Apparatus for assembly and inspection of optical fiber connectors

An apparatus for attaching a connector to an optical fiber at a first end thereof, processing the optical fiber at a second end thereof for inspection, and optical-inspecting said connector and said optical fiber, said connector having an opening therethrough and a front and rear end, said optical fiber being contained within an optical fiber cord, said optical fiber cord being contained within an optical fiber cable with a first end of said optical fiber cord extending from a first end of said optical fiber cable and a second end of said optical fiber cord extending from a second end of said optical fiber cable, said apparatus comprising:

• first end processing means for preprocessing said optical fiber at its first end before connecting its first end to said connector, connecting said preprocessed optical fiber to said connector, and post-processing said optical fiber after connecting said optical fiber to said connector;
• second end processing means, operable independently of said first end processing means, for processing said optical fiber at its second end for said optical inspection;
• and
• optical inspection means for detecting the processings at both ends of said optical fiber, inputting an inspection light through said connector attached to said optical fiber at its first end and measuring the light transmitted through said optical fiber and said connector at said second end of said optical fiber,
• wherein said first end processing means comprises:
• a first processor which inserts said first end of said optical fiber cord through a hole of a boot and moves said boot over the outer circumference of said optical fiber cord until said boot is axially spaced from said first cord end,
• a second processor which strips a tip of said first cord end to expose the first end of said optical fiber contained therein,
• a third processor which wipes off and cleans the outer circumferential surface of said exposed first end of said optical fiber,
• a fourth processor which passes said exposed first end of said optical fiber through said rear end and said opening of said connector and attaches said connector to said first cord end such that said optical fiber extends from said front end of said connector,
• a fifth processor which moves said boot towards said first cord end and connects said boot to said rear end of said connector,
• a sixth processor which injects an adhesive in a window formed in said connector to fix said optical fiber passed through said connector to said connector,
• a seventh processor which drys said injected adhesive, and
• an eighth processor which cuts said optical fiber extending from said front end of said connector and polishes the resulting front end surface of said first end of said optical fiber.