Adaptive device for inspecting endfaces of fiber-optic connector having multiple rows of fibers

• US 9,110,252 B2
• Filed: 08/29/2012
• Issued: 08/18/2015
• Est. Priority Date: 08/29/2012
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Lightel Technologies, Inc.
• Original Assignee: Lightel Technologies, Inc.
• Inventors: Zhou, Ge, Huang, Shangyuan
• Primary Examiner(s): Lepisto, Ryan
• Assistant Examiner(s): ANDERSON, GUY G
• Application Number:
  US13/598,507
• Publication Number:
  US 20140063598A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,084 Days
• Field of Search: 385133-134, 385/90, 359362-392
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: B08B 2240/02 Optical fibers or optical fiber connectors
• CPC Class Codes: G02B 21/00 Microscopes
• CPC Class Codes: G02B 21/0004 specially adapted for specific applications
• CPC Class Codes: G02B 21/0008 Microscopes having a simple construction, e.g. portable microscopes
• CPC Class Codes: G02B 21/0016 Technical microscopes, e.g. for inspection or measuring in industrial production processes
• CPC Class Codes: G02B 27/0006 with means to keep optical surfaces clean, e.g. by preventing or removing dirt, stains, contamination, condensation G02B1/18 takes precedence; cleaning in general B08B
• CPC Class Codes: G02B 6/3672 with fibres arranged in a regular matrix array
• 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 6/3866 Devices, tools or methods for cleaning connectors cleaning in general B08B
• CPC Class Codes: G02B 6/3885 Multicore or multichannel optical connectors, i.e. one single ferrule containing more than one fibre, e.g. ribbon type optical ribbon cable G02B6/4403, G02B6/448

Abstract

A device for shifting the imaging axis of a microscope for inspecting endfaces of a fiber-optic connector having multiple rows of endfaces has a supporting body for receiving a microscope; a first swinging lever mounted on top of the supporting body and rotatable about a first swinging axis perpendicular to the imaging axis of the microscope; a first connecting piece extending from the first swinging lever towards the imaging axis; a second swinging lever pivoted on the first connecting piece and rotatable about a second swinging axis perpendicular to the first swinging axis; and a fitting tip connected to the second swinging lever for interfacing with the fiber-optic connector. Using two sets of biasing means and adjustment drivers, the imaging axis passing through the supporting body and the fitting tip can be shifted in two mutually perpendicular directions to selectively align with any endface of the fiber-optic connector.

Claims

1. A device for shifting the imaging axis of a microscope in two mutually perpendicular directions for inspecting individual endfaces of a fiber-optic connector having multiple rows of endfaces, the device comprising:

a supporting body having a first portion and a second portion, wherein the first portion has a rear end adapted for receiving an optical tube of the microscope and a passageway extending from the rear end to a front end of the first portion, such that the imaging axis of the microscope is allowed to pass through the passageway, and the second portion is disposed above the first portion and extends rearwards over the optical tube of the microscope;

a first swinging structure comprising a first swinging lever and a first connecting piece, wherein

the first swinging lever has a rear end and a front end, wherein the rear end is rotatably mounted to the second portion of the supporting body, such that the first swinging lever is rotatable relative to the supporting body about a first swinging axis that is substantially perpendicular to the imaging axis of the microscope;

the first connecting piece is connected to the front end of the first swinging lever and extends, in front of the supporting body, towards the imaging axis of the microscope, and

a recess is formed on a front side of the first connecting piece;

a second swinging structure comprising a second swinging lever and optionally a second connecting piece, wherein the second swinging lever is pivotally mounted to the first connecting piece and received in the recess of the first connecting piece, such that the second swinging lever is rotatable about a second swinging axis that is substantially parallel to a normal plane of the first swinging axis, wherein a passageway aligned with the passageway of the supporting body is cut through a lower end of the second swinging lever; and

the optional second connecting piece is connected to an upper end of the second swinging lever and extending rearwards over the first swinging lever;

a fitting tip attached to a front side of the passageway of the second swinging lever and adapted for interfacing with a multi-fiber connector, the fitting tip having an interior channel aligned with the passageway of the second swinging lever, such that the imaging axis of the microscope is allowed to pass therethrough to intersect with fiber-optic endfaces of the multi-fiber connector;

a first biasing means disposed between the second portion of the supporting body and the first swinging lever for rotationally biasing the first swinging lever about the first swinging axis;

a first adjustment driver disposed to interface with the supporting body and the first swinging lever and adapted to swing the supporting body relative to the first swinging lever against the first biasing means, thus moving the imaging axis of the microscope relative to the fitting tip along a first straight trajectory over the fiber-optic endfaces of the multi-fiber connector interfaced with the fitting tip;

a second biasing means disposed between the second swinging structure and the first swinging structure or the supporting body for rotationally biasing the second swinging lever about the second swinging axis; and

a second adjustment driver disposed to interface with the first swinging structure and the second swinging structure and adapted to swing the second swinging lever relative to the first swinging structure against the second biasing means, thus moving the imaging axis of the microscope relative to the fitting tip along a second straight trajectory over the fiber-optic endfaces of the multi-fiber connector interfaced with the fitting tip, wherein the second straight trajectory is substantially perpendicular to the first straight trajectory.

2. The device of claim 1, wherein the second portion of the supporting body has a recess for receiving the first swinging lever;

the first biasing means comprises a spring fixed to a side wall of the recess of the second portion of the supporting body.

3. The device of claim 2, wherein the first adjustment driver comprises a bevel wheel with a slanted surface;

the bevel wheel is rotatably fastened to the supporting body; and

a bulge is formed on a lateral side of the first swinging lever for contacting the slanted surface of the bevel wheel.

4. The device of claim 3, wherein the slanted surface of the bevel wheel is flat or spiral.

5. The device of claim 1, wherein the first adjustment driver comprises a bevel wheel with a slanted surface;

the bevel wheel is rotatably fastened to the supporting body; and

a bulge is formed on a lateral side of the first swinging lever for contacting the slanted surface of the bevel wheel.

6. The device of claim 5, wherein the slanted surface of the bevel wheel is flat or spiral.

7. The device of claim 1, wherein the second biasing means comprises a compression spring or a spring sheet fixed to the front side of the first connecting piece.

8. The device of claim 7, wherein the second adjustment driver comprises an adjustment knob having a knob with a flat base surface and a threaded bolt extending from a center portion of the base surface, wherein the threaded bolt passes through a through hole formed in the second swinging lever and is adjustably screwed into the front side of the first connecting piece.

9. The device of claim 8, further comprising a bulge formed on the front side of the second swinging lever to interact with the base surface of the knob of the adjustment knob.

10. The device of claim 1, wherein the second biasing means comprises a compression spring or a spring sheet fixed to a top side of the first swinging lever;

and the second adjustment driver comprises an adjustment knob having a knob with a flat base surface and a threaded bolt extending from a center portion of the base surface, wherein the threaded bolt passes through a through hole formed in the second connecting piece and is adjustably screwed into the top side of the first swinging lever.

11. The device of claim 10, further comprising a bulge formed on the top side of the second connecting piece to interact with the base surface of the knob of the adjustment knob.

12. The device of claim 3, wherein the second biasing means comprises a compression spring or a spring sheet fixed to a top side of the first swinging lever;

and the second adjustment driver comprises an adjustment knob having a knob with a flat base surface and a threaded bolt extending from a center portion of the base surface, wherein the threaded bolt passes through a through hole formed in the second connecting piece and is adjustably screwed into the top side of the first swinging lever.

13. The device of claim 12, further comprising a bulge formed on the top side of the second connecting piece to interact with the base surface of the knob of the adjustment knob.

14. The device of claim 1, wherein the second adjustment driver comprises an adjustment knob having a knob with a flat base surface and a threaded bolt extending from a center portion of the base surface, wherein the threaded bolt is screwed through a matching threaded through hole formed in the second swinging lever and has a distal end protruding out of the second swinging lever;

and the second biasing means comprises an extension spring held between a point on the second swinging lever and a point on a top side of the first swinging lever to keep the distal end of the threaded bolt of the adjustment knob in contact with a base of the recess of the first connecting piece.

15. The device of claim 3, wherein the second adjustment driver comprises an adjustment knob having a knob with a flat base surface and a threaded bolt extending from a center portion of the base surface, wherein the threaded bolt is screwed through a matching threaded through hole formed in the second swinging lever and has a distal end protruding out of the second swinging lever;

and the second biasing means comprises an extension spring held between a point on the second swinging lever and a point on a top side of the first swinging lever to keep the distal end of the threaded bolt of the adjustment knob in contact with a base of the recess of the first connecting piece.

16. The device of claim 1, wherein the second biasing means comprises a compression spring or a spring sheet fixed to a front surface of the supporting body, and the second adjustment driver comprises an adjustment knob having a knob with a flat base surface and a threaded bolt extending from a center portion of the base surface, wherein the threaded bolt passes through a through hole formed in the second swinging lever and is adjustably screwed into the front side of the first connecting piece.

17. The device of claim 3, wherein the second biasing means comprises a compression spring or a spring sheet fixed to a front surface of the supporting body, and the second adjustment driver comprises an adjustment knob having a knob with a flat base surface and a threaded bolt extending from a center portion of the base surface, wherein the threaded bolt passes through a through hole formed in the second swinging lever and is adjustably screwed into the front side of the first connecting piece.

18. The device of claim 17, further comprising a bulge formed on the front side of the second swinging lever to interact with the base surface of the knob of the adjustment knob.