Ribbon splicing tools and methods
OwnerJason Daniel Andrews, Vincent Albert Boggia +4inventors
InventorsJason Daniel Andrews, Vincent Albert Boggia, Richard Shane Brittain, Keith Harold Lail, Kenneth Darrell Temple, JR., Benjamin Gray Whitener
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Abstract
A ribbon handler assembly holds an optical fiber ribbon during thermal stripping, cleaving and mass fusion splicing. The handler assembly includes a body defining a ribbon channel in an upper surface, an array section of fiber grooves extending longitudinally a predefined length from one end of the ribbon channel, wherein a nominal spacing of each individual groove of the array section of fiber grooves is greater than a nominal fiber spacing of fibers in an optical fiber ribbon configured to be placed into the ribbon channel.
Claims16
A ribbon handler assembly for holding an optical fiber ribbon during thermal stripping, cleaving and mass fusion splicing, the handler device comprising:
- a body defining a ribbon channel in an upper surface;
- and
- an array section of fiber grooves extending longitudinally a predefined length from one end of the ribbon channel, wherein a nominal spacing of each individual groove of the array section of fiber grooves is greater than a nominal fiber spacing of optical fibers in the optical fiber ribbon configured to be placed into the ribbon channel.
A method of splicing a first optical fiber ribbon having a first nominal spacing using a splice machine with a V-groove having a second nominal spacing different from the first nominal spacing, the method comprising:
- placing an optical fiber ribbon into a handler assembly such that the ribbon extends through a ribbon channel formed in an upper surface of the handler assembly and an end portion of the ribbon extends out of an end of handler assembly;
- closing a first door and a second door of the handler assembly and placing the handler assembly into a thermal stripper and thermally stripping the end portion of the ribbon to expose a first set of fibers;
- cleaning the exposed first set of fibers;
- removing the handler assembly from the thermal stripper;
- opening the second door only;
- retracting the ribbon away from the first door such that the exposed and stripped first set of fibers are pulled into the handler assembly under the first door;
- and
- ceasing retracting the ribbon upon engagement of one of a tactile, audible or visual indication that the first door closed completely.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.