Microscope with endplate for viewing surface end of fiber optic cable

• US 5,982,533 A
• Filed: 02/25/1998
• Issued: 11/09/1999
• Est. Priority Date: 02/21/1996
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Jeffrey M. Dominique
• Original Assignee: Jeffrey M. Dominique
• Inventors: Dominique, Jeffrey M.
• Primary Examiner(s): Spyrou, Cassandra
• Assistant Examiner(s): Treas, Jared
• Application Number:
  US09/028,994
• Time in Patent Office: 622 Days
• Field of Search: 359/309, 359/365, 359/387, 359/394, 359/801
• US Class Current: 359/379
• CPC Class Codes: G02B 21/0008 Microscopes having a simple construction, e.g. portable microscopes
• CPC Class Codes: G02B 6/3807 Dismountable connectors, i.e. comprising plugs
• CPC Class Codes: G02B 6/3835 using discs, bushings or the like
• CPC Class Codes: G02B 6/385 Accessories for testing or observation of connectors means for centering or aligning the light guide within the ferrule with auxiliary facilities for movably aligning or adjusting the fibre within its ferrule, measuring position, eccentricity G02B6/3843; mechanical features associated with the optical testing of optical fibres G01M11/088
• CPC Class Codes: G02B 6/3863 fabricated by using polishing techniques grinding of the fibre ends B24B19/226

Abstract

The portable microscope includes an end plate for improved inspection of the end surface of a fiber optic cable at a connection point in a fiber optic system. The end plate is mounted on the head unit housing of the microscope and includes a tubular aperture for receiving and positioning the end of the fiber optic cable for microscopic inspection. A reflection bowl is formed about the tubular aperture on the inner surface of the plate to direct more light to the end of the fiber optic cable. The tubular aperture may be formed in an adapter and the adapter may be secured in a threaded aperture of the end plate. A rocker head adapter may be used to provide both direct and angled viewing of the end surface of a glass fiber. Spacer blocks with reflective surfaces are used to position the end plate on the microscope and to direct more light towards the end surface of the fiber optic cable.

Claims

1. A portable microscope for inspecting a glass fiber of a fiber optic cable secured in a ferrule of a fiber optic connector, said microscope comprising:

an elongate enclosure having a magnifying channel with a head end and a viewing end;

a housing formed at the head end of said enclosure, said housing including an aperture for receiving a glass fiber in a ferrule;

a magnifying system mounted in the magnifying channel of said enclosure, said magnifying system including an adjustable focus lens positioned in said housing;

a battery powered light source mounted in said enclosure, said light source directing light into said housing;

an end plate secured to said housing to cover the aperture in said housing, said end plate including an aperture aligned with the housing aperture adjacent the adjustable focus lens;

an adapter secured in the aperture of said end plate, said adapter including a tubular aperture extending through said adapter for receiving and positioning the glass fiber adjacent the adjustable focus lens; and

a ring-shaped insert positioned in said tubular aperture for engaging the glass fiber in the tubular aperture.

2. The portable microscope defined in claim 1 wherein said ring-shaped insert is made from tygon.

3. The portable microscope defined in claim 1 wherein said adapter includes an integral concave reflection bowl formed on an inner surface of said adapter about the tubular aperture.

4. A portable microscope for inspecting a glass fiber of a fiber optic cable secured in a ferrule of a fiber optic connector, said microscope comprising:

an elongate enclosure having a magnifying channel with a head end and a viewing end;

a housing formed at the head end of said enclosure, said housing including an aperture for receiving a glass fiber in a ferrule;

a magnifying system mounted in the magnifying channel of said enclosure, said magnifying system including an adjustable focus lens positioned in said housing;

a battery powered light source mounted in said enclosure, said light source directing light into said housing;

an end plate secured to said housing to cover the aperture in said housing, said end plate including a sloped segment formed in an outer surface of said end plate and an aperture formed in the sloped segment such that the aperture is aligned with the housing aperture and is adjacent the adjustable focus lens; and

an adapter secured in the aperture in the sloped segment of said end plate, said adapter including a tubular aperture extending through said adapter for receiving and positioning the glass fiber adjacent the adjustable focus lens, and including an integral concave reflection bowl formed on an inner surface of said adapter about the tubular aperture.

5. A portable microscope for inspecting a glass fiber of a fiber optic cable secured in a ferrule of a fiber optic connector, said microscope comprising:

an elongate enclosure having a magnifying channel with a head end and a viewing end;

a housing formed at the head end of said enclosure, said housing including an aperture for receiving a glass fiber in a ferrule;

a magnifying system mounted in the magnifying channel of said enclosure, said magnifying system including an adjustable focus lens positioned in said housing;

a battery powered light source mounted in said enclosure, said light source directing light into said housing;

an end plate secured to said housing to cover the aperture in said housing, said end plate including an aperture aligned with the housing aperture adjacent the adjustable focus lens; and

a rocker head adapter pivotably connected to said end plate and positioned in the aperture of said end plate, said rocker head adapter including a tubular aperture extending through said adapter for receiving and positioning the glass fiber adjacent the adjustable focus lens whereby the rocker may be pivoted to change the angle at which an end surface of the glass fiber is viewed through the lens.

6. The portable microscope defined in claim 5 wherein said rocker head adapter includes an integral concave reflection bowl formed on an inner surface of said adapter about the tubular aperture.

7. The portable microscope defined in claim 5 wherein said rocker head adapter is positioned on the end plate for direct viewing such that the end surface of the glass fiber is aligned perpendicular to the lens for direct viewing of the end surface of the glass fiber, and wherein said rocker head can be pivoted up to approximately thirty degrees for viewing the end surface of the glass fiber at an angle.

8. The portable microscope defined in claim 7 wherein said rocker head adapter is pivotable from a direct viewing position through approximately twenty-two degrees for angled viewing of the end surface of the glass fiber.

9. The portable microscope defined in claim 5 wherein said end plate includes a pair of spaced-apart mounting arms at one end of the end plate which form the aperture in the end plate, and said rocker head adapter includes corresponding mounting slots which are positioned about the mounting arms of said base plate.

10. The portable microscope defined in claim 9 wherein the mounting arms of said end plate include a horizontal segment and a sloped segment to facilitate the pivoting of the rocker head adapter.

11. A portable microscope for inspecting a glass fiber of a fiber optic cable secured in a ferrule of a fiber optic connector, said microscope comprising:

an elongate enclosure having a magnifying channel with a head end and a viewing end;

a magnifying system mounted in the magnifying channel of said enclosure, said magnifying system including an adjustable focus lens positioned at the head end of said enclosure;

a battery powered light source positioned at the head end of said enclosure, said light source emitting light adjacent the lens;

a spacer block connected to the head end of said enclosure, said spacer block being positioned adjacent said light source and including a reflective surface for reflecting light received from said light source; and

an end plate secured to said spacer block and extending from said spacer block to a position adjacent the lens, said end plate including a tubular aperture for receiving and positioning the glass fiber adjacent the lens, whereby light from the light source and from the reflective surface of said spacer block are directed towards the glass fiber when viewing the glass fiber through the lens.

12. The portable microscope defined in claim 11, wherein said end plate includes a reflection bowl formed in an inner surface of said end plate about the tubular aperture.

13. The portable microscope defined in claim 11, wherein said end plate includes a rocker head adapter pivotably connected to mounting arms of said end plate and the tubular aperture for said end plate is formed through said rocker head adapter, whereby the rocker head adapter may be pivoted to view an end surface of the glass fiber at various angles.

14. The portable microscope defined in claim 13, wherein the rocker head pivotably connected to said end plate includes a reflection bowl formed in an inner surface of said end plate about the tubular aperture.

15. The portable microscope defined in claim 13, wherein said rocker head adapter is positioned on the end plate for direct viewing such that the end surface of the glass fiber is aligned perpendicular to the lens for direct viewing of the end surface of the glass fiber, and wherein said rocker head can be pivoted up to approximately thirty degrees for viewing the end surface of the glass fiber at an angle.

16. The portable microscope defined in claim 13 wherein said end plate includes two retention stops formed in said end plate selectively engaging said rocker head adapter to limit the pivoting action of said rocker head adapter.

17. The portable microscope defined in claim 13 wherein said retention stops are formed on opposite side of said rocker head and are offset to limit the pivoting of said rocker head to approximately a thirty degree angle.

18. A method for inspecting a surface end of a glass fiber of a fiber optic cable in a fiber optic connector using a portable microscope having a end plate with a pivotable rocker head and a tubular aperture extending through the rocker head for positioning the surface end adjacent a lens for viewing, said method comprising the steps of:

positioning the glass fiber of the fiber optic cable in the tubular aperture for direct viewing such that the lens of the microscope is aligned perpendicular to the surface end of the fiber optic cable;

focusing the lens of the microscope on the surface end of the glass fiber for direct inspection of the end surface;

pivoting the rocker head of the end plate of the microscope for angled viewing such that the lens of the microscope is aligned at a non-perpendicular angle to the surface end;

adjusting the focus on the lens of the microscope for angled inspection of the end surface; and

removing the glass fiber of the fiber optic cable from the tubular aperture of the rocker head.