Patent ID: 6901199
Filing Date: 2005-05-31
Classification: G02B,Y10T

Abstract:
1. A device for cleaving optical fibers comprising: a housing having an internal chamber and an elongated opening extending between an exterior end opening exterior of the housing and an inward end communicating with the internal chamber, the elongated opening having a longitudinal axis and being sized to receive an optical fiber to be cleaved, the elongated opening holding the fiber with a longitudinal axis of the fiber in general alignment with the longitudinal axis of the elongated opening and permitting the fiber to extend beyond the inward end of the elongated opening and into the internal chamber; a head mounted within the housing internal chamber adjacent to the inward end of the elongated opening, the head being reciprocally moveable inward and outward with the inward movement being along an inward travel path having a direction transverse to the longitudinal axis of the elongated opening and hence the longitudinal axis of the fiber when inserted into and extending through the elongated opening, the head having an inward facing fiber bending portion and an inward facing fiber cutting portion with the fiber bending portion extending inward beyond the fiber cutting portion to contact the fiber before the fiber cutting portion as the head moves along the inward travel path, the fiber bending portion being located spaced apart from the inward end of the elongated opening along the longitudinal axis of the elongated opening, and the fiber cutting portion being located between the fiber bending portion and the inward end of the elongated opening along the longitudinal axis of the elongated opening, and adjacent to the inward end of the elongated opening, the head being movable along the inward travel path for cleaving of the fiber from an initial position whereat the head permits the fiber to be inserted into the elongated opening and extend through and beyond the inward end of the elongated opening and into the internal chamber with the fiber bending and fiber cutting portions of the head out of contact with the fiber, through a first portion of the inward travel path and then through a second portion of the inward travel path to accomplish cleaving of the fiber, to a final position whereat the fiber is cleaved and the head can be returned to the initial position, the fiber bending portion of the head extending sufficiently inward beyond the fiber cutting portion of the head such that during the first travel portion the fiber bending portion contacts and bends the fiber to induce tension in the fiber with the fiber cutting portion remaining out of contact with the fiber, and the fiber cutting portion of the head extending inward less than the fiber bending portion such that during the second travel portion the fiber cutting portion contacts and at least partially cuts the fiber while the fiber bending portion of the head continues to contact and increase the bend of the fiber to cause separation of a cut end of the fiber as the head is moved toward the final position; an actuation member having a user operable portion positioned exterior of the housing for application of an inward force thereto and an engagement portion positioned to engage the head and apply the inward force to the head to move the head along the inward travel path from the initial position to the final position; and a return member arranged to apply an outward force to the head to move the head outward along an outward travel path between the final position and the initial position when the inward force on the head is sufficiently removed, whereby after insertion of an optical fiber through the elongated opening and into the internal chamber, the head is moved along the inward travel path by applying the inward force on the user operable portion of the actuation member to sequentially bend, and then cut and further bend the fiber to cleave off the cut end of the fiber.