Swab

Abstract: A swab (10) for cleaning electronic and electromechanical components includes a handle (14) and a fiber cleaning head (16). The handle (14) is elongated and has a cleaning head end (20) and a grasping end (30). The cleaning head end (20) defines a securing region (18) for securing the cleaning head (16) to the handle (14). The cleaning head (16) is formed from a plurality of fibers that are pulled through a die to compress them into a substantially rigid, elongated cleaning head. The swab (10) includes a tether (26) to secure the swab (10) and prevent inadvertent misplacement.

Description: Swabs are used in all manners of cleaning. For example, everyone will recognize common cotton tipped swabs that are used for personal hygiene and care. Because of the compact and effective nature of these swabs, they have been adopted for use in numerous areas of technology and manufacture. One such area is the manufacture of electrical components and more specifically connectors for use in the telecommunications industry. One particular type of connector used in the telecommunications industry is for use in fiber optic cables. In splicing or connecting fiber optic cable sections to one another, a connector is used. A typical connector includes a male portion and a female portion. During assembly of these cable sections, it is not unusual for pieces of debris and/or ambient soils, such as pieces of fiber or fiber coating debris to be left within the ends of the connectors. It is also not unusual for light oils, such as fingerprint and other natural skin oils and synthetic oils to be found on the ends of the connectors. As will be recognized by those skilled in the art, this debris and the oils can significantly degrade or prevent the transmission capabilities of the cables across the connectors. Numerous types of cleaning implements have been used, with some degrees of success, to clean these particularly susceptible areas. It has, however, been observed that cleaning implements formed from non-particulate removing materials may not be acceptable for use in these connectors. Specifically, it has been found that particulates can become lodged in and around the connectors, thus adversely effecting the quality of the telecommunications signal. In addition, it has been observed that these connectors can vary from one type to another. For example, the connector female end can be formed as having a flat inner end surface, a concave surface or a convex surface. To this end, it has been found that regardless of the type of cleaning implement used, debris that settles into and around corners and oils that are present in these areas of the connector devices cannot be adequately removed. Moreover, many of the currently used cleaning devices use foam-based cleaning heads. The foam portions of these devices can adversely affect the fiber optic conductors or may scratch the microscopic conductors. In addition, there are no currently known cleaning implements that can be used to clean the inside diameter of fiber optic connector ferrules. Accordingly, there exists a need for a swab-type cleaning device that can be used for cleaning a variety of delicate, electrical and electro-mechanical devices, and particularly fiber optic connectors. Desirably, such a device is configured so that it can be used to clean narrow or small spaces, without degrading when cleaning slots and the like in devices such as fiber optic connectors, as well as junction regions of walls and/or surfaces. Most desirably, such a cleaning device removes contaminants, including particulate and light oils without leaving any of its own debris, such as particulate or matter. A swab for cleaning for example, fiber optic connectors and electrical and electro-mechanical components includes an elongated handle having a cleaning head end and a grasping end, and a cleaning head secured to the handle. The handle defines a longitudinal axis and defines a securing region. The cleaning head or tip is formed from a plurality of fibers that are pulled through a die to compress the fibers into the substantially rigid, elongated cleaning head. The cleaning head is secured to the handle at the cleaning head end. The handle and cleaning tip define a longitudinal axis. In a preferred embodiment, the cleaning tip is formed from polyester fibers. Preferably, the handle is a hollow tubular member that defines a central bore and the cleaning tip is formed having a shape and a dimension for inserting into the handle bore. In this arrangement, the cleaning tip is secured to the handle by friction-fit. Alternately, the cleaning tip is secured to the handle by heat, by an adhesive, by ultrasonic welding or the like. The swab can include a tether secured to the handle grasping end. The tether can be secured to the handle by insertion into the handle bore. Alternately, the tether can be attached to the handle by a grip portion mounted externally over the grasping end of the handle. Particular embodiments of swabs in accordance with this invention will now be described with reference to the accompanying drawings; in which:- FIG. 1 is a plan view of a fiber swab; FIG. 2 is a partial, enlarged view of the cleaning end portion of the swab handle and a cleaning head or tip, showing the dimensional relationship between the handle and the cleaning head; FIG. 3 is a partial, enlarged view of the grasping end portion of the handle and showing an optional tether affixed thereto by an internal plug; and, FIG. 4 is a partial, enlarged view of the grasping end portion of the handle and showing the optional tether affixed thereto by an external grip mount. Referring to the figures and in particular FIG. 1, there is shown a swab 10 having a pull-truded fiber tip 12 embodying the principles of the present invention. The swab 10 includes, generally, a handle 14 and a cleaning head portion 16. The cleaning head 16 is formed from a fibrous material that, in a present embodiment, is inserted into an opening 18 in a tip securing end 20 of the handle 14 and sealed thereto. In a current embodiment, the handle 14 is an elongated polypropylene tubular member having an open central region or bore 22. The cleaning head 16 is a pull-truded fibrous material. Pull-truding is similar to an extruding process except that rather than pushing the material through a die, the material is pulled through the die. In a present embodiment, a polyester material is pulled through a die to form the pull-truded fiber cleaning head 16. Pulling the fibrous polyester material compresses the fibers forming a relatively rigid composition. The tip or head 16 can then be cut to form, for example, a flat head 24 as illustrated in FIG. 2, an angled head (not shown), or other shapes as desired. It is contemplated that the cleaning head 16 will be fabricated or pulled so that it can, dimensionally, snuggly fit within the bore 22 of the handle 14. Alternately, the cleaning head 16 can be mounted within the handle 14 and sealed thereto by, heat, ultrasonic welding, adhesive or the like. The cleaning head 16 can be fabricated having a wide range of diameters d from about 1.0 millimeters (mm) to about 3.0 mm and lengths 1 in a range from about 10 mm to about 30 mm. In a present embodiment, the cleaning head or tip 16 has a diameter d of about 1.25 mm and a length 1 of about 25 mm. Those skilled in the art will, however, appreciate the wide variety of tip 16 diameters and lengths. Although the present swab 10 can be used for various cleaning applications, because of the rigidity of the cleaning head 16, and the ability to vary the cross-section shape and size of the head 16, it has been found that the present swab 10 is particularly well suited for use in cleaning fiber optic cable connectors and the like. It has also been found that the because the size and shape of the head 16 can be varied, the present swab 10 is also particularly well suited for use in cleaning fiber optic connectors, ferrules and like.equipment. The swab 10 can be fitted with an optional tether 26 formed from, for example, a flat woven low friction material. The tether 26 can be, for example, placed around a user's wrist so that the swab 10 cannot be inadvertently left or lost in a delicate or controlled area. Use of the tether-attached swab 10 is particularly well suited for example, when cleaning equipment in aerospace applications. The tether 26 can be affixed to the swab handle 14 by inserting a plug 28 or like element (that is affixed to the tether 26) into the handle bore 22 at a handle grasping end 30. Alternately, heat or adhesive can be used to secure the tether 26 to the handle 14. To this end, the tether 26 can be made permanently affixed to the handle 14 or removable from the handle 14. The tether 26 can also be attached or mounted to the handle 14 by a gripping portion 32 mounted over or externally of the handle 14, as shown in FIG. 4. In this arrangement, the tether 26 can be inserted between the gripping portion 32 and the handle 14, or directly attached to the grip 32. The grip portion 32 can be formed from rubber or a like readily gripped, non-slip material. The grip 32 also facilitates use of the swab 10 in a wide range of environmental conditions.

Claims: A swab (10), comprising: a handle (14) defining a longitudinal axis, the handle (14) being elongated and having a cleaning head end (20) and a grasping end, the cleaning head end defining a securing region (18); and, a cleaning tip (16), the cleaning tip (16) being secured to the handle (14) at the cleaning head end (20), the handle and cleaning tip defining a longitudinal axis; characterized in that the cleaning tip (16) is formed by pulling a plurality of fibers through a die to compress them into a substantially rigid, elongated cleaning head. A swab according to with claim 1, wherein the cleaning tip (16) is formed from polyester fibers. A swab according to claim 1 or 2, wherein the cleaning tip (16) is secured to the handle by friction-fit, by heat, by an adhesive, or by ultrasonic welding. A swab according to any one of the preceding claims, wherein the handle (14) is a hollow tubular member defining a central bore (22) and the cleaning tip (16) is formed having a shape and a dimension for insertion into the handle bore (22). A swab according to any one of the preceding claims, including a grip portion (32) mounted externally of the handle (14). A swab according to any one of the preceding claims, including a tether (26) secured to the swab (10) at the handle grasping end. A swab according to claim 6, when dependent upon claim 5, in which the tether (26) is mounted to the swab (10) at the grip portion (32). A swab according to claim 7, wherein a portion of the tether (26) is sandwiched between the grip portion (32) and the handle (14). A swab according to claim 6, wherein an end of the tether (26) is inserted into bore (22) of the handle (14). A swab according to any one of claims 6 to 9, wherein the tether (26) is permanently mounted to the handle (14) or is removably mounted to the handle (14).

Inventors: FORREST EDWARD J JR, KAMMERER K SCOTT, FORREST, EDWARD J., JR., KAMMERER, K. SCOTT
Applicants: ILLINOIS TOOL WORKS, ILLINOIS TOOL WORKS INC.
Application year: 2001
Main classification: B08B1
IPC codes: B08B1, G02B6, B08B11, A47L25