Optical Fiber Cutter Circular Blade Rotation Mechanism
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing fiber cleavers require increased worker workload to efficiently use and maintain the circular blade, as the sharpness deteriorates over time, making it difficult to change the point of contact effectively.
Innovation Solution
A fiber cleaver with a circular-blade-raising means that includes a movable circular-blade-mounting bracket, a wedge with a slant face, and an engaging pin, allowing for stepwise rotation of the circular blade and adjustable elevation, reducing the need for manual adjustment and extending blade life.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Adaptability or versatility
If the circular blade is rotated by the worker after members that fix the circular blade are loosened, then the point of contact can be changed, but the workload imposed on the worker increases and it is difficult to appropriately change the point of contact
Solution Approach 1:
The device enables self-service operation where the circular blade automatically rotates and raises without requiring manual loosening and tightening of fixing members. The blade rotation mechanism is integrated into the slider assembly, allowing the blade to be automatically repositioned after each use, thereby reducing worker workload while maintaining adaptability for changing contact points.
Solution Approach 2:
The fixing members are designed to be dynamically adjustable rather than statically fixed. The slider can move along the linear guide to reposition the circular blade, and the blade itself can rotate within the slider assembly. This dynamic configuration allows the point of contact to be changed without requiring the worker to manually loosen and tighten fixing members, thus reducing workload while maintaining versatility.
2Productivity
If the circular blade is repeatedly used many times, then productivity is maintained, but the sharpness of the circular blade deteriorates
Solution Approach 1:
The circular blade is designed to rotate within the slider assembly, allowing different portions of the blade to be used sequentially. As the blade rotates, the contact point changes, effectively renewing the sharp edge without requiring replacement. This dynamic repositioning mechanism enables extended blade usage while maintaining cutting performance and sharpness.
Solution Approach 2:
Instead of discarding the entire blade after it becomes dull at a specific contact point, the system recovers and repositions the blade by rotating it within the slider assembly. This allows the blade to be reused multiple times with different contact points, extending its service life while maintaining sharpness through periodic repositioning rather than complete replacement.
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 use of the circular blade without increasing worker workload, extends the blade's lifespan, and ensures consistent, high-quality cuts by allowing for appropriate angle adjustments and elevation changes, preventing defective end facets in optical fibers.
Implementation Method 1
a wedge fixed to the main body and having a slant face slanting upward in the one direction, and an engaging pin provided to the circular-blade-mounting bracket and configured to engage with the slant face
Data Source
Figure 1
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Figure 3(a)~3(c)
AI summary
A fiber cleaver is provided in which a circular blade can be efficiently used without increasing the workload imposed on the worker. The fiber cleaver includes a main body supporting a slider such that the slider is movable in the front-back direction. A disc-shaped circular blade configured to make a flaw in an optical fiber is rotatably provided to the slider. A columnar protrusion stands on a base of the main body. An engaging member engaging with a gear that rotates together with the circular blade is provided at the upper end of the columnar protrusion. The columnar protrusion is connected to an engaging member, which engages with the slider, with a spring interposed therebetween. The base has first to third recessed portions each anchoring the engaging member. The angle of rotation of the circular blade is changed among three angles with the position where the engaging member is anchored.