Network terminal cover

Abstract

Customer premises equipment (CPE), such as optical network terminals (ONT), are often located on the outside of a premises, and are susceptible to theft and to weather elements. A cap for portions of customer premises equipment (CPE) used in telecommunications networks protects the CPE from theft and from the weather elements. The cap typically covers a portion of the CPE that carries communications and power connectors, providing protection from the weather elements. Additionally, the cap may be lockable, preventing unauthorized removal of the CPE or portions of the CPE. The cap may also provide strain relief for cables coupled to the CPE. The cap may also prevent unauthorized removal of covers on a CPE housing that protects valuable components, such as battery back-ups.

1 . A network terminal device, comprising:
 a housing having a first cavity with an engagable cover; and   a cap configured to define a second cavity between itself and the housing in a coupled state with the housing and to prevent a user from disengaging the engagable cover when in the coupled state with the housing.   
   
   
       2 . The network terminal device of  claim 1  wherein the cap may be fully coupled or semi-coupled to the housing and wherein the cap prevents the user from disengaging the engagable cover in the fully coupled state and allows the user to disengage the engagable cover in the semi-coupled state. 
   
   
       3 . The network terminal device of  claim 2  wherein the cap includes a hinge between a first portion of the cap and a second portion of the cap and wherein the cap is fully coupled when the two portions of the cap are in a first orientation around the hinge and is semi-coupled when the two portions of the cap are in a second orientation around the hinge. 
   
   
       4 . The network terminal device of  claim 1  further comprising a bracket to which the housing and the cap are each configured to be coupled. 
   
   
       5 . The network terminal device of  claim 4  wherein the bracket includes a storage cavity configured to store slack of a cable coupled to the network terminal device. 
   
   
       6 . The network terminal device of  claim 4  wherein the bracket is configured as a base upon which the housing is seated. 
   
   
       7 . The network terminal device of  claim 1  wherein the housing includes a base and the cap is configured to be coupled to the base and the housing. 
   
   
       8 . The network terminal device of  claim 7  wherein the base defines a storage cavity configured to store slack of a cable coupled to the network terminal device. 
   
   
       9 . The network terminal device of  claim 1  wherein the housing includes connector components to receive connectors on cables and wherein the cap is configured to support access for the cables to be coupled to the connector components and provide strain relief for the cables. 
   
   
       10 . The network terminal device of  claim 1  wherein the cap or housing includes a locking mechanism to prevent impermissible decoupling of the cap from the housing. 
   
   
       11 . The network terminal device of  claim 10  wherein the locking mechanism includes at least one of the following: a turnkey, a solenoid, a mechanical latch, and an electromagnetic latch. 
   
   
       12 . The network terminal device of  claim 1  wherein the cap forms a weather-resistant seal with the housing when in a coupled state. 
   
   
       13 . The network terminal device of  claim 1  wherein the cap includes a transparent window configured to enable a user to view at least a portion of the second cavity. 
   
   
       14 . A network terminal device of  claim 1  further including:
 a network terminal element to support access of customer premises equipment to a network; and   wherein the cap is configured to be coupled to the network terminal element to enable the network terminal element to continue to support access of the customer premises equipment to the network.   
   
   
       15 . A method of securing a network terminal device, comprising:
 preventing removal of an engagable cover on a first cavity in a housing of a network terminal device while integrally and simultaneously providing a slack storage second cavity external from the housing of the network terminal device.   
   
   
       16 . The method of  claim 15 , wherein preventing removal of the engagable cover includes temporarily permitting disengagement of the engagable cover. 
   
   
       17 . The method of  claim 15  further comprising integrally and simultaneously preventing removal of the network terminal device from a bracket supporting the network terminal device. 
   
   
       18 . The method of  claim 15  further comprising integrally and simultaneously providing strain relief for the cable coupled to the network terminal device. 
   
   
       19 . The method of  claim 15  wherein preventing removal of the engagable cover includes enabling unlocking of the engagable cover to temporarily allow disengagement of the engagable cover. 
   
   
       20 . The method of  claim 19  wherein enabling unlocking of the engagable cover includes at least one of the following: turning of a key; enabling energizing of a solenoid; enabling deenergizing of a solenoid; enabling disengaging of a mechanical latch; and enabling disengaging of an electromagnetic latch. 
   
   
       21 . The method of  claim 15  further comprising simultaneously sealing a coupled end of the cable coupled to the network terminal device from weather elements. 
   
   
       22 . The method of  claim 15  further comprising simultaneously enabling viewing of at least a portion of the second cavity. 
   
   
       23 . The method of  claim 15  further comprising simultaneously enabling the network terminal device to support access to a network.