Portable device for attaching a connector to an optical fiber

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-9481129-B2
Application number	US-201214000345-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Feb 7, 2012
Priority date	Feb 17, 2011
Publication date	Nov 1, 2016
Grant date	Nov 1, 2016

Abstract

A portable device for attaching a connector to an optical fiber, the optical fiber having an end, the device comprising means for receiving the optical fiber at the end of the optical fiber; and a connector station for autonomously attaching the connector to the optical fiber.

First claim

The invention claimed is:

1. A portable device for attaching a connector to an optical fiber, said optical fiber having an end, said end having an end face, the device comprising:
means for receiving said optical fiber at said end of said optical fiber;
a connector station for autonomously attaching said connector to said optical fiber;
at least one station for autonomously performing at least one operation on said optical fiber, said at least one station having means for performing a first operation on said optical fiber;
means for coupling said at least one station to said end of said optical fiber for performing said first operation;
means for coupling said connector station to said end of said optical fiber for said attaching said connector;
wherein said first operation is selected from the group consisting of a stripping operation, a cleaning operation, a tensile test, a cleaving operation, and a heat treatment of said end face;
wherein said at least one station is a plurality of stations for performing a plurality of operations on said optical fiber; each particular station out of said plurality of stations being adapted for autonomously performing at least one operation out of said plurality of operations; wherein said plurality of operations comprises a stripping operation, a cleaning operation, a tensile test, a cleaving operation and a heat treatment of said end face; and
wherein said optical fiber has a fiber axis, the device further comprising means for coupling each said particular station out of said plurality of stations to said end of said optical fiber, wherein said means for coupling include means selected from the group consisting of means for rotating each said particular station around an axis parallel to said fiber axis and means for translating each said particular station in a direction perpendicular to said fiber axis.

2. The portable device according to claim 1 wherein said device is hand-held.

3. The portable device according to claim 1 wherein said at least one station comprises a station for performing a combination of operations selected from the group consisting of a first combination and a second combination, wherein said first combination is a combination of a stripping operation and a cleaning operation and wherein said second combination is a combination of a tensile test and a cleaving operation.

4. The portable device according to claim 1 further comprising means for pulling said optical fiber into said device.

5. The portable device according to claim 1 further comprising, for each said particular station out of said plurality of stations, means for aligning said optical fiber with respect to said particular station.

6. The portable device according to claim 1 wherein said optical fiber is in a position that is fixed with respect to said portable device during said at least one operation.

7. The portable device according to claim 1 further comprising control means for automatically controlling said at least one operation.

8. The portable device according to claim 1 further comprising means for detecting a failure of said first operation and means for repeating said first operation.

9. A portable device for processing an optical fiber, the portable device comprising:
a portable housing defining a fiber insertion opening for allowing an optical fiber to be inserted into the housing along a fiber insertion axis;
a fiber stripping station within the housing for autonomously stripping the optical fiber;
a fiber cleaving station within the housing for autonomously cleaving the optical fiber; and
a continuous reel waste collection device that captures debris generated from stripping and cleaving operations and encloses the debris in the form of a tape sandwich.

10. The portable device of claim 9 , further comprising a mechanism for capturing debris generated during stripping and cleaving.

11. The portable device of claim 9 , further comprising an inspection station within the housing for inspecting the optical fiber.

12. The portable device of claim 9 , further comprising an arc treatment station within the housing for arc treating an end face of the optical fiber.

13. The portable device of claim 9 , further comprising a connector installation station within the housing for autonomously installing a connector on the optical fiber.

14. The portable device of claim 9 , further comprising a cleaning device within the housing for cleaning the optical fiber.

15. The portable device of claim 9 , wherein the portable housing includes a handle and the portable device has an overall weight less than 5 kilograms.

16. The portable device of claim 9 , further comprising a carriage within the portable housing, the carriage being mounted on linear bearings, the carriage being movable on the linear bearings along a carriage slide axis that is parallel to the fiber insertion axis, the portable device also including a drive mechanism for sliding the carriage back and forth along the linear bearings.

17. The portable device of claim 16 , further comprising a pivot mechanism for pivoting the carriage to move different operational stations carried by the carriage into alignment with the fiber insertion axis.

18. The portable device of claim 17 , further comprising an arrangement of clamps including an axially movable clamp carried by the carriage, an axially fixed clamp positioned adjacent to the fiber insertion opening, and an intermediate clamp positioned between the axially movable clamp and the axially fixed clamp.

19. The portable device of claim 9 , further comprising a drive mechanism for extending and retracting the cleaving station relative to the fiber insertion axis.

20. A portable device for processing an optical fiber, the portable device comprising:
a portable housing defining a fiber insertion opening for allowing an optical fiber to be inserted into the housing along a fiber insertion axis;
a fiber stripping station within the housing for autonomously stripping the optical fiber; and
a fiber cleaving station within the housing for autonomously cleaving the optical fiber;
wherein the fiber stripping station includes heated clamping members that are moveable between an open position and a closed position, and wherein the portable device includes a continuous reel waste collection device including tapes dispensed from dispensing reels and routed between the heated clamping members, the tapes being adapted to capture debris generated from stripping and cleaving operations and enclose the debris between the tapes in the form of a tape sandwich.

21. The portable device of claim 20 , wherein the tape transfers a cleaning liquid to a stripped portion of the optical fiber.

22. The portable device of claim 21 , wherein the cleaning liquid includes benzyl alcohol.

23. The portable device of claim 20 , further comprising a stripping knife for scoring a coating of the optical fiber through the tapes.

24. The portable device of claim 23 , wherein the stripping knife has a profiled edge.

25. The portable device of claim 20 , wherein the continuous reel waste collection device and the heated clamping members are mounted to a carriage that is movable along the fiber insertion axis to cause stripping of the optical fiber.

26. A portable device for processing an optical fiber, the portable device comprising:
a portable housing defining a fiber insertion opening for allowi

Assignees

• Verheyden Danny Willy August
• Erdman David Donald
• Gurreri Michael
• Paul Randall Bobby
• Watté Jan
• Flaig Robert Charles
• Plotts Alan Edward
• Kadar-Kallen Michael Aaron
• Buchter Shelly Anne
• Vandenbroeck Jan
• Billet Patrick
• Beri Stefano
• Hilderink André Johannes Maria
• Jacobs Hernes
• Rutgers Petrus Theodorus
• Krechting Petrus Theodorus
• Wolbers Martijn Johannes
• Mattheus Walter
• Radulescu Cristian-Radu
• Vits Paul
• Van Assenbergh Karel Johannes
• De Jager Pieter Cornelis Johan
• Van Der Pol Henk Jan Theodoor
• Commscope Technologies Llc
• CommScope Connectivity Belgium BVBA

Inventors

• Verheyden Danny Willy August
• Erdman David Donald
• Gurreri Michael
• Paul Randall Bobby
• Watté Jan
• Flaig Robert Charles
• Plotts Alan Edward
• Kadar-Kallen Michael Aaron
• Buchter Shelly Anne
• Vandenbroeck Jan
• Billet Patrick
• Beri Stefano
• Hilderink André Johannes Maria
• Jacobs Hernes
• Rutgers Petrus Theodorus
• Krechting Petrus Theodorus
• Wolbers Martijn Johannes
• Mattheus Walter
• Radulescu Cristian-Radu
• Vits Paul
• Van Assenbergh Karel Johannes
• De Jager Pieter Cornelis Johan
• Van Der Pol Henk Jan Theodoor

Classifications

• G02B27/0006

  with means to keep optical surfaces clean, e.g. by preventing or removing dirt, stains, contamination, condensation (G02B1/18 takes precedence; cleaning in general B08B) · CPC title

• G02B6/3866

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

• G02B6/3825 Primary

  with an intermediate part, e.g. adapter, receptacle, linking two plugs · CPC title

• B65H2701/32

  Optical fibres or optical cables · CPC title

• G02B6/3833 Primary

  Details of mounting fibres in ferrules; Assembly methods; Manufacture · CPC title