Patent ID: 6695191
Filing Date: 2004-02-24
Classification: G02B,Y10T

Abstract:
A device for cleaving optical fibers comprising:a housing having an internal chamber and an opening extending between an exterior end opening toward an exterior of the housing and an inward end communicating with the internal chamber, the opening being sized and oriented to receive an optical fiber to be cleaved and permit the fiber therein to extend beyond the inward end of the opening and into the internal chamber; an inward facing fiber bending member having a radially inward producing member and an inward facing fiber cutting member mounted within the housing internal chamber and attached together for reciprocal movement together as a unit inward toward the fiber within the internal chamber and outward away from the fiber within the internal chamber, with the inward movement being along an inward travel path having a direction transverse to a longitudinal axis of the fiber when inserted into and extending through the opening and into the internal chamber, the fiber bending member being located spaced apart from the inward end of the opening along the longitudinal axis of the fiber when inserted into and extending through the opening and into the internal chamber, and the fiber cutting member being located between the fiber bending member and the inward end of the opening, the fiber bending member and the fiber cutting member being movable as a unit along the inward travel path for cleaving of the fiber from initial positions for each whereat the fiber can be inserted into the opening and extend through and beyond the inward end of the opening and into the internal chamber with the fiber bending and fiber cutting members 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 for each whereat the fiber is cleaved and the fiber bending member and the fiber cutting member can be returned as a unit to their initial positions, the fiber bending member being arranged such that during the first travel portion the protruding member of the fiber bending member contacts and bends the fiber to induce tension in the fiber with the fiber cutting member remaining out of contact with the fiber, and the fiber cutting member being arranged such that during the second travel portion the fiber cutting member contacts and at least partially cuts the fiber while the fiber bending member continues to contact and increase the bend of the fiber to cause separation of a cut end of the fiber as the fiber bending member and the fiber cutting member are moved toward their final positions; 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 apply the inward force to the fiber bending and fiber cutting members to move the fiber bending and fiber cutting members along the inward travel path from their initial positions to their final positions; and a return member arranged to apply an outward force to the fiber bending and fiber cutting members to move the fiber bending and fiber cutting members outward along an outward travel path between their final positions and their initial positions when the inward force thereon is sufficiently removed, whereby after insertion of an optical fiber through the opening and into the internal chamber, the fiber bending and fiber cutting members are moved as a unit 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.