Optical Fiber Connector Cleaner Rack Gear Synchronization
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing optical fiber connector cleaners face challenges in reliably cleaning the end surfaces of optical fiber connectors due to inconsistent cleaning operations, time-consuming processes, and potential tape fallout, which can lead to increased transmission loss.
Innovation Solution
A novel optical fiber connector cleaner featuring a forwarding and reversing mechanism with a rack gear system that synchronizes the rotation of the cleaning shaft with the feeding of the cleaning tape, ensuring accurate and reliable cleaning by linking the feeding operation with the rotational motion, and a guide mechanism to prevent tape entanglement and ensure uniform winding.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If an inserting protrusion and cam groove mechanism is used to rotate the shaft, then the shaft can be rotated forcibly during forward and backward movement, but backlash causes delayed or premature rotation leading to inaccurate cleaning
Solution Approach 1:
The rotation shaft is pre-loaded with a compression spring that maintains constant contact pressure between the shaft and the rack gear teeth. This preliminary action ensures that the rotation shaft rotates immediately and accurately in response to rack gear movement, eliminating backlash-induced delays or premature rotation while maintaining a relatively simple mechanism structure.
2Manufacturing precision
If a cleaning tool like a cotton swab is used, then cleaning can be performed, but there is variation at each cleaning operation and by individuals making uniform cleaning difficult
Solution Approach 1:
The cleaning tape automatically feeds itself through the mechanism driven by the rack gear and pinion gear system. As the rack gear moves forward and backward, it drives the pinion gear to rotate the spool, which in turn feeds the cleaning tape through the cleaning path and winds it back. This self-service mechanism eliminates manual manipulation variations while maintaining simple operation of just moving the rack gear back and forth.
3Reliability
If cleaning fiber is used, then cleaning can be performed, but cleaning fiber could fall off during cleaning operation and adhere to the end surface causing increased transmission loss
Solution Approach 1:
The cleaning tape is designed as a disposable single-use component. After one cleaning operation, the tape is discarded rather than reused. This eliminates the risk of cleaning material falling off during operation since the entire tape is replaced after use, ensuring transmission performance is not compromised by contaminant transfer while maintaining cost-effectiveness.
4Manufacturing precision
If the rotation of the shaft is linked to the feeding operation of the cleaning element, then accurate cleaning can be performed, but the response becomes slow due to backlash
Solution Approach 1:
The compression spring pre-loads the rotation shaft against the rack gear teeth, creating constant contact pressure before movement occurs. This preliminary action eliminates backlash, ensuring that any movement of the rack gear immediately translates to rotation of the shaft without delay or premature movement, achieving both precise cleaning linkage and fast response speed.
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
The solution enables efficient and accurate cleaning of optical fiber connector end surfaces, reducing transmission loss by ensuring consistent tape feeding and rotation, allowing for continuous use and effective dirt removal without damaging the connectors.
Implementation Method 1
a rotation mechanism to rotate the cleaning shaft about the axis thereof in synchronization with the feeding of the cleaning tape in accordance with the movement of the second casing backward in the one direction, and including a first rack gear disposed on the fixing member and extending in the one direction, a first gear rotatably mounted in the second casing and having first teeth fitted to the first rack gear
Implementation Method 2
a first biasing means to bias the second casing forward in the one direction relative to the fixing member
Data Source
AI summary
The present invention provides an optical fiber connector cleaner in which the rotation of the cleaning shaft is linked with the feeding of the cleaning tape so that it is possible to wipe the dirt on the end surface of the connector off reliably. A forwarding and reversing mechanism of the optical fiber connector cleaner is formed of a fixing member contacting the second casing so as to be slidable, and a coil spring biasing the second casing forward in the one direction for the fixing member, a rotation mechanism is formed of a first rack gear disposed on the fixing member, a first gear rotatably mounted in the second casing, and a second gear connected to a base end of the shaft 14, the first gear includes first teeth fitted to the first rack gear, and second teeth fitted to the second gear.