Portable Optical Fiber Connector Attachment Device
Find Innovative SolutionsGenerate Solutions
Solution Overview
Problem
Conventional optical fiber processing devices are cumbersome and require skilled operators, with no integrated solution for debris collection, leading to environmental pollution and inefficiencies in field applications.
Innovation Solution
A portable device with integrated stations for stripping, cleaning, and cleaving optical fibers, capable of autonomously attaching connectors, featuring a housing with mechanisms for securing connectors and collecting debris, allowing unskilled operators to use it efficiently.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Ease of manufacture
If multiple separate processing devices (stripping, cleaning, cleaving) are used, then each device can be optimized for its specific function, but the overall system becomes cumbersome and requires multiple devices to be stored and carried separately
Solution Approach 1:
The patent combines multiple optical fiber processing functions (stripping, cleaning, cleaving, and connector attachment) into a single integrated portable device. The housing contains all processing stations and mechanisms in one unified structure, eliminating the need to carry and switch between multiple separate devices while maintaining the specialized functionality of each processing step.
Solution Approach 2:
The portable device is designed as a multi-functional tool that can perform various optical fiber processing operations sequentially. The device includes a stripping station, cleaning station, cleaving station, and connector attachment station, all within one unit, making it a universal tool for complete optical fiber preparation and termination.
2Ease of manufacture
If multiple separate processing devices are carried, then each device can be used for its specific operation, but the worker must operate with the weight of several devices as a burden
Solution Approach 1:
By merging all processing functions into one portable device, the total weight burden is consolidated into a single unit that the worker carries once, rather than multiple separate devices. The integrated design reduces the cumulative weight and simplifies portability while maintaining all necessary processing capabilities.
3Device complexity
If conventional cutting devices are used without integrated debris collection, then the device structure remains simple, but optical fiber debris is directly discarded causing environmental pollution
Solution Approach 1:
The patent extracts the debris collection function from the general device structure and implements a dedicated debris collection mechanism. A container or collection chamber is integrated into the housing to capture and retain optical fiber debris generated during processing, preventing it from being discarded in the environment and addressing the pollution issue.
4Device complexity
If manual processing operations are performed, then the device can be simple in structure, but skilled operators are required to process the delicate optical fiber correctly
Solution Approach 1:
The device incorporates automated mechanisms for each processing step, including automated stripping, cleaning, and cleaving functions. The optical fiber is fed through the device and each processing station automatically performs its function without requiring manual manipulation by the operator, thereby eliminating the need for skilled manual operation while maintaining processing quality.
Solution Approach 2:
The device performs preliminary processing actions automatically before connector attachment. The optical fiber undergoes automated stripping, cleaning, and cleaving in sequence, preparing it in advance for connector attachment. This preliminary automated processing eliminates the need for skilled manual intervention during critical processing steps.
5Ease of operation
If a portable integrated device is created, then ease of operation and automation are improved, but the device must be compact for field use
Solution Approach 1:
The patent employs a nested arrangement where processing stations and mechanisms are compactly integrated within the housing. Components are arranged concentrically or in nested configurations, with the optical fiber path passing through multiple stations in a compact sequence. This nesting approach maximizes functionality within a minimized volume, making the device portable for field use.
Data Source
AI summary
A portable device for attaching a connector to an optical fiber, the optical fiber having an end, the device comprising means for receiving the optical fiber at the end of the optical fiber; and a connector station for autonomously attaching the connector to the optical fiber.