Optical fiber cleaning system and apparatus

Abstract

An optical fiber cleaning system including a bottle to contain a liquid therein and a pump head adaptor threaded onto the bottle and including a straw extending from the bottom of the pump head adaptor to draw liquid from the bottle, a triangular shaped dispersion head connected to the straw to receive and disburse the liquid drawn through the straw when pushed downward against the liquid pump head; and an optical fiber cleaning apparatus formed in a V-shape to rest on the triangular shaped dispersion head and including fiber jaws sponges fixed thereto to receive liquid from the triangular shaped dispersion head when pressed down on the triangular shaped dispersion.

Claims

1. An optical fiber cleaning system, comprising: a bottle with a threaded neck extending from one end thereof; a liquid pump head adaptor including an internally threaded section extending from a bottom thereof to thread onto the threaded neck of the bottle and a straw extending from the bottom thereof to draw liquid from the bottle; a triangular shaped dispersion head connected to the straw at a top of the liquid pump head to receive and disburse the liquid drawn through the straw when pushed downward against the liquid pump head; and a V-shaped fiber jaws grip including fiber jaws sponges fixed to the V-shaped fiber jaws grip and configured to rest on a top of the triangular shaped dispersion head, to receive the liquid from the triangular shaped dispersion head when pressed down on the triangular shaped dispersion head and to flex inward when pinched such that the fiber jaws sponges can enclose optical fibers therebetween to clean residual fixatives, dust, debris, etc., from the optical fiber strands.

2. The optical fiber cleaning system according to claim 1, wherein the V-shaped fiber jaws grip is formed of a thermoplastic polyurethane material.

3. The optical fiber cleaning system according to claim 1, further comprising: a brush mounting unit including a first ring attached around a circumference of the bottle and a second ring attached to the first ring, the second ring configured to receive and retain a non-static brush therein; and a non-static brush configured to brush off any residual fixative, dust, debris, etc., accumulated on the fiber jaws sponges.

4. The optical fiber cleaning system according to claim 1, wherein the liquid pump head adaptor includes a pump spring surrounding the straw and configured to return the triangular shaped dispersion head connected and straw back to a resting state when the pushing force is released from the triangular shaped dispersion head.

5. The optical fiber cleaning system according to claim 1, wherein the V-shaped fiber jaws grip includes: a pair of extension legs; a hinge connected to a first end of each of pair of extension legs to enable the two extension legs to pivot towards each other when pressed together; and a spring configured to push the pair of extension legs back to the V-shape when the pressing force is released.

6. A flexible V-shaped optical fiber cleaning apparatus, comprising: a pair of extensions forming the V-shape, each extension including a sponge fixed along an inner surface thereof and configured to rest on a top of a triangular shaped liquid dispersion head, to receive liquid from the triangular shaped dispersion head when pressed down on the triangular shaped dispersion head and to flex toward each other when pinched such that the sponges will enclose optical fibers therebetween to clean residual fixatives, dust, debris, etc., therefrom.

7. The flexible V-shaped optical fiber cleaning apparatus according to claim 6, wherein the pair of extensions forming the V-shape are formed of a thermoplastic polyurethane material.

8. The flexible V-shaped optical fiber cleaning apparatus according to claim 6, further comprising: a hinge connected to a first end of each of the pair of extension to enable the two extensions to pivot towards each other when pressed together; and a spring configured to push the pair of extensions back to the V-shape when the pressing force is released.

Description

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

(1) These and/or other features and utilities of the present inventive concept will become apparent and more readily appreciated from the following description of the embodiments, taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawings of which:

(2) FIG. 1 illustrates a perspective view of an optical fiber cleaning system, according to an example embodiment of the present inventive concept.

(3) FIG. 2 illustrates another perspective view of the optical fiber cleaning system according to the example embodiment of FIG. 1.

(4) FIG. 3 illustrates another perspective view of the optical fiber cleaning system according to the example embodiment of FIG. 1 in an operational state.

(5) FIG. 4 illustrates a plan view of a fiber jaws grip and a liquid dispersal head combination, according to an example embodiment of the present inventive concept.

(6) FIG. 5 illustrates an expanded perspective view of the fiber jaws grip according to the example embodiment of FIG. 4.

(7) The drawings illustrate a few example embodiments of the present inventive concept and are not to be considered limiting in its scope, as the overall inventive concept may admit to other equally effective embodiments.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS

(8) Reference will now be made in detail to the embodiments of the present general inventive concept, examples of which are illustrated in the accompanying drawings, wherein like reference numerals refer to the like elements throughout. The embodiments are described below in order to explain the present general inventive concept while referring to the figures. Also, while describing the present general inventive concept, detailed descriptions about related well-known functions or configurations that may diminish the clarity of the points of the present general inventive concept are omitted.

(9) It will be understood that although the terms first and second are used herein to describe various elements, these elements should not be limited by these terms. These terms are only used to distinguish one element from another element. Thus, a first element could be termed a second element, and similarly, a second element may be termed a first element without departing from the teachings of this disclosure.

(10) Expressions such as at least one of, when preceding a list of elements, modify the entire list of elements and do not modify the individual elements of the list.

(11) All terms including descriptive or technical terms which are used herein should be construed as having meanings that are obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art. However, the terms may have different meanings according to the intention of the lexicographer, case precedents, or the appearance of new technologies. Also, some terms may be arbitrarily selected by the inventors, and in this case, the meaning of the selected terms will be described in detail in the detailed description herein. Thus, the terms used herein should be defined based on the generally defined meaning of the terms together with the description throughout this specification.

(12) Hereinafter, one or more exemplary embodiments of the present general inventive concept will be described in detail with reference to accompanying drawings.

(13) Example embodiments of the present general inventive concept are directed to an optical fiber cleaning apparatus, and more particularly to an optical fiber cleaning apparatus for removal of a residual coating (a fixative), dust, debris and other particulates from bare fiber optic cables before splicing the fiber optic cables.

(14) FIG. 1 illustrates a perspective view of an optical fiber cleaning system 100, according to an example embodiment of the present inventive concept. Referring to FIG. 1, the optical fiber cleaning system 100 can include a liquid (or solvent) retaining bottle 102. The solvent retaining bottle 102 can include an open top portion (not illustrated) with a threaded neck to receive a threaded cap 102a thereon to retain the solvent from escaping from the bottle 102. The threaded cap 102a can include a pivotal top portion 102al that snaps onto the top portion of the cap 102a and can be unsnapped and pivoted away from the top portion of the cap 102a to access the solvent contained in the bottle 102. Attached to the threaded cap 102a can be a straw 102b which extends into the bottle 102 when the threaded cap 102a is threaded onto the bottle 102. The threaded cap 102a can include a liquid pump head adaptor, including a pump spring 102b1 disposed within the cap 102a, such that when the straw 102b is pushed downward to draw solvent up through the straw 102b the pump spring 102b1 will cause an opposite force to return the straw 102b back up to its original position.

(15) Surrounding an upper portion of the solvent bottle 102 can be disposed a brush mount 102c. The brush mount 102c can include a first ring 102cl that is configured to tightly encircle the upper outer portion of the solvent bottle 102 and a second ring 102c2 connected to the first ring 102cl to receive and retain a brush 104 therein. The rings 102cl and 102c2 can be aligned such that their central axes are in parallel. The brush 104 can then be inserted into the second ring 102c2 and be in an upright position adjacent to the solvent bottle 102. The brush 104 is preferably a non-static brush 104 to avoid retaining static thereon, which can negatively affect an optical fiber.

(16) A liquid dispersal head 106 can be shaped in a triangle and can include a hollow cylindrical extension 106a extending from a bottom portion of the dispersion head 106. The hollow cylindrical extension 106a is configured to fit over an end of the straw 102b to receive liquid therethrough from the solvent bottle 102 when the dispersion head 106 is pushed downward, which will cause the straw 102b to be pushed downward into the solvent bottle 102. The dispersion head 106 is formed with channels therethrough to disperse the received solvent, as described in more detail with respect to FIG. 2.

(17) A fiber jaws grip 108 is configured to have two extensions that form a V-shape. The V-shape is configured to rest on top of the triangular dispersion head 106 and to act as an optical fiber cleaning apparatus, as described in more detail below. The fiber jaws grip 108 can include a fiber jaws sponge 108a fixed at an inner side of each of the two extensions of the V-shaped body. The fiber jaws grip 108 is formed of a material that is flexible such that when two fingers of a user squeeze or pinch the V-shaped extensions toward each other the two extensions of the fiber jaws grip 108 flex towards each other and cause the fiber jaws sponges 108a, fixed to a respective one of the extensions, to come together to firmly enclose and grip a bare optical fiber strand or strands placed therebetween. The fiber jaws sponges 108a fixed to each of the respective extensions of the fiber jaws grip 108 are configured to absorb solvent from the dispersion head 106. The dispersion head 106 is configured to evenly distribute solvent onto (and hence into) the fiber jaws sponge 108a of the fiber jaws grip 108 and to also act as a rest for the fiber jaws grip 108 during use. The dispersion head 106 can be made of a hard plastic or a thermoplastic polyurethane material with channels formed therein to disperse the solvent, as described in more detail below with reference to FIG. 2.

(18) FIG. 2 illustrates another perspective view of the optical fiber cleaning system according to the example embodiment of FIG. 1, with the fiber jaws grip 108 removed from resting on the triangular dispersion head 106. Referring to FIG. 2, the dispersion head 106 can include countersunk holes 106b formed therein and channels to disperse the solvent from the solvent bottle 102 to the countersunk holes 106b. The countersunk holes 106b are provided to allow for a larger area of liquid/solvent distribution and to relieve fluid pressure to prevent solvent from squirting out from between the two extensions of the dispersion head 106. According to an example embodiment there can be three holes 106b formed in the dispersion head 106, one on top and one on either side thereof. Alternatively, there can be more or less holes 106b formed in the dispersion head 106, without departing from the spirit and scope of the overall inventive concept. In FIG. 2 the fiber jaws grip 108 is not resting on the dispersion head 106 in order to illustrate the countersunk holes 106b formed in the dispersion head 106.

(19) FIG. 3 illustrates another perspective view of the optical fiber cleaning system according to the example embodiment of FIG. 1, in an operational state. Referring to FIG. 3, a user can easily wet the fiber jaws sponges 108a by lightly pressing the fiber jaws grip 108 down over the dispersion head 106 so that solvent will be drawn up through the straw 102b, through the dispersion head 106 channels and onto (and into) the fiber jaws sponges 108a. At this point the fiber jaws sponges 108a, fixed to respective extensions of the fiber jaws grip 108, will be sufficiently wet with solvent and ready to be pinched to enclose the one or more bare optical fiber strands to remove residual fixative (typically acrylate polymer coating), dust, debris, etc., from the optical fiber strands. This process of removing residual fixative, dust, debris, etc., from the bare optical fiber strands is generally performed prior to splicing the optic fiber strands. At some point the fiber jaws sponges 108a will accumulate residual fixative, dust, debris, etc., thereon from the bare optical fiber strands. When it is desired to clean the fiber jaws sponges 108a the non-static brush 104 can be used to brush the fiber jaws sponges 108a clean for further use, thus enabling a long lifespan of the fiber jaws sponges 108a.

(20) The fiber jaws grip 108 is generally used after a thermal stripper is used to remove the bulk of a coating from the optical fibers to reveal the bare optical fibers prior to splicing the bare optical fiber(s). The optical fiber(s) can remain in a chuck that is commonly used for splicing the optical fibers, at which point the fiber jaws grip 108 can be squeezed to enclose the fiber jaws sponges 108a over the bare optical fiber(s) and wipe off any remainder of the residual coating, dust, debris, etc., from the bare optical fiber(s).

(21) The fiber jaws grip 108 can be formed of a thermoplastic polyurethane material that is sufficiently flexible to pinch the two extensions of the V-shape together to enable the fiber jaws sponges 108a to enclose optical fiber(s) to clean any residual coating, dust, debris, etc., from the bare optical fiber(s). However, the fiber jaws grip 108 can be formed of other equivalent materials that will perform to the intended purposes, as described herein.

(22) The brush 104 and the liquid pump head adaptor 102a can also be formed of a thermoplastic polyurethane material. Alternatively, the brush 104 and the liquid pump head adaptor 102a can be formed of other similar materials, such as a plastic, or other similar material(s) which will perform the intended purposes, as described herein.

(23) FIG. 4 illustrates how the fiber jaws grip 108 fits securely over the dispersion head 106 to enable the fiber jaws sponges 108a to receive solvent from the countersunk holes 106b of the dispersion head 106 or to rest on the dispersion head 106 until needed.

(24) FIG. 5 illustrates an expanded perspective view of the fiber jaws grip 108 and fiber jaws sponges 108a. It is to be noted that the fiber jaws grip 108 can also be formed as two separate extensions connected to each other at one end via a hinge and spring combination, which will also enable the two extensions of the fiber jaws grip 108 to be pressed towards each other to enclose bare optical fiber strands between the respective fiber jaws sponges 108a and then spring back to its original V-shaped position.

(25) Although a few embodiments of the present general inventive concept have been shown and described, it will be appreciated by those skilled in the art that changes may be made in these embodiments without departing from the principles and spirit of the general inventive concept, the scope of which is defined in the appended claims and their equivalents.