# US 9,433,978 B2 · Optic connector cleaning apparatus > Agents: this data is available as JSON from the patentgrep API and MCP server — see https://patentgrep.com/llms.txt - Number: US 9,433,978 B2 - Document ID: US9433978B2 - Status: Granted - Kind: B2 - Application number: 13/970,201 - Filed: 2013-08-19 - Published: 2014-09-18 - Granted: 2016-09-06 - Earliest claimed: 2013-03-18 - Assignees: Hobbes & Co., Ltd. - Applicants: Hobbes & Co., Ltd. - Inventors: Yen-Chang Huang - Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US9433978B2 ## CPC - B08B 1/10: characterised by the type of cleaning tool - A47L 25/00: Domestic cleaning devices not provided for in other groups of this subclass (for cleaning spectacles G02C13/00) - B08B 1/143: {Wipes} - B08B 1/34: rotating about an axis parallel to the surface - B08B 11/00: Cleaning flexible or delicate articles by methods or apparatus specially adapted thereto - B65H 57/26: Supports for guides - B65H 75/4452: {Simultaneous winding and unwinding of the material, e.g. winding or unwinding on a stationary drum while respectively unwinding or winding on a rotating drum using a planetary guiding roller} - B65H 75/4471: {Housing enclosing the reel} - G02B 6/3866: {Devices, tools or methods for cleaning connectors (cleaning in general B08B)} - B08B 2240/02: Optical fibers or optical fiber connectors - B65H 2701/37: Tapes - B08B: CLEANING IN GENERAL; PREVENTION OF FOULING IN GENERAL - A47L: DOMESTIC WASHING OR CLEANING (brushes A46B; cleaning quantities of bottles or of other hollow articles of one kind B08B9/00; laundry D06F); SUCTION CLEANERS IN GENERAL (cleaning in general B08) - B65H: HANDLING THIN OR FILAMENTARY MATERIAL, e.g. SHEETS, WEBS, CABLES - G02B: OPTICAL ELEMENTS, SYSTEMS OR APPARATUS ## Abstract An optic connector cleaning apparatus includes a driving assembly, a cleaning tape and a casing. The driving module includes a reel assembly. The cleaning tape includes a first surface and a second surface opposite the first surface, the cleaning tape winds at the reel assembly; the casing includes an inverting structure and a cleaning region. The cleaning tape winds about the inverting structure. The first surface of the cleaning tape is exposed to the cleaning region, the cleaning tape winds about the inverting structure to expose the second surface through the cleaning region. ## Claims ### Claim 1 An optic connector cleaning apparatus, comprising: a driving module including a reel assembly; a cleaning tape including a first surface and a second surface opposite from the first surface, the cleaning tape partially wound at the reel assembly; and a casing including an inverting structure and a cleaning region, the cleaning tape partially wound at the inverting structure; wherein the inverting structure includes a first post and a second post, the first post has two half segments defined by a plane normal to an axis of the first post, the second surface of the cleaning tape winds about substantially a half segment of the first post, the first surface of the cleaning tape winds about an end of the second post and the other half segment of the first post proximate to the cleaning region; wherein the first surface of the cleaning tape is partially exposed through the cleaning region, and the cleaning tape is partially wound at the inverting structure for partially exposing the second surface of the cleaning tape through the cleaning region. ### Claim 2 (depends on 1) The optic connector cleaning apparatus as recited in claim 1, wherein an end of the cleaning tape is wound at a side of the reel assembly, the first surface of the cleaning tape is partially exposed through a side of the cleaning region, the cleaning tape is inverted after winding through the inverting structure, the second surface of the cleaning tape partially exposed from the other side of the cleaning region, the first surface and the second surface of the cleaning tape are configured in parallel and adjacent to each other at the cleaning region, and the other end of the cleaning tape is wound at the other side of the reel assembly. ### Claim 3 (depends on 1) The optic connector cleaning apparatus as recited in claim 1, wherein each of the two half segments of the first post resembles a cone and the larger cross-sectional radii of the cone-shaped half segments orient towards each other. ### Claim 4 (depends on 1) The optic connector cleaning apparatus as recited in claim 1, wherein the first post and the second post each has a bushing sleeved thereon. ### Claim 5 (depends on 1) The optic connector cleaning apparatus as recited in claim 1, wherein the casing further includes a guiding structure configured between the cleaning region and the reel assembly. ### Claim 6 (depends on 5) The optic connector cleaning apparatus as recited in claim 5, wherein the guiding structure includes a divider having a first guiding inlet and a second guiding inlet, the second guiding inlet is formed between the divider and the cleaning region, the cleaning tape is advanced through the second guiding inlet, and the cleaning tape is wound at the reel assembly through the first guiding inlet. ### Claim 7 (depends on 1) The optic connector cleaning apparatus as recited in claim 1 further including a fixed plate, wherein the fixed plate is disposed in the cleaning region, two sides of the fixed plate each has an opening formed thereon, the first surface and the second surface of the cleaning tape are respectively exposed from the openings of the two sides of the fixed plate. ### Claim 8 (depends on 7) The optic connector cleaning apparatus as recited in claim 7, wherein the cleaning region further includes a shielding movably configured over the fixed plate. ### Claim 9 (depends on 7) The optic connector cleaning apparatus as recited in claim 7, wherein the reel assembly further includes a pressable portion and a linkage structure, one end of the linkage structure is coupled with the pressable portion, and the other end of the linkage structure is coupled with the reel assembly. ### Claim 10 (depends on 9) The optic connector cleaning apparatus as recited in claim 9, wherein the linkage structure includes a shielding linkage, one end of the shielding linkage is coupled with the pressable portion, and the other end of the shielding linkage is coupled with the shielding. ### Claim 11 (depends on 10) The optic connector cleaning apparatus as recited in claim 10, wherein the supply slot is defined by a bottom wall and an outer wall, the outer wall has a slit formed thereon, and the cleaning tape is advanced out of the supply slot through the slit. ### Claim 12 (depends on 10) The optic connector cleaning apparatus as recited in claim 10, wherein the return slot is defined by a bottom wall and an outer wall, the outer wall has a slit formed thereon, and the cleaning tape is advanced into the return slot through the slit. ### Claim 13 (depends on 12) The optic connector cleaning apparatus as recited in claim 12, wherein the return slot is further defined by an inner wall, the inner wall and the outer wall are spaced with a gap therebetween, and the cover is disposed in the gap. ### Claim 14 (depends on 1) The optic connector cleaning apparatus as recited in claim 1, wherein the reel assembly further includes a housing and a cover, two sides of the housing have portions respectively defining a supply slot and a return slot, the cleaning tape is received in the supply slot before advancing through the cleaning region and is received in the return slot after advancing through the cleaning region, and the cover is rotatably coupled to the return slot. ### Claim 15 (depends on 1) The optic connector cleaning apparatus as recited in claim 1, wherein the inverting structure includes an inverting shaft, the casing has a support surface configured in the cleaning region, an extending direction of the inverting shaft is normal to the plane of the support surface, the cleaning tape between the cleaning region and the inverting shaft is twisted at an angle, and the first surface of the cleaning tape is in contact with the inverting shaft. ### Claim 16 (depends on 15) The optic connector cleaning apparatus as recited in claim 15, wherein the inverting shaft has a tapered portion, and the cleaning tape winds about the tapered portion. ### Claim 17 (depends on 1) The optic connector cleaning apparatus as recited in claim 1, wherein the reel assembly includes a pressable portion and an advancing module connected to the pressable portion, the advancing module and the pressable portion displace in the same direction, and the advancing module abuts the rotatable reel assembly. ### Claim 18 An optic connector cleaning apparatus, comprising: a driving module including a reel assembly; a cleaning tape including a first surface and a second surface opposite from the first surface, the cleaning tape partially wound at the reel assembly; and a casing including an inverting structure and a cleaning region, the cleaning tape partially wound at the inverting structure; wherein the first surface of the cleaning tape is partially exposed through the cleaning region, and the cleaning tape is partially wound at the inverting structure for partially exposing the second surface of the cleaning tape through the cleaning region; wherein the reel assembly includes a pressable portion and an advancing module connected to the pressable portion, the advancing module and the pressable portion displace in the same direction, and the advancing module abuts the rotatable reel assembly; wherein the driving module further includes a friction wheel having a counter wheel coaxially extending from the friction wheel, one surface of the cleaning tape is in contact with the friction wheel, and the counter wheel directionally wedges against a side of the advancing module. ### Claim 19 (depends on 18) The optic connector cleaning apparatus as recited in claim 18, wherein the reel assembly includes a driving disk and a return disk, the driving disk has a gear arranged thereon, a circumferential portion of the driving disk has an abutting gear arranged thereon, a surface of the return disk has a gear ring arranged thereon, the abutting gear directionally abuts the gear ring, the other surface of the return disk has a return shaft, and portions of the cleaning tape winds about the return shaft. ### Claim 20 (depends on 19) The optic connector cleaning apparatus as recited in claim 19, wherein the advancing module includes an advancing shaft and an advancing block, a side of the advancing shaft has a first advancing protrusion, an end of the advancing shaft is connected to the pressable portion, the advancing shaft pushes the advancing block, the advancing block and the pressable portion displace in parallel, the advancing block has a first gear strip arranged on a side thereof proximate to the gear, and the first gear strip abuts the gear of the driving disk. ### Claim 21 (depends on 20) The optic connector cleaning apparatus as recited in claim 20, wherein the friction wheel and the counter wheel coaxially rotate, a peripheral portion of the counter wheel protrudes to form a protruding tooth, the other side of the advancing block has a second gear strip arranged thereon, the protruding tooth abuts second gear strip of the advancing block. ### Claim 22 (depends on 21) The optic connector cleaning apparatus as recited in claim 21, wherein the advancing block has a torsion spring, one end of the torsion spring is fixed at the advancing block, and the other end of the torsion spring is fixed at the advancing shaft.