then be used as a source of intense heat to render the glass malleable and to also contribute to shaping the tube in conformance with the mold. In one embodiment, the heat source includes channels formed throughout the one piece of mold for distributing a gas therethrough with jets of gas emanating from the inner surface of the mold piece for heating the tube to be shaped to a desired temperature. In apparatus embodying the invention, there is no need for a separate torch and for moving the torch during the shaping process. Also, in accordance with the invention, better control of the heat supplied to the tube being shaped is obtained.

Abstract: A cutting tool that can be used to form a stepped cable end prior to the attachment of an electrical connector to a coaxial cable. The cutting tool has a blade assembly supported inside a housing on a pair of cams. A coaxial cable is inserted into the cutting tool and the housing is rotated about the cable to push the blade assembly along spiral tracks in the cams. According to one embodiment of the invention, the blade assembly has three blades, each blade sized and positioned to make a cut of the corresponding appropriate depth in the coaxial cable thereby forming the desired stepped cable end. Cutting tools of the invention may be adapted for preparation of large-diameter (e.g., over 1 inch) coaxial cables.

Abstract: An electromagnetic interference shield comprises a non-rigid porous metallic material and a conforming element. The non-rigid porous metallic material is shaped by the conforming element to have a top and sidewalls extending downward from the top. The shaped porous metallic material defines a cavity for receiving at least one circuit component therein.

Abstract: Apparatus for shaping a selected end region of a hollow cylindrical glass tube includes an internal mold placed within the selected end region for supporting the walls of the tube and controlling the shape of the internal surface of selected end region of the tube, during the period of time heat is applied to the tube and the tube is being shaped. In one embodiment the internal mold has a variable configuration and may be selectively set to an extended (open) configuration or to a collapsed (closed) configuration. With the internal mold set to its extended configuration, sufficient heat may be applied to the selected end region to render it malleable. Then, compression forces may be applied to the exterior surface of the tube to press the inner surface of the selected end region of the tube against the outer surface of the internal mold, causing the inner surface of the selected end region to conform to the outer surface of the internal mold.

Abstract: A high-density, small fiber optic enclosure permits the cross-connection and interconnection of optical fibers, through the use of an open-faced compact layering technique. The optical fiber enters an aperture in the bottom of the enclosure which includes a first section attachable to a wall surface, and a second section connected to the first enclosure section by a hinge. The first enclosure section includes an optical fiber splice holder and a plurality of hooks and clips for holding the optical fibers. The second enclosure section includes a plurality of hooks and clips also. The fibers enter the first section, are connected to the hooks and clips, and cross over to the second section and return to the first section and ultimately pass through an exit aperture in such a fashion as to form a plurality of FIG. 8 layers. If the optical fibers are not shielded, it is possible to use two opposing S-shaped fiber tubes to protect them at the crossover between the first and second enclosure.

Abstract: The present invention provides an improved communications interface device for existing interface devices, capable of providing improved and enhanced functional features to the traditional limited services of telephone-based and communications interface devices without requiring modification to physical characteristics of existing interface devices. The apparatus includes a module having electrical connectors for establishing electrical connection to one or more service provider cables and one or more subscriber cables and a replaceable motherboard and one or more replaceable daugbterboards capable of providing access to additional bandwidth, sharing of bandwidth, access to high-speed and multimedia data, distribution of data by residential gateways and/or across existing telephone wiring, access to cable-related data, analog to digital conversion of data, or power surge damage-protection.

Abstract: A jumper cable module for use, e.g., with optical and/or electrical equipment. The module provides proper tensioning for jumper cables and retains them in a protected manner. In one embodiment, the module includes a pulley and an eccentric cam pivotally connected to a base plate. A jumper cable is wrapped around grooves in the pulley and cam such that the connectorized ends of the cable extend out and attach to the specified connection points. The cam is turned about its axle to produce the desired tension of the cable. For maintaining the tension, the cam may incorporate a tensioning mechanism, e.g., a spring-loaded ball mechanism or serrated edge ratchet. When the cable needs to be removed from the module, the tensioning mechanism is disengaged and the cam is turned to create slack in the cable for ease of cable removal. A module that includes stacks of pulleys and cams may handle multiple jumper cables.

Abstract: A cooling system of the invention can be used, for example, for cooling of electrical circuit boards housed in an equipment cabinet. The cooling system includes a flow-rate-amplifying pump configured to introduce ambient air into the cabinet. The pump is a passive device, which has a primary intake and a secondary intake and is designed to convert a small volume of compressed air applied to the secondary intake into a large flow of relatively cool ambient air into the cabinet through the primary intake. In one embodiment, the cooling system is designed to use the heat generated within the cabinet to produce compressed air. The air circulating around the circuit boards heats up and rises to the top of the cabinet, where it, is channeled toward an air vent. When the air exits through the vent, it rotates an appropriately placed propeller. The torque generated by the propeller is then used to drive an air compressor, the output of which is coupled to the secondary intake of the air amplifying pump.

Abstract: A quarter turn latch for joining a cover to a housing of an enclosure enables a technician to lock the enclosure by simply slamming the cover shut. The latch also enables a technician to unlock the enclosure by rotating the shaft by a quarter turn. The latch includes a shaft and a clasp. The shaft includes a head and a tail. The tail includes peripherally alternating sets of longitudinally spaced teeth and tail cam surfaces. Each tooth has a shoulder facing the head of the shaft and a tooth cam surface. The perimeter of a cross section of each tail cam surface is arcuate. The clasp includes pawls. When the tail is inserted into the clasp, each pawl is in contact with the tail cam surface, the tooth cam surface, or the shoulder. The latch prevents unauthorized access to the enclosure by requiring specific tools to rotate the shaft.

Abstract: An optical fiber closure includes a housing having opposing walls, each of the opposing walls having an aperture defined therein. Each aperture is adapted to receive an optical fiber therethrough. A bend limiter is proximate each aperture. Each bend limiter includes a proximate edge, a distal edge, and an arcuate surface. The arcuate surface extends between the proximate and distal edges and has a radius of curvature greater than a predetermined minimum bend radius. The distal edge of each bend limiter is substantially aligned with an outer edge of a respective one of the opposing walls of the optical fiber closure.

Abstract: An electromagnetic interference shield comprises a non-rigid porous metallic material and a conforming element. The non-rigid porous metallic material is shaped by the conforming element to have a top and sidewalls extending downward from the top. The shaped porous metallic material defines a cavity for receiving at least one circuit component therein.

Abstract: A mold for shaping end portions of glass tubes has first and second mating members which define a contoured bore into which the heated tube fits. Each member has a longitudinal bore from which extend radial bores opening into the interior cavity of the mold containing the tube. Each member also has radial vent bores for venting gases and vapor to the outside. Each longitudinal bore is connected to a lubricant, such as water, supply, which is applied to the surface of the tube through the radial bores.

Abstract: A connector assembly comprises a panel having a plurality of apertures formed therein. Each aperture is adapted to accept a pivot member of a connector. A plurality of flexible members are proximate each aperture. For each aperture, the plurality of flexible members are configured to maintain a centering bias on a connector when such connector is supported in the respective aperture.

Abstract: A jumper cable module for use, e.g., with optical and/or electrical equipment. The module provides proper tensioning for jumper cables and retains them in a protected manner. In one embodiment, the module includes a pulley and an eccentric cam pivotally connected to a base plate. A jumper cable is wrapped around grooves in the pulley and cam such that the connectorized ends of the cable extend out and attach to the specified connection points. The cam is turned about its axle to produce the desired tension of the cable. For maintaining the tension, the cam may incorporate a tensioning mechanism, e.g., a spring-loaded ball mechanism or serrated edge ratchet. When the cable needs to be removed from the module, the tensioning mechanism is disengaged and the cam is turned to create slack in the cable for ease of cable removal. A module that includes stacks of pulleys and cams may handle multiple jumper cables.

Abstract: A protective tape used to protect an electrical connection from the effects of ultraviolet radiation. The protective tape comprises a silicone gel that contains a UV inhibitor such as zinc oxide. The protective tape is used to wrap a connection, such as a coaxial connection, in order to provide a long lasting, secure environment for the connection and to shield against the effects of UV radiation that can otherwise cause a deterioration of tape. As one embodiment, the silicone gel is a two layer gel with each layer having a different hardness. The tape is formed by casting the silicone gel on a suitable backing and that backing is removed from the tape at the time the tape is used to wrap around the electrical connection.