Patent ID: 8292699

Claim:
A polishing apparatus for polishing an optical fiber connector, the optical fiber connector including a connector housing and a ferrule, comprising: a support platform including a polishing section, a cleaving section and a connector mounting section; wherein the mounting section includes a mount to receive and hold the optical connector, wherein the cleaving section includes a blade to remove a terminal end of an optical fiber disposed in the ferrule, and wherein the polishing section includes a dispenser disposed on the support platform, wherein the dispenser dispenses a polishing strip, the polishing strip having a portion thereof extending through a passageway formed in the support platform, wherein the polishing strip is disposed proximate to an end face of the ferrule of the optical connector disposed in the mount, wherein the platform further comprises a rotatable stage disposed thereon, wherein the mounting section is disposed on the rotatable stage, the rotatable stage providing movement of the connector ferrule mounted in the mounting section from the cleaving section to the polishing section.