Flexible Guiding Part for Optical Connector Cleaning
Find Innovative SolutionsGenerate Solutions
Solution Overview
Problem
Existing optical connector cleaning devices apply excessive force to the ferrule when tilted, risking damage during the cleaning process and potentially increasing optical transmission loss due to dirty connecting terminal surfaces.
Innovation Solution
A cleaning device with a flexible guiding part, comprising a tapering tube and a tip tube, that reduces force applied in the bending direction by allowing deformation, ensuring the ferrule is not broken and facilitating easy cleaning even when the device tilts.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Stability of the object's composition
If a rigid tube-shaped guiding part is used to lead the cleaning device to the connecting terminal surface, then the cleaning path is well-defined and stable, but excessive force is applied to the ferrule when the device tilts, risking damage to the to-be-cleaned object
Solution Approach 1:
The guiding part is designed with a flexible structure comprising a tube-shaped guiding body with varying wall thickness. The wall thickness decreases from the base toward the tip, creating a gradient flexibility where the thinner tip portion can bend to accommodate tilting while the thicker base maintains structural stability. This flexible shell design allows the guiding part to absorb tilting forces without transmitting excessive force to the ferrule.
Solution Approach 2:
The guiding part utilizes parameter changes in wall thickness along its length to achieve different mechanical properties at different locations. The wall thickness parameter varies continuously or in steps from the base to the tip, transforming the guiding part from a uniformly rigid structure to a gradient-structured component with optimized flexibility and strength distribution.
2Object-affected harmful factors
If the guiding part is made flexible to reduce force on the ferrule, then damage to the to-be-cleaned object is prevented, but the guiding precision and stability may be compromised
Solution Approach 1:
The flexible guiding body maintains its tube-shaped structure with strategically varied wall thickness. The thicker base portion provides anchoring stability and guiding precision, while the progressively thinner tip portion provides flexibility to reduce force transmission. This gradient structure resolves the contradiction by localizing flexibility where needed while maintaining stability where required.
Solution Approach 2:
The guiding part can be viewed as segmented into zones of different flexibility: a rigid base zone for stability, a transition zone with intermediate flexibility, and a flexible tip zone for force absorption. This segmentation allows each zone to perform its specific function optimally without compromising the overall system performance.
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 flexible guiding part absorbs tilting forces, preventing damage to the ferrule and ensuring effective cleaning of the optical connector's connecting terminal surface without applying excessive force, thus maintaining optical integrity.
Implementation Method 1
the guiding body is flexible and extends from the fitting part towards an extending direction in which the extending part is extended
Data Source
AI summary
An optical connector cleaning device which cleans a connecting terminal surface of a to-be-cleaned object protruding from an optical connector with a cleaning body, and includes: a main body; an extending part which extends from the main body; and a guiding part attached to a tip portion of the extending part, wherein the extending part includes an extending tube body and a tip extending part; the guiding part includes a fitting part and a tube-shaped guiding body, which is flexible and extends from the fitting part towards an extending direction; an insertion hole is formed; and the to-be-cleaned object is cleaned by inserting the to-be-cleaned object into the insertion hole, and by pressing the cleaning body against the connecting terminal surface of the to-be-cleaned object.