Apparatus for cleaning an optical fiber ribbon

An apparatus for removing foreign material from exterior surfaces of an optical fiber ribbon cable, the apparatus comprising:

• a first element, the first element having an upper surface, a front end, and a rear end, the upper surface comprising a first wiping member, the first wiping member adapted for receiving an optical fiber ribbon thereon and for maintaining the optical fiber ribbon substantially flat as the optical fiber ribbon is pulled over the first wiping member, wherein as the ribbon is pulled over the first wiping member, the contact between the first wiping member and the ribbon causes foreign material to be removed from the ribbon, wherein the first wiping member is a channel integrally formed in the upper surface of the first element, the channel having a substantially flat bottom surface, the channel extending from the front end of the first element to the rear end of the first element, the channel including first and second sides, the first and second sides extending in a direction away from the bottom surface of the channel such that the sides and bottom surface of the channel form a generally U-shape;
• a second element, the second element including a bottom surface, a front end and a rear end, wherein when the apparatus is placed in an operative position, a portion of the bottom surface of the second element covers the channel, wherein when an optical fiber ribbon cable is disposed in the channel and the apparatus is placed in an operative position, the exterior surfaces of the optical fiber ribbon cable are in contact with the channel and with said portion of the bottom surface of the second element, and wherein when the ribbon cable is pulled through the channel in a longitudinal direction of the ribbon cable, the contact between the channel and the ribbon cable and the contact between said portion of the bottom surface of the second element and the ribbon cable effectuate removal of foreign material from the exterior surfaces of the ribbon cable;
• an opening formed in the bottom surface of the channel, the opening extending through the first element, the opening having a first side and a second side, the second side of the opening being farther from the front end of the first element than the first side of the opening is from the front end of the first element, the first side of the opening being farther from the rear end of the first element than the second side of the opening is from the rear end of the first element, wherein when foreign material is removed from the optical fiber ribbon cable, the foreign material passes out of the channel through the opening;
• and
• wherein the first and second sides of the channel are equal in height along the length of the channel, and wherein said portion of the bottom surface of the second element comprises a cleaning surface and a non-cleaning surface, the channel having a first depth over a first portion of the channel and the channel having a second depth over a second portion of the channel, the first portion of the channel extending from the front end of the first element to the first side of the opening formed in the channel, the second portion of the channel extending from the second side of the opening formed in the channel to the rear end of the first element, the cleaning surface comprising an edge disposed above the second side of the opening, the non-cleaning surface extending from the front end of the first element to the second side of the opening, wherein the first depth of the channel is greater than the second depth of the channel and wherein when a ribbon is pulled through the channel, the non-cleaning surface does not come into contact with the exterior surface of the ribbon cable and wherein the edge of the cleaning surface comes into contact with the exterior surface of the ribbon, the contact between the edge of the cleaning surface and the exterior surface of the ribbon cable and the contact between the channel and the exterior surface of the ribbon cable causing foreign material to be wiped, or scraped, from the exterior surface of the ribbon cable.