JPH08106027A - Cleaning jig for connecting end face of ferrule - Google Patents

Abstract

PURPOSE: To efficiently clean the connecting end faces of a ferrule and to prevent the production of waste threads by use of a swab by providing a hollow part with a swab insertion hole offset in its center form the outer peripheral surface. CONSTITUTION: The swab 6 is inserted from a guide part 7 side into the swab insertion hole 1a and is pushed until the swab comes into contact with a narrow part 3. At this time, the wiping part of the swab 6 comes into contact with a projecting part 2 on the narrow part 3 side of a cleaning jig 1 and is, therefore, positioned into this cleaning jig 1 by offcentering the swab from the axial line of the cleaning jig 1 by inserting the swab in such a manner that the swab is pinched between the projecting part 2 and the inside wall surface of the cleaning jig 1. The wiping part comes into contact with the narrow part 3, by which the projecting amt. from the narrow part 3 is regulated within an adequate range. Next, the part of the handle of the swab 6 is clamped and turned when the pushing in of the swab 6 is completed. At this time, the cleaning jig 1 is integrally turned together with the swab 6 in split sleeves 8. Since the swab 6 is offcentered from the axial line of the cleaning jig 1, the swab is turned around the axial line of the cleaning jig 1 by turning.

Description

Detailed Description of the Invention

[0001]

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention The present invention relates to a ferrule connection end face cleaning jig suitable for use in cleaning a ferrule connection end face housed in a receptacle of a single-fiber optical connector.

[0002]

2. Description of the Related Art To clean the end face of a ferrule housed in the receptacle of a single-fiber optical connector, insert a small-diameter cotton swab into the receptacle, and bring the tip of the swab into contact with the ferrule tip. It has been common in the past to rotate around the axis to wipe off dirt.

[0003]

By the way, in the case of the method of cleaning the ferrule connection end face as described above, the inner ferrule connection end face and the swab are on the same central axis line, and when the swab is manually rotated, There has been a problem that the contact surface is located only at the center of the ferrule connection end surface and unwiping is left behind, so that the entire ferrule connection end surface cannot be sufficiently removed. Also, when cleaning the ferrule connection end face installed in the split sleeve for positioning, the cotton swab easily hits the cracked portion of the split sleeve and thread waste is easily generated, and this thread waste remains in the split sleeve to worsen connection loss. There was a case to do. There is also a problem that the thread waste is easily caught between the inner ferrule and the split sleeve or in the split portion of the split sleeve, and it is difficult to completely remove the waste thread.

The present invention has been made in view of the above-mentioned problems, and it is possible to efficiently clean the ferrule connection end surface, and to prevent the generation of thread waste due to the use of a cotton swab. The purpose is to provide a jig.

[0005]

A cleaning jig for a ferrule connection end face according to claim 1 is a cleaning jig for cleaning a ferrule connection end face of a single-core optical connector, which is a ferrule support for a single-core optical connector. The swab insertion hole is formed in a cylindrical shape that can be inserted into the portion and is rotatable in the inserted state, and the hollow portion is a cotton swab insertion hole whose core is displaced from the outer peripheral surface.

According to a second aspect of the present invention, there is provided a cleaning jig for a ferrule connection end surface, wherein the ferrule connection end surface cleaning jig has a protrusion on at least an inner wall surface of the swab insertion hole on the adapter end side. The provision of at least one location was taken as a means for solving the above problems.

According to a third aspect of the present invention, there is provided a cleaning jig for the ferrule connection end face according to the third aspect, wherein the ferrule connection end face cleaning jig has a cross section at the tip of the swab insertion hole toward the adapter end. At least one narrow portion having a reduced size is formed as a means for solving the above problems.

[0008]

According to the cleaning jig for the ferrule connection end face according to claim 1, the cleaning jig is inserted into the adapter side of the single-core optical connector, and the swab is inserted into the swab insertion hole of the cleaning jig as the mating ferrule. Push it in until it hits and rotate the swab while maintaining contact between the swab and the ferrule connection end face.
The cleaning jig rotates together with the swab. The cleaning jig eccentrically supports the cotton swab inserted in the cotton swab insertion hole with respect to its own axis, so that the swab rotates around the ferrule shaft as a result of rotation of the cleaning jig to remove dust. Wipe off etc.

According to the second aspect of the invention, there is provided a cleaning jig for the ferrule connection end face, wherein the projection presses the cotton swab inserted into the swab insertion hole in the radial direction of the cleaning jig, and the axial line of the cleaning jig. Eccentric cotton swab.

According to the cleaning jig for the ferrule connection end surface of the third aspect, the tip of the swab inserted into the swab insertion hole comes into contact with the narrowed portion, so that the amount of protrusion of the swab tip from the end of the swab insertion hole is increased. It is regulated within a certain range.

[0011]

DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS An embodiment of a cleaning tool for the ferrule connection end face of the present invention will be described below with reference to FIGS. Reference numeral 1 in the drawing is a cleaning jig for the ferrule connection end surface of the present invention. As shown in FIGS. 1 and 2, the cleaning jig 1 is formed of a metal material in a substantially cylindrical shape. Cleaning jig 1
The hollow portion is a swab insertion hole 1a into which the swab is inserted. The swab insertion hole 1a has a circular cross section with a substantially uniform diameter dimension over the entire axial direction, and is formed concentrically with the cleaning jig 1. A protrusion formed by bending and deforming the cleaning jig 1 in the cross-sectional direction at a portion from the insertion side end portion (left side in FIGS. 1 and 4) of the swab insertion hole 1a of the cleaning jig 1 to the central portion in the longitudinal direction. Two are provided. The protrusion 2 is a protrusion protruding inside the swab insertion hole 1a. At the tip of the insertion side of the swab insertion hole 1a, there is provided a narrow portion 3 in which the swab insertion hole 1a is reduced in diameter all around. As shown in FIG. 4, the narrow portion 3 has a tip end having a diameter dimension equal to or slightly larger than the connecting end face 5 (ferrule connecting end face) of the ferrule 4 in which the optical fiber F to be cleaned is integrated. It has a circular shape. The cleaning jig 1
At the end portion of the swab insertion side (right side of FIGS. 1 and 4), there is provided a guide portion 7 formed by expanding the end portion to guide the swab 6 into the cleaning jig 1. . Cotton swab 6
Has a wiping portion 6a formed in a shape that can be inserted into the cleaning jig 1 and cannot be pulled out from the narrow portion 3.

The method of using the cleaning jig 1 will be described below with reference to FIG.
The cleaning of the connection end surface 5 of the ferrule 4 of the optical connector shown in FIG. The ferrule 4 of the optical connector used here is a cylindrical type made of zirconia ceramic and has a split sleeve 8 for positioning which is fitted into the optical adapter R.
The optical plug P and the ferrule of the receptacle are joined inside. A single-core optical fiber F is inserted and fixed in the center of the ferrule 4. Further, the ferrule 4 receives the pressing force of the spring 4b incorporated in the optical plug P by the collar portion 4a protruding from the outer peripheral portion,
It is constantly pressed outward with a predetermined pressing force. First, with respect to the split sleeve 8 serving as the ferrule support portion of the optical adapter R, the cleaning jig 1 is provided at the end of the split sleeve 8 on the side where the ferrule 4 is not inserted (the right side in FIG. 3). Insert as the back side. Next, the cotton swab 6 is inserted from the guide portion 7 side into the cotton swab insertion hole 1a and pushed until it comes into contact with the narrow portion 3. At this time, the wiping portion 6a of the cotton swab 6 is
Since the cleaning jig 1 comes into contact with the protruding portion 2 on the narrow portion 3 side, the cleaning jig 1 is eccentric to the axis of the cleaning jig 1 so as to be sandwiched between the protruding portion 2 and the inner wall surface of the cleaning jig 1. It is located in the jig 1. Further, the wiping portion 6a is brought into contact with the narrow portion 3 so that the amount of protrusion from the narrow portion 3 is regulated within an appropriate range. Then, when the pushing of the swab 6 is completed, the handle portion of the swab 6 is gripped and rotated. At this time, the cleaning jig 1 rotates together with the swab 6 in the split sleeve 8. Further, since the swab 6 is eccentric with respect to the axis of the cleaning jig 1, the swab 6 is rotated to rotate.
It rotates around its axis. As a result, the entire connecting end surface 5 of the ferrule 4 is cleaned by the tip of the swab 6 protruding from the narrow portion 3.

Therefore, according to the cleaning jig 1 for the ferrule connection end surface of the present invention, the swab 6 is rotated in the split sleeve 8 while being housed in the swab insertion hole 1a. Since there is no contact with the split sleeve 8, the generation of yarn waste can be suppressed, the connection loss can be maintained at a low level, and the contact boundary surface between the ferrule 4 and the split sleeve 8 or the contact between the split sleeves 8 can be suppressed. The contact boundary surface prevents the waste material from being caught in the cleaning jig 1, and the waste material is the ferrule 4
Can be prevented from returning to the connection end face 5. Further, since the swab 6 is eccentric from the axis of the cleaning jig 1, the swab 6 rotates around the axis of the cleaning jig 1. Therefore, the tip of the swab 6 is not limited to the center of the connecting end surface 5 of the ferrule 4 but also the connecting end surface 5 thereof. It is possible to make even contact with the entire surface of the sheet and prevent waste and unevenness in the cleaning work. In addition, in the swab insertion hole 1a, the swab 6 is pressed by the protrusion 2 to be in pressure contact with the inner wall surface of the swab insertion hole 1a and gripped by the cleaning jig 1, so that the swab 6 is rotated. When swab 6
Also, the cleaning jig 1 can be stably rotated, and the occurrence of scratches on the connection end surface 5 of the ferrule 4 can be prevented. Furthermore, the swab insertion hole 1a of the wiping portion 6a of the swab 6
Since the protrusion from the tip is restricted within a certain range by the narrow portion 3, it is possible to prevent the wiping portion 6a from being crushed by being pressed against the end surface of the ferrule 4 and to further prevent the generation of thread waste. .

The protrusion may be formed over the entire length of the swab insertion hole in the longitudinal direction. The material for forming the cleaning jig may be ceramic, hard resin, or the like, other than metal. The front end surface and the outer peripheral surface of the cleaning jig may be sliding surfaces with respect to the ferrule connection end surface and the split sleeve inner surface. In this case, the rotation of the cleaning jig in the split sleeve is stable, and it is possible to prevent the ferrule and the fiber from being damaged due to contact. The swab insertion hole may be formed eccentrically with respect to the cleaning jig. In this case, the protrusion may or may not be provided.

[0015]

As described above, according to the cleaning tool for the ferrule connection end face according to the first aspect of the invention, it is formed into a cylindrical shape which can be inserted into the ferrule support portion of the single-core optical connector and which can be rotated in the inserted state. The hollow portion is a cotton swab insertion hole whose core is displaced from the outer peripheral surface, and the swab is rotated in the split sleeve while being housed in the swab insertion hole. There is no contact, the generation of lint can be suppressed, the connection loss can be maintained at a low level, and the contact boundary surface between the ferrule inside the receptacle and the split sleeve and the contact boundary between the split sleeves. It is possible to prevent the thread waste from being caught on the surface, and to prevent the thread waste from returning to the ferrule connection end surface. Also,
Since the swab is eccentric from the axis of the cleaning jig and rotates around the axis of the cleaning jig, the tip of the swab will not only contact the center of the ferrule connection end face but also the entire cleaning range of the ferrule connection end face. Therefore, it is possible to prevent waste and unevenness in the cleaning work.

According to the second aspect of the present invention, there is provided at least one protruding portion on the inner wall surface of the swab insertion hole at least the insertion end portion into the receptacle. When the swab inserted in the is pressed against the protrusion, a gripping force is generated between the cleaning jig and the swab, and the swab and the cleaning jig can be rotated stably, causing damage to the ferrule connection end surface. Can be prevented.

According to the third aspect of the present invention, there is provided at least one narrow portion having a reduced cross-sectional size at the tip of the swab insertion hole into the receptacle. Since the protrusion of the swab wiping part from the tip of the swab insertion hole is restricted within a certain range by the narrow part, crushing etc. of the wiping part due to being pressed against the ferrule connection end surface is prevented, and the generation of lint is prevented. It can be prevented more completely.

[Brief description of drawings]

FIG. 1 is a side view showing an embodiment of a cleaning jig for a ferrule connection end surface of the present invention.

FIG. 2 is a sectional view showing an embodiment of a cleaning jig for a ferrule connection end surface of the present invention.

FIG. 3 is a side view showing a method for cleaning a ferrule connection end face using a ferrule connection end face cleaning jig of the present invention.

FIG. 4 is a side sectional view showing a method for cleaning a ferrule connection end face using a ferrule connection end face cleaning jig of the present invention.

[Explanation of symbols]

1 ... Cleaning jig, 1a ... Swab insertion hole, 2 ... Projection part, 3 ... Narrow part, 4 ... Ferrule, 5 ... Connection end face, 8 ... Ferrule support part (split sleeve), R ... Optical adapter

Claims (3)

[Claims] 1. A cleaning jig for cleaning a ferrule connection end face of a single-core optical connector, which is formed into a cylindrical shape that can be inserted into a ferrule support portion of the single-core optical connector and is rotatable in an inserted state. A cleaning jig for a ferrule connection end face, wherein the hollow portion is a cotton swab insertion hole whose core is displaced from the outer peripheral surface. 2. The ferrule connection end face cleaning jig according to claim 1, wherein at least one protrusion is provided on at least one inner wall surface of the swab insertion hole into the receptacle. 3. The ferrule according to claim 1, wherein at least one narrow portion having a reduced cross-sectional dimension is formed at the tip of the swab insertion hole on the side of the insertion end portion into the receptacle. Cleaning jig for connecting end face.