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Patent Application for CABLE PREP® FOCUS® Tool Awarded
Tool Facilitates Insertion and Extraction of
Fiber Optic Connectors in SFF Panels
CHESTER, CT, December 20, 2007 — Cable Prep®, a leading supplier of cable preparation tools to the telecommunications industry, today announced that it has received approval from the US Patent Office for its patent application for the Cable Prep brand FOCUS® Fiber Optic Connector Insertion and Removal Tool. The patent, number 7,232,235, covers various design components of the jaws and tips of the tool and its integrated flashlight. The tool was introduced at the SCTE Cable-Tec Expo show in June 2005 and has been in use at several cable and telecomm operating companies since that time.
"This patent award validates our claim that the FOCUS tool has design features that are truly unique and not available from any other supplier," said David Morrow, Vice President of Engineering at Cable Prep. "We believe that the overall design and these features in particular make the FOCUS tool far superior to others for this application."
The FOCUS tool is used in densely populated patch panels, in both field and head-end applications, to insert and remove fiber optic connectors without disturbing adjacent live connections. Using the FOCUS tool ensures proper snap fits and reduces the risk of damage to connector bodies, ferrule tips, sleeves, cables, and panel ports that might otherwise result from forced insertions and removals. The long, tapered jaws of the FOCUS tool easily reach through the maze of wires typical of small form factor (SFF) patch panels used in fiber applications. The tips of the tool securely grasp any SFF connector, including SC, SC2, MU, LC, and MTRJ connectors. A special feature of the tool is the notch in one of its tips that accommodates the latch in LC connectors, eliminating the need to use a special tip and making the FOCUS tool "universal." When inserting an LC connector, the notch prevents the latch from being depressed, enabling the user to feel and hear when the connector snaps into place. When removing an LC connector, the tool can be rotated so the straight tip depresses the latch and frees the connector from the port.
"The FOCUS fiber optic connector insertion and removal tool is a perfect example of Cable Prep’s ability to engineer a tool that solves application problems with an ergonomic solution. High-density patch panels and small-form-factor connectors present an accessibility challenge that FOCUS addresses head on," said Michael Power, President of Long Island Fiber Exchange.
The FOCUS tool’s embedded flashlight makes it easy to navigate the tool through the maze of cables and illuminates individual connectors and ports on the panel. The tool’s jaws support the cable attached to the connector being inserted or removed, thus preventing the delicate fibers within the cable from bending. Comfortable to hold at any orientation, the tool can be used with either hand.
Another feature unique to the Cable Prep FOCUS tool is its non-locking operation. Unlike other tools that lock around the connector using a ratchet operation, the FOCUS tool firmly grasps any connector with only minimal manual pressure, allowing for maximum operator flexibility and dexterity during the insertion or extraction process. The tool is made of a durable, non-conducting material that can be used both indoors and out and can withstand the abuse of a field environment over a long life.
More information about FOCUS can be obtained by visiting www.cableprep.com or by calling 1-800-394-4046.
About Cable Prep
Headquartered in Chester, Connecticut, Cable Prep was founded in 1979 as a Ben Hughes Communication Products company. With a mission to provide the best tool for every cable preparation and a passion to excel at customer service, Cable Prep designs and manufactures products used throughout the world for installing telecommunications systems. The Company engineers its products for maximum performance in the field and for use on hard-line, drop-cable, fiber optic, and wireless applications. Renowned for their precision and superior quality, Cable Prep tools are factory calibrated to meet the exacting standards of a broad range of cable and connector manufacturers. Cable Prep markets its products through a network of authorized distributors in the U.S. and more than 20 other countries worldwide.
About Long Island Fiber Exchange
Long Island Fiber Exchange, Inc. (LIFE) is an established facilities-based Competitive Local Exchange Carrier (CLEC) with an existing fiber optic network in Nassau and Suffolk counties on Long Island, New York. LIFE’s core business is constructing, managing, and maintaining fiber optic based networks for school districts, municipalities, and businesses.
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