Patent ID: 8792764

Claim:
An optical fiber cleaver comprising: a base; a flexible arm having a first portion, a second portion and a length extending outward from said base, with said first portion of said flexible arm disposed adjacent to said base and said second portion disposed outward of said base and adjacent to said first portion, and said flexible arm having an upper surface, a lower surface, a nominal thickness extending there-between, with said first portion and said second portion having widths which extend transverse to said length of said flexible arm; said flexible arm having a thinned region extending into said nominal thickness of said first portion of said flexible arm, with said thinned region extending generally perpendicular to said length of said flexible arm, wherein said thinned region is formed for focusing bending of said flexible arm at said first portion; a cleave arm pivotally secured to said base, said cleave arm having a cutting tool which extends outward of said cleave arm, wherein said cleave arm is disposed for moving downward toward said upper surface of said flexible arm, with said cutting tool aligned for engaging said optical fiber above said thinned region of said flexible arm; and wherein an optical fiber is disposed on said flexible arm, extending adjacent said upper surface of said flexible arm and between a grip member and said base, said cleave arm can be moved to press said cutting tool against said optical fiber and to score said optical fiber, and said first portion of said flexible arm can be bent to cleave said optical fiber with bending of said flexible arm and said optical fiber aligned with said score.