# US 12,222,558 B2 · Optical connector cleaning tool

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- Number: US 12,222,558 B2
- Document ID: US12222558B2
- Status: Granted
- Kind: B2
- Application number: 18/523,389
- Filed: 2023-11-29
- Published: 2024-03-21
- Granted: 2025-02-11
- Earliest claimed: 2019-01-18
- Assignees: NTT Advanced Technology Corporation
- Applicants: Ntt Advanced Technology Corporation
- Inventors: Shuichiro Asakawa; Kenta Arai; Etsu Hashimoto
- Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US12222558B2

## CPC

- G02B 6/3866: {Devices, tools or methods for cleaning connectors (cleaning in general B08B)}
- B05B 17/0615: {spray being produced at the free surface of the liquid or other fluent material in a container and subjected to the vibrations}
- B05B 7/0012: {Apparatus for achieving spraying before discharge from the apparatus}
- B05B 17/0646: {Vibrating plates, i.e. plates being directly subjected to the vibrations, e.g. having a piezoelectric transducer attached thereto}
- G02B: OPTICAL ELEMENTS, SYSTEMS OR APPARATUS
- B05B: SPRAYING APPARATUS; ATOMISING APPARATUS; NOZZLES (spray-mixers with nozzles B01F25/72; processes for applying liquids or other fluent materials to surfaces by spraying B05D)

## Abstract

An optical connector cleaning tool includes a cleaning portion pressed against a coupling end face of an optical connector, a container storing a cleaning liquid, and an atomizer spraying the cleaning liquid to the cleaning portion.

## Claims

### Claim 1

An optical connector cleaning tool comprising:
a cleaning portion configured to be pressed against a coupling end face of an optical connector;
a container configured to store a cleaning liquid; and
an atomizer configured to atomize the cleaning liquid stored in the container and spray the cleaning liquid directly to the cleaning portion.

### Claim 2 (depends on 1)

The optical connector cleaning tool according to claim 1, wherein the atomizer is configured to atomize the cleaning liquid by ultrasonic atomization.

### Claim 3

An optical connector cleaning tool comprising:
a cleaning portion configured to be pressed against a coupling end face of an optical connector;
a container configured to store a cleaning liquid;
an atomizer configured to atomize the cleaning liquid stored in the container and spray the cleaning liquid directly or indirectly to the cleaning portion; and
a control circuit configured to control an operation time of the atomizer.

### Claim 4

An optical connector cleaning tool comprising:
a cleaning portion configured to be pressed against a coupling end face of an optical connector;
a container configured to store a cleaning liquid;
an atomizer configured to atomize the cleaning liquid stored in the container and spray the cleaning liquid directly or indirectly to the cleaning portion;
a start signal generation unit configured to output a signal of a start of cleaning; and
an actuator configured to apply a cleaning operation to the cleaning portion,
wherein the atomizer starts atomization of the cleaning liquid when the start signal generation unit outputs the signal, and
the actuator applies the cleaning operation to the cleaning portion when the cleaning portion is humidified by the mist of the cleaning liquid.