Method and apparatus for polishing optical connector end faces
US6309278A · kind A · utility
Assignee
Inventors
Key dates
| Filing date | Oct 24, 1997 |
| Grant date | Oct 30, 2001 |
| Priority date | — |
| Expiry date | Oct 24, 2017 |
Classification
- Technology area (CPC G)Physics
- CPC primaryG02B6/3863
- WIPO fieldMachine tools
- WIPO sectorMechanical engineering
Abstract
The invention relates to a method for polishing optical connector end faces and a small-sized, light and easily transportable machine for doing the same, which are able to polish optical fiber end faces to desired shapes. A tape support member (18) is disposed at the connection end face (3) side of a multiple-core optical connector (4) attached on a machine, The tape support member(18) is linked to a supporting rod (21) which is able to freely advance and retreat along side plates (23a) and (23b), a tape travelling plane (9) shaped so as to correspond to a desired end face shape of bare optical fibers of a multiple-core optical connector (4) is formed at the tip end of the tape support member (18). The leading end of a polishing tape (32) wound on the pay-out roller (30) is advanced along the tape travelling plane (9) and is taken up on the winding roller (31). The polishing tape (32) is caused to travel by rotating the winding roller (31) together with the winding shaft (28), and the end faces of multiple-core bare optical fibers protruding forwards from the connection end face (3) of the multiple-core optical connector (4) are pressed to the polishing tape travelling along the ta…
Source: USPTO / EPO open patent data. Objective bibliographic and citation counts.