Optical fiber coating stripping through relayed thermal radiation is disclosed. A heat source is provided that is configured to emit thermal radiation when activated. A relay system is provided that is configured to receive the emitted thermal radiation from the heat source and relay the emitted thermal radiation to a heating region. For example, the relay system may be configured to relay (i.e., re-direct) the thermal radiation to a concentrated heating region. The heat source and relay system are configured such that thermal radiation relayed by the relay system causes the temperature in the heating region to reach or exceed a vaporization or thermal decomposition temperature of a coating(s) of an optical fiber to be stripped. When an optical fiber is disposed in the heating region, and the heat source is activated, a coating(s) of the optical fiber decomposes thus stripping the coating(s) from the optical fiber.

Even if the end surface of the optical connector is inclined with respect to the optical axis of the optical fiber, the optical connector end surface cleaner has sufficient cleaning ability and has high tape conveyance property when the cleaning tape is conveyed and displaced. Further, in the case where there are guide pins protruding from the end surface of the optical connector, an optical connector end surface cleaner is provided which has a cleaning capability for the optical connector end surface and the guide pins.

An optical connector end surface cleaner according to the present invention is an optical connector end surface cleaner for cleaning an end surface of an optical connector, the optical connector end surface cleaner comprising: a cleaning tape for cleaning the end surface of the optical connector in contact therewith; a cleaning head for supporting a rear surface of the cleaning tape in contact with an end surface of the optical connector when the cleaning tape is in contact with the end surface of the optical connector; and a tape supply mechanism for supplying the cleaning tape to the cleaning head, wherein the cleaning head includes at least a cleaning head distal end member, a cleaning head buffering member, and a cleaning head supporting member, and a storage elastic modulus E1 of the cleaning head buffering member at 40° C. measured in accordance with JIS K7244-4 with a frequency of 1 Hz is lower than a storage elastic modulus E2 of the cleaning head distal end member at 40° C. and a storage elastic modulus E3 of the cleaning head supporting member at 40° C. similarly measured.

A cleaning tool includes: a tool body; and an extension part extending from the tool body and including a head configured to press a cleaning body against a cleaning target. The head includes a conductor part made of a conductor.

A pressing cleaner for an optical connector's end face provided in the present disclosure comprises a housing, a support unit fixed inside the housing, a feeding unit which is opposite to the support unit and held and moved in the housing; the feeding unit is pivotally fitted at a rotary unit ahead, the rotary unit is provided with a cleaning head at the front side, the cleaning head is equipped with a pressing surface ahead, and the feeding unit allows a cleaning wire to be stretched and wound around the cleaning head as well as the pressing surface externally; the rotary unit comprises a worm shaft on which guiding slots are opened wherein the guiding slots correspond to pins in the front of the support unit for holding the pins inside the guiding slots; an optical connector's end face is cleaned by the cleaning wire when the pressing surface is activated and the rotary unit is driven via the pins and the guiding slots for rotations.

A sample testing system includes a test receptacle support structure, an optical element positioned for transmitting electromagnetic radiation emitted or reflected by a sample disposed in a test receptacle supported by the test receptacle support structure, a cleaning member, and an automated transport arm configured to (i) detachably couple the cleaning member, (ii) move the detachably-coupled cleaning member into a position proximate to and/or contacting the optical element, and (iii) decouple the cleaning member.

A cleaning nozzle includes an outer housing having a central axis and an inner surface that defines an outer housing interior. An inner housing resides within the outer housing interior along the central axis and has an inner surface that defines an inner flow channel. The inner flow channel supports flow of the cleaning fluid and has a converging taper and a flow disrupter element. The nozzle assembly may include an adapter that receives a front end of the nozzle and that also holds a ferrule that supports an optical fiber having an end face. The nozzle assembly allows the nozzle to direct a jet stream of cleaning fluid to the ferrule end face and the fiber end face. The flow disrupter causes the jet stream to have a time-varying direction that enhances the cleaning of the ferrule end face and the optical fiber end face.

Disclosed is an optical connector cleaning tool including: a tool body; and an extended part that extends from the tool body and that has a head for pressing a cleaning element against an optical connector, the extended part being provided so as to be movable with respect to the tool body. The optical connector is cleaned with the cleaning element by moving the tool body toward the extended part in a state where the cleaning element is pressed against the optical connector with the head. The tool body includes: a take-up reel that, in accordance with the movement of the tool body with respect to the extended part, takes up the cleaning element which has been sent out from the head; and a take-up amount adjustment mechanism that makes constant the take-up amount of the take-up reel per single cleaning operation.

A cleaning stick guide for an optical housing having ferrules therein. The cleaning stick guide includes a guide housing having a proximal end and a distal end. The guide housing includes an insert portion sized and shaped to be inserted into the optical housing. The insert portion defines the distal end of the guide housing. The guide housing includes guide passageways. Each guide passageway extends from the proximal end to the distal end. Each guide passageway is arranged in the guide housing to align with one of the ferrules in the optical housing when the guide housing is inserted into the optical housing. Each guide passageway is sized and shaped to receive a cleaning stick and to guide the cleaning stick to said one ferrule for cleaning the ferrule.

Provided is an optical connector cleaning tool that is unlikely to cause a static charge and can accurately remove dust located on an end surface of an optical connector. Disclosed is an optical connector cleaning tool including: a main body housing a supply holder configured to hold a cleaner that has a contaminant-retainable layer and can be supplied so as to clean an end surface of an optical connector; a cleaning head configured to position the cleaner having been supplied from the main body and be held at a certain holding position with respect to the main body; a controller that can be engaged with the optical connector and can be displaced from a first position to a second position, which is different from the first position, with respect to the cleaning head while kept engaged with the optical connector; and a supply mechanism configured to transmit, to the cleaner, movement of displacing the controller from the first position to the second position to displace and then supply the cleaner to the cleaning head, in which when the controller is positioned at the first position, the cleaning head is apart from the end surface of the optical connector, while the controller is displaced from the first position to the second position, the supply mechanism causes the cleaner to be displaced, and when the controller is positioned at the second position, the cleaning head comes into contact with the end surface of the optical connector.

A means of integrating the materials and automating the actions required for the cleaning of optical fiber, where the present invention can hold cleaning material, dispense cleaning agent, and clean multiple fibers, while routing conduits and cleaning pads protect the optical fiber from mechanical stress.