Patent ID: 9645326
Date: 2017-05-09
CPC Classifications: G02B

Claim:
1. An apparatus comprising: a female optical connector comprising a connector sleeve and an optical ferrule located at a rear of the connector sleeve; a cleaning element located within the connector sleeve, wherein the cleaning element comprises a wipe panel to clean an end of an optical ferrule of a male optical connector when mated with the female optical connector and a spring flap to couple the wipe panel to the connector sleeve; wherein the connector sleeve comprises channels and the wipe panel comprises protrusions that engage into the channels such that the wipe panel is movable along the channels between a cleaning position in which the wipe panel is positioned perpendicular to the optical ferrule of the male optical connector and a resting position in which the wipe panel is positioned to allow connection of the optical ferrules of the male and female optical connectors.