Oscillating fiber optic cleaning tool

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-2016170153-A1
Application number	US-201514931130-A
Country	US
Kind code	A1
Filing date	Nov 3, 2015
Priority date	Dec 11, 2014
Publication date	Jun 16, 2016
Grant date	—

Abstract

A fiber optic component cleaning device includes a body, a motor mounted in the body and a power supply mounted in the body and operably connected to the motor. The device has a resilient platen mounted to the body and a cleaning material configured to reside on the platen. An oscillating device is operably mounted to the motor to induce an oscillation in the body and the platen to oscillate the platen with the cleaning material thereon. The tool is configured to clean surfaces of the fiber optic component by oscillating movement of the platen and the cleaning material on the platen.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1 . A fiber optic component cleaning device comprising:
a body; a motor mounted in the body; a power supply mounted in the body and operably connected to the motor; a resilient platen mounted to the body; a cleaning material configured to reside on the platen; and an oscillating device operably mounted to the motor to induce an oscillation in the body and the platen to oscillate the platen with the cleaning material thereon, wherein the tool is configured to clean surfaces of the fiber optic component by oscillating movement of the platen and the cleaning material on the platen.

2 . The fiber optic component cleaning device of claim 1 including an eccentric element mounted to the motor, wherein the motor rotates the eccentric element to oscillate the platen.

3 . The fiber component cleaning device of claim 1 wherein the device is configured to oscillate in a range of about 5,000 to 40,000 oscillations per minute.

4 . The fiber optic component cleaning device of claim 1 wherein the cleaning material is an elongated strip.

5 . The fiber optic component cleaning device of claim 4 including an advancing mechanism for advancing the cleaning material along the platen.

6 . The fiber optic component cleaning device of claim 5 including feed and take-up spools for feeding fresh cleaning material and taking up used cleaning material.

7 . The fiber optic component cleaning device of claim 6 wherein one or both of the feed and take up spools are configured for one-way movement.

8 . The fiber optic component cleaning device of claim 1 wherein the power supply is a battery and wherein the battery is located in the body.

9 . The fiber optic component cleaning device of claim 1 including a swab holder configured to secure a swab to the cleaning device.

10 . The fiber optic component cleaning device of claim 9 wherein the swab holder is configured oscillate the swab.

11 . The fiber optic component cleaning device of claim 1 including a light mounted to the device.

12 . The fiber optic component cleaning device of claim 11 wherein the light is an LED.

Assignees

• Illinois Tool Works

Inventors

• Forrest Jr Edward J

Classifications

• B08B1/145

  Swabs · CPC title

• B08B13/00

  Accessories or details of general applicability for machines or apparatus for cleaning · CPC title

• G02B6/3866 Primary

  Devices, tools or methods for cleaning connectors (cleaning in general B08B) · CPC title

• B08B1/003

  Operations & Transport · mapped topic

• B08B2240/02

  Optical fibers or optical fiber connectors · CPC title