Method and apparatus for separating one or more optical fibers from an optical fiber ribbon
AssigneeLucent Technologies Inc.
InventorsGeorge Edwin Mock, Krishnaswamy Kathiresan, Clyde Jefferson Lever, Jr.
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
A method and apparatus for separating one or more optical fibers from an optical fiber ribbon is disclosed by the present invention. This device includes a housing with a base and a cap, the base providing support for the optical fiber ribbon and the cap providing a slotted member for exerting lateral force on the ribbon to separate one or more fibers therefrom without damaging the separated fibers or compromising the integrity of the remainder of the ribbon.
Claims16
An apparatus for separating fibers in a ribbon array of fibers from other fibers in its array, said apparatus comprising:
- a base member having support means therein for receiving and supporting an optical fiber ribbon;
- a cap member adapted to overlie said base member having at least one fiber ribbon receiving slot therein, said slot being adapted to receive a portion of the fiber ribbon supported in said base member support means;
- and
- means for angularly displacing said slot relative to said support means for separating that portion of a fiber ribbon in said support means from that portion of the fiber ribbon in said slot.
An apparatus for separating optical fibers in a ribbon array from other fibers in the array, said apparatus comprising:
- a housing member having a base portion and a cap portion;
- said base portion having a longitudinal slot therein for receiving and supporting a fiber ribbon;
- said cap member having a movable member therein having a separating slot for receiving a portion of a fiber ribbon supported in said longitudinal slot in said base portion;
- means for moving said movable member in translation to cause said separating slot therein to engage a fiber ribbon supported in said longitudinal slot;
- and
- said means for moving including means for rotatably moving said separating slot relative to said longitudinal slot to separate that portion of a fiber ribbon in said separating slot from that portion of the fiber ribbon in said longitudinal slot.
A method for separating at least one fiber from a ribbon array of at least two fibers comprising the step of:
- exerting a lateral force against one of said fibers in said ribbon array to cause separation of said one fiber from said array.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.