Article for cleaning optical fibers

Abstract

A composition for cleaning the ferrule end surface of an optical fiber that has been installed in a connector, such as a connector coupler or bulkhead receptacle, is made from sintered polymeric particles and/or stranded fibers and is formed into a cleaning head (22a, 22b, 22c). The composition provides a matrix of open-celled multi-directional pores to lift, absorb, trap and remove contamination from the ferrule end faces (14a, 14b, 14c) and the end face of the optical fiber therein. The open-celled structure of the cleaning head (22a, 22b, 22c) allows the contact surface to compress both laterally and radially where it contacts the ferrule end, thus permitting effective cleaning for all ferrule end designs. The cleaning head may be used either dry or with a cleaning solvent.

Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.