Optical fiber inspection tool

• US 7,630,066 B2
• Filed: 03/30/2007
• Issued: 12/08/2009
• Est. Priority Date: 03/30/2007
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: CommScope Technologies, LLC (CommScope Holding Company, Inc.)
• Original Assignee: ADC Telecommunications Incorporated (TE Connectivity Limited)
• Inventors: Kachmar, Wayne M.
• Primary Examiner(s): Toatley, Jr.; Gregory J
• Assistant Examiner(s): Ton; Tri T
• Application Number:
  US11/694,614
• Publication Number:
  US 20080239296A1
• Time in Patent Office: 984 Days
• Field of Search: 356/73.1, 356/244, 356/440, 3562411-2416, 269/71, 269/77, 269/78, 269/82, 269/903, 451/65, 451/41, 451/378, 451/384, 451/386, 451/391, 451/70, 359/309, 359/365, 359/387, 359/394, 359/801, 359/379, 359/385, 359/391, 359/393, 385/56
• US Class Current: 356/73.1
• CPC Class Codes: G01M 11/30 Testing of optical devices, constituted by fibre optics or optical waveguides

Abstract

An optical fiber inspection device includes a housing, wherein the housing defines an opening disposed on an end portion. A lens is disposed within the housing, wherein the lens and the opening define an axis of viewing. A fiber position assembly is mounted to the housing. The fiber position assembly includes a tube having a first axial end portion and a second axial end portion. An inner diameter of the first axial end portion is larger than an inner diameter of the second axial end portion. The inner diameters of the first and second axial end portions of the tube define an inner passage, wherein a longitudinal axis of the inner passage is about perpendicular to the axis of viewing.

Claims

1. An optical fiber inspection device comprising:

a housing having an opening disposed on an end portion;

a lens disposed in the housing, wherein the lens and the opening define an axis of viewing; and

an inner passage in the housing having a longitudinal axis that is about perpendicular to the axis of viewing, wherein the inner passage is adapted to receive an optical fiber so that an end portion of the optical fiber is in a field of view of the lens.

2. An optical fiber inspection device as claimed in claim 1, wherein the inner passage is defined by a fiber position assembly having a first tube and a second tube being concentrically engaged, with the first tube having a larger inner diameter than an inner diameter of the second tube.

6. An optical fiber inspection device as claimed in claim 1, wherein the housing includes a viewing portion having at least one exterior surface being of a material of the type selected from the group consisting of translucent and transparent.

7. An optical fiber inspection device as claimed in claim 6, wherein the inner passage is disposed in the viewing portion of the housing.

8. An optical fiber inspection device as claimed in claim 6, wherein the viewing portion extends from a second end portion of the housing.

9. An optical fiber inspection device as claimed in claim 1, further comprising a light source disposed within the housing.

10. An optical fiber inspection device as claimed in claim 1, wherein the inner passage is defined by a fiber position assembly including a mounting block that is mounted to the housing.

11. An optical fiber inspection device as claimed in claim 1, wherein the lens has a magnification power in the range of 60×

to 400×

.

3. An optical fiber inspection device comprising:

a housing having an opening disposed on an end portion;

a lens disposed in the housing, wherein the lens and the opening define an axis of viewing; and

an inner passage in the housing having a longitudinal axis that is about perpendicular to the axis of viewing, the inner passage being defined by a fiber position assembly including a tube having a first axial end portion and a second axial end portion, wherein an inner diameter of the second axial end portion is smaller than an inner diameter of the first axial end portion.

4. An optical fiber inspection device as claimed in claim 3, wherein the second axial end portion of the tube is swaged.

5. An optical fiber inspection device as claimed in claim 3, wherein the second axial end portion of the tube is crimped.

12. An optical fiber inspection device comprising

a housing having an opening disposed on an end portion;

a lens disposed in the housing, wherein the lens and the opening define an axis of viewing; and

a fiber position assembly mounted to the housing, wherein the fiber position assembly includes a tube having a first axial end portion and a second axial end portion, wherein an inner diameter of the first axial end portion is larger than an inner diameter of the second axial end portion, with the inner diameter of the first axial end portion and the inner diameter of the second axial end portion defining an inner passage having a longitudinal axis that is about perpendicular to the axis of viewing.

13. An optical fiber inspection device as claimed in claim 12, wherein the second axial end portion of the tube is swaged.

14. An optical fiber inspection device as claimed in claim 12, wherein the second axial end portion of the tube is crimped.

15. An optical fiber inspection device as claimed in claim 12, wherein the housing includes a viewing portion having at least one exterior surface being of a material of the type selected from the group consisting of translucent and transparent.

16. An optical fiber inspection device as claimed in claim 15, wherein the inner passage is disposed in the viewing portion of the housing.

17. An optical fiber inspection device as claimed in claim 15, wherein the viewing portion extends from a second end portion of the housing.

18. An optical fiber inspection device as claimed in claim 12, further comprising a light source disposed in the housing.

19. An optical fiber inspection device as claimed in claim 12, wherein the lens has a magnification power in the range of 60×

to 400×

.

20. A method for inspecting an optical fiber cleave comprising the steps of:

cleaving an optical fiber of a fiber optic cable;

inserting a cleaved end of the optical fiber into an optical fiber inspection device, wherein the optical fiber inspection device includes;

a housing having an opening disposed on an end portion;

a lens disposed in the housing, wherein the lens and the opening define an axis of viewing;

a fiber position assembly mounted to the housing, wherein the fiber position assembly defining an inner passage having a longitudinal axis that is about perpendicular to the axis of viewing;

wherein the inner passage is adapted to receive the optical fiber so that the cleaved end of the optical fiber is in a field of view of the lens; and

viewing the optical fiber through the opening in the housing to assess surface conditions of the cleaved end and an axial length of the cleaved end of the optical fiber.

21. A method for inspecting an optical fiber cleave comprising:

providing an optical fiber inspection device having a housing defining an opening and a lens disposed in the housing, the lens and the opening defining an axis of viewing, the housing having an inner passage defining a longitudinal axis that is about perpendicular to the axis of viewing;

cleaving an optical fiber of a fiber optic cable;

inserting a cleaved end of the optical fiber through the inner passage of the optical fiber inspection device so that the cleaved end of the optical fiber is in a field of view of the lens; and

viewing the optical fiber through the opening in the housing.