APC Connector Endface Inspection Microscope With 8-Degree Illumination
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing optical-fiber connector endface inspection microscopes are costly when inspecting angled-polished (APC) connectors due to the complexity and additional optical components required in adapter tips, making it impractical for densely populated environments.
Innovation Solution
An optical-fiber connector endface inspection microscope device designed natively for APC connectors, with illumination light exiting at an angle of about 8 degrees relative to the optical axis, using relay optics within the microscope housing to illuminate the connector endface normally, eliminating the need for complex adapter tips with optical components.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Adaptability or versatility
If adapter tips with optical components (lenses, wedges, prisms) are used to inspect deeply recessed APC connectors, then inspection capability is improved, but manufacturing cost and device complexity increase significantly
Solution Approach 1:
Instead of angling the adapter tip to match the APC connector angle, the patent inverts the approach by keeping the adapter tip straight and angling the illumination path within the microscope housing. The illumination light is directed at an 8-degree angle relative to the optical axis, allowing normal incidence on the angled endface without requiring angled adapter tips or complex optical components in the adapter.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent moves the angular deviation from the mechanical dimension (adapter tip angle) to the optical dimension (illumination path angle). By using relay optics to deviate the illumination path at an 8-degree angle within the microscope housing, the solution achieves APC connector inspection capability without requiring physical angling of the adapter tip or inclusion of angular optical components in the adapter.
2Adaptability or versatility
If adapter tips with optical components are used to inspect deeply recessed APC connectors, then inspection capability is improved, but manufacturing cost increases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent extracts the optical deviation function from the adapter tip and relocates it to the microscope housing. The angular illumination path is created using relay optics within the microscope body, allowing the adapter tip to remain a simple, straight mechanical component that can be manufactured at low cost without any optical elements.
Solution Approach 2:
The microscope housing with its angled illumination path capability serves multiple functions: it provides the primary imaging function for UPC connectors and simultaneously provides angled illumination capability for APC connectors through the relay optics system. This multi-functionality eliminates the need for separate expensive adapter tips for different connector types.
3Ease of manufacture
If straight adapter tips are used for UPC connectors, then manufacturing cost is reduced, but inspection of APC connectors becomes impossible
Solution Approach 1:
The patent introduces dynamic flexibility to the illumination path through relay optics that can direct light at an 8-degree angle. This dynamic optical capability allows the same straight adapter tip to work with both UPC and APC connectors, as the illumination angle can be adjusted via the relay optics system in the microscope housing.
Applied Scientific Principles
This section explains which scientific principles are used to turn an abstract innovation direction into a practical engineering solution.
Function Achieved in This Case
Provides cost-effective inspection of APC connectors with improved accessibility in dense environments by maintaining optical quality and reducing manufacturing complexity, allowing for interchangeable adapter tips without additional optical components.
Implementation Method 1
relay optics receiving illumination light for illuminating the connector endface, and configured to deviate the illumination path so as to illuminate the connector endface in a direction that is substantially normal to the angled-polished connector endface
Data Source
Figure 1A~1B
Figure 2
Figure 3A
AI summary
There is provided an optical-fiber connector endface inspection microscope device that is natively designed for inspecting angled-polished (APC) optical-fiber connectors, i.e., without requiring an angled adapter tip or optical components in the adapter tip to deviate light reflected from the optical-fiber endface. Adapter tips are still needed to adapt the microscope device to different types of connectors, but they are small, straight, and low cost. This can be achieved using optics configured to deviate the illumination path so illumination light exits the inspection microscope device along an illumination path that is at an angle that is substantially egal to 8 degrees, so as to illuminate the connector endface in a direction that is substantially normal to the angled-polished endface to be inspected.