MXPA98004866A - Fiber opt cable cleaner - Google Patents

Abstract

A device is described for cleaning the tips of the optical fibers which have been installed in a connector, such as a plug or a receptacle. The device includes a tool body having cleaning means thereon, such as a strip of adhesive tape and a retainer for releasably attaching the connector to the body of the tool. The adhesive tape can be in the form of a roll on a supply spool. In the one-pin mode, the tool body has an aperture properly formed to receive the pin and push rods are provided with the tool body which contact the fibers and propel them toward a cleaning position. . In the embodiment designed for a receptacle, the receptacle is modified by having a tilt arm which can move the fibers to the cleaning position and the tool body includes features to operate the tilt arm as the body of the body moves. the tool is inserted into the receptacle. Alternative designs are presented in which the cleaning means are not located in the body of the tool, but are applied manually to the fibr

Description

OPTICAL FIBER CABLE CLEANER BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION Field of the invention The present invention relates in general to devices for preparing the terminal end of a telecommunications line (be it voice, data, video, etc.) to improve the quality of a connection in the line and more particularly with a device for cleaning the end face of an optical fiber to be interconnected with another optical fiber or with an optoelectronic component.

DESCRIPTION OF PRIOR ART Optical fibers have replaced copper wire as the preferred means of transporting telecommunication signals. In a similar way to copper wire, it is necessary to provide the interconnection of optical fibers, during the installation, repair or replacement of the fibers and to finish the fibers on active optical devices. There are generally two kinds of interconnection devices, splices and connectors. The term "splice" usually refers to a device which provides a permanent connection between a pair of optical fibers. In contrast, the term "connector" usually refers to a device which can be coupled and uncoupled repeatedly, often with a plug or receptacle REF: 27679 different. A connector can also refer to the plug portion of a fiber termination, which is attached to an optical device. Optical devices include, for example, optical detectors (photoelectric diodes) and light sources (LEDs, laser diodes). The termination of an optical fiber can be indirect, that is the fiber can be connected to some other optical device (passive) such as a beam splitter or polarizer, before the light beam is directed to the active optical device. The present invention is directed generally to the cleaning of a terminal end face of an optical fiber to be used in a connector or splice, but these terms should not be interpreted in a limiting sense, since the present invention can be used in designs of plug and receptacle which provide a permanent or temporary connection or termination. In the fiber optic connector described in U.S. Patent No. 5,381,498, the connector has a plug and a receptacle, the plug has a V-shaped slit, which receives the fiber, for each fiber to be interconnected, with the end of the fiber that ends in the middle part of the slit. The receptacle has a plate which retracts as the pin is inserted, whereby another fiber is lowered into the V-shaped groove of the pin. After full insertion of the plug, the two ends of the fiber are in contact and the fiber secured to the receptacle elastically deforms to maintain a continuous compression load between the terminal ends of the fibers. The connector provides for rapid disconnection and reconnection of a plurality of pairs of optical fibers, without the use of splice sleeves or other alignment elements. A high-strength fiber can be used to support the repeated insertions and arcs of the fibers. The exact lengths of the fibers (that is, the relative locations of their terminal ends in the plug and the receptacle) are not critical, since tolerance is provided by the clearance in the arcuate receptacle fiber (the terminal portion of the fiber secured). the plug is not arched, but always remains straight). The ends of the fibers can be prepared by simple cutting and beveling; the end faces can optionally be inserted at an angle (ie, not orthogonal to the fiber axis) to reduce signal reflections. In the '498 patent connector, it is mandatory that the user or technician installing the plug or receptacle keep the terminal end faces of the fibers as clean as possible to minimize losses in the transmission of light through the connection . Since this design is planned for the repeated insertion of a plug into a receptacle, it is possible that the ends of the fiber of the plug or plug become contaminated while the plug is outside the receptacle and it is also possible that the powder enters the receptacle and contaminates the fibers that are in it. Accordingly, it may be necessary to clean the fibers after they have been fixed to the plug or housing of the receptacle. When the fibers are originally installed, they are normally cut to produce a fractured end face, which can be further polished or beveled and then cleaned by rinsing the end with a clear cloth which has been immersed, for example, in alcohol isopropyl This objective is difficult to carry out after installation, since in many designs, such as the receptacle of the '498 patent, the fibers are located within a housing in such a way that it is difficult to access them. Another fiber cable cleaner, sold by Molex, is essentially a box with a window, and a free-spool cloth reel located in the box. When opening a door in the window, a portion of the fabric is left exposed, in such a way that the fibers can be pushed against the surface of the fabric for cleaning. This design also requires that the fibers be exposed freely. Japanese Patent Application (Not Examined) No. 7-287124 describes the use of cleaning means for cleaning an optical fiber. A solvent is directed into the cleaning strips while a fiber end is retained between the strips. However, this device also requires that the fiber be exposed, in such a way that it can be inserted into the device and also cleans the sides of the fiber, but does not necessarily clean the tip of the fibers. It would therefore be desirable and advantageous to devise a fiber optic cable cleaner which not only allows the cleaning of the end faces of the fiber, which are otherwise inaccessible within the connector housing, but also avoids the use of solvents. liquids that must be applied to the fibers or cleaning means.BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION The present invention provides a device for cleaning the tip of an optical fiber retained in a connector, the device comprising: a tool body, means for releasably attaching said tool body to the connector, cleaning means located in the body of the tool and means for driving the tip of the optical fiber towards the cleaning means when the tool body is attached to the connector. Different modalities are presented to clean fibers in a pin against a receptacle (socket). Either in one embodiment or another, the cleaning means preferably consist of an adhesive strip. The adhesive strip must be wound on a supply reel, located inside the body of the tool; in this case, it is preferable to provide an adhesive strip having a coated release layer on one side of the strip opposite the adhesive side of the strip, to ensure that the adhesive layer does not come off when the reel is advanced. When this happens, a fresh surface of the cleaning means is presented to the tip of the optical fiber. It is more preferable that the tip of the optical fiber is generally perpendicular to the cleaning means when the tip contacts the means. In the pin cleaner mode, the tool body has an opening for receiving the pin. If the plug has a movable door thereon to provide access to the fibers, then the tool body can be provided with means for driving the door on the pin, such as a cam surface formed in the opening of the tool body. , adapted to push the door to the sides after the insertion of the plug into the opening. In the receptacle cleaner embodiment, the tool body has a leading end whose shape is adapted to enter the opening of the receptacle. The receptacle may have therein, a tilting mechanism, which may lift the fibers from their normal operating position to a cleaning position and in this case, the tool body, includes means for operating the custom tilt mechanism. that the body of the tool enters the opening of the receptacle. Simpler implements can be provided either for a pin or receptacle to move the fibers to an accessible position, whereby they can be manually cleaned with a small strip of material having an adhesive layer at the end of the strip. In these designs, no cleaning medium (ie, adhesive tape) is located inside the body of the tool.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS The invention will be better understood by reference to the accompanying drawings, in which: Figure 1 is a side view of a longitudinal section of a connector, which can be cleaned using the present invention, the fiber connector Optics includes a plug and receptacle. Figure 2 is a perspective view of the plug and receptacle of Figure 1, with a partial section revealing the arcuate fibers inside the plug. Figure 3 is a perspective view of one embodiment of the plug used with the plug. Connector present with a sliding door. Figure 4 is a perspective view of another embodiment of the plug used with the present connector, with the plug cover omitted to reveal the interior details. Figure 5 is a perspective view of one embodiment of the receptacle used with the present connector, with an articulated door having cam surfaces which cooperate with the cam surfaces found in the door of the plug. Figure 6 is a sectional view of a tool used to clean the tips of the fibers in a pin. Figure 7 is a sectional view of a tool used to clean the tips of the fibers in a modified receptacle.

Figure 8 is a perspective view of another modified receptacle having a part that positions the fiber for cleaning. Figure 9 is a perspective view showing the insertion of a plug into an alternative cable cleaner. Figure 10 is a rear perspective view showing the plug fully inserted into the cable cleaner of Figure 9.

DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT Referring now to the figures, and in particular with reference to FIGS. 1 and 2, there is shown a connector 10, having optical fibers, the ends of which can be cleaned with the fiber optic cable cleaner of the present invention. The connector 10 generally comprises an elongate plug 12 and a receptacle 14. Figure 1 is a longitudinal section of the connector 10 showing the plug 12 fully inserted into the receptacle 14 and the receptacle 14 mounted on a support surface or screen 16. Figure 2 is a perspective view with the screen 16 omitted. Also with a partial longitudinal section to illustrate the interior of the connector. The illustrated embodiment provides for the interconnection of two fiber pairs, but those skilled in the art will appreciate that the concepts of the invention described herein extend to a single pair of interconnection, also as the interconnection of a multiplicity of pairs. The plug 12 also shown in Figure 3 includes a fiber carrier 18 which can be constructed of two fastening elements or blocks 20 and 22 and a plug or cover body 24, which is attached to the fiber carrier 18. The cover 24 can be detachably attached to the fiber carrier 18 of the pin by means of, for example, fasteners 26 integrally molded on the blocks 20 and 22, which engage with the guide notches or cutouts 28, formed in FIG. the corresponding walls of the cover 24. The fibers 30 and 32, which are to be interconnected or terminated, pass through the carrier 18 and into the hollow interior of the cover 24. The end portions of the fibers are stripped, that is, they are not fixed to any alignment element, such as a splice sleeve. Accordingly, the cover 24 serves not only to assist in physically locating the plug 12 in the receptacle 14, but also to provide protection for the otherwise exposed terminal portions of the fibers (the cover can be made retractable to fully expose the fiber tips, if required). The carrier 18 has slits 34 receiving the fiber, formed on the adjacent surfaces of the blocks 20 and 22. These two components can be identical parts. The carrier 18 can secure the fibers, for example, by fastening, adhesives or both. Alternative means may be used to secure the fibers to the carrier 18. The carrier 18 may have an extension 36 surrounding the fibers for additional strain relief and fastening. A sheath 38 can be provided to further relieve tension and capture the reinforcing elements in the fiber cable (KEVLAR strands) and to help handle the peg 12. The reinforcing elements do not need to be wavy, but can be adhered on the carrier. Relief to the tension of the reinforcing elements is obtained by a forced adjustment of the straight wall section of the fiber carrier of the plug within the sheath. This depends on the choice of materials used for the sleeve and the fiber plug carrier and produces a design that does not require a tie-down ring and which helps facilitate manufacturing and reduces the number of necessary components. Alternatively, an extension can be formed on the carrier with a "tortuous" (irregular) path to hold the strands and retain the sheath with an interference fit. "Unidirectional" spikes on the surface of the pin fiber carrier, they help in the union of the sheath to the fiber carrier of the plug, which also helps the connection of the cable to the plug. In the embodiment of Figures 1 and 2, a fastener 40 is integrally molded on one side of the cover 24 to releasably secure the plug 12 to the receptacle 14. The fastener 40 also imparts mechanical polarization to the plug, that is, only it can be inserted into the receptacle 14 in one orientation. The plug 12 can be biased in the interconnected position, that is, by a trampoline (flexible element) formed within the receptacle 14 to be urged back against the fastener 40 to minimize the effect of manufacturing tolerances. Figure 4 illustrates a mode slightly different 12 'of a pin. This embodiment employs a similar cover, which is omitted from Figure 4 to better illustrate the alternate fiber carrier 18 'and the interior features. The carrier 18 'is formed again from two blocks 20' and 22 ', but these two blocks are not identical in this mode. First, the block 22 'has an extension or surface between grooves 42, which has several vertical posts 44, 46 and 48. These posts serve to guide the fibers within the cover 24 to an appropriate position for placement in the V-shaped slits of the receptacle 14 as discussed further below, and limit the obliquity of the fibers, to ensure proper alignment of the tips of the fibers with the openings in the cover 24. The fastener 40 'is molded in block 22 'along the underside of surface 42 between grooves. Secondly, the fiber passages in the carrier 18 'are formed by providing V-shaped slits 24' only in the block 22 ', with the corresponding surface of the block 20', which is flat to provide only three holding surfaces of fiber. The V-shaped slots 34 'are additionally accommodated in the block 22' and steps 50 are formed in the block 20 'which settle in the recesses and facilitate the proper joining of the blocks together. The fibers 30 and 32 generally extend straight within the cover 24 provided that the pin 12 (or the pin 12 ') is not installed in the receptacle 14. The fibers are "generally" straight, since they extend without a significant arcing, although there could be some small flexion of the fibers as a result of gravity. Sufficient space is provided within the cover 24, however, to allow the fibers to arch significantly, as seen in Figures 1 and 2, when the plug is fully inserted into the receptacle. The front end 52 of the cover 24 has a pair of slits 54 and 56 formed therein, which provide access to the terminal ends of the fibers located within the cover 24. A bell or door 58 is slidably attached to the cover. front end 52 of the cover 24, with two covers or bars 60, 62, which are superimposed on the slits 54 and 56 respectively, when the door 58 is in the closed position of Figure 3. When the door 58 slides in the open position, the bars 60 and 62 move to allow access to the fibers 30 and 32 via the slits 54 and 56 respectively, without the need for the fibers to extend outwardly of the cover 24, although this would be acceptable in alternative designs. The door 58 is slidably attached to the cover 24 with a snap fit resulting from two tongue-and-groove arrangements 64 and 66 (Figure 1). In addition to prevent dust from entering through the slits, the door 58 also prevents any light in the fibers of the plug from coming out and reaching the user's eyes. As discussed below in connection with Figure 6, the door 58 can also reveal, in the open position, one or more holes in the upper part of the cover, which can receive push rods to tilt the fibers out of the openings 54 and 56 to allow cleaning of the fiber tips.

The receptacle 14, also shown in Figure 5, includes a body or housing 70 and another fiber carrier 72 (best seen in Figure 2). The housing 70 has an opening 74 whose size and shape generally correspond to those of the front end 52 of the plug 12. The housing 70 may also have appropriate features (such as retention arms 76) that allow it to be removably mounted to the screen 16, which may consist, for example, of an interconnection panel or a workstation connection or contact (wall connection front plate). The retention means can provide the assembly of the front of the panel, to allow all the preparation work done on that side or they can provide the mounting of the back of the panel, to allow all the preparation work to be done on the back side of the panel. The fibers of the receptacle (only one of which, 78 is visible in FIGS. 1 and 2) are secured to the receptacle fiber carrier 72, also by fastening, using a fastening plate 80 adapted to hold the fibers at a first end. of the carrier 72. The terminal ends of the fibers of the receptacle extend into fiber alignment slits formed in projections or hands 82 and 84 at a second end of the carrier 72 of the receptacle fiber. The slits are preferably V-shaped, although they may be more rounded, that is, U-shaped. An intermediate section 86 of the slits for fiber alignment is curved to hold the receptacle fibers in the slits, by the elastic impulse of the slightly arched fibers. Additional means, such as the fiber retention shown in Figure 7, can be provided to hold the fibers firmly in the slits. The fibers do not extend to the same fibers of the hands 82 and 84, but rather end at a sufficient distance from the tips to allow proper support of the fibers of the plug when the connector is in use. If the fiber-to-fiber contact is present very close to the tips of the V-shaped slots (or if the plug is inserted too far), the fiber of the pin can be bent beyond the slot and rise from the vertex to break the connection. The receptacle 14 can have as many of these hands with fiber alignment slits as the fibers in the plug 12. The hands 82 and 84 are formed to project to the slots 54 and 56, respectively of the cover 24 when the pin 12 is with respect to the axis of the pin, that is, the axis defined by either of the fibers of the pin 30 or 32, when they extend straight into the cover 24. This angle is preferably approximately 42 °, which balances concerns concerning the contact pressure of the end face of the fiber, the fiber forces directed to the V-shaped groove, the friction effects, and the desired tolerance space (a larger angle increases the tolerance) . Since the fibers of the receptacle are not directed towards the opening 74, there is no danger that the light escaping will reach the user's eyes. The fiber carrier 72 of the receptacle is rotatably attached to the housing 70 by providing posts on the first end of the carrier 72 which is inserted into guide cuts or notches 88 formed in one end of the housing 70 of the receptacle. The carrier 72 is releasably secured in place by using protrusions or pins formed on one side of the carrier, which engage with the holes 89 in the housing 70 of the receptacle. An alternative design can be used for the fiber carrier of the receptacle in which the carrier is molded as a single piece with a separate top or cover plate that can be snapped onto its base, the base has the positioning slots of the fibers. The receptacle 14 may also have a flap or door 90 to minimize the entry of contaminants through the opening 74. The described embodiment uses a receptacle door, which cooperates with the door of the plug to operate the door 58 of the plug between closed and open states as the plug 12 is inserted into the receptacle 14. Specifically, the receptacle door 90 has two cam surfaces 92 and 94, which interact with the cam surfaces 96 and 98 respectively, which are located on top of each other. the door 58 of the plug. The receptacle door 90 is hinged along an edge by the provision of poles 100 which are inserted into the guide grooves 102 in the housing 70 of the receptacle. Means (not shown) such as a spring or cam links molded into the part for predisposing the door 90 in the closed position can be used. When the plug 12 is inserted into the receptacle 14, the front end 52 and the door 58 of the plug are urged against the door 90 of the receptacle, to raise and open it. Then, the ram-shaped cam surface 94 begins to be forcedly engaged with the cam surface 98 on the door 58 of the plug, to push the door 58 to one side to reveal the slits 54 and 56. If the pin 12 is separated from receptacle 14, then ramp-shaped cam surface 92 is driven similarly against cam surface 96 as the pin is removed, to slide door 58 of the pin back to its closed position . The cover 24 has slits or indentations 104 and 106 to accommodate the cam surfaces 92 and 94 when the plug is in the receptacle, which also serves to additionally stabilize the connection. Other door designs can be implemented with the receptacle 14, such as a door, which is manually opened outwardly and closed. All components of the connector 10 (except the sleeve 38 of the plug) can be formed of any durable material, preferably an injection moisable polymer such as polycarbonate, VALOX (a polyester sold by General Electric), or RADEL (a polyarylsulphone sold by Amoco). The material can include conductive fillers to return to the semi conductor components, in order to minimize the triboelectric charge which can induce contamination of the end of the fiber. The sheath 38 is preferably formed of a low modulus copolyester elastomer, such as that available from RTP of Winona, Minnesota, under the material number 1559X67420B. The assembly and installation of the connector 10 is direct. Pin 12 is normally mounted in the factory, although it can be easily mounted in the field. In this regard, the term "pre-terminated" as used herein, refers simply to the attachment of the optical fibers to the plug 12 or receptacle 14 regardless of whether such binding occurs in the factory, the field or in other part. It will also be understood that the plug 12 or receptacle 14 could be mounted on a mating cable or interconnecting cable with any kind of optical connector at the other end of the fibers. It is recommended that fibers be used which have a long life when exposed to indoor environments, such as the high strength fibers available from Minnesota Mining and Manufacturing Co. (3M-transferee of the present invention). These fibers have a conventional core and coating, which is surrounded by a new three-layer construction, as discussed in U.S. Patent No. 5,381,504. Those skilled in the art will also appreciate that the connector can accommodate discrete optical fibers or multi-fiber slats, also as single-mode fibers and multi-modal fibers and that the cleaning device discussed below can be used with any such configuration . The fibers which are pre-finished, either to the plug 12 or the receptacle 14 must be stripped, cut and cleaned. If the fibers are in the form of a lath, which is part of a bundle of bundles on a cable, then a portion of the cable sheath must be cut first to reveal the laths. Most cables have several protective layers and each of these layers must be separated to provide access to the fiber slats. Similar steps must be carried out to separate the protective layers of a cable having a single discrete fiber. After the fibers have separated from the lining of the protective cable, they are stripped. Then, the stripped fibers are ready to be cut, which can be accomplished by using any of the commercially available fiber cutters, such as that shown in US Patent No. 5,024,363. The cutting length for the attachment of the fibers to the plug 12 is the distance from the fiber carrier 18 which is approximately 23 mm. For the attachment of the fibers to the receptacle 14, the cutting length is the distance from the fiber carrier 72 which is approximately 15 mm. Any fragment must be cleaned of the fibers using a lint-free cloth immersed in alcohol. Before separating the fibers from the cutter, the technician can inspect the fibers to confirm that the end faces in all the fibers are acceptable, that is, that they are smooth or uniform cuts without barbs or burrs. The fiber visor disclosed in US Patent No. 5,210,647 can be used for this purpose. Once the technician is satisfied that each of the fibers has an acceptable end face, the fibers can be separated from the cutter. The end faces of the fiber are preferably planar with a chamfered or bevelled (or at least partially bevelled) periphery to obtain the advantages associated with such a fiber end profile, as more fully described in US Patent Application No. of Series 08 / 122,755. The end faces of the fiber can alternatively be rounded (generally spherical). The fibers may additionally be provided with an asymmetric treatment, such as a cut to impart an angular end face, as taught in US Patent No. 5,048,908. If so, in order to minimize insertion losses and reflections, the fibers should be inserted in such a manner that the orientation of the angled end faces of a set of fibers (ie, on pin 12) complements the orientation of the fibers. the angular end faces of the other fiber bundle (ie, in the receptacle 14). For the fibers of the plug, the preparation of the fiber can be done after the fiber cable has been screwed tightly through the sheath 38. The final assembly of the plug 12 comprises the simple steps of fastening the fibers in the V-shaped slots of the carrier 18 and adjusting the cover 24 on the carrier 18. A mounting accessory can be used to guide the cover 24 over the fiber carrier of the pin to prevent damage to the fibers as they are inserted to the cover. The ends of the fibers of the plug should end approximately 0.5 mm from the end of the cover. The completion of the receptacle 14 is also simple. The fibers of the receptacle are fastened on the fiber carrier 72 when using the holding plate 80, with the ends of the fibers of the receptacle ending in the fiber alignment slots at about 15 mm from the tips of the hands 82 and 84. The fibers of the receptacle can be cut after securing them to the fiber carrier. The fibers can be mounted on the carrier by using the V-shaped slit to actually collect the fiber carrier from the cutter, to avoid contamination of the fiber tips, if coupling and guiding characteristics are provided on one or both parts. A drilling tool could also be used to simplify assembly. The fiber carrier 72 is attached to the housing 70, first by driving the pivot posts into the guide grooves 88, and then adjusting the pins in the holes 89. Care must be taken during the placement of the fibers in the V-shaped grooves and attachment of the carrier to the receptacle so as not to contaminate the tips of the fiber.

The installation of the connector 10 is equally direct. The receptacle 14 is optionally mounted to any desired surface by convenient means, such as retainer arms 76 (other constructions could be molded into the housing 70 for a desired assembly). Several receptacles could also be mounted in a single module and can be designed for front or rear loading or sliding from one side. After the receptacle 14 is mounted, the connection is consumed simply by inserting the plug 12 into the opening 74. The plug 12 is released from the receptacle 14 by the fastener 40. Figures 1 and 2 illustrate the full insertion of the plug. As the plug 12 is inserted, the door 90 opens and the door 58 of the cams open as described above, to allow the hands 82 and 84 to enter the slots 54 and 56 respectively. The fibers 30 and 32 of the pin contact the fiber alignment slits in the fiber carrier 72 and slide until their end faces butt into their respective end faces of the receptacle fibers and bow when the plug is fully inserted. The fibers of the plug can undergo an S-shaped curvature. All the strength of the fiber-to-fiber interface comes from the resilience (elastic deformation) of the arcuate fibers 30 and 32 which maintain a continuous compression load between the ends . The connector 10 is preferably designed to maintain a minimum radius of curvature of 0.762 cm (0.3 inches) on the fibers. The dimensions of the various components of the connector 10 can vary considerably depending on the desired application. The following approximate dimensions are considered exemplary. The plug 12 has an overall length of 57 mm, a width of 12 mm and a thickness of 8 mm and the fiber carrier 18 of the plug provides a fastening groove that is 13 mm long. The cover 24 of the plug extends 25 mm beyond the carrier 18, to provide an interior space which is 24 mm long, 10 mm wide and 6 mm high. The opening 74 of the receptacle 14 is 12 mm x 10 mm. Its total height and depth are 38 mm and 36 mm. The holder 72 of the receptacle fiber is 20 mm long (from the end where the fibers are attached to the tips of the hands 82 and 84). 12 mm wide and 1.5 mm thick. The fiber alignment slots on the hands 82 and 84 are 11.5 mm long and have a maximum depth of 2 mm which appropriately accommodates most conventional optical fibers. The inner angle of the V-shaped slits should not be too narrow, as this could result in excessive friction with the fibers, but neither should it be too wide since this would not keep the fibers properly guided. It is believed that an interior angle of 90 ° is a good intermediate solution. With further reference to Figures 6 and 7, those figures illustrate tools according to the present invention, used to clean the tips of various optical fibers. Figure 6 shows a tool 130 used to clean the tips of the fibers in the plug 12. The tool 130 has a body 132, adapted to be held in the hand, with an opening 134 in the body 132 to receive the plug 12. The tool 130 also has a drive element or lever 136 rotatably attached to the body 130 at 138. In Figure 6, the lever 136 is shown in the actuated position, a state in which a push rod or tab 140 enters a hole or slit 142 in the upper part of the plug cover and contacts the fibers of the plug, to force the ends of the fiber out of the cover through the slits 54, 56. position not actuated, the lever 136 oscillates from the opening 132 and retracts the push tab 140 in such a way that the pin 12 can enter the tool 130 without interfering with the push tab. The lever 136 is preferably predisposed or pushed towards the non-driven position, for example, by means of a spring. The opening 134 and the lever 136 are located in such a manner that the fibers of the pin, when pushed through the slits of the cover, are forcedly joined against the adhesive side 144 of the strip of the tape 146. The tape 146 it is detached from a roll of tape 148, which is stored in the tool body 132. Two rolls 150 and 152 are provided to allow the tape to advance in such a way that a new adhesive surface is present at the fiber tips. . For ease of use, the belt 146 can be wound around another roller 154, to form a wheel which engages a pawl 156. The pawl 156 is in turn located on another handle or rotary lever 158 attached to the tool body to 160. In this way, the user can advance the tape and clean the fibers of the pin by compressing or tightening the handle 158 while retaining the tool. The handle 158 can also be arranged by, for example, a spring, towards the external position. In an alternative embodiment, the lever 136 can be mechanically linked to the rollers 150 and 152, such that the adhesive tape is presented to the tip of the fiber in a generally perpendicular orientation, such that the fiber is not entrained. through the adhesive surface, but rather only the same end of the tip touches the adhesive surface. Figure 7 shows a tool 162 used to clean the tips of the fibers in a modified receptacle 14 '. The shape of the tool 162 is reminiscent of the plug 12, whereby it is adapted to be inserted into the receptacle 14 'in a similar manner. The receptacle 14 'is generally identical to the receptacle 14, except for the provision of certain features designed to lift the fibers of the receptacle up and out of the V-shaped slits for cleaning. These features include a fiber detent 164 and an inclination link 166. Fiber retainer 164 is rotatably attached to the fiber carrier at 168 and includes a block or bearing 170 located at one end of retainer arm 172, adapted to drive to the fibers to the V-shaped slit and keep them appropriately spliced therein. The bearing 170 can be molded in the fiber retainer. The other end of the retention arm 172 has thereon formed a protrusion or button 174 which pushes against the receptacle fibers when the retention arm 172 is in the actuated position, as shown in Figure 7. The thrust of the fibers through the protrusion 174 causes the fibers to flex outwardly from the V-shaped slits. Fiber retainer 164 is preferably biased by a spring 176 to the deactivated position, that is, by pushing the bearing 170 against the fibers to hold them in the V-shaped slits. The tool 162 includes a body 178, which, like the tool 130, also houses a supply reel 180 of adhesive tape 182. The rollers 184 and 186 serve to position the tape. 182 in such a way that its adhesive side can again be advanced to clean the ends of the fiber. The fibers are flexed when the tool 162 enters the receptacle 14 'by means of the tilt link 166, which includes two tilt arms 188 and 190 fixed together at another pivot point 192. A projection or protrusion of the actuator 194, formed on the The front end of the tool 162 pushes against the tilt arm 188, as the tool is inserted into the receptacle. This in turn causes the tilt arm 190 to rotate and push against a retention or handle 196 attached to the fiber detent 164. The forced contact between the tilt arm 190 and the handle 196 causes the fiber detent 164 to rotate about the point 168, thereby pushing the protrusion 174 against the fibers and flexing them out of the V-shaped slits. tape 182 in tool 162 can be rolled onto another spool 198, or body 178 of the exit tool in a manner similar to that shown in Figure 6 for the tool 130. A small dial or torsion rod may be attached to the winding reel 198 and extend outwardly of the body 178 to allow the user advances the tape. Another modified receptacle 14"shown in Figure 8 also has a mechanism for moving the fibers from their operative position to a cleaning position.However, the embodiment of Figure 8, the fibers are raised from below the slits in V-shaped instead of being propelled close to a backward portion of the fibers as in Figure 7. Specifically, the receptacle 14"has slit structures 200 which include guide notches 202 such that the fibers join the notches and a hand-like or arm-like projection 204 is joined in the notches 202. The arm 204 can be raised, however, when lifting the fibers outwardly from the V-shaped slits 206 in a cleaning position, similar to that shown. in Figure 7. In the embodiment of Figure 8, the arm 204 is part of a fiber positioning piece 208, which also includes another driving arm or lever 210 and a stump or percussion. no pivot 212. The lower half of the receptacle housing must be repositioned or rotated to allow temporary positioning of the fiber positioning part 208. The arm 204, the actuating lever 210 and the pivot pin 212 are preferably integrally molded of the same material as the housing of the receptacle 14"and the fiber positioning part 208 is joined by the through bolt 212 through a hole on one side of the receptacle housing Thus, when the lever 210 is depressed, the arm 204 will lift the fibers.An adhesive tip applicator is manually positioned to facilitate cleaning of the end face of the fiber. flexible preference (to prevent mechanical damage to the fiber) and clear or transparent to allow visualization of the fiber as the tip of the adhesive of the applicator contacts the fiber end face Figure 9 and 10 illustrate a modified cable cleaner for a plug, wherein the device still includes means for moving the tip of the fiber from an operative position to a cleaning position; but there are no cleaning media stored inside the cable cleaner housing. Instead, an adhesive strip is again manually contacted with the tips of the fibers, similarly to the device of Figure 8. The cleaner 214 of the plug of Figures 9 and 10 includes a tool body. 216 having an opening 218 for receiving the pin 12 and appropriate features such as those indicated at 220 to ensure that the pin is properly oriented and retained in the body 216. A cam surface 222 is provided again to move the door 58 of pin 12 at the sides as the pin is inserted, so that the fibers in it can be accessed. The plug cleaner 214 further has a drive member 224 slidably mounted to the body 216. The drive element 224 has push rods, similar to the push rods 140 (see Figure 8) and when the drive element 224 it is fully inserted into the body 216, the rods enter the holes 142 located in the door 58 and come into contact with the fibers, to urge them out of the body of the pin. Then, the fibers are exposed through another opening 226 on the opposite side of the body 216 (Figure 10). The push rods preferably have V-shaped notches to control the outward movement of the fibers. Although the invention has been described with reference to specific modalities, this description is not intended to be interpr in a limiting sense. Various modifications of the described embodiment, also as alternative embodiments of the invention, will become apparent to those skilled in the art upon reference to the description of the invention. For example, cable cleaners are described for use with a connector in which the end portion of the fiber is stripped and flexible, but the cleaner could be easily adapted to clean the ends of the splice sleeve connectors as well. Accordingly, it is contemplated that such modifications be made without departing from the spirit or scope of the present invention as defined in the appended claims. It is noted that, in relation to this date, the best method known by the applicant to carry out the aforementioned invention is the conventional one for the manufacture of the objects to which it refers. Having described the invention as above, property is claimed as contained in the following

Claims (20)

1. Claims 1. A device for cleaning the tip of an optical fiber retained in a connector; the device is characterized in that it comprises: a tool body; means for releasably attaching the tool body to the connector; cleaning means located in the body of the tool; and means for driving the tip of the optical fiber towards the cleaning means when the body of the tool is attached to the connector. The device according to claim 1, characterized in that the cleaning means comprise an adhesive strip. The device according to claim 1, characterized in that it also comprises means for moving the cleaning means in such a way that the tip of the optical fiber is generally perpendicular to the cleaning means when the tip is brought into contact with the media. The device according to claim 1, characterized in that it further comprises means for moving the cleaning means in such a way that a new surface of the cleaning means is presented to the tip of the optical fiber. The device according to claim 1, characterized in that: the connector has a movable door that provides access to the fibers; and the body of the tool has means for actuating the door on the connector. The device according to claim 1, characterized in that the driving means are predisposed towards a first position in which the driving means do not affect the fiber and movable to a second position in which the tip of the fiber is close to the means of cleaning. The device according to claim 2, characterized in that the adhesive strip is wound onto a supply reel located in the body of the tool and the adhesive strip has a release layer coated on one side of the strip opposite to a side Adhesive strip. The device according to claim 5, characterized in that the actuating means comprise a cam surface adapted to drive the door to the sides after the insertion of the connector in the tool body. 9. A device for cleaning the tip of an optical fiber retained in a pin, the device is characterized in that it comprises: a tool body having an opening for receiving the pin; means for releasably attaching the pin to the tool body when the pin is inserted in the opening thereof; cleaning means located in the tool body; and means for driving the tip of the optical fiber into the cleaning means when the plug is fully inserted into the body of the tool. The device according to claim 9, characterized in that the cleaning means comprise an adhesive strip. The device according to claim 9, characterized in that it comprises means for moving the cleaning means in such a manner that the tip of the optical fiber is generally perpendicular to the cleaning means when the tip comes into contact with the media. The device according to claim 9, characterized in that it further comprises means for moving the cleaning means, in such a way that a new surface of the cleaning means is presented to the tip of the optical fiber. The device according to claim 9, characterized in that: the plug has a movable door that provides access to the fibers; and the tool body has means for actuating the door on the pin, the drive means comprising a cam surface adapted to drive the door sideways after the insertion of the connector to the tool body. The device according to claim 10, characterized in that the adhesive strip is wound onto a supply reel located in the tool body and the adhesive strip has a release layer coated on one side of the strip opposite to an adhesive side of the strip. 15. A device for cleaning the tip of an optical fiber retained in a receptacle having an aperture, the device is characterized in that it comprises: a tool body having a front end whose shape is adapted to enter the opening of the receptacle; means for releasably attaching the body of the tool to the receptacle; cleaning means located in the tool body; and means for driving the tip of the optical fiber into the cleaning means when the tool body is attached to the receptacle. 16. The device according to claim 15, characterized in that the cleaning means comprise an adhesive strip. The device according to claim 15, characterized in that it further comprises means for moving the cleaning means in such a way that a new surface of the cleaning means is presented to the tip of the optical fiber. 18. The device according to claim 15, characterized in that the receptacle has means for moving the fiber; and the tool body includes means for driving the means for moving the fiber in such a way that, as the tool body enters the opening of the receptacle, the fiber moves from an operative position to a cleaning position. . 19. The device according to claim 16, characterized in that the adhesive strip is wound onto a supply reel located in the body of the tool and the adhesive strip has a release layer coated on one side of the strip opposite one side of adhesive of the strip. 20. A device for cleaning the tip of an optical fiber retained in a plug or receptacle, the device is characterized in that it comprises: a tool body; means for releasably attaching the tool body to the connector; and means, attached to the body of the tool, to move the tip of the fiber from an operative position to a cleaning position.