JP3191901B2 - Optical connector cleaning tool - Google Patents

Description

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0001]

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention The present invention relates to a cleaning tool for an optical connector used for cleaning an outer peripheral surface of a ferrule of the optical connector in connection work of the optical connector.

[0002]

2. Description of the Related Art Conventionally, various optical connectors have been used to easily connect and disconnect optical fibers. According to this optical connector, for example, an optical fiber is fixed to the center of a ferrule, inserted into a hollow cylinder (aligning sleeve) having a precise inner diameter, and the end faces of the ferrule are abutted. Such optical connectors are widely used, especially in the field of optical communication, because of their excellent connection characteristics. When connecting or disconnecting the optical fibers, dust or oil stains easily adhere to the end surface of the ferrule or the outer peripheral surface having a large surface area. If dust or oil stains adhere to the end surface and the outer peripheral surface of the ferrule, light transmission is attenuated and connection characteristics are deteriorated.

Therefore, it is necessary to clean the end face and the outer peripheral face of the ferrule before connecting work.

[0004] Conventionally, as an apparatus for cleaning an end face of a ferrule, there is an apparatus disclosed in, for example, JP-A-2-171706 and JP-A-2-264907.

[0005]

However, according to such a conventional technique, for example, a tape-shaped cleaning cloth made of a cloth woven from ultrafine fibers of 0.1 denier or less is used. The cleaning cloth is wound on a reel, and an unused portion is exposed by feeding the cleaning cloth. The exposed unused portion cleans only the ferrule end face of the optical connector.

As another cleaning means, there is a method of cleaning the end face and the outer peripheral face of the ferrule using alcohol and a cleaning cloth or cleaning paper. However, this method has a drawback that only a portion where the ferrule projects from the optical connector can be cleaned. was there.

[0007] Therefore, in the conventional cleaning tool, there has been no idea of cleaning the ferrule outer peripheral surface other than the ferrule end surface uniformly from the longitudinal end to the back thereof.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION The present invention has been made in view of the above circumstances, and has as its object to provide an optical connector cleaning tool which can clean the ferrule outer peripheral surface of an optical connector with a simple structure and a simple operation. is there.

[0009]

Means for Solving the Problems] cleaning tool of the optical connector according to the present invention is a cleaning tool for cleaning the ferrule outer peripheral surface of the optical connector to achieve the above object, the sleeve
A housing provided with a ferrule-shaped cleaning part,
Flexible telescopically mounted rotatable housing
A supply reel on which a loop-shaped cleaning body is wound, and the housing
The sleeve-shaped sleeve rotatably mounted in the
Roll up the cleaning body after using it inside the rule cleaning section
The cleaning body from the take-up reel and the supply reel.
Unused portions are removed by sequentially feeding out a fixed length.
From the ferrule insertion port side of the sleeve-shaped ferrule cleaning section
The used cleaning element is supplied to the through-hole and wound on the take-up reel.
And a tape-shaped cleaning body to be taken off .

[0010]

[0011]

A cleaning tool for cleaning an outer peripheral surface of a ferrule of an optical connector, comprising a housing provided with a sleeve-shaped ferrule cleaning portion, and an unused flexible member rotatably mounted in the housing. The two cleaning reels which have been used in the sleeve-shaped ferrule cleaning unit rotatably mounted in the housing and the two supply reels each having a tape-shaped cleaning body wound thereon are respectively wound up. Unused portions are inserted into the through-holes from the ferrule insertion opening side of the sleeve-shaped ferrule cleaning section by sequentially feeding the cleaning body from the one take-up reel and the two supply reels by a predetermined length. And a tape-shaped cleaning body in which the used cleaning body is wound on a take-up reel. It is provided separately to be rotatable in the opposite directions on the same axis or on two axes.

[0013]

[0014]

[0015]

According to the present invention, an unused flexible tape-shaped cleaning body is sequentially fed out from the supply reel by a predetermined length to expose an unused portion to the position of the sleeve-shaped ferrule cleaning section. This unused portion is inserted into the through hole from the ferrule insertion opening side of the sleeve-shaped ferrule cleaning section. The cleaning body after cleaning the outer peripheral surface of the ferrule in the sleeve-shaped ferrule cleaning section is wound up by a take-up reel.

In a preferred embodiment, an unused tape-like cleaning body having flexibility is sequentially fed out from each of the two supply reels by a fixed length to expose an unused portion to the sleeve-shaped ferrule cleaning section.

That is, the unused portion is inserted from the ferrule insertion opening side of the sleeve-shaped ferrule insertion portion. After cleaning the outer peripheral surface of the ferrule in the sleeve-shaped ferrule cleaning section, the two cleaning bodies are wound up one by one by a take-up reel.

The two supply reels are provided so as to be rotatable in opposite directions.

[0019]

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS A cleaning tool for an optical connector according to the present invention will be described below in detail with reference to the drawings.

FIG. 1 is a perspective view showing an embodiment of a cleaning tool for an optical connector according to the present invention, FIG. 2 is a front view thereof, and FIG.
Is a side view showing the lower half in section, and FIG. 4 is a plan view of the same. FIG. 5 is an exploded cross-sectional view of a supply reel used in the cleaning tool of the optical connector of FIG. 1, and FIG. 6 is an exploded cross-sectional view of a take-up reel used in the cleaning tool of the optical connector of FIG. It is. FIG. 7 is a cross-sectional view showing a main part of the present invention.

The optical connector cleaning tool 10 according to the present invention comprises:
As best shown in FIGS. 1 to 7, a substantially rectangular housing 11 composed of a housing body 11a and a housing cover 17 which is hermetically attached to the housing body 11a, Ferrule insertion port 1 attached to one side 11c of 11a
2a and a sleeve-shaped ferrule cleaning portion 12 having a circular through-hole 12b, and two unused flexible tape-shaped cleaning members 1 disposed in the housing 11.
Shafts 14a, 15a and flanges 14b, 15 are wound so that they can move in opposite directions.
b and two supply reels 14, 1 provided with shaft holes 14c, 15c and rotatably separated in opposite directions.
5 and 2 for winding the two cleaning bodies 13 and 13a after use in the sleeve-shaped ferrule cleaning section 12, respectively.
And two take-up reels 16.

The supply reels 14, 15 are configured as follows.

That is, the shaft holes 14c and 15c of the supply reels 14 and 15 are respectively inserted into ends 19a and 19b of a shaft 19 provided with a separator 18 at the center. Holes 20 a are provided at the ends 19 a and 19 b of the shaft 19.
a and 20b are respectively formed. This one hole 2
0a is a through hole 1 formed in the housing cover 17;
A tapping screw 21 through which the wire 7a is inserted is fixed. The other hole 20b has a tapping screw 21 inserted through a through hole 11b formed in the housing body 11a.
Is fixed. The shaft 19 is fixed between the housing body 11a and the housing cover 17. On the outer peripheral surface of the flange portion 14b of the supply reel 14, teeth 14d for preventing reverse rotation to be engaged with the stopper claws 22 mounted on the housing cover 17 are formed. On the outer peripheral surface of the flange portion 15b of the supply reel 15, teeth 15d for preventing reverse rotation engaging with the stopper claws 23 mounted on the housing main body 11a are formed.

The take-up reel 16 is configured as follows.

That is, the shaft hole 24a and the cleaning body winding section 24
A knob 24 formed with a screw hole 24c and a screw hole 24c is loosely fitted and protruded from a through hole 11d slightly larger than the diameter of the knob 24 formed on the housing body 11a. A shaft portion 25c provided with a through hole 25a and a flange portion 25b is inserted into the shaft hole 24a of the knob 24. The shaft portion 25c is screwed into the screw hole 24c.
Is fixed to the knob 24. Reference numeral 27 denotes a shaft, which extends through the through hole 25a.
A tapping screw 21 that passes through a through hole 17b formed in the housing cover 17 is fixed to a hole 28 formed in the end 27a. The flange part 2
On the outer peripheral surface of 5b, teeth 25d for preventing reverse rotation to be engaged with the stopper claws 29 mounted on the housing cover 17 are formed.

Reference numeral 30 denotes a plurality of cleaning body guide rollers which are provided upright at predetermined positions on the movement path of the cleaning body 13 between the housing body 11a and the housing cover 17.

One of the tape-shaped cleaning members 13 is wound around the supply reel 14 so as to be movable in the X direction. The housing body 1 is guided by the plurality of guide rollers 30.
1a, through a through-hole 31 formed in the immediate vicinity of the sleeve-shaped ferrule cleaning portion 12 attached to the one surface 11c to be exposed from the inside of the housing 11 to the outside of the housing 11, and again the ferrule insertion port 1 of the sleeve-shaped ferrule cleaning portion 12
2a, the housing 11 is passed through the through hole 12b.
And is connected and fixed to the take-up reel 16.

Further, the other tape-shaped cleaning body 13a
Is wound around the supply reel 15 so as to be movable in the Y direction, is guided by a plurality of guide rollers 30, and is formed in the vicinity of the sleeve-shaped ferrule cleaning portion 12 attached to the one surface 10a of the housing 11. The housing 11 is exposed from the inside of the housing 11 to the outside of the housing 11 through the hole 31a, and is again passed through the through hole 12b from the ferrule insertion opening 12a side of the sleeve-shaped ferrule cleaning unit 12.
And is connected and fixed to the take-up reel 16.

The tape-shaped cleaning members 13, 13a
As a cleaning cloth preferably woven of ultrafine fibers of 0.1 denier or less of polyester type or nylon type, for example, "Miracle" (trade name of Toray Industries, Inc.)
A commercially available tape such as Of course, other than this, any flexible tape-shaped cleaning body can be used.

A method of cleaning the outer peripheral surface of the ferrule 32a of the optical connector 32 using the optical connector cleaning tool 10 according to the present invention will be described.

First, two unused tape-shaped cleaning members 1 are used.
With the ferrules 3 and 13a inserted into the through holes 12b from the insertion opening 12a side of the sleeve-shaped ferrule cleaning section 12, the ferrule 32a of the optical connector 32 to be cleaned is inserted into the ferrule of the sleeve-shaped ferrule cleaning section 12. When the ferrule 3 is inserted into the through hole 12b through the opening 12a and rotated in the M direction as shown in FIG.
The outer peripheral surface from the front end to the back of 2a is reliably cleaned by the tape-shaped cleaning bodies 13, 13a.

Next, the cleaned ferrule 32a is pulled out of the sleeve-shaped ferrule cleaning section 12, and the knob 24 is operated from the outside of the housing 11 by an appropriate rotation amount.
After the cleaning members 13 and 13a which are connected and fixed in advance to the cleaning member winding portion 24b of the knob 24, the used cleaning members 13 and 13a are wound and wound around the two supply reels 14 and 15, respectively. The two unused cleaning bodies 13 and 13a are fed out of the housing 11 by an unused portion having a predetermined length, respectively, and are inserted through the through hole 1 from the insertion opening 12a side of the sleeve-shaped ferrule cleaning unit 12.
2b.

Then, the ferrule 32a of the optical connector 32 to be cleaned is inserted into the through hole 12b from the ferrule insertion opening 12a of the sleeve-shaped ferrule cleaning section 12, and when the ferrule 32a is rotated, the ferrule 32a extends from the tip to the end of the ferrule 32a. Is cleaned by the cleaning bodies 13 and 13a.

Hereinafter, the same procedure is repeated to clean the outer peripheral surface of the ferrule 32a of the optical connector 32.

According to this embodiment, the unused portions of the two cleaning members 13 and 13a are always housed in the housing 11, and the knob 24 is turned only when cleaning the outer peripheral surface of the ferrule 32a. The two unused cleaning members 13 and 13a are respectively extended by a predetermined length to expose an unused portion from the inside of the housing 11 so that the through hole 12b is formed from the ferrule insertion opening 12a side of the sleeve-shaped ferrule insertion portion 12. Can be inserted into the
You can always clean the cleaning body in a clean state.

FIG . 8 is a perspective view showing another embodiment of the optical connector cleaning tool .

In this drawing, reference numeral 33 denotes a cup-shaped ferrule cleaning section having a columnar space and having a bottom portion 33a, and a sheet-shaped cleaning section is provided on a part or the entire inner surface of the cup-shaped ferrule cleaning section 33. The body 13b is attached, and a thin rod-shaped handle 33b is fixed to an arbitrary position of the cup-shaped ferrule cleaning portion 33, for example, a bottom portion 33a.

Since the handle 33b is fixed to the bottom 33a of the cup-shaped ferrule cleaning section 33 having the sheet-shaped cleaning body 13b attached to the inner surface, the cup-shaped ferrule cleaning section 33 is to be cleaned with the handle 33b. When the ferrule 32a of the optical connector is inserted and rotated, the outer peripheral surface of the ferrule is reliably cleaned by the sheet-shaped cleaning body 13b.

According to this embodiment, the outer peripheral surface of the ferrule can be easily and simply cleaned in the connection work of the optical connector. The cost is also reduced.

FIG. 9 is a schematic view showing still another embodiment of the optical connector cleaning tool according to the present invention.

In this figure, the description of the same reference numerals as those shown in FIGS. 1 to 7 is omitted. 34,
Reference numeral 35 denotes two supply reels on which two unused flexible tape-shaped cleaning members 13 and 13a are wound, respectively.
The two shafts 34a and 35a are separately provided so as to be rotatable in opposite directions. Reference numeral 36 denotes a motor, and reference numeral 37 denotes one take-up reel configured to take up the two cleaning bodies 13 and 13a appropriately connected to the shaft of the motor 36.

According to this embodiment, the tape-shaped cleaning body 1 is separated from the two supply reels 34 and 35 by the motor 36.
By unreeling the cleaning members 13 and 13a sequentially, the unused portions of the cleaning members 13 and 13a are inserted into the through holes 12b from the ferrule insertion opening 12a side of the sleeve-shaped ferrule cleaning portion 12, and the sleeve-shaped ferrule cleaning portion 1 is removed.
The two cleaning bodies 13 and 13a after use in the inside 2 are wound around one take-up reel 37.

While the motor 36 is being driven, a new unused portion of the cleaning body 13 or 13a always passes through the sleeve-shaped ferrule cleaning section 12, and the ferrule 32a of the optical connector 32 to be cleaned is always passed. Is inserted from the ferrule insertion opening 12a of the sleeve-shaped ferrule cleaning section 12 into the through hole 12b, and when the ferrule 32a is rotated, the outer peripheral surface from the front end to the back of the ferrule 32a becomes the cleaning body 1
It is cleaned in a short time by 3, 13a. Therefore,
Work efficiency is improved.

In each of the embodiments of the optical connector cleaning tool according to the present invention, the sleeve-shaped ferrule cleaning section 12 is used so that the cleaning bodies 13 and 13a apply an appropriate contact pressure to the outer peripheral surface of the ferrule 32a. It is desirable that the inner diameter of the ferrule insertion opening 12a is slightly larger than the diameter of the ferrule 32a.

Since the tapered portion is formed at the tip of the ferrule 32a, the sleeve-shaped ferrule cleaning portion 12 is formed.
Even if the inner diameter of the ferrule insertion opening 12a is equal to or slightly smaller than the diameter of the ferrule 32a, it can be used if at least one slit is provided in the longitudinal direction. .

[0046]

According to the present invention, a sleeve-shaped ferrule is cleaned.
Housing with part and rotatable inside said housing
A flexible tape-shaped cleaning body attached to the
And the supply reel inserted into the housing so as to be rotatable.
Inside the sleeve-shaped ferrule cleaning section
A take-up reel configured to take up the cleaning body after use,
Then, the cleaning body is sequentially repeated from the supply reel by a predetermined length.
The unused part is removed by the sleeve-shaped ferrule.
Is supplied to the through hole from the ferrule insertion port side of the
The used cleaning body is taken up on the take-up reel.
Is provided with a tape-shaped cleaning body.
Each unused part of the cleaning body is stored in the housing.
Is not in use, only when cleaning the outer peripheral surface of the ferrule.
By pulling out the used cleaning elements by a certain length
Unused parts are exposed from inside the housing and
Penetrates from the ferrule insertion opening side of the beveled ferrule insertion part
It is sufficient to insert it into the hole, and always keep the cleaning
There is an effect that the outer peripheral surface of the ferrule can be cleaned.

[0047]

[0048]

[Brief description of the drawings]

FIG. 1 is a perspective view showing an embodiment of an optical connector cleaning tool according to the present invention.

FIG. 2 is a front view of the same.

FIG. 3 is a side view of the lower half in section.

FIG. 4 is a plan view of the same.

FIG. 5 is an exploded cross-sectional view of a supply reel used in the cleaning tool of the optical connector of FIG. 1;

FIG. 6 is an exploded cross-sectional view of a take-up reel used for the cleaning tool of the optical connector of FIG. 1;

FIG. 7 is a sectional view showing a main part of the present invention.

FIG. 8 is a perspective view showing another embodiment of the optical connector cleaning tool.

FIG. 9 is a schematic view showing still another embodiment of the optical connector cleaning tool according to the present invention.

──────────────────────────────────────────────────続 き Continued on the front page (72) Inventor Toshiaki Nakano 6-18-12 Meguro-Honcho, Meguro-ku, Tokyo Inside Honda Communication Industry Co., Ltd. (72) Inventor Hiromasa Okamura 6-18, Meguro-Honcho, Meguro-ku, Tokyo No. 12 Honda Motor Co., Ltd. (72) Ryo Nagase, Inventor Ryo Nagase 1-1-6, Uchisaiwai-cho, Chiyoda-ku, Tokyo Nippon Telegraph and Telephone Corporation (72) Shinichi Iwano 1-1-6, Uchisaiwai-cho, Chiyoda-ku, Tokyo No. Nippon Telegraph and Telephone Corporation (72) Inventor Noboru Hino 3-16-3 Higashiikebukuro, Toshima-ku, Tokyo NTT International Corporation (56) References JP-A-4-298707 (JP) JP-A-2-171706 (JP, A) JP-A-2-264907 (JP, A) JP-A-1-281405 (JP, A) JP-A-3-75709 (JP, A) Hei 6-242347 (JP, A) Actual opening Hei 3-35690 (JP, U) Actual opening Hei 4-59809 (JP, U) Actual opening Hei 6-68011 (JP, U) Actual opening Hei 3-117209 (JP , U) (58) Field surveyed (Int. Cl. ⁷ , DB name) G02B 6/24 G02B 6/36-6/40 B08B 9/00-11/04

Claims (4)

(57) [Claims] A cleaning tool for cleaning an outer peripheral surface of a ferrule of an optical connector, wherein a sleeve-shaped ferrule cleaning portion is provided.
Housing and rotatably mounted in the housing
The tape-shaped cleaning body having a flexible
Supply reel and rotatably mounted in the housing
After use in the sleeve-shaped ferrule cleaning part
Take-up reel for winding up the cleaning body
The cleaning body is sequentially fed out from the supply reel by a predetermined length.
The unused portion is removed by the sleeve-shaped ferrule cleaning section.
Is supplied to the through hole from the ferrule insertion port side of
Tape on which the cleaning element is wound on a take-up reel
Cleaning tool of the optical connector, characterized in that a and Jo of the cleaning element. 2. A cleaning tool for cleaning an outer peripheral surface of a ferrule of an optical connector, wherein a sleeve-shaped ferrule cleaning portion is provided.
Housing and rotatably mounted in this housing
An unused unused flexible tape-like cleaning body is
Two supply reels each wound and in the housing
Said sleeve-shaped ferrule rotatably mounted on said ferrule
Take up each of the two cleaning bodies after use in the cleaning section
With one take-up reel and these two
Each of the cleaning bodies from the supply reel is sequentially moved by a fixed length.
Unused part is extended by the sleeve
Into the through hole from the ferrule insertion port side of the
So that the used cleaning element is taken up on the take-up reel.
And a tape-shaped cleaning body,
Supply reels rotate in opposite directions on the same axis or on two axes
A cleaning tool for an optical connector, wherein the cleaning tool is provided separately as possible . 3. A sleeve according to claim 1 or claim 2.
The inside diameter of the ferrule cleaning part is slightly smaller than the diameter of the ferrule
An optical connector cleaning tool characterized by having a large diameter . 4. A sleeve according to claim 1 or claim 2.
Inner diameter of ferrule cleaning part is equal to ferrule diameter
Or slightly smaller diameter, longitudinal
The least one cleaning tool of the optical connector, characterized in that a slit.