CABLE FIXATION ASSEMBLY WITH STRENGTH MEMBER ANCHOR ADAPTER

Abstract

Devices, assemblies and methods for fixing telecommunications cables. The cable fixation assemblies include cable support bodies adapted to anchor yarn strength members. A rod strength member adapter can be coupled to the cable support body to anchor a rod strength member such that the same cable support body is adapted to fix both a cable having a yarn strength member and a cable having a rod strength member.

Claims

1. A cable fixation assembly, comprising: a cable support body extending between a proximal end and an opposite distal end along a longitudinal axis of the cable support body, the cable support body including: a seat for seating a telecommunications cable; a strength member anchoring arrangement adapted to anchor a cable strength member of a first type; and a first coupler; and a strength member anchor adapter adapted to lockingly couple to the first coupler and further adapted to anchor a cable strength member of a second type, the second type being different from the first type.

2. The cable fixation assembly of claim 1, wherein the first type of cable strength member is a yarn type and the second type of cable strength member is a rod type.

3. The cable fixation assembly of any preceding claim, wherein the strength member anchoring mechanism includes a radial channel and a longitudinal channel for guiding the cable strength member of the first type to one or more tie wraps that secure the cable strength member of the first type to the cable support body.

4. The cable fixation assembly of any preceding claim, wherein the strength member anchor adapter is lockingly coupled to the cable support body.

5. The cable fixation assembly of any of claims 1-3, wherein the strength member anchor adapter is not coupled to the cable support body.

6. The cable fixation assembly of claim 4, further comprising a cable secured to the cable support body, the cable including a rod strength member that is anchored to the strength member anchor adapter.

7. The cable fixation assembly of claim 5, further comprising a cable secured to the cable support body, the cable including a yarn strength member anchored to the strength member anchoring arrangement.

8. The cable fixation assembly of any preceding claim, further comprising at least one tie wrap for securing a cable to the seat.

9. The cable fixation assembly of claim 8, wherein the at least one tie wrap is part of the strength member anchoring arrangement.

10. The cable fixation assembly of any preceding claim, wherein the strength member anchor adapter includes a main body, a bracket, and a press screw.

11. The cable fixation assembly of claim 10, wherein the first coupler includes a cavity defined by the cable support body and a latch arm extending distally away from the cavity, the latch arm including a catch; and wherein the main body of the strength member anchor adapter includes a second coupler having a shoulder and a plug extending proximally away from the shoulder, the plug being adapted to be received in the cavity, and the shoulder being adapted to engage the catch to lockingly couple the strength member anchor adapter to the cable support body.

12. The cable fixation assembly of claim 11, wherein the plug and the cavity are complementarily keyed to each other to permit receiving of the plug by the cavity in only one orientation.

13. The cable fixation assembly of any of claims 10-12, wherein the main body of the strength member anchor adapter includes a passage wall that defines a strength rod passage, the passage wall including a through hole for receiving the press screw; wherein the bracket includes a press plate, an upper plate having a through hole, and a connector connecting the press plate and the upper plate; wherein the bracket is configured to straddle the passage wall such that the press plate is within the strength rod passage and the upper plate is outside of the strength rod passage, and such that the press plate is engageable by the press screw extending through the through hole of the upper plate and through the through hole of the passage wall to bend the press plate.

14. The cable fixation assembly of claim 13, wherein the seat includes a horizontal cable support surface facing vertically upward; and wherein when the press screw engages the press plate, the press plate bends at a downward incline away from horizontal.

15. The cable fixation assembly of claim 14, wherein the main body of the strength member anchor adapter includes a ramp at a bottom of the strength rod passage, the ramp being distally inclined upward.

16. The cable fixation assembly of claim 15, wherein the bracket straddles the passage wall such that when the press screw engages the press plate, the press plate bends such that it is distally inclined downward.

17. The cable fixation assembly of claim 16, wherein a strength rod of a cable is squeezed between the ramp and the press plate.

18. The cable fixation assembly of claim 17, wherein the press plate engages the strength rod distally of a shaft of the press screw.

19. The cable fixation assembly of any of claims 13-18, wherein a height of the connector is generally equal to a thickness of the passage wall.

20. The cable fixation assembly of any of claims 13-19, wherein when the bracket is straddling a top portion of the passage wall and a strength rod is generally centrally positioned in the strength rod passage, the press plate cannot contact the strength rod prior to bending the press plate with the press screw.

21. The cable fixation assembly of any of claims 13-20, wherein the bracket is configured to frictionally hold itself to the passage wall against a force of gravity.

22. The cable fixation assembly of any of claims 13-21, wherein the main body of the strength member anchor adapter includes a distal stop positioned distally of or at a distal end of the strength rod passage, the distal stop being configured to stop creeping of a strength rod distally beyond the distal stop.

23. A cable fixation assembly comprising: a cable support body extending between a proximal end and an opposite distal end along a longitudinal axis of the cable support body, the cable support body including a seat for seating a telecommunications cable, the seat including a horizontal cable support surface facing vertically upwards; and a strength member anchor including: a main body; a bracket; and a press screw, the main body including a passage wall that defines a strength rod passage, the passage wall including a through hole for receiving the press screw; wherein the bracket includes a press plate, an upper plate having a through hole, and a connector connecting the press plate and the upper plate; wherein the bracket is configured to straddle the passage wall such that the press plate is within the strength rod passage and the upper plate is outside of the strength rod passage, and such that the press plate is engageable by the press screw extending through the through hole of the upper plate and through the through hole of the strength rod passage wall to bend the press plate at a downward incline away from the horizontal.

24. The cable fixation assembly of claim 23, wherein the main body of the strength member anchor includes a ramp at a bottom of the strength rod passage, the ramp being distally inclined upward.

25. The cable fixation assembly of claim 24, wherein the bracket straddles the strength rod passage wall such that when the press screw engages the press plate, the press plate bends such that it is distally inclined downward.

26. The cable fixation assembly of claim 25, wherein a strength rod of a cable is squeezed between the ramp and the press plate.

27. The cable fixation assembly of claim 26, wherein the press plate engages the strength rod distally of a shaft of the press screw.

28. The cable fixation assembly of any of claims 23-27, wherein a height of the connector is generally equal to a thickness of the strength rod passage wall.

29. The cable fixation assembly of any of claims 23-28, wherein when the bracket is straddling a top portion of the passage wall and a strength rod is generally centrally positioned in the strength rod passage, the press plate cannot contact the strength rod prior to bending the press plate with the press screw.

30. The cable fixation assembly of any of claims 23-29, wherein the bracket is configured to frictionally hold itself stationary to the strength rod passage wall against a force of gravity.

31. The cable fixation assembly of any of claims 23-30, wherein the main body of the strength member anchor adapter includes a distal stop positioned distally of, or at the distal end of, the strength rod passage, the distal stop being configured to stop creeping of a strength rod distally beyond the distal stop.

32. A telecommunications closure comprising: the cable fixation assembly of any preceding claim; a base plate including a plurality of slots, and wherein the cable support body includes a plurality of legs that are received in the slots to mount the cable support body to the base plate.

33. The telecommunications closure of claim 32, further comprising first and second housing pieces configured to cooperate to provide a sealable interior volume of the closure, and wherein the base plate is secured to one of the housing pieces within the sealable interior volume.

34. The telecommunications closure of claim 33, further comprising a telecommunications cable fixed to the cable support body with at least one tie wrap, and wherein the cable enters the sealable interior of the closure through a sealed cable port defined by one or more of the first and second housing pieces.

35. The closure of claim 34, wherein the tie wrap is a zip tie.

36. A method of fixing a portion of a telecommunications cable, comprising: providing a cable support body extending between a proximal end and an opposite distal end along a longitudinal axis of the cable support body, the cable support body including: a seat for seating a telecommunications cable; a strength member anchoring arrangement adapted to anchor a cable strength member of a first type; and a first coupler; providing a strength member anchor adapter adapted to anchor a cable strength member of a second type, the second type being different from the first type; and at least one of: i) lockingly coupling the strength member anchor adapter to the first coupler and anchoring a cable strength member of the second type to the strength member anchor adapter; and ii) decoupling the strength member anchor adapter from the first coupler and anchoring a cable strength member of the first type to the strength member anchoring arrangement.

37. The method of claim 36, wherein the strength member of the first type is a yarn strength member and the strength member of the second type is a rod strength member.

38. The method of claim 36 or 37, including the anchoring the cable strength member of the first type to the strength member anchoring arrangement, wherein the anchoring the cable strength member of the first type to the strength member anchoring arrangement includes tightening at least one tie wrap around the strength member of the first type.

39. The method of claim any of claims 36-38, further comprising, subsequent to the lockingly coupling and/or lockingly decoupling, mounting the cable support body to a base plate having slots.

40. The method of any of claims 36-39, including the lockingly coupling the strength member anchor adapter to the first coupler, wherein the first coupler includes a cavity defined by the cable support body and a latch arm extending distally away from the cavity, the latch arm including a catch, wherein the main body of the strength member anchor adapter includes a second coupler having a shoulder and a plug extending proximally away from the shoulder, and wherein the method further comprises: inserting the plug in the cavity such that the shoulder engages the catch to lockingly couple the strength member anchor adapter to the cable support body.

41. A method of fixing a portion of a telecommunications cable, comprising: providing a cable support body extending between a proximal end and an opposite distal end along a longitudinal axis of the cable support body, the cable support body including a seat for seating a telecommunications cable, the seat including a horizontal cable support surface facing vertically upwards; providing a strength member anchor including a main body, a bracket, and a press screw, the main body including a passage wall that defines a strength rod passage, the passage wall including a through hole for receiving the press screw, the bracket includes a press plate, an upper plate having a through hole, and a connector connecting the press plate and the upper plate; positioning the bracket to straddle the passage wall such that the press plate is within the strength rod passage and the upper plate is outside of the strength rod passage; inserting the press screw through the through hole of the upper plate and through the through hole of the strength rod passage wall; and rotating the press screw such that a tip of a shaft of the press screw bends the press plate at a downward incline away from the horizontal and applies force against a strength rod of the telecommunications cable.

42. The method of claim 41, further comprising tightening at least one tie wrap around an outer jacket of the telecommunications cable.

43. The method of claim 41 or 42, further comprising, subsequent to the rotating, mounting the cable support body to a base plate having slots.

44. The cable fixation assembly of claim 10, wherein the first coupler includes a latch arm, the latch arm including a catch, and a support surface vertically spaced apart from, and below, the latch arm; and wherein the main body of the strength member anchor adapter includes a second coupler having a latch engagement arm defining an opening, and a support arm below and spaced apart from the latch engagement arm, the support arm being adapted to be received between the latch arm and the support surface while the catch resiliently engages the opening.

Description

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0025] The following drawings are illustrative of particular embodiments of the present disclosure and therefore do not limit the scope of the present disclosure. The drawings are not to scale and are intended for use in conjunction with the explanations in the following detailed description. Embodiments of the present disclosure will hereinafter be described in conjunction with the appended drawings, wherein like numerals denote like elements.

[0026] FIG. 1 is a perspective view of an example telecommunications system including a telecommunications closure and a cable in accordance with the present disclosure, the closure being in a closed configuration.

[0027] FIG. 2 is a perspective view of a cable having a rigid rod strength member and a portion of the closure of FIG. 1, the closure being in an open configuration, and showing an example of a cable fixation assembly in accordance with the present disclosure.

[0028] FIG. 3 is a perspective view of a portion of the cable fixation assembly of FIG. 2 and a cable having a yarn strength member.

[0029] FIG. 4 is a perspective view of a portion of the cable fixation assembly and cable of FIG. 2.

[0030] FIG. 5 is a perspective partial cross-sectional view of a portion of the cable fixation assembly and cable of FIG. 2.

[0031] FIG. 6 is a partially exploded view of a portion of the cable fixation assembly of FIG. 2.

[0032] FIG. 7 is a perspective view of the strength member anchor adapter of the cable fixation assembly of FIG. 2.

[0033] FIG. 8 is a further perspective view of the strength member anchor adapter of FIG. 6.

[0034] FIG. 9 is a further perspective view of the strength member anchor adapter of FIG. 6.

[0035] FIG. 10 is a further perspective view of the strength member anchor adapter of FIG. 6.

[0036] FIG. 11 is a proximal end view of the strength member anchor adapter of FIG. 6.

[0037] FIG. 12 is a distal end view of the strength member anchor adapter of FIG. 6.

[0038] FIG. 13 is a cross-sectional view of the strength member anchor adapter of FIG. 6 along the line A-A in FIG. 11.

[0039] FIG. 14 is a view of an example cable fixation assembly in accordance with the present disclosure to which is secured a cable having a yarn strength member.

[0040] FIG. 15 is a view of the cable fixation assembly of FIG. 14 to which is secured a cable having a rigid rod strength member, the assembly also including an example strength member anchor adapter in accordance with the present disclosure.

[0041] FIG. 16 is a perspective view of a further example cable fixation assembly in accordance the present disclosure.

[0042] FIG. 17 is a further perspective view of the cable fixation assembly of FIG. 16.

[0043] FIG. 18 is an exploded view of the cable fixation assembly of FIG. 16.

[0044] FIG. 19 is a perspective view of a portion of the cable fixation assembly of FIG. 16.

[0045] FIG. 20 is a further perspective view of the portion of the cable fixation assembly of FIG. 19.

[0046] FIG. 21 is a perspective view of the strength member anchor adapter of the cable fixation assembly of FIG. 16.

[0047] FIG. 22 is a perspective, cross-sectional view of the strength member anchor adapter of the cable fixation assembly of FIG. 16.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION

[0048] Various embodiments of the present invention will be described in detail with reference to the drawings, wherein like reference numerals represent like parts and assemblies throughout the several views. Reference to various embodiments does not limit the scope of the invention, which is limited only by the scope of the claims attached hereto. Additionally, any examples set forth in this specification are not intended to be limiting and merely set forth some of the many possible embodiments for the claimed invention.

[0049] Referring to FIGS. 1-2, a telecommunications system 10 includes a closure 12 having a first housing piece 14 and a second housing piece 16 configured to cooperate with each other to form the closure 12 that is re-enterable and re-closable. Sealing members are disposed to form a seal between the housing pieces when the closure 12 is closed, thereby minimizing ingress of contaminants (e.g., moisture, dust, etc.) into the interior volume 40 of the closure 12. The closure extends from a proximal end 18 to a distal end 20, and has a top 22, and a bottom 24.

[0050] An example telecommunications cable 26 (e.g., a feeder cable) enters the interior volume 40 of the closure 12 through a port 30 defined by the housing pieces 14 and 16. The cable 26 is defined by a longitudinal cable axis 38 and includes an outer jacket 28 that radially surrounds the cable axis 38 and protects and provides structural support to the cable, and particularly to the one or more optical fibers carried by the cable. The housing pieces define a plurality of ports 30, 32 through which cables can enter the closure. The outer ports 30 are configured to receive relatively large cables, such as feeder cables, while the inner ports 32 are configured to receive relatively small cables, such as drop cables or distribution cables. Positioned at the ports and between the housing pieces 14 and 16 are cable port seal blocks 34, 36 that can seal around the cables as they enter the closure and/or seal off the ports where no cable is present.

[0051] The interior volume 40 includes a fiber management area 42 that includes fiber management devices and structures such as fiber retainers 44, splice holders 46 and splitter holders 48. Optical fibers, such as the optical fiber 64 entering the interior volume 40 via a cable 80 (having a longitudinal cable axis 81, an outer jacket 82, and a rigid rod strength member 84) are routed to the fiber management area 42 where they are managed, e.g., by storing them in loops, splicing them to other fibers, splitting them with splitters, etc. It should be appreciated that the fibers can be individual fibers or groups of fibers. Groups of fibers can be loosely bundled, e.g., in protection tubes, or connected, such as in the case of ribbon fibers.

[0052] Connected to the housing piece 16 and within the interior volume 40 is a base plate 50. The base plate 50 includes a plurality of elongate slots 52 elongated in the proximal to distal direction and extending between a proximal slot end 56 and a distal slot end 54 of the slot 52. The slots 52 extend through a thickness of the base plate 50, extending between the top surface 58 and an opposite bottom surface of the base plate 50.

[0053] Mounted to the base plate 50 is a cable fixation assembly 100 in accordance with the present disclosure. The cable fixation assembly 100 includes a cable support body 102 supporting a cable 80. The cable 80 is secured to cable support body 102 with tie wraps 200.

[0054] Referring now to FIG. 3, the cable support body 102 is elongate along a longitudinal axis 104. The cable support body 102 extends vertically from a top 114 of the cable support body 102 to a bottom 116 of the cable support body 102.

[0055] In some examples, the cable support body 102 is a unitary molded polymer structure. In some examples, the cable support body 102 includes metal.

[0056] The cable support body 102 defines a seat 118 having a horizontal cable support surface 120 facing vertically upwards and opposing walls 122 on opposite sides of the horizontal cable support surface 120. The seat 118 is seating the outer jacket 92 of a telecommunications cable 90. The cable 90 has a longitudinal axis 91, carries one or more optical fibers 94 and a yarn strength member 96 (schematically represented). The outer jacket 92 of the cable 90 is secured to the cable support body 102 with tie wraps 200 that are fed through tie wrap passages defined by the cable support body 102 and around the cable 90.

[0057] The cable support body 102 includes a strength member anchoring arrangement including a radial channel 130 and a longitudinal channel 133. The yarn strength member 96 is placed in the radial channel 130 and the longitudinal channel 133, and a free end portion of the yarn strength member 96 is then folded over the more proximal tie wrap 200 and tightened under the more distal tie wrap 200 to secure the strength member 96 to the cable support body 102.

[0058] The cable support body also includes a coupler 131 for lockingly engaging a strength member anchor adapter for anchoring a rigid strength rod of a telecommunications cable.

[0059] Referring now to FIGS. 4-13, the cable support body 102 includes legs 124 with feet 126 extending from the legs. The legs 124 and feet 126 are configured to engage the slots 52 of the base plate 50 (FIG. 2) to mount the cable support body 102 to the base plate 50 (FIG. 2). A slot-engageable locking member is positioned proximally to one of the feet 126 and configured to enter the same slot as the corresponding foot to minimize or prevent undesired proximally directed shifting of the cable support body 102 once it is mounted to the base plate 50.

[0060] The cable support body 102 includes a coupler 131 to which the strength member anchor adapter 300 can be lockingly coupled and unlocked to be decoupled from the cable support body 102. The strength member anchor adapter 300 is adapted to anchor a rod strength remember, e.g., a rigid metal or fiberglass rod strength member. Coupling the adapter 300 to the cable support body 102 and decoupling the adapter 300 from the cable support body 102 allows the cable fixation assembly 100 to be easily converted between one that accommodates fixation of a cable having a rod strength member (and, optionally, also a yarn strength member) and a cable fixation assembly 100 that accommodates fixation of a cable having only a yarn strength member.

[0061] The tie wraps secure the outer jacket 82 of the cable 80 to the cable support body 102. In this example, the tie wraps 200 are zip ties. In other examples, the tie wraps can be, e.g., any form of tightenable strip, e.g., a twist tie, a hose clamp, etc.

[0062] The strength member anchor adapter 300 includes a main body 302, a press screw 304 and a bracket 306. The press screw 304 includes a screw head 310, and a threaded shaft 308 extending from the head 310 to a tip 312 of the shaft 308. One or more of these components of the strength member anchor adapter can be metallic or non-metallic (e.g., made from a polymeric material).

[0063] The main body 302 of the strength member anchor adapter 300 includes a passage wall 314 that defines a strength rod passage 316, the passage wall 314 including a through hole 318 for receiving the press screw 304.

[0064] The bracket 306 includes a press plate 320, an upper plate 322 having a through hole 324, and a connector 326 connecting the press plate 320 and the upper plate 322. The bracket 306 is configured to straddle an upper portion 328 of the passage wall 314 such that the press plate 320 is within the strength rod passage 316 and the upper plate 322 is outside of the strength rod passage and above the upper portion 328 of the passage wall 314. In this configuration, the press plate 320 is engageable by the tip 312 of the press screw 304 extending through the through hole 324 of the upper plate 322 and through the through hole 318 of the passage wall 314 to bend the press plate 320 at an obtuse angle α away from the vertical, which includes a nonzero acute angle relative to the horizontal (FIG. 5), such that the press plate 320 is distally inclined downward as it extends away from the connector 326.

[0065] The main body 302 of the strength member anchor adapter 300 includes a ramp 330 at a bottom of the strength rod passage 316, the ramp 330 being distally inclined (i.e., as the ramp extends in the distal direction) upward relative to the horizontal. Thus, the inclines of the bent press plate 320 and the ramp 330 approach each other in the distal direction. The strength rod 84 of the cable 80 is squeezed between the ramp 330 and the bent press plate 320 to secure the strength rod 84 in a generally vertical central position of the strength rod passage 316. The bent press plate 320 engages the strength rod 84 distally of the shaft 308 of the press screw 304.

[0066] The vertical height H of the connector 326 is generally equal to the vertical thickness T of the upper portion 328 of the passage wall 314. Thus, the bracket 306 is configured to frictionally hold itself to the upper portion 328 of the passage wall 314 against, e.g., a force of gravity. This self-retention feature of the bracket 306 facilitates handling of the strength member anchor adapter 300 and of securing a strength rod therein in that that there are fewer moving parts when properly placing the strength rod 84, the bracket 306 and the press screw 304 for tightening the press screw 304.

[0067] In some examples, the press plate 320 cannot contact the strength rod 84 prior to bending the press plate 320 with the press screw 304.

[0068] The coupler 131 includes a cavity 160 defined by the cable support body 102 and a resilient latch arm 162 extending distally away from the cavity 160, the latch arm including a catch 164. Complementarily, the main body 302 of the strength member anchor adapter 300 includes a second coupler 340 having a shoulder 342 and a plug 344 extending proximally away from the shoulder 342. The plug 344 is adapted to be received in the cavity 160, and the shoulder 342 is adapted to engage the catch 164 to lockingly couple the strength member anchor adapter 300 to the cable support body 102. To release the adapter 300 from the cable support body 102, the latch arm 162 can be flexed downward to disengage the catch 164 from the shoulder 342, such that the plug 344 can then be removed from the cavity 160.

[0069] Optionally, the plug 344 and the cavity 160 are complementarily keyed to each other to permit receiving of the plug 344 by the cavity 160 in only one orientation. Thus, for example, a transverse cross-section of the plug 344 (transverse to the proximal to distal direction) is asymmetrical. In addition, the asymmetry of the plug can provide for greater robustness of the plug at the side of the fixation assembly where the longitudinal channel of the strength member arrangement is disposed. The radial channel can reduce the robustness of the overall cable fixation assembly, while the complementary larger side of the plug 344 can the improve the overall robustness of the cable fixation assembly.

[0070] The main body 302 of the strength member anchor adapter 300 includes a distal stop 370 positioned distally of the strength rod passage 316. The distal stop 370 is a wall configured to stop creeping of the strength rod 84 distally beyond the distal stop 370. Such creeping can occur when securing the cable 80 and/or when environmental conditions change, and is undesirable, as it can damage delicate optical fibers in the vicinity.

[0071] FIG. 14 shows an example cable fixation assembly 400 in accordance with the present disclosure to which is secured a cable 90 having an outer jacket 92, optical fibers 94, and a yarn strength member 96. The outer jacket 92 is secured to the cable support body 102 with a pair of tie wraps 200. The yarn strength member 96 is secured to the cable support body using the radial and longitudinal channels of the strength member anchor arrangement of the cable support body 102, and including the tie wraps 200. The cable fixation assembly 400 does not include a strength rod anchor adapter. However, the cable support body 102 is adapted to couple a strength rod anchor adapter.

[0072] FIG. 15 is a view of the cable fixation assembly 500 to which is secured a cable 80 having an outer jacket 82, optical fibers 64, and a rod strength member 86. A strength member anchor adapter 502 is lockingly coupled to the cable support body 102 and includes a main body 504 and a press screw 506. The rod strength member 86 is anchored between a press plate of a bracket 508 of the adapter 502 and a bottom surface of a strength member passage defined by the main body 504.

[0073] It can be appreciated that the assembly 400 can be converted to the assembly 500 by introducing and coupling the adapter 502 to the cable support body 102. Correspondingly, the assembly 500 can be converted to the assembly 400 by decoupling the adapter 502 from the cable support body 102 and removing the adapter 502.

[0074] Referring now to FIGS. 16-22 a further example cable fixation assembly 600 in accordance with the present disclosure will be described. The assembly 600 includes a cable support body 602 that is elongate along a longitudinal axis 604 between a proximal end 601 and a distal end 603. The cable support body 602 extends vertically from a top 614 of the cable support body 602 to a bottom 616 of the cable support body 602.

[0075] In some examples, the cable support body 602 is a unitary molded polymer structure. In some examples, the cable support body 602 includes metal.

[0076] The cable support body 602 defines a seat 618 having a horizontal cable support surface 620 facing vertically upwards and opposing walls 622 on opposite sides of the horizontal cable support surface 620. The cable support body 602 includes tie wrap passages that receive tie wrap passages for securing the cable to the cable support body 602.

[0077] The cable support body 602 includes a strength member anchoring arrangement including a radial channel 630 and a longitudinal channel 633. A yarn strength member 96 can be placed in the radial channel 630 and the longitudinal channel 633 and secured with tie wraps as described above.

[0078] The cable support body 602 includes legs 624 with feet 626 extending from the legs. The legs 624 and feet 626 are configured to engage the slots 52 of the base plate 50 (FIG. 2) to mount the cable support body 102 to the base plate 50 (FIG. 2). A slot-engageable locking member is positioned proximally to one of the feet 626 and configured to enter the same slot as the corresponding foot to minimize or prevent undesired proximally directed shifting of the cable support body 602 once it is mounted to the base plate 50.

[0079] The cable support body 602 includes a coupler 131 to which the strength member anchor adapter 700 can be lockingly coupled and unlocked to be decoupled from the cable support body 602. The strength member anchor adapter 700 is adapted to anchor a rod strength remember, e.g., a rigid metal or fiberglass rod strength member. Coupling the adapter 700 to the cable support body 602 and decoupling the adapter 700 from the cable support body 602 allows the cable fixation assembly 600 to be easily converted between one that accommodates fixation of a cable having a rod strength member (and, optionally, also a yarn strength member) and a cable fixation assembly 600 that accommodates fixation of a cable having only a yarn strength member.

[0080] The strength member anchor adapter 700 includes a main body 702, a press screw 704 and a bracket 706. The press screw 704 includes a screw head 710, and a threaded shaft 708 extending from the head 710 to a tip 712 of the shaft 708. One or more of these components of the strength member anchor adapter can be metallic or non-metallic (e.g., made from a polymeric material).

[0081] The main body 702 of the strength member anchor adapter 700 includes a passage wall 714 that defines a strength rod passage 716, the passage wall 714 including a through hole 718 for receiving the press screw 704.

[0082] The bracket 706 includes a press plate 720, an upper plate 722 having a through hole 724, a connector 726 connecting the press plate 720 and the upper plate 722, and a retainer finger 727 opposite the connector 726 and adapted to engage the main body 702 to better stabilize the bracket 706 relative to the main body 702. The bracket 706 is configured to straddle an upper portion 728 of the passage wall 714 such that the press plate 720 is within the strength rod passage 716 and the upper plate 722 is outside of the strength rod passage and above the upper portion 728 of the passage wall 714. In this configuration, the press plate 720 is engageable by the tip 712 of the press screw 704 extending through the through hole 724 of the upper plate 722 and through the through hole 718 of the passage wall 714 to bend the press plate 720 at an obtuse angle β away from the vertical, which includes a nonzero acute angle relative to the horizontal, such that the press plate 720 is distally inclined downward as it extends away from the connector 726.

[0083] The main body 702 of the strength member anchor adapter 700 includes a rod engagement surface 730 (in this example, the surface 730 is, but need not be, horizontal) at a bottom of the strength rod passage 716. A strength rod can be squeezed between the rod engagement surface 730 and the bent press plate 720 to secure the strength rod in the strength rod passage 716.

[0084] The vertical height H2 of the connector 726 is generally equal to the vertical thickness T2 of the upper portion 728 of the passage wall 714. Thus, the bracket 706 is configured to frictionally hold itself to the upper portion 728 of the passage wall 714 against, e.g., a force of gravity. This self-retention feature of the bracket 706 facilitates handling of the strength member anchor adapter 700 and of securing a strength rod therein in that that there are fewer moving parts when properly placing the strength rod, the bracket 706, and the press screw 704 for tightening the press screw 704.

[0085] The coupler 631 includes an upper latch arm 660 and a lower support surface 662. The latch arm 660 includes a catch 664. Complementarily, the main body 702 of the strength member anchor adapter 700 includes a second coupler 740 having an upper latch engagement arm 743 defining an opening 742 for receiving the catch 664, and a lower support arm 744 that slots between the latch arm 660 and the lower support surface 662 for a robust coupling of the adapter 700 and the cable support body 600. To release the adapter 700 from the cable support body 602, the latch arm 660 can be flexed upward to disengage the catch 664 from the opening 742, such that the adapter 700 can then be removed from the assembly 600.

[0086] The main body 702 of the strength member anchor adapter 700 includes a distal stop 770 positioned at the distal end of the strength rod passage 716. The distal stop 770 is a wall configured to stop creeping of a strength rod distally beyond the distal stop 770. Such creeping can occur when securing the cable 80 and/or when environmental conditions change, and is undesirable, as it can damage delicate optical fibers in the vicinity.

[0087] From the foregoing detailed description, it will be evident that modifications and variations can be made in the devices of the disclosure without departing from the spirit or scope of the invention.