Methods of and apparatus for preparing an end portion of a lightguide fiber

Abstract

A conical end portion of a connector plug and an end portion of a lightguide fiber which is encapsulated by the plug are prepared to form a conical end portion which is suitable for interconnection with a conical end portion of another plug within a sleeve with precise end separation of opposing end portions of the fibers. The conical portion of the plug is seated in engagement with a surface which is mateable with the outwardly facing surface of a conical end portion of the plug with an end portion of the fiber extending beyond the plug. In order to prepare the lightguide fiber, a disc which is mounted for rotation about an axis that is parallel to the longitudinal axis of the end portion of the lightguide fiber is moved along a path of travel obliquely transverse of the lightguide fiber. This disc is rotated to cause its peripheral edge surface to sever the portion of the lightguide fiber that extends from the plug to form an end surface. Then the radial surface of the disc is caused to abrade the newly formed end surface of the lightguide fiber as well as an end of the conical end portion of the plug. The movement of the disc along its path of travel is discontinued when the disc is spaced a predetermined distance from a peripheral boundary of the mating surface which engages the outwardly facing conical surface of the plug. As a result, the end surface of the fiber is spaced a predetermined distance from a reference dimension of a corresponding peripheral boundary of the plug. Since the configuration of the mating surface is equivalent to at least portions of the sleeve which engage the conical portions of the plugs, the controlled abrading causes the ends of the fibers of the plugs which are assembled to the sleeve to have a controlled end separation.

Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.