Source: http://www.google.com/patents/US7068906?dq=mirroring+data+in+a+remote+data+storage+system
Timestamp: 2014-04-18 05:52:38
Document Index: 643743100

Matched Legal Cases: ['art 226', 'art 226', 'art 226', 'art 226', 'art 226', 'art 226', 'art 226', 'art 226', 'art 226', 'art 226', 'art 226']

Patent US7068906 - Fixture for system for processing fiber optic connectors - Google PatentsSearch Images Maps Play YouTube News Gmail Drive More »Sign inAdvanced Patent SearchPatentsA fixture for an automated connectorization system for processing fiber optic connectors. The fixture can include a first and second portions configured to hold the connectors. The first portion can include a plurality of clamps, each clamp being configured to clamp onto one of the connectors. The second...http://www.google.com/patents/US7068906?utm_source=gb-gplus-sharePatent US7068906 - Fixture for system for processing fiber optic connectorsAdvanced Patent SearchPublication numberUS7068906 B2Publication typeGrantApplication numberUS 10/890,528Publication dateJun 27, 2006Filing dateJul 12, 2004Priority dateJun 14, 2004Fee statusPaidAlso published asUS20050276543Publication number10890528, 890528, US 7068906 B2, US 7068906B2, US-B2-7068906, US7068906 B2, US7068906B2InventorsRobert J. Bianchi, Larry Sorenson, Todd EichingerOriginal AssigneeAdc Telecommunications, Inc.Export CitationBiBTeX, EndNote, RefManPatent Citations (94), Non-Patent Citations (11), Referenced by (4), Classifications (12), Legal Events (3) External Links: USPTO, USPTO Assignment, EspacenetFixture for system for processing fiber optic connectorsUS 7068906 B2Abstract A fixture for an automated connectorization system for processing fiber optic connectors. The fixture can include a first and second portions configured to hold the connectors. The first portion can include a plurality of clamps, each clamp being configured to clamp onto one of the connectors. The second portion can include a plurality of nests, each nest including an aperture configured to allow a ferrule of one of the connectors to extend therethrough. The second portion of the fixture is coupled to the first portion.
1. A fixture for a system for processing fiber optic connectors, the fixture comprising:
a first portion including a plurality of clamps, each clamp being configured to clamp onto one of a plurality of fiber optic connectors; and
a second portion defining a plurality of nests, each nest defining an aperture configured to allow a ferrule of one of the plurality of fiber optic connectors to extend therethrough;
wherein the second portion is coupled to the first portion; and
wherein the second portion is detachably coupled to the first portion using at least one latch, the latch including a spring.
2. The fixture of claim 1, wherein the aperture defined by each of the plurality of nests forms a close tolerance fit with the respective ferrule of one of the plurality of fiber optic connectors.
3. The fixture of claim 1, wherein each of the plurality of nests further includes a boss extending coaxially from the aperture, the boss being configured so that the ferrule of each of the plurality of fiber optic connectors extends approximately a same distance from a bottom of the second portion.
4. The fixture of claim 1, wherein each clamp is configured to be coupled to a respective boot of one of the plurality of fiber optic connectors.
5. A fixture for an automated system for processing fiber optic connectors, the fixture comprising:
an upper portion including a plurality of clamps, each clamp including first and second clamp members, at least one of the first and second clamp members being configured to move between open and closed positions, and a resilient member being coupled to each of the first and second clamp members to hold a respective boot of one of a plurality of fiber optic connectors, the first and second clamp members each defining a recessed portion, and each respective resilient member being positioned in each respective recessed portion; and
a lower portion defining a plurality of nests, each nest being configured to receive a ferrule of one of the plurality of fiber optic connectors;
wherein the lower portion is detachably coupled to the upper portion.
6. The fixture of claim 5, wherein each of the nests defines an aperture that forms a close tolerance fit with the respective ferrule of one of the plurality of fiber optic connectors.
7. The fixture of claim 5, wherein the lower portion defines at least two drive pins configured to be coupled to a drive mechanism of the system.
8. The fixture of claim 5, wherein the first and second clamp members of each clamp hold a boot of one of the plurality of fiber optic connectors therebetween.
9. The fixture of claim 5, wherein, upon uncoupling of the lower portion from the upper portion of the fixture, a lower portion of each of the plurality of fiber optic connectors is exposed.
10. A method for processing fiber optic connectors, comprising:
coupling a plurality of fiber optic connectors to a fixture, the fixture including a first portion and a second portion;
processing the fiber optic connectors to a first processed state;
removing the second portion of the fixture; and
processing the fiber optic connectors to a second processed state.
11. The method of claim 10, wherein the coupling step further comprises:
placing a ferrule of each of the plurality of fiber optic connectors into one of a plurality of nests defined by the second portion of the fixture; and
coupling each of a plurality of clamps of the first portion of the fixture onto a boot of one of the plurality of fiber optic connectors.
12. The method of claim 11, wherein the step of coupling further comprises actuating opposing clamp members of each of the plurality of clamps from an open to a closed position to hold the respective boot of one of the plurality of fiber optic connectors.
13. The method of claim 10, wherein the first processed state is a polished state, and wherein the second processed state is a tuned state.
14. The method of claim 10, further comprising coupling the first portion to the second portion of the fixture by placing the first portion on top of the second portion.
15. A method for processing fiber optic connectors, comprising:
providing a fixture including an upper portion and a lower portion;
positioning each ferrule of a plurality of fiber optic connectors in one of a plurality of nests defined by the lower portion of the fixture;
clamping the plurality of connectors to the upper portion of the fixture;
polishing the ferrule of each of the plurality of fiber optic connectors; and
stripping the lower portion from the upper portion of the fixture to provide access to a lower portion of each of the plurality of fiber optic connectors after the ferrules have been polished.
16. The method of claim 15, wherein the step of clamping further comprises actuating opposing clamp members of each of the plurality of clamps from an open to a closed position to hold a boot of one of the plurality of fiber optic connectors.
17. The method of claim 15, further comprising accessing the lower portion of each of the plurality of fiber optic connectors to tune each of the fiber optic connectors.
FIG. 10 is a cross-sectional view taken along line 10�10 of the fixture of FIG. 6;
FIG. 10A is a cross-sectional view taken along line 10A�10A of the fixture of FIG. 6 with one control knob in the released position;
FIGS. 4 and 4A�4G show an alternative fiber optic connector processing system 200 having features that are examples of inventive aspects in accordance with the principles of the present disclosure. The system 200 includes a plurality of modular processing stations arranged in an assembly line. Similar to the previous embodiment, the processing stations include a polishing station 210, a cleaning station 212, a tuning station 214, a test station 216, an SC connector adjust station 218, an FC connector key press station 220 and a dust cap station 222, all of which are described further below.
The system 200 also includes a cart conveying unit 224 for conveying a cart 226 from station to station. See FIGS. 13�18 and accompanying description below. The cart 226 is adapted for carrying one or more connectorized fiber optic cables 133.
The system 200 further includes fixture assemblies 300 that can be mounted to and detached from the cart 226. See FIGS. 5�10B and accompanying description below. For clarity, only a few of the fixture assemblies 300 are shown mounted to the cart 226. The fixture assemblies 300 each include a tuning and test fixture 302 for clamping boots 149 of the connectors 135, and a polishing fixture 304 having nests for supporting the ferrules 145 of the connectors 135. The tuning and test fixtures 302 also define receptacles 342 for receiving the bare fiber support sleeves 139 mounted to bare fiber ends 137 of the cables 133.
The system 200 further includes a fixture conveyor 240 for conveying the fixture assemblies 300 from station to station along the assembly line. See FIGS. 19�24A and accompanying description below. The fixture conveyor 240 is a separate conveyor from the cart conveyor 224. However, the operation of the fixture conveyor 240 is coordinated with the operation of the cart conveyor 224 such that the fixture assemblies 300 and their corresponding cart 226 move in a side-by-side relationship from station to station.
Referring now to FIGS. 5�10B, the fixture assemblies 300 of the system 200 each include the tuning and test fixture 302 as well as the polishing fixture 304. The polishing fixture 304 is detachably mounted to the underside of the tuning and test fixture 302. A latching arrangement, such as a pair of spring latches 306, is used to secure the polishing fixture 304 relative to the tuning and test fixture 302. The polishing fixture 304 also includes alignment pins 308 that fit within openings 309 defined by the tuning and test fixture 302 to maintain alignment between the two fixtures 302, 304. See FIGS. 10 and 10A.
FIGS. 13�18 show various views of the cart 226. The cart 226 includes a base 400. A rear portion of the base 400 defines a platform 402 for supporting a spool of fiber optic cable. Rollers 403 are provided on the platform 402 for facilitating loading and unloading spools of fiber optic cable to or from the platform 402. The sides of the platform 402 are enclosed by side walls 404 and the front of the platform 402 is enclosed by a front wall 406. The back of the platform 402 is open to facilitate loading fiber optic spools onto the platform. Handles 408 are provided at the top sides of the side walls 404 for facilitating maneuvering of the cart 226.
Referring to FIGS. 13�16, casters 410 are mounted to the underside of the base 400. The casters 410 include pivoting caster wheels 412. The caster wheels 412 include central grooves 414. See FIG. 14. A pair of racks or ladders 416 is also mounted to the underside of the base 400. The ladders 416 provide structure for allowing the cart conveyor 224 to engage the cart 226.
Referring now to FIGS. 4 and 19�24A, the fixture conveyor 240 is shown including two generally parallel guide rails 700 and two generally parallel screw drives 702. The screw drives 702 can be powered by a drive mechanism 707 (see FIG. 21) such as a pneumatic drive, a servo-motor drive, or any other drive suitable for rotating the screw drives 702. The screw drives 702 are vertically offset from one another (i.e., set at different elevations) such that one of the screw drives 702 is adapted to engage the upper guide pins 344 of the fixtures 302, and the other of the screw drives 702 is adapted to engage the lower pins 346 of the fixtures 302. See FIGS. 20, 21, and 22.
The fixture conveyor 240 can also include a lead-in section 708 and a lead-out section 709. See FIGS. 19�21. The lead-in and lead-out sections 708, 709 preferably have a length generally equal to at least one cart length. At the lead-in and lead-out sections 708, 709, straight longitudinal slots 349 can be formed in screw drives 702 to allow pins 344, 346 of fixtures 300 to slide therein, thereby facilitating engaging the fixture pins 344, 346 with the screw drives 702 as the cart 226 is lead into the assembly line, and to facilitate disengaging the fixture pins 344, 346 from the screw drives 702 as the cart 226 is lead out of the assembly line. See FIG. 19A.
Referring to FIGS. 4 and 4A, the depicted polishing station 210 includes a plurality of polishing substations 210 a�210 g. Each substation includes three polishing pads 750 that can be individually raised and lowered by separate lift mechanisms (e.g., pneumatic cylinders). Polishing films are positioned between the pads 750 and the ferrule end faces 147 of the ferrules 145 nested within the polishing fixtures 304 of the fixture assemblies 300.
By lifting the polishing pads 750, the polishing films are pressed into contact with the ferrule end faces 147. The various polishing substations 210 a�210 g can provide various polishing functions. For example, the substation 210 a can provide an epoxy and hackle removal function. Later substations can provide radius and apex shaping functions.
Referring to FIGS. 4, 4B, and 25�28, the cleaning station 212 includes substations 212 a, 212 b for cleaning the ferrule end faces 147 of the connectors 135. The substation 212 a includes steam recesses 790 into which the lower ends of the connectors 135 are inserted to expose the ferrules 145 to cleansing steam. Steam is provided to the steam recesses 790 by nozzles 791 that are connected to a steam source, and dry air is provided by nozzles 797. The substation 212 b includes air stream recesses 795 into which the lower ends of the connectors 135 are inserted. The air stream recesses 795 are pneumatically coupled to a source of compressed gas. The source of compressed gas provides a pressurized gas stream to the recesses for cleaning the ferrules 145. In one embodiment, the pressurized gas includes carbon dioxide. Operation of the cleaning module 212 can be controlled by a controller 799 that interfaces with the main system controller 250.
Referring to FIGS. 4, 4C, and 29�32, the tuning station 214 includes three master tuning connectors 800 and a remote test head 806 for use in inputting light into the connectors 135, and monitoring the light output through the bare fiber ends 137 held within the support sleeves 139. The tuning connectors 800 can be raised and lowered by a lift mechanism 802, and individually rotated by rotational drives 803. A conventional optical testing apparatus 808 is optically connected to the master tuning connectors 800 and the remote head 806. In one embodiment, the testing apparatus 808 includes a light member frame having product no. 8163A, a laser light source having product no. HP 81654A, a light meter having product no. 81618A, and a remote head having product no. 91623A, all being manufactured by Agilent Technologies of Palo Alto, Calif. In addition, a fiber optic switch (not shown) is used to switch the light signals entering the testing apparatus 808 so that the testing apparatus 808 can be used for all three master tuning connectors 800.
Referring now to FIGS. 4, 4D, and 33�34A, the test station 216 includes a master test connector 850 that is moved up and down by a lift mechanism 851 and moved laterally by a lateral drive mechanism 853. The test station 216 also includes a test unit including a remote test head 855 that optically couples to the bare fiber ends of the connectors 135 held by the fixture 302. In one embodiment, the test unit 859 is an IQS-510P Industrial PC including an IQS-1700 laser, an IQS-3250 light meter, and an OHS-1700 remote head, all manufactured by EXFO of Quebec, Canada. The test station 216 further includes a fiber optic testing device 859 optically coupled to the master test connector 850 and the remote test head 855. A controller 891 interfaces with the various components and also with the main controller 250.
As shown at FIGS. 4, 4E, and 35�37A, the SC connector adjust station 218 includes an adjust arrangement 900 having a clamp 902 and a connector body receiver 904. The SC connector adjust station 218 also includes a lateral drive 911 for moving the adjust arrangement 900 from connector to connector on a fixture 302, and a lift mechanism 912 for raising and lowering the adjust arrangement 900. See FIG. 36. The SC connector adjust station 218 further includes a rotational drive 910 for turning the clamp 902 relative to the connector body receiver 904, and a clamp actuator 906 for opening and closing the clamp 902. A controller 913 interfaces with the various components of the station and also interfaces with the main controller 250.
Referring to FIGS. 4, 4F, and 38�39A, the FC connector key press station 220 includes a key holder 920 including clamps 932 for clamping each connector 135 prior to application of a key element (e.g., key 36 of FIG. 2, and a pin 933 for holding each key element prior to application. The key holder 920 is moved laterally by a lateral drive 922 and is raised up and down by a lift 923. The FC connector key press station 220 also includes a product handler 926 for feeding key elements to the key holder 920. The product handler 926 includes a bin 928 for holding the key elements and a feed mechanism 930 for feeding the key elements to the key holder 920. A controller 925 controls operation of the various components of the station and also interfaces with the main controller 250.
Referring to FIGS. 4, 4G, and 40�42, the dust cap station 222 includes a cap holder 950 that is laterally moved by a lateral drive 951 and is raised and lowered by a lift 953. The dust cap station 222 also includes a product handler 955 for conveying dust caps 970 (e.g., dust cap 42 of FIG. 2) to the dust cap holder 950. The product handler 955 includes a bin 957 for storing the dust caps 970 and a conveyor 959 for moving the dust caps from the bin 957 to a location where the dust caps can be picked up by the dust cap holder 950. A controller 973 controls operation of the components of the station and also interfaces with the main controller 250.
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No. 10/356,358, Apparatus and Method for Polishing a Fiber Optic Connector, filed Jan. 31, 2003.Referenced byCiting PatentFiling datePublication dateApplicantTitleUS7369737 *Jan 18, 2006May 6, 2008Seikoh Giken Co., Ltd.Holder for optical fiber ferrule end face grinding apparatusUS7542648 *Mar 27, 2008Jun 2, 2009Seikoh Giken Co., Ltd.Holder for optical fiber ferrule end face grinding apparatusUS7808624Dec 14, 2007Oct 5, 2010Adc Telecommunications, Inc.Inspecting end surfaces of fiber optic connectorsUS7976031Oct 15, 2008Jul 12, 2011Adc Telecommunications, Inc.Cart Assembly* Cited by examinerClassifications U.S. Classification385/134, 451/287, 451/15, 451/66, 385/53International ClassificationG02B6/38, G02B6/00, G02B6/36Cooperative ClassificationG02B6/3807, G02B6/3898European ClassificationG02B6/38D18, G02B6/38DLegal EventsDateCodeEventDescriptionDec 27, 2013FPAYFee paymentYear of fee payment: 8Dec 28, 2009FPAYFee paymentYear of fee payment: 4Nov 1, 2004ASAssignmentOwner name: ADC TELECOMMUNICATIONS, INC., MINNESOTAFree format text: ASSIGNMENT OF ASSIGNORS INTEREST;ASSIGNORS:BIANCHI, ROBERT J.;SORENSON, LARRY;EICHINGER, TODD;REEL/FRAME:015938/0294;SIGNING DATES FROM 20040729 TO 20041005RotateOriginal ImageGoogle Home - Sitemap - USPTO Bulk Downloads - Privacy Policy - Terms of Service - About Google Patents - Send FeedbackData provided by IFI CLAIMS Patent Services©2012 Google