Patent Publication Number: US-7216760-B2

Title: Pre-moistened fiber optic component cleaning tool with integrated cleaning platen

Description:
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
   The present invention is directed to a fiber optic component cleaning tool. More particularly, the present invention pertains to a pre-moistened fiber optic component cleaning tool having a plurality of pre-moistened cleaning cloths in a container having a work surface or platen thereon. 
   Fiber optic transmission rates have increased from one gigabyte per second to a contemporary standard of ten gigabytes per second. Several networks predict transmission rates will reach forty gigabytes per second in the near future and work continues to achieve transmission rates on the order of petabytes and terabytes per second. 
   To achieve, maintain, and even surpass these transmission rates, the transmission media (e.g., fiber optic conductors), must be fabricated and maintained to exacting standards and tolerances. As such, during fabrication and manufacturing, fiber optic component end faces frequently become contaminated with dirt, dust, oil, grease, and other debris, and cleaning these end faces preserves the accuracy of high-speed transmissions. Moreover, the end faces of the conductors must be free of scratches, burrs, and the like to maintain the standards necessary for these high transmission rates. The same standards of cleanliness are equally essential for installation, maintenance and test procedures. 
   Many devices are used to clean fiber optic end faces, with differing degrees of success. Minimizing and/or avoiding Tinting is critical in that fibrous material obstructing an end face can cause loss of laser light transmission. As such, paper products and other flaking materials are not preferred because they can generate lint. In addition, paper products generally cannot be used with a wet-cleaning technique. Wetting paper cleaning products causes them to shred, exacerbating the linting problem. 
   As to wet cleaning, it has been found that the use of a liquid, such as a solvent greatly increases the ability to clean the connectors while reducing the possibility of scratching. However, known cleaning devices (or kits) require the use of a dry wipe or towel with a separate solvent spray or other application. 
   Accordingly, there exists a need for a fiber optic cleaning device incorporates a soft, large cleaning surface to reduce or eliminate residue on a connector end face. Such a cleaning device allows for wet cleaning and contains pre-wetted cleaner (towels) in a self-contained package. 
   BRIEF SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
   A fiber optic component cleaning tool includes a container defining a body having an outer wall, a sealed bottom wall and an open end. The open end defines a periphery. A soft, relatively large work surface or platen is positioned on at least a portion of the outer wall. A present container is a molded plastic. 
   A plurality of cleaning wipes are disposed inside the container. The wipes are pre-moistened with a solvent. In a preferred tool, the container has a cylindrical shape and the cleaning wipes are in a roll form, fed from a center of the roll. The wipes are detachable from adjacent cleaning wipes (by, for example, perforations). The wipe material is a non-woven or a woven, natural or synthetic material. 
   A seal extends over the container opening and is sealed to the container at the periphery. The seal has a frangible portion to define an opening in the seal. The seal can be formed having an X-shape. A lid is fitted to the container over the open end. The lid has an opening for cooperating with the frangible portion of the seal. The lid opening can also be formed having an X-shape that is staggered or offset (e.g., rotated) from the seal opening. This positioning of the seal and lid openings retards evaporation of the solvent. 
   The lid can include a cover to seal or semi-seal (e.g., overlie) the opening in the lid to further reduce evaporation of the solvent. 
   The cleaning wipes are fed from the inside of the container (and the center of the core of the roll) through the opening in the seal and the opening in the lid, and are placed on the work surface for cleaning the fiber optic component. 
   The work surface or platen is formed of a non-flaking material, preferably a tight, closed cell material, or a covered open cell matrix, such as neoprene. The work surface maybe square, rectangular or any desired shape, depending upon the size of the container and the labeling requirements. 
   These and other features and advantages of the present invention will be apparent from the following detailed description, in conjunction with the appended claims. 

   
     BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE SEVERAL VIEWS OF THE DRAWINGS 
     The benefits and advantages of the present invention will become more readily apparent to those of ordinary skill in the relevant art after reviewing the following detailed description and accompanying drawings, wherein: 
       FIG. 1  is a perspective illustration of a pre-moistened fiber optic cleaning tool embodying the principles of the present invention, the container shown open with a wipe pulled partially therefrom; 
       FIG. 2  is a perspective view of the container of  FIG. 1  with the wipe removed for ease of clarity, and further showing the work surface; 
       FIG. 3  is a perspective view of the container with the lid removed to show the container seal; and 
       FIG. 4  is a top view of an exemplary lid showing the opening in the lid (and the cooperating opening in the seal in phantom lines). 
   

   DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION 
   While the present invention is susceptible of embodiment in various forms, there is shown in the drawings and will hereinafter be described a presently preferred embodiment with the understanding that the present disclosure is to be considered an exemplification of the invention and is not intended to limit the invention to the specific embodiment illustrated. 
   It should be further understood that the title of this section of this specification, namely, “Detailed Description Of The Invention”, relates to a requirement of the United States Patent Office, and does not imply, nor should be inferred to limit the subject matter disclosed herein. 
   Referring to the figures and in particular  FIG. 1  there is shown a pre-moistened fiber optic component cleaning tool  10  in accordance with the principles of the present invention. The cleaning tool  10  includes a container  12  having a body  14  and a lid  16 . A present container body  14  has a barrel or cylindrical shape (having an axis A 14 ) with a sealed bottom wall  18  and an open end  20  to which the lid  16  is fitted. The body open end  20  (opposite the sealed bottom wall  18 ) defines a periphery  22 . 
   A plurality of wipes or towels  24  are disposed in the container  12 . The wipes  24  are a non-woven, non-linting (or lint free) material and are pre-moistened or pre-wetted with a low vapor pressure, moderate to fast evaporating hydrocarbon solvent S. One suitable solvent is ELECTRO-WASH® MX, commercially available from ITW Chemtronics of Kennesaw, Ga. Such a cleaner is safe on plastics, is ozone safe, has a relatively low vapor pressure (to prevent blow-out of the sealed container), has a moderate evaporation rate (to increase cleaning power), removes organic and ionic soils, and leaves minimal to no residue. The solvent can be formulated from, for example, naphtha, ethanol, ethyl acetate and isopropanol. 
   The container  12  includes a seal  26  disposed at the open end  20  around the entire periphery  22  to prevent evaporation of the solvent. In a present tool  10 , the seal  26  is foil or a foil and polymer laminate that covers the open end  20 . The seal  26  includes an opening  28  therein through which the wipes  24  are pulled from the container  12 . In a present seal  26 , the opening  28  is formed as a frangible region  29  that is sealed until initial use. In this manner, the container  12  remains sealed until it is first used. This reduces evaporation of the solvent S. 
   The lid  16  also includes an opening  30  through which the wipes  24  are pulled upon use. In a present tool  10 , the lid  16  includes an “X” shaped opening  30  and the seal  26  includes a frangible “X” shaped opening  28  that is opened (upon initial use). In a preferred tool  10 , the seal “X”  28  and the lid “X”  30  are offset from one another (e.g., rotated relative to one another as seen in  FIG. 4 ) so that the arms of the Xs  28 ,  30  to not overlie one another). This maximizes the seal between the wipes  24  (in the container  12 ) and the environs. With this staggered seal  28   30 , evaporation of the solvent S is minimized after initial use of the tool  10  by reducing the environmental exposure of the pre-moistened wipes  24 . 
   The lid  16  can include a cover  32  that is fitted over the opening  30  to further reduce solvent evaporation. A preferred cover  32  is attached to the lid  16  by, for example, a plastic strip or tether  34  to maintain the cover  32  attached to the lid  16  to prevent inadvertently misplacing the cover  32 . 
   The wipes  24  are present in roll R form in the container  12 . The wipes  24  are dispensed or pulled from the inside (center) of the roll R, up through the seal opening  28  and the lid opening  30 . Preferably, the wipes  24  are separable from adjacent wipes by, for example, perforations  36  between the wipes. 
   A present tool  10  includes a large, compliant cleaning surface or work surface  38  on a side  40  of the container body  14 . The work surface  38  is formed from a non-flaking material. Preferably, the non-flaking material used for the work surface  38  is a tight, closed cell material, such as neoprene. Alternately, the work surface  38  can be formed from, for example, Buna-N (nitrile butyl rubber) vinyl or a like soft, resilient polymer. Essentially any soft, resilient material can be used. Desirable characteristics for the work surface  38  include liquid impermeability and chemical/solvent resistance. To this end, the work surface  38  can be formed from a soft, resilient material having a protective layer adhered thereto or formed thereon, such as by forming a coextruded material or film. Such a work surface  38  is more fully described in Forrest, U.S. Pat. No. 6,865,770, commonly assigned with the present application and incorporated herein by reference. 
   The body  14  and lid  16  of the present tool  10  are preferably formed from readily available polymeric materials such as polypropylene (PP), polyethylene terephthalate (PET), polyethylene (PE) or the like. The materials may also be electrostatic discharging material. 
   In use, a fiber optic cable (end face) C is positioned on the work surface  38 . The cable C can be held in place on the surface using one hand. A wipe  24  is then dispensed from the tool  10 , and the cable C is cleaned as it is held on the surface  38 . In that the wipe  24  is pre-moistened or pre-wetted, it is contemplated that additional solvent may not be necessary to properly clean the cable C. 
   The present tool  10  provides a compact, easy to use, self contained kit for cleaning fiber optic components. Having the pre-wetted or pre-moistened wipes  24  within a cost effective, sealed container  12  reduces the time and expense associated with component cleaning, and having the large work surface  38 , permits carrying one tool (or kit) to effect fiber optic component cleaning. The work surface  38  of the present tool  10  is preferred to previous designs that use surfaces that are about one-eighth to one-tenth the size of the present surface  38 . 
   All patents referred to herein, are hereby incorporated herein by reference, whether or not specifically do so within the text of this disclosure. 
   In the present disclosure, the words “a” or “an” are to be taken to include both the singular and the plural. Conversely, any reference to plural items shall, where appropriate, include the singular. 
   From the foregoing it will be observed that numerous modifications and variations can be effectuated without departing from the true spirit and scope of the novel concepts of the present invention. It is to be understood that no limitation with respect to the specific embodiments illustrated is intended or should be inferred. The disclosure is intended to cover by the appended claims all such modifications as fall within the scope of the claims.