FR2531576A1 - Optoelectronic connecting and interface frame. - Google Patents

Abstract

Optoelectronic connecting and interface frame. It comprises a beam 1 serving as a vertical skeleton on either side of which are mounted rigid horizontal arms 30, 30' defining a usage face of the frame receiving, between successive arms on each side, heads of electrical 9 or optical 10 cables and, between opposing cable heads, optoelectronic or optical equipment housings 5. This frame fits into a terminal station or secondary station of an installation for transmission by optical line cable.

Description

Connection and opto-electronic interface frame.

 The present invention is in the field of transmission by optical fibers. It relates more particularly to installations for transmitting coded telephone channels on optical fiber targets and in these installations relates to the constitution and organization of equipment racks in terminal stations or secondary stations.

 A line optical cable transmission installation comprises line terminal equipment and intermediate signal regeneration equipment, staggered along the line.

In line terminal equipment mounted in a terminal station, the main function carried out consists of an electrical-optical junction: on the emission side, the electrical signals are converted into optical signals with, if necessary, 9 prior transcoding of the electrical signals coded for their proper use. as modulating signals in the optical transmitter, on the reception side9 the optical signals are converted into electrical signals and, where appropriate, are decoded to reconstruct the original electrical signals. The terminal equipment also monitors the transmission of the signals and includes circuits for detecting errors and alarm indication
In intermediate signal regeneration equipment, mounted in secondary stations, the optical signals conveyed in each direction are regenerated in bidirectional or unidirectional repeater generators connected to individual pairs of fibers or fibers successive sections of the line optical cable.To do this, the optical signals received from the cable located upstream of the repeater, taking into account the direction of transmission considered9 are transformed into electrical signals which, after regeneration9 are converted into optical signals transmitted on the cable optic located downstream of the repeater. Each intermediate piece of equipment includes, as terminal equipment, error detection and alarm indication circuits.

 In the terminal or secondary stations of the current experimental line optical cable transmission installations, the existing frames of the stations of the line electrical cable transmission installations are used to mount chassis grouping together the printed circuit boards performing the aforementioned functions.

 The subject of the present invention is a frame for a main or secondary station for installation of transmission by optical cable designed and organized to optimize the transmission balance sheets and to allow great flexibility of operation whatever the constitution and the capacity of the cable. line received at the station and group all the equipment.

 It therefore relates to an opto-electronic connection and interface frame for installation station for transmission by optical line cable, characterized in that it comprises: - a beam serving as a vertical framework, - horizontal arms laterally mounted on one side and on the other, on the beam, forming in pairs successive levels on one of its two other vertical faces to define an operating face of the frame, - flat cassettes for optical connection or electric cable end, said cable heads, each having on a wafer individual sockets on the respective conductors of the cable concerned, mounted vertically between successive arms, their individual sockets being on the operating side of the frame offset from the beam and in the same direction, - and optical or opto-electronic switchgear housings horizontally embedded between the cable heads facing each other, having shoulders coming in look at the edges of the cable heads and carrying plugs which fit into those of the cable heads.

 According to another characteristic, said arms have first slides on their upper and lower faces defining horizontal sliding paths for said cable heads themselves having complementary slides on their upper and lower faces.

According to another characteristic, said cable heads have, on at least one of their large lateral faces9 facing inwards in their assembly on the beam and said internal face, second horizontal slides defining horizontal sliding paths for said equipment shells having : -memes of complementary side rails
According to another characteristic, the frame further comprises alarm capture cards each inserted horizontally between the arms of the successive pairs of arms and each connected to the gear boxes of the corresponding level.

According to another characteristic, the frame includes power distribution and alarm cards specific to each of the levels, mounted on said beam and equipped with electrical connectors connected on the one hand by electrical cords running in the beam to a chassis supply placed at the bottom of the frame on its operating side and on the other hand to the respective gearboxes fitted with complementary electrical connectors
According to another - characteristic, said horizontal arms of the same level on the beam belong to support plates each equipped with a horizontal plate extending opposite the arms and two lateral cheeks defining, between them, separate vertical cable paths according to their assignment.

Other characteristics and advantages of the present invention will become apparent during the description of an exemplary embodiment illustrated in the attached drawing. In this drawing
FIG. 1 represents in diagrammatic perspective a frame according to the invention partially equipped, seen from one of its faces, called the operating face, this representation being given partly exploded,
FIG. 2 is a perspective view of the same frame also partially equipped, seen from the other face known as the distribution face of the line optical cable,
FIG. 3 is a perspective view of half of a support plate seen on an enlarged scale, entering the frame according to FIGS. 1 and 2,
FIG. 4 illustrates the detail IV of FIG. 3, on an enlarged scale, supplemented by a slide,
FIG. 5 is a section along the line VV in FIG. 4, showing the profile of a part of the support plate and of the slide,
FIG. 6 is a partially exploded and cutaway perspective view of an optical connection cassette known as the optical cable head entering the frame of FIG. 1,
FIG. 7 is a partially cutaway elevation view of the charger housing of the cable tray according to FIG. 6,
FIGS. 8 and 9 are respectively a side view along the arrow Viii in FIG. 7 and a sectional view along the line IX-IX in FIG. 7,
FIGS. 10 and there are respectively a sectional view along line XX of FIG. 7 and a bottom view along arrow XI of FIG. 7,
FIG. 12 is an enlarged perspective view of one of the optical connector supports of the cable head of FIG. 6,
FIGS. 13 and 14 are respectively an elevation view and a side view, according to arrow XIV of FIG. 13, of the optical connector support of FIG. 12,
FIGS. 15 and 16 are respectively a sectional view along line XV-XV-of FIG. 14 and a view of bolrE according to arrow XVI of FIG. 14,
FIGS. 17 and 18 are respectively an elevation view and a side view according to arrow XVIII in FIG. 17, showing an electrical connection cassette known as the head of the electrical cable entering the 7th frame of FIG. 1,
FIGS. 19 and 20 are respectively a top view and a sectional view along line XX of FIG. 17, showing the head of an electric cable not equipped with its electrical conductors,
- Figure 21 is a sectional view of the frame according to Figure 1, taken at a support plate on which is mounted a cable head and is ready to be mounted another cable head which will receive a housing optical or opto-electronic equipment,
- Figure 22 is a partial elevational view taken along arrow XXII, of Figure 21, showing the frame equipped seen from its optical distribution face9
- Figure 23 is a partial elevational view taken along arrow XXIII of Figure 21, showing the frame equipped seen from its operating face.

 In Figures 1 and 2, there is illustrated a connection frame and opto-electronic interface according to the invention, for terminal or secondary station dvinstallation line optical cable transmission. Such frames are advantageously provided for fitting into the existing spans of terminal or secondary station transmission rooms for transmission installations by coaxial line, in place of the current frames. They can be made in different heights, depending on their capacity of use.

 The frame according to 1 invention illustrated in FIGS. 1 and 2 is of a height provided to allow a maximum of 50 individual optical fibers coming from one or more optical line cables to be connected. The description of the frame is given in this context, of course without departing from the scope of the invention it may allow a connection of a different number of individual line fibers.

 With reference to FIG. 1 and / or to FIG. 2, it can be seen that the frame according to the invention is built around a vertical beam 1 formed by a hollow profile open on its height on a face called the operating face. of the frame. This beam 1 constitutes the vertical framework of the frame. It has a general U-shaped cross-section. It is fixed on the one hand to the solopar via an adjustable sole 2 and on the other hand to a deck not shown. Horizontal support plates 3 are fixed to this beam 1. They each comprise a pair of horizontal arms 30, 30 coming laterally from one side and the other of the beam and a horizontal plate 40 coming from the rear of the beam. Each of these support plates 3 is flanked by two vertical cheeks 41, 41 ′ extending on each side of the arms 30, 30 ′ and of the plate 40 while being spaced from them.

 These support plates 3 are here six in number and are regularly spaced between them on the beam by defining by their pairs of arms 30, 30 ′ five levels of equipment on the operating face of the frame and by the rear plates 40 five corresponding levels on the opposite face called the distribution face of the optical line cable or of the 50 individual line fibers. These levels on the operating face are identified by the references N1 to NS shown in FIG. 2 alone, for ~ reasons of convenience.

 Flat electrical connection cassettes 9, called electrical cable heads 9, and / or optical connection cassettes 10, called optical cable heads, are mounted vertically between the successive arms of each of two vertical rows of arms on the beam. These cable heads 9 and 10 are of identical shape and occupy the height available between successive levels N1 to NS. They are mounted from the distribution side of the optical cable as shown on the right in Figure 1. They are assigned to ten individual conductors, electrical or optical as the case may be, and each have9 on one of their edges a row of ten individual sockets on their ten conductors, respectively. These sockets are designated by 91 for the electrical cable heads and by 131 for the optical cable heads. These sockets will form on the operating face of the frame two vertical rows offset identically from the beam and each of 50 individual sockets, at the rate of 10 sockets affected by level on each side of the beam 1. It will be readily understood that depending on whether the frame enters a terminal station involving connections between coaxial cables leading to splitters or a secondary signal regeneration station involving connections between sections of line optical cable, it will be equipped with a row of cable heads electrical 9 and a row of optical cable heads 10 or two rows of optical cable heads 10.

 Opto-electronic or optical gearboxes 5, according to one or the other of the two use cases of the frame, are embedded horizontally between the opposite cable heads, marked with 9 and 10 in the example illustrated. These shoemakers have identical shapes, here in T, so as to have shoulders 50 coming against the edges of two cable heads 9 and / or 10 concerned and carrying sockets 51, 51 ′ complementary to those 91 and / or 131 of the cable heads in which they are inserted. The opto-electronic booters will ensure the conversion of electrical signals into optical signals, the optical booters will ensure the regeneration of the optical signals. These conversion and regeneration functions being as such known, the circuits carrying them out, contained in the booters, do not will not be given.

 For these 5s shoemakers, we can simply see that their front part forms a radiator 52 while their rear face carries an electrical connector 53, for power supplies and alarms. They also laterally carry two slides 54 and 54 'in the form of a rib on their central leg.

 In the illustrated embodiment, these booters 5 are said to be double height, they are assigned according to the conversion or regeneration function carried out to a coaxial pair and a pair of optical fibers or to two pairs of optical fibers. Of course they can be of simple height and in this case ensure the processing of unidirectional links.

 Next to these shoemakers9 it is further specified that the opto-electronic packages will have cord sockets on one side such as 51 ′ here on the left and corresponding to the electric cable heads 9 on the left on the beam and optical sockets 51 on the right. The optical booters will have on the right as on the left optical plugs which correspond to the optical cable heads such as 10 then mounted on the left and on the right.

 A power supply and alarm input frame 6 is placed at the bottom of the frame. It is fixed on the sole 2, in front of the beam 1 and below the pair of horizontal arms of the support plate 3 defines the level marked Ni. Its connection to the five levels of equipment on the operating face of the frame is made by electrical cords such as the single cord 60 primed in FIG. 1 and passing through the hollow interior part of the beam 1.

 The five equipment levels are associated respectively with five power distribution cards and grouping of alarms and remote monitoring information, such as 7. These cards 7 are fixed to the beam in correspondence with each of the levels N1 to Ns .

They are formed by a printed circuit board 70 fitted with connectors 71. The connectors are connected to the supply chassis by cords, such as the cord 60. In the embodiment given, the connectors 71 are six, five of these connectors 71 correspond to the ten pairs of sockets defined by the two cable heads 9 and 10 and considered by sets of two pairs, the sockets of each of these pairs being at the same horizontal level; they will receive by plugging in the additional electrical connectors 53 carried by the rear face of the double-height switchgear. As a variant, the card 7 may include eleven connectors, ten of these connectors will then receive the additional electrical connectors 53 carried by the rear face of the single-height switchgear casings. The sixth (or eleventh) connector broken away from the sockets is positioned between the pair of horizontal arms 30, 30 ′ defining the level of equipment concerned. The detections of dazes relating to the equipment of this level are grouped on this last connector. On these cards 7, the horizontal connectors 71 form a vertical row.

 Alarm capture cards such as card 8 are mounted horizontally between the pairs of arms 30 and 30 'of the respective levels N1 to N5. These cards carry on their rear edge an electrical connector 81 complementary to the sixth (or eleventh) connector 71 in which it is inserted. They carry on their front edge a strip 82 with alarm display indicators.

 With reference also to FIGS. 1 and 29, it can be seen that the beam 1 carries at its upper end a set of crosspieces 11 which will serve with the support deck on the one hand for the lateral maintenance of the section or sections of optical line cable such as 12 assigned to this frame and equipped with a terminal dividing boot 13 in elementary cables 15 and for the maintenance of the electric cable not shown leading to the distributor and on the other hand for the mounting of a power supply protection assembly and alarm display, not shown, for the frame.

 At the rear of the beam 1, that is to say on the distribution face of the optical cable, two arches 16, 16 ′ are fixed on and under the horizontal plates 40 of the two extreme support plates 3. It will also be noted that a service shelf 17 can be removably mounted between two horizontal plates 40.

 A complete description of the support plates 3 is made with reference to FIGS. 1 and 2 but more particularly to FIGS. 3 to 5.

Their functions in the frame will be given more particularly with reference to FIGS. 1 and 2.

 In Figure 3 we simply illustrated half of a tray-suppoPt 3 and symbolized in dashed beam 1 on which it is mounted; FIGS. 4 and 5 relate to the detail referenced IV in FIG. 3.

The horizontal arm 30 and the horizontal plate 40 are secured to one another by means of a vertical spacer 42 and form with it the same mechanically resistant part.
The mounting and fixing of the support plate 3 on the beam 1 will be carried out by inserting the arms on either side of the beam from its rear face until application of the spacer against the back of the beam and locking in position on the beam by means of screws 43 inserted through 19 spacer and the back of the beam, holes having been previously made in this spacer and the back of the beam for the insertion of these screws and the correct positioning of the support plate on beam
For the mounting and holding of the cable heads 9 or 30, each of the horizontal upper and lower faces of the arms carry a slide produced here in the form of a groove 31 or 31 '.

These grooves 31, 31 ′ define cheslns-hori ontaux of sliding for the cable heads 9 and 10 in which engage complementary slides therefore ribs provided on the upper and lower faces of the cable heads. At the end of the arms, a lug 32 or 32 ′ aligned with the groove 31 or 31v is provided to ensure precise final positioning of the cable ends 9 or 90. Each arm also has at its end opposite to that carrying lug 32S 32 ', a horizontal tab 34 extending its upper surface to the side cheek 41 or 41'. This tab serves as a mechanical reinforcement piece but also as a piece for fixing the cheek if it is attached to the arm. Each of the cable head holding arms advantageously has an I-section. On the vertical leg of the I-section is attached another lateral slide 33, in the vicinity of its horizontal base (FIG. 5). This slide 33, produced at means of a grooved piece extending over the length of the arms, in their inner face in the arrangement of the support plates 3 on the beam, defines a horizontal sliding path for mounting and positioning one of the input cards alarm 8 in the frame, by engagement of one of its sides in this lateral slide 33.

 The lateral cheeks such as the cheek 41 have in relief over the height of their internal face, a division square 44, in L.

 The side cheeks are aligned vertically between them on one side and the other of the frame. With their respective internal squares of division 44, these lateral cheeks then define on each side of the frame two separate and protected vertical paths assigned to different cables or conductors. Thus, on each side of the frame, one of the two cable paths is open on the operating face and receives, if necessary, elementary electrical cables or electrical conductors derived from the coaxial cable terminating in the distributor and connected to the heads of electric cable 9 staggered on the frame (in the terminal stations). It can also receive optical or electrical measurement or test jumpers that plug into the sockets of the cable heads 9 or 10. The other of these two paths is open on the distribution face of the line optical cable 12 and receives the elementary optical cables 15 derived from the optical cable 12 and assigned to the respective levels N7 to N5 for their connection to the optical cable heads 10. This second path, open on the distribution face of the optical cable, exists on one side and the other of the frame.

In addition to the distribution of the elementary optical cables 15 on the levels Ni to NS on one of the sides or on both sides of the frame (in the secondary stations), it defines with the arches 16 and 16 ′ a coiling path for the cables elementary optics 15, on the periphery of the frame.

 These lateral cheeks such as the cheek 41 also have a cutout 45 in their rear part, on the distribution face of the optical cable. These cutouts in the pairs of cheeks 41 and 41 ′ of the support plates 3 define in the frame and substantially at the level of the respective horizontal plates 40 horizontal paths between successive frames for their elementary cables such as 15.

In the frame, the horizontal plates 40 themselves ensure the maintenance of splicing shells such as 46 (FIG. 2) between the fibers of an elementary cable 15 and those of another similar elementary cable. They also allow, although not illustrated9 a coiling and protection of the elementary cable assigned to this level, substantially on its periphery, the coiled length being able to be retained under its folded end edge 47
A complete description of the optical cable heads 10 is made with particular reference to FIGS. 6 to 16.

The optical head 10 illustrated in FIG. 6 comprises, mounted in a charger box 100S at the bottom, a plurality of identical optical connector supports 5 such as the two connector supports 1-03 visible at the tear-out marked 101A practiced in one of the walls of the boot loader, one of these two connector supports being fully engaged in its housing of the boot loader and the other almost completely out of its housing
Opposite the optical connector support 103 barely shown in its housing of the boltierzcharger 1009 we see that this connector support has an elongated body formed by a hollow finger 130 This finger carries a connecting piece 131 of cylindrical shape, mounted at end of the finger and flanked at the opposite end, a lateral support 132 for coiling a length of optical fiber
The housing-ohargeuP 100 has the general shape of a flat rectangular parallelepiped comprising a row of cavities such that the two cavities 110 visible in the torn-off part9 one of these two cavities being that serving as housing for the optical connector support shown a 'barely engaged and the other above being free of any support of this type These cavities are open on the rear face marked 101B of the case for mounting the optical connector supports that they receive; they open onto the front face marked 101C in circular openings 111, visible for the two aforementioned visible cavities, intended to receive the connection pieces 131 of the optical connector supports in place in their housing.

 In the illustrated embodiment, the boot loader can receive ten optical connector supports and consequently has ten cavities for their housing.

 The elementary optical cable 15 on which this head is mounted is a ten-fiber cable, it is of the flat ribbon or cylindrical rod or independent fiber type. This unsheathed cable crosses a flat sleeve or shoemaker 106, the individual fibers or from a rod or ribbons, then free, are sheathed there then separated into two identical sets of five fibers 151 and 152 and fixed in 153 and 154 on a plate 112 'of partial covering of the bottom of the boot-loader 100 where the recovered fibers enter such as 155.This bottom plate 112 or, in an equivalent variant, an identical plate 112 of partial covering of the top of the boltieP-ehargeuP 100, defines on 'the boot-loader the entry of ten fibers 155, belonging to or connected to those of the cable, which come in two distinct sets of five individual fibers. This entry of the fibers into the boot loader 100 is independent of its two cavities.

 In FIG. 6, for the clarity of the drawing, only two of the fibers 155 have been connected to the two visible optical connector supports 9 while the others have been deliberately sectioned.

 The free end of each of the fibers 155 is equipped with a connection tip 156 visible on the fiber mounted in the optical connector support shown barely engaged in its housing. This tip 156, being as such of known type, does not will not be described in detail; it will for example be of the type with three rods for positioning the end of the individual fiber which it receives or of another equivalent type.

 Since entering the boot loader 100, the fibers 155 of the two assemblies extend in a free loop laterally in the boot loader, in one and the other of its two large lateral faces such as that visible and marked 101D, and are coiled over a desired length, for example from 1 to 2 m, on the lateral coiling support 132 of the optical connector supports 9 respectively.

Each of the end portions of the fibers 155 is then engaged, from the coiling support 132, in the hollow finger 130 of the optical connector support concerned, while the connection end piece 156 which the team plugs into the connection piece 131 mounted at the end of the finger of the connector support.

 Once the optical connector support is in place in its housing, it is its connecting piece 131, already connected to the end-piece of one of the fibers, on the inside side - to the finger9 which projects over the front face 101C of the shoemaker - charger 100. This connection piece is thus quick to receive by plugging in a terminal end piece of an external fiber (not shown) belonging to another cable or the optical socket of one of the booting devices 5 (FIG. 1) 9 for their connection. The connection pieces 131 therefore constitute, on the front face of the case, the optical sockets on the individual fibers of the cable 15.

 Two plates 113 and 1-138 for partial covering of the large lateral faces of the feeder housing cover the coiling supports 132 of the optical connector supports and provide the final presentation of the cable head in the form of a conventional shoemaker d 'equipment. These plates 113 and 113 'are held by the bottom and top plates 112' and 112 with folded edges which will be fixed by screws on the bolt-charger.

 The description of the optical cable head is supplemented with reference to this FIG. 6 or more particularly to FIGS. 7 to 11 as regards the boot-charger 100 shown without its optical connector supports and to FIGS. 12 to 16 as regards relates to any of the optical connector supports 103.

 With reference to FIGS. 6, 7 or 10 in particular, it can be seen that the boStier-charger 100 is formed by a main body 114 having the shape of a rectangular parallelepiped in which the row of cavities 110 is made. This main body 114 is provided, substantially on the front half, of two lateral flanges 115 and 116 extending outside, over its height and substantially over half of its length, from its front face 101C. These flanges provide, between them and the main body 114, two or the lateral 117 and 117 ', serving as housing for one and the other of the two sets of individual fibers extending in a free loop between their entry into the boot- charger 100 and the support for coiling the optical connector supports which receive these fibers.

 For each of the optical connector supports, the coiling support 132 is positioned outside the main body of the charger box against one or the other of the rear half of its large side walls such as 101D. The cavities 110 open on the rear face 101B are therefore also open in oblong windows 119 or 119 'made from the rear face 1B in the parts of the large side walls 901D of the body 114, not covered by the flanges 115 and 116. For the row of cavities 110, these windows 119, 119 t are formed alternately on one and the other of these large lateral faces 101D respectively; the optical connector supports 103 loaded in the successive cavities will therefore be alternately turned over from 1860 so that the coiling supports 132 occupy, on the lateral surfaces of the shoemaker, substantially twice the height which could normally be affected to them in the absence of overturning of one optical connector support in two. This arrangement gives the possibility of coiling individual fibers with a radius of curvature compatible with the information transmission requirements, without however leading to an optical cable head of exaggerated height. It is specified that in the embodiment, the optical connector supports mounted in the charger housing 100 are arranged in steps of 42.5 mm and that no radius of curvature of the individual fibers on their coiling support is less than 40 mm.

 In the main body 114 of the feeder box, the cavities 110 are of almost identical cross-section to that of the fingers 130 of the optical connector supports which slide into it.

With reference to FIGS. 7 and 9 in particular it can be seen that these cavities 110 are separated from each other by internal partitions 120, the lower and upper walls of the main body limiting the extreme cavities of the row. The internal partitions 120 are alternately entirely or partially produced by machining the main body 114. One of these partitions out of two extends in one piece from the front face of the boot-loading device 100 to its rear face while that the other partitions extend only up to the vicinity of this rear face and are associated with added parts 121 fixed by pairs of screws or rivets 122 on the large side walls of the boot-loader.

Each of the inserts 121 is fitted with a pair of elastic blades 123, 123 ′ which extend into one and the other of the two cavities which separate the partition concerned, in particular in the absence of optical connector supports in these cavities. According to Figures 7 and 9, we see that five of the nine internal partitions 120 have such an insert 121.Thus each of the ten cavities has its elastic blade which normally extends inside the cavity in the absence of support of optical connector9 this blade coming to fold against the part 121 which carries it during the installation of said support The role of these elastic blades 123, 1239 is to allow a blocking of the optical connector supports 103 before their total removal.

 These inserts 121 are also provided with a pair of tapped holes 124 or 124 '. These threaded holes will be used for the final fixing by screw or locking of the two optical connector supports housed in the two cavities separated by the partition comprising the insert 121 considered, as will be more clearly indicated below.

 With reference to FIGS. 6 and 79 but more particularly to FIGS. 8, 9 and 109, it can be seen that one of the flanges 115 of the bolt-loader defines a row of guides or slides 7 here in the form of grooves such as 118S which corresponds to the row of connector supports housed in the cavities 110. These slides are used to hold and position the 5-fitting gearboxes on the optical cable tata (Figure 1).

 In the example chosen, the optical cable head will have eleven slides 118 on the flange 115 for the ten possible optical connector supports housed in the ten cavities. This arrangement makes it possible to equip only one of the flanges 115 and 116 with slides, while allowing the hanging of casings for apparatus to the left or to the right of the cable head, by simple inversion of the latter.

 With reference to these same figures or to FIG. 11, it can be seen that the front half of the upper and lower faces of the charger box 100 are each fitted with a sliding profile here in the form of an axial longitudinal rib 125 or 125 'and each have a positioning means produced in the form of a triangular notch 126 or 12b' formed symmetrically with respect to the rib and the base of which terminates on the front face of the boot-loader.

These ribs 125 and 125t are used for the establishment of the optical cable head between two horizontal arms extending on the same side of the beam 1 and equipped with their slides 31, 31 ', while these notches 126 and 126 'serve as traps for pins 32 and 32' carried by these mime arms and then ensure the final positioning of the cable head on these arms (Figures 1 and 3). This cable head will be permanently fixed in the frame, by screws mounted for example in fixing lugs such as 127 here carried by the rear part of one of the large side faces.

 From FIG. 6 and FIG. 11, it can also be seen that the rear half of the upper and lower faces of the charger-box 100, shown not covered by the bottom and top plates 112v and 112, each have a central rib in V 128 or 123 ′, with a point oriented towards the rear face 101B of the boot-loader. Each of these V-shaped ribs 128 and 128t materializes on either side of it under the plate 112 or 112 'which covers it, two separate paths for one and the other of the two sets of five individual fibers 155 which enter the two lateral outlets 117 and 117 ′ of the charger box 100.

 In Figure 1 1 also, in which i one of the fixing lugs 127 has been shown in section, it can be seen that this lug carries the housing 129 for a fastening screw in the frame.

 Opposite the optical connector support 103 shown in FIGS. 12 to 16, it can be seen that the hollow finger 130 is formed by a rigid strip, preferably metallic, folded back into a very elongated U-shape.

The connecting piece 131 is mounted on the base of the U which it passes through, projecting internally and externally from the finger for the insertion of the end-piece 156 of the fiber 155 inside the finger and the insertion of an optical jumper with similar tip or plug from an appliance box. This connecting piece 131 is secured to the finger by abutment on the outer face of the base of the
U of an intermediate flange 133 which it presents and by blocking by means of a lug 134 screwed onto a threaded intermediate portion 135, inside the finger, which the part 131 presents in the vicinity of the flange. Holes such as 130a ( FIG. 16) are produced on the base of the U of the optical connector support 103 in order to be able to mount a connection piece 131 of another design than that shown here.

 The coiling support 132 essentially consists of a plate 140 here having the shape of a rectangle with rounded corners and short sides or the general shape of a flattened ellipse along its minor axis. This illustrated shape allows the coiling of the received fiber with a sufficient radius of curvature, compatible with the transmission requirements on the fiber, and with a minimum overall height in the boot-loader. Of course, as a variant, this coiling support may be circular, the radius of this circle having to comply with the transmission requirements on the fiber. In practice, the shape of this coiling support will result from a compromise made between its size in height, therefore ultimately the height of the charger box, and its ease of realization, generally by molding. possible circular of this coiling support that the boot-loader can in this case be reduced in depth, that is to say according to the direction of the cavities 110.

 The plate 140 is mounted on one of the sides of the finger, transversely to the branches of the U and substantially at the level of their end portions. It is of maximum height, corresponding to the length of the minor axis of the ellipse, close to twice the height of the finger. The coiling support carries, on the face of the plate 140 facing the finger and called the inner face, two tabs 136 and 137 both coming to be inserted between the branches of the U-shaped finger. legs makes it possible to ensure the fixing, by means of a pair of screws such as 138 and 139, of the coiling support 132 on one and the other of the two branches of the finger 130 The portions of these legs, adjacent to the plate 140, also form a sliding path of the optical connector support on one of the longitudinal edges of the window 119, 119 'of the cavity which receives said support.

 The coiling support 132 is on board 141 doubly folded back on the outside face of the finger 130 of the plate 140. This edge 141 doubly folded down is interrupted to define separate peripheral tongues designated by this same reference 141, providing between them possible peripheral accesses such as 142, for the fiber 155 coming from outside the optical connector support, in this case one of the side oules of the charger unit 100 (FIG. 6). These tongues 141 therefore ensure the maintenance, almost on the periphery of the plate 140, of the desired length of fiber 155 received on the coiling support through one of the accesses 142, they also allow, easy manual release of a part of the coiled length, if necessary.

 This coiling support 132 also has an oblong window 143 formed in the plate 140, constitute another access for the fiber 155, from the external surface for renting the fiber to the internal face opposite the finger 130 and in the finger. This window 143 is positioned opposite the interior space between the two branches of the U-shaped finger, it is here of width substantially equal to the spacing between these two branches. Advantageously, on either side of the window, the portions 141 have been reinforced in thickness.

 For the free internal passage of the fiber 155 over the entire length of the finger 130, the bracket fixing tab 136, the innermost in the U-shaped section of the finger, has over its entire width a median slot 144. The terminal portion of the fiber 155, equipped with its connection endpiece 156 thus, through the window 143 and the slot 144 extend to the base of the U-shaped finger for the insertion of this endpiece in the connection piece 131.

In the illustrated embodiment, the coiling support 132 is positioned on the finger so as to protrude only very slightly from the level given by one of the branches of the finger but to come to protrude very largely beyond the level given by the other branch
Of course, a different positioning of this coiling support on the finger could, as a variant, be adopted.

The optical connector support 103 further comprises a locking means in the boot-loader described above. This locking means is constituted by a captive screw 145 mounted with a cylindrical spacer 145v in a stirrup 146. The stirrup is fixed on the end of 1 one of the branches of the finger 130 U-shaped, in the example illustrated, the branch located substantially along the median longitudinal axis of the plate 140. This stirrup 146 with its captive screw 145 constitute the end pieces of the optical connector support, opposite the connection piece, the branch of the finger which carries this stirrup is therefore slightly longer than the other, its end extends beyond the length of the coiling support 132. On the end of this branch, the stirrup 146 is mounted in the vicinity of the longitudinal edge opposite to that opposite - of the support coiling, one eye 147 is made in the vicinity of the other longitudinal edge
The optical connector support housed in the charger box will be locked by fixing the screw -145 in the corresponding tap hole 124 or 124 'of part 121 (Figures 7 and 9), the other tapped hole of this male part 121 receiving the fixing screw from one of the two adjacent optical connector supports. The removal of an optical connector support 103, after it has been unlocked from part 121 on which it was fixed, is done using of a gripping tool engaged in the eye 147.

 The optical connector support 103 also has an opening 148 formed in one of the branches of the finger 1309 in the vicinity of the base of its U-shaped profile. It is this cutout 148 which cooperates with one of the elastic blades 123 and 123 'doors by the part 121 attached to the end of the partition 120 interrupted (Figure 7). This cutout 148 and the blade 123 concerned form, during the withdrawal of the optical connector support 103, a stop of error just before the final release of the optical connector support from its cavity 110. At the right of this opening, the blade elastic 123 is no longer stressed and engages in it. Its end in abutment against one of the edges of the opening opposes the final withdrawal which will then be carried out with the help of a tool releasing the elastic blade from the opening, on the other hand when the optical connector support is placed in its cavity as the support advances, the other edge of the opening 148 pushes the elastic blade against the piece 121 which the door, so that it no longer obstructs its advancement.

 This easy removal of any of the optical connector supports from the charger box, independently of the other optical connector supports pernet if necessary, to come to carry out a repair on one of the optical connector supports at its connection end piece thanks to the fiber reserve which it comprises, this without manipulation to be carried out on the other optical connector supports and therefore without interruption of the links established on said supports.

A description of the electrical shim heads is given with reference to FIG. 1 but more particularly to flgnres 17 to 29 in which the coaxial sockets have not been illustrated.
The electric cable head 9 is externally analogous to the optical cable head 10 described above.

 The coaxial sockets 91, ten in number, connected to said individual conductors 92 received by this head (FIG. 1) are mounted on a vertical strip 90 equipped with circular holes 93 receiving them.

 This strip is fixed transversely to the edge of a flange 94. This flange 94 has a set of horizontal slides 95 on its outer face in the flange and strip assembly, the slides 95 being in number and arrangement identical to the slides 118 of the housing. charger 100 of the optical cable heads 10 (FIG. 6). It also has two folded edges 9Q 'between which the strip is inserted, defining the upper and lower faces of the head of the electric cable which carry the runners 96 and 96' here in the form of ribs and terminal notches 97 and 97 'analogous. and of the same function as that of the slides such as 125 and the notches such as 126, of the optical target head 10 (FIG. 6). The flange 94 has, in addition tabs 98 for the screw fixing of the strip and lugs 99 similar to lugs 127 (FIG. 6) for fixing by screw the head of the electric cable in the frame.

 Given their identical external dimensions and their identical slide arrangements, the cable heads 9 and 10 are interchangeable in the frame as a function of the electrical or optical connection to be made.

 The description of the frame according to the invention is supplemented by the description of the sectional view carried out at the level of a support plate given in FIG. 21 and of the two elevation views of FIGS. 22 and 23. In these figures the elements are designated by the references of the preceding figures.

 In FIG. 21, we see lVun of the support plates 3 mounted and fixed on the beam 1, the screws such as 43 blocking its vertical spacer 42 on the back of the beam 1. One of the cable stubs received, for example an optical cable head 10 shown without its elementary optical cable has just been engaged along the arrow F1 from the optical cable distribution face on one of the sides of the horizontal plate and is currently in place on the operating face and fixed on the beam 1, by screw 1279 blocking the fixing lug 127 on the back of the beam. This cable head 10 is also shown without its connection plate on its upper face, so we see the two paths Cl and C ' 1, for the optical fibers9 defined on either side of the V-shaped rib 128 terminating on the distribution face of the optical cable.

 The other cable head here considered as an electric cable head 9 is shown ready to be inserted according to arrow F2 on the second lateral arm, by engagement of its ribs such as 96 in the groove 31 of the arm which defines the horizontal path of sliding with end positioning stop. The final location of this head 9 is shown in dashed lines at 9 '.

 In this figure 21, one also sees one of the power distribution boards 7 with its connectors 71 which will be connected to the electrical cords 60 inside the beam. The vertical path defined by the hollow section of the beam for these cords 60 has been designated by C2. The card 7 is fixed to the beam, the opening of which is closed, by means of screws 70 ′ passing through the printed circuit board 70 and engaged in two brackets at right angles 1a and 1b which the beam presents internally.

 One has also illustrated one of the apparatus boot received between these two cable heads 9 and 10, the boot being partly shown in dotted lines, opposite the final location 9t of the electric cable head. Its rear connector 53 is inserted into the corresponding connector 71 of the card 7 while its socket 51 is inserted in the front part 131 of the optical cable head 10 and that its other socket 51 'will be inserted in the front one 91 of the electric cable head 9, while it is fully engaged between these cable heads.

 In this figure 21, the various vertical cable paths have also been specified by referencing them. In addition to the paths C1 and Cv1 on the optical cable heads 10 and the path C2 inside the beam, we see the path (s) C3 for the coaxial cables and / or for any electrical and optical jumpers, open on the face d operation, and the paths C4 for the elementary optical cables, open on the optical cable distribution face.

 In Figure 22 or 23 we have specified the relative arrangement of the equipment entering the frame. We see the cable heads 9 and 10 arranged in vertical alignment on both sides of the beam and fixed on the back of the beam, as well as the side flanges 41, 41 'outside the cable heads .

 The opposite cable heads define with each other by their slides 118 and 95 the pairs of rails constituting the horizontal sliding path of each gear box 5 fitted laterally with its complementary slides 54 and 54 '. These booters will be permanently fixed to the cable tapes by means of threaded rods crossing the branches of the T and engaged in the front faces of the cable heads 9 or 10.

With reference to FIG. 23, it can be seen that a double height apparatus case 5 is assigned to two coaxial sockets 91 and two optical sockets 131. Of course, the apparatus case can be only single height and assigned to a single coaxial socket 91 and the optical socket 131 of the same level. The connectors 71 on the power distribution board 7 will then be arranged in correspondence with the rear electrical connector similar to 53 of these shoemakers. The input card has also been shown there. alarm 8 assigned to all the bootmakers 5 shown for the level illustrated, this card not being equipped with its strip with indicator lights, and another identical card 8 assigned to all the bootmakers not shown of the level directly above, this last card being equipped with its strip 82 here with 5 indicator lights
The present invention has been described with regard to an exemplary embodiment relating to a terminal station frame with electric cable mat 9 and optical cable mat 10 arranged in two vertical rows on one side and on the other on the face operating the building
During this description, it has been indicated that the arrangement of only optical elements is found in an intermediate station frame, the electrical and optical cable rods being interchangeable and designed to be mounted on the left and on the right in the frame of the opto-electro-optical or optical apparatus booters of the same height being at the same dimensions of the same external dimensions and therefore interchangeable.

 Of course also, without departing from the scope of this invention, it will be possible in the representation given to make modifications of detail and to replace certain means by other equivalent means.

 From this description, it appears that the frames can receive line cables of different constitution and capacities. The division of an optical line cable into elementary cables then into individual fibers is made at the level of the frame concerned The desired length of elementary cables and length of individual fibers is ensured separately but always at the level of the frame concerned, this with bending radii compatible with the transmission requirements on these cables and optical fibers. The structure and organization of the frame are designed to process by level the signals transmitted on the same sets of optical fibers of the respective elementary cables coming from the line cable, this therefore defining over the height of the frame a repetitive modular structure of one level to another 11. The structure and organization of the frame are also provided to define separate and protected cable or optical or electrical cable paths on both sides of the frame.

Claims (17)

1 / Opto-electronic connection and interface frame 9 for installation station for transmission by optical line cable, characterized in that it comprises - a beam (1) serving as vertical framework, - horizontal arms (309 30i ) mounted laterally, on one side and on the other, on the beam, an forming in pairs successive levels on one of its two other vertical faces to define an operating face of the frame, - flat cassettes of optical or electrical connection for end of cables, say cable heads (9s 10) 9 each having on a wafer individual prisas (919 131) on the respective conductors of the cable concerned mounted vertically between successive arms, their individual sockets being on the side of the frame offset from the beam and in the same direction9 - and optical or optoelectronic gear boxes (5) embedded horizontally between the opposite cable heads9 having shoulders elements (50) coming opposite the edges of the cable heads and carrying sockets (51s 51 ′) fitting into those of the cable heads. 2 / connection frame and optoelectronic interface according to claim 1, characterized in that said cassettes are of height substantially equal to that of the successive levels defined by said pairs of arms (30, 30s) o 3 / connection frame and opto-electronic interface according to claim 2, characterized in that said arms (30s 302) have first slides (319 319) on their upper and lower faces defining horizontal sliding paths for said cable heads (9, 10) themselves having complementary slides (96, 96 '125 125a) on their upper and lower faces. 4 / opto-electronic connection and interface frame according to claim 3, characterized in that said arms (30, 30 ') and said cable heads (9, 10) are equipped with means (32, 32', 97, 97 ', 126, 126') forming sliding stops for the precise positioning of all the individual sockets (91, 131) of the cable heads (9, 10) on the operating face of the frame. 5 / Opto-electronic connection and interface frame according to claim 1 to X, characterized in that said cable heads (9, 10) have on at least one of their large lateral faces, oriented inwards in their assembly on the beam (1) and called the internal face, second horizontal slides (95, 118) defining horizontal sliding paths for said apparatus boot (5) having complementary lateral slides (54, 54) ). 6 / Connection frame and opto-electronic interface according to one of Claims 1 to 59, characterized in that it also comprises alarm capture cards (8) each inserted horizontally between the arms (30, 30 ') of the successive pairs of arms and each connected to the equipment boot (5) of the corresponding level (N1-N5). 7 / Connection frame and opto-electronic deintePfaee according to claim 6, characterized in that said arms (30, 30 ') carry guide means (33) for said input cards (8) on at least the inner side in their assembly on the beam (1). 8 / opto-electronic connection and interface frame according to one of claims 1 to 5, characterized in that said beam (1) is a hollow profile open towards the operating face of the frame, serving as a path (C2) to electrical cords (60) for supply and supervision. 9 / Opto-electronic connection and interface frame according to claim 8, characterized in that it comprises first electrical connectors (71) each mounted horizontally on said beam (1) by closing its opening and each connected to said electrical cords (60) and in that said apparatus boot (5) have, on their face opposite the beam, called rear face, second electrical connectors (53) coming to be plugged into said first. 10 / Opto-electronic connection and interface frame according to claim 9, characterized in that it comprises alarm capture cards (8) inserted horizontally between the arms (30, 309) of successive pairs and in that, for each of the successive levels (N1, NS) one of said first electrical connectors (71) is mounted at the level of the arms (30, 309) which define the level concerned and connected to the gear boxes of this level and receives by insertion a second connector (81) mounted on the edge of the corresponding alarm capture card (8), facing the beam, called rear edge. 11 / Opto-electronic connection and interface frame according to one of claims 9 and 10, characterized in that said first electrical connectors (71) are aligned vertically and mounted, for each of the successive levels, on a plate of printed circuit (70) connected to said electrical cords (60), forming with it a power distribution and alarm card (7) specific to each of the levels. 12 / Opto-electronic connection and interface frame according to one of claims 1 to 11, characterized in that each of said horizontal arms (30, 30 ') is flanked, on their outer side in their assembly on the beam (1), of a lateral cheek (4i, 41 '), defining on each side in the frame, a vertical path (C4) of optical cables. 13 / Opto-electronic connection and interface frame according to claim 12, characterized in that each lateral cheek carries, internally in the frame, a dividing bracket (44) defining on either side of 'it two distinct and separate cable routes (C3, C4). 14 / Opto-electronic connection and interface frame according to one of claims 9 to 13 characterized in that the horizontal arms (30, 30e) of each of the successive pairs are integral with one another on a vertical spacer (42) coming to rest against the face of the beam (1), opposite to that facing the operating face of the frame, and securing them to said beam. 15 / Connection frame and opto-electronic interface according to one of claims 1 to 13, characterized in that it comprises horizontal plates (40) assigned respectively to the different levels constituted by the pairs of horizontal arms, mounted on the beam (1) by constituting, opposite the operating face of the frame, a so-called distribution face of said line optical cable (12) and defining horizontal distribution paths of the line optical cable at the different levels of the face operating. 16 / Optoelectronic connection and interface frame according to claim 14, characterized in that the pair of horizontal arms (30, 30eus defining each level on the operating face, and the horizontal plate (40) corras, laying at this level are secured to a vertical spacer (42) from which they extend in the opposite direction, said spacer (42) pressing against the beam (1) and will allow them to be fixed. 17 / Connection frame and optoelectronic interface according to one of claims 1 to 16, characterized in that - each optical cable head (10) comprises a plurality of optical connector supports (103) for the fibers individual cables received, each having an elongated body formed by a hollow finger (130) equipped, at one end, with an optical connecting piece (131) receiving from the inside of the finger the fiber concerned (155) and flanked a coiling support (132) for this fiber (155) and a boot-loader (100) comprising a plurality of individual cavities (110) for each of said optical connector supports (103) whose connecting pieces constitute, in one of its faces, called the front face (101C), of the optical sockets on the individual fibers of said cable. 18 / Connection frame and, opto-electronic interface according to claim 17, characterized in that said charger boot (100) is formed by a main body (114) of parallelepiped shape having internally said cavities (110) and provided externally of a lateral flange (115, 116) extending, not joined, from the front face (101C3 of the bolt-charger (100) and on its height, on a part called front part of at least one of the large faces of said main body (114), by providing a lateral cule (117, 117 ′), independent of the cavities (110), on at least one of the large faces cases, for the free accommodation of the individual fibers (155) originating of the cable, connected to the respective optical conenotor supports (103) removable in the botter-charger 19 / connection and opto-electronic interface frame according to claim 1 to 18, characterized in that each of said tatas of electric cable (9) compost a flat strip (9 6), in which are mounted the individual prisas (91) connected to the electrical conductors received, and a flange (94) on one edge of which is mounted said strip constituting the edge of the resulting cassette) 20 / Connection and interface frame optoelectronics salon one of claims 1 to 19, characterized in that each of said apparatus boot (5) has a T-shape carrying, under the horizontal branch of the T and on either side of the central jamb , its sockets (51, 51 ') being plugged into those of the cable tatas (99 10) opposite.