Epoxy dispensing system and dispensing tip used therewith
First Claim
1. A method for attaching a fiber optic terminus of a fiber optic connector to a fiber optic cable, the method comprising:
- inserting a dispensing tip of an automated epoxy dispenser into the fiber optic terminus of the fiber optic connector,wherein the dispensing tip is shaped to engage with an interior surface of the fiber optic terminus and an outer surface of the dispensing tip is adapted to conform to the interior surface of the fiber optic terminus to maintain sealable engagement with the interior surface of the fiber optic terminus during insertion,wherein the automated epoxy dispenser comprises a cartridge having (i) a first barrel containing a first material for forming an epoxy and (ii) a second barrel containing a second material for forming the epoxy, the first barrel and the second barrel being coupled to a mixing chamber of the automated epoxy dispenser for combining and mixing a portion of the first material and a portion of the second material to form the epoxy as the first material and the second material traverse therethrough, the mixing chamber being coupled to the dispensing tip for dispensing the epoxy into the fiber optic terminus,wherein the dispensing tip comprises a mixer, the dispensing tip having a first portion having an internal diameter dimensioned to allow the first material and second material to mix-ably flow therethrough, the mixer having a plurality of mixing elements that extend through a portion of the length of the first portion and wherein the dispensing tip comprises a second portion having an outer surface dimensioned to conform to the interior surface of the fiber optic terminus;
determining, by a processor of a computing device, a first rate and a second rate for advancing a first motorized plunger and a second motorized plunger element of the epoxy dispenser against the first barrel and the second barrel, respectively, according to an epoxy formulation to be formed from the first material and the second material;
injecting the epoxy into the fiber optic terminus to, at least, fill a volume in the fiber optic terminus by advancing the first motorized plunger and the second motorized plunger element against the first barrel and the second barrel, respectively, and at the first rate and the second rate, respectively, wherein the volume is defined by the interior surface of the fiber optic terminus and the dispensing tip, and wherein the dispensing tip remains engaged with the interior surface of the fiber optic terminus during the advancement of the first motorized plunger and the second motorized plunger; and
attaching the fiber optic cable to the dispensed epoxy within the filled volume of the fiber optic terminus.
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0 Petitions
Accused Products
Abstract
The present disclosure describes, among other things, a method for attaching a fiber optic terminus of a fiber optic connector to a fiber optic cable. The method may include determining a type of epoxy to be mixed from a first material in a first barrel of the dual-barrel cartridge and a second material in a second barrel of the dual-barrel cartridge. The method may include determining a first rate at which to advance a first plunger against the first barrel based at least in part on the type of epoxy to be mixed. The method may include determining a second rate at which to advance a second plunger against the second barrel based at least in part on the type of epoxy to be mixed. The first rate and the second rate may be associated with a proportion between an amount of the first material and an amount of the second material to mix for the epoxy.
174 Citations
19 Claims
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1. A method for attaching a fiber optic terminus of a fiber optic connector to a fiber optic cable, the method comprising:
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inserting a dispensing tip of an automated epoxy dispenser into the fiber optic terminus of the fiber optic connector, wherein the dispensing tip is shaped to engage with an interior surface of the fiber optic terminus and an outer surface of the dispensing tip is adapted to conform to the interior surface of the fiber optic terminus to maintain sealable engagement with the interior surface of the fiber optic terminus during insertion, wherein the automated epoxy dispenser comprises a cartridge having (i) a first barrel containing a first material for forming an epoxy and (ii) a second barrel containing a second material for forming the epoxy, the first barrel and the second barrel being coupled to a mixing chamber of the automated epoxy dispenser for combining and mixing a portion of the first material and a portion of the second material to form the epoxy as the first material and the second material traverse therethrough, the mixing chamber being coupled to the dispensing tip for dispensing the epoxy into the fiber optic terminus, wherein the dispensing tip comprises a mixer, the dispensing tip having a first portion having an internal diameter dimensioned to allow the first material and second material to mix-ably flow therethrough, the mixer having a plurality of mixing elements that extend through a portion of the length of the first portion and wherein the dispensing tip comprises a second portion having an outer surface dimensioned to conform to the interior surface of the fiber optic terminus; determining, by a processor of a computing device, a first rate and a second rate for advancing a first motorized plunger and a second motorized plunger element of the epoxy dispenser against the first barrel and the second barrel, respectively, according to an epoxy formulation to be formed from the first material and the second material; injecting the epoxy into the fiber optic terminus to, at least, fill a volume in the fiber optic terminus by advancing the first motorized plunger and the second motorized plunger element against the first barrel and the second barrel, respectively, and at the first rate and the second rate, respectively, wherein the volume is defined by the interior surface of the fiber optic terminus and the dispensing tip, and wherein the dispensing tip remains engaged with the interior surface of the fiber optic terminus during the advancement of the first motorized plunger and the second motorized plunger; and attaching the fiber optic cable to the dispensed epoxy within the filled volume of the fiber optic terminus. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14)
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15. An epoxy dispensing apparatus comprising:
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a cartridge receptacle adapted to receive a cartridge having (i) a first barrel containing a first material for forming an epoxy and (ii) a second barrel containing a second material for forming the epoxy, the first barrel and the second barrel being coupled to a mixing chamber of the epoxy dispenser apparatus for combining and mixing the first material and the second material to form the epoxy when traverse there through; and a dispensing tip coupled to the mixing chamber to receive the epoxy formed in the mixing chamber, the dispensing tip comprising an end for dispensing the received epoxy, said end being adapted to be inserted into a fiber optic terminus of a fiber optic connector and to engage an interior surface of the fiber optic terminus such that (i) the insertion forms a seal with the interior surface of the fiber optic terminus and an outer surface of the dispensing tip, wherein the outer surface is adapted to conform to the interior surface of the fiber optic terminus, (ii) the engagement maintains the dispensing tip with respect to the interior surface during the insertion, and (iii) the insertion extends a pre-defined length of the dispensing tip into the fiber optic terminus to define a chamber to be filled with the epoxy, the chamber defining an epoxy dispensed portion of the fiber optic terminus to receive a fiber optic cable, wherein the dispensing tip comprises a mixer, the dispensing tip having a first portion having an internal diameter dimensioned to allow the first material and the second material to mix-ably flow therethrough, the mixer having a plurality of mixing elements that extend through a portion of the length of the first portion and wherein the dispensing tip comprises a second portion having an outer surface dimensioned to conform to the interior surface of the fiber optic terminus. - View Dependent Claims (16, 17, 18, 19)
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Specification