1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to an optical connector cleaning tool that cleans a joining end surface of an optical connector within a connector positioning housing the feed movement of cleaning medium, and to an optical component cleaning tool that cleans an end surface of an optical component.
Priority is claimed on Japanese Patent Application No. 2006-219696, filed Aug. 11, 2006, and Japanese Patent Application No. 2007-083383, filed Mar. 28, 2007, the contents of which are incorporated herein by reference.
2. Description of the Related Art
As is commonly known, the connecting together of optical connectors within a positioning housing for connectors (may be referred to below simply as a positioning housing) such as an adapter or a receptacle is achieved by aligning together and joining end surfaces of optical fibers that face joining end surfaces of the each optical connector.
When an optical connector is inserted into a connector positioning housing and is aligned and connected, if any contamination such as dirt, dust, or oil is adhering to the joining end surfaces of the optical connectors, this causes damage during connection and disconnection and also causes an increase in transmission loss. Because of this, it is necessary to clean the joining end surfaces prior to the alignment and connection.
A type of cleaner that cleans by placing cleaning tape medium in contact with the joining end surfaces of the optical connector has been widely proposed as a cleaner for use in this type of application (see, for example, Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open (JP-A) No. 2000-284147 (referred to below as Patent document 1), JP-A No. 9-197182 (referred to below as Patent document 2), JP-A No. 9-285766 (referred to below as Patent document 3), and Japanese National Publication No. 2000-503780 (referred to below as Patent document 4)).
Moreover, another type of cleaner has been widely proposed as this type of cleaner (see, for example, Patent document 1, as well as “MPO Cleaners” [online] (Ltd.) Fujikura [Jun. 7, 2006 INET retrieval]<URL:http://www.fujikura.co.jp/cnc/pdf_files/future_a/mpo_clk_aj.pdf> (referred to below as Non-patent document 1). This cleaner has a structure in which an elongated protruding portion whose distal end is equipped with a tape dispenser head around which cleaning tape has been wound is inserted into a positioning housing such as an optical connector adaptor or the like, and the cleaning tape is placed in contact with a joining end surface of an optical connector (for example, an optical connector (i.e., an optical connector plug) that is connected to the optical connector adaptor from the opposite side from the protruding portion of the cleaner that is inserted into the optical connector adaptor, or a ferrule that is incorporated within an optical connector receptacle) within this positioning housing.
In a cleaner of this type in which the cleaning tape that is wound around the tape dispenser head at the distal end of the protruding portion cleans by being placed in contact with the joining end surface of the optical connector, as in the technology described, for example, in the aforementioned Patent document 1 and in JP-A No. 2004-347792 (referred to below as Patent document 5), technology is proposed in which the head is able to be tilted so that the pressing of cleaning tape onto the joining surface of an optical connector that has been diagonally polished is possible.
For example, as is shown in FIG. 36, the cleaner disclosed in Patent document 1 is provided with a protruding portion 110 whose distal end has an open portion 116 where cleaning tape 102 (i.e., a cleaning tape) is exposed. As a result of this protruding portion 110 being inserted into a space inside an optical connector adapter 170 (i.e., an optical adapter), the tape 102 is placed in a position facing a joining end surface 161a of a ferrule 161 of an optical connector plug 160 (i.e., an optical plug) that is housed in the optical connector adapter 170, and is then pressed against this joining end surface. Accordingly, the tape 102 wipes clean the joining end surface 161a of the optical plug 160 as a result of the forward movement of the tape 102. In this cleaner 101, the tape 102 that wipes clean the joining end surface 161a of the optical plug 160 is provided so as to pass above a distal end surface 112a of a head portion 112 that is pivotably fixed onto a pivot 111, and the orientation of the head portion 112 can be changed by a pivoting rotation around the pivot 111. As a result the joining end surface 161a of the ferrule 161 can be received at a variety of angles.
In the cleaner 101 in the aforementioned Patent document 1, when the head portion 112 that has been pressed against the joining end surface of the optical connector that has been diagonally polished is rotated around a pivot, there is a change not only in the orientation of the distal end surface 112a of the head portion 112, but also in the position of the distal end surface 112a due to the pivot rotation of the head portion 112. As a result, there is a shift in the center position (i.e., contact is made by one side) between the joining end surface 161a of the optical plug 160 and the distal end surface 112a of the head portion 112, resulting in the tape 102 not making satisfactory contact with the joining end surface 161a, or in the pressing force with which the tape 102 is pressed against the joining end surface 161a becoming uneven and the like. This results in the cleaning not been performed reliably, and the problem arises that contamination remains in portions of the joining end surface 161a. 
In contrast to this, in the optical connector cleaning tool in the aforementioned Patent document 5, while the fact that the head portion that is used to press the tape against the optical connector is able to be tilted is the same as in the cleaner described in Patent document 1, the head portion is supported such that it is able to be tilted by a plate spring-shaped spring portion that is molded in a curve, and this head portion is tilted by the elastic deformation of the spring portion when the head portion is pressed against the joining end surface of the optical connector that has been diagonally polished. Even when the head portion is tilted, there is almost no shift (or else no shift whatsoever) in the center position between the joining end surface of the optical connector and the distal end surface of the head portion, and the problem of only one side of the head portion and the joining end surface of the optical connector making contact does not arise. Moreover, compared with the technology described in Patent document 1, it is possible to reduce any uneven distribution in the pressing force of the tape pressing surface of the head portion which is pressing the cleaning tape against the joining end surface of the optical connector, and achieve an overall evenness thereof.
It should be noted that, as in Patent document 5, in an optical connector cleaning tool in which the head portion is tiltably supported by an elastically deformable spring portion, the structure is generally one in which the head portion is supported by the spring portion when the orientation of the tape pressing surface that presses the cleaning tape towards the joining end surface of the optical connector is perpendicular to the direction in which the tape is pressed against the joining end surface of the optical connector, or more specifically, is perpendicular to a center axis of a connector hole of the connector positioning housing into which the head portion is inserted that is used to house the optical connector (i.e. an optical connector plug).
However, it has recently been determined that when this type of cleaning tool is used for a joining end surface of an optical connector that has been diagonally polished, then depending on the direction of the tilt of the joining end surface of the optical connector, there are cases in which it is difficult to eradicate any unevenness in the distribution of the pressing force with which the tape pressing surface of the head portion presses the cleaning tape against the joining end surface of the optical connector.
This point will now be described with reference made to FIG. 37A through FIG. 37D.
FIG. 37A shows an example of an insertion portion 130 that protrudes from the above described optical connector cleaning tool.
In FIG. 37A, the insertion portion 130 is equipped with a head component 121 that is assembled in a protruding portion 131 that protrudes from the optical connector cleaning tool. Cleaning tape 122 is wound around a head plate 125 (i.e., a head portion) at the distal end of this head component 121.
Note that in FIG. 37A through FIG. 37D, for the insertion portion 130, the left side is described as being the front, the right side is described as being the rear, the top side is described as being the top, and the bottom side is described as being the bottom.
The head component 121 is formed by a head supporting portion 123 that is assembled in the protruding portion 131 of the optical connector cleaning tool, an elastically deformable circular plate-shaped spring portion 124 that protrudes from the distal end of the head supporting portion 123, and a head plate 125 that is supported on a protruding distal end 124a (i.e., a front end) that protrudes from the head supporting portion 123 of this spring portion 124.
The head plate 125 is supported on the head supporting portion 123 such that an end surface thereof (i.e., the front end surface—referred to below as a tape pressing surface 126) which is located on the side facing the optical connector (i.e., a ferrule 140—see FIG. 37B through FIG. 37D) that is to be cleaned is oriented so as to be perpendicular to the forward-rearward direction of the insertion portion 130.
The cleaning tape 122 is wound around the head plate 125 so as to be in contact with the tape pressing surface 126 of the head plate 125.
The spring portion 124 supports a central portion in the up and down direction of the head plate 125 at the protruding distal end 124a that protrudes from the head supporting portion 123.
In the head plate 125, the side above the protruding distal end 124a of the spring portion 124 where a curve apex portion 124b of the spring portion 124 is located (i.e., the portion above the protruding distal end 124a in FIGS. 37A to 37D) is described below as a ‘spring apex portion side’, while the opposite side therefrom (i.e., the portion below the protruding distal end 124a in FIGS. 37A to 37D) is described below as a ‘spring rear side’.
FIGS. 37B through 37D are views showing states in which the cleaning 122 is pushed by the head component 121 against the joining end surface of the distal end of the ferrule 140 using the insertion portion of the above described cleaning tool.
However, in FIGS. 37B to 37D, the protruding portion 131 is not shown.
FIGS. 37B and 37C show a case in which the ferrule 140 is equipped with the diagonally polished joining end surface 141a (the symbol 141 is used below for this ferrule), while FIG. 37D shows a case in which the ferrule 140 is equipped with a flatly polished joining end surface (i.e., a joining end surface that is polished perpendicularly to the optical axis of an optical fiber 140a that is incorporated in the ferrule 140) 142a (the symbol 142 is used below for this ferrule).
The joining end surface 141a of the ferrule 141 shown in FIG. 37B and FIG. 37C are inclined surfaces that are inclined 8° compared to the joining end surface 142a of the ferrule 142 shown in FIG. 37D. However, the directions of the tilt of the joining end surface 141a are the opposite in FIG. 37B and FIG. 37C.
According to investigations made by the present inventors and others, in the case of FIG. 37C and FIG. 37D from among FIG. 37B to FIG. 37D, it is possible to achieve satisfactory uniformity in the pressing force with which the head plate 125 presses the cleaning tape 122 against the joining end surfaces 141a and 142a of the ferrules 141 and 142, however, in the case of FIG. 37B, compared with FIG. 37C and FIG. 37D, it was ascertained that there were instances in which there was considerable unevenness in the distribution of the pressing force.
Although the cause of this is unclear and needs to be investigated, it is thought to derive from the structure of the head component 121.
In the case of FIG. 37C and FIG. 37D, due to the pressing force with which the head plate 125 presses the cleaning tape 122 against the joining end surfaces 141a and 142a of the ferrules 141 and 142, the entire spring portion 124 is deformed, resulting in a uniform pressing force being achieved.
In the case of FIG. 37C, the head plate 125 (the orientation of this head plate 125 may also be referred to below as being ‘flat’ relative to the tilt of the joining end surface of the ferrules) which is perpendicular to the optical axis of the optical fiber 140a that is built into the ferrule 141 is pressed against the joining end surface 141a which is tilted relative to the optical axis, however, as a result of the deformation of the entire spring portion 124, the orientation of the head plate 125 changes so as to follow the tilt of the joining end surface 141a, and a uniform pressing force against the joining end surface 141a is achieved from the tape pressing surface 126.
In contrast to this, in the case of FIG. 37B, there is a tendency for the pressing force from the head plate 125 against the ferrule 141 to act more strongly, compared with other portions, on that portion where the amount of protrusion onto the insertion portion 130 side is greatest by the distal end of the ferrule 141 in which is formed the joining end surface 141a which is tilted relative to the optical axis of the optical fiber 140a. 
In this case, due to the pressing of the head plate 125 against the protruding distal end of the ferrule 141, the spring apex portion side of the head plate 125 is pressed towards the rear in the pressing direction, so that the spring portion 124 is deformed and the orientation of the head plate 125 keeps changing as if it were rotating around a central portion between the end portion on the spring apex portion side of the head plate 125 and the end portion on the spring rear side. The orientation of the head plate 125 thus progresses from a state of being perpendicular relative to the optical axis of the optical fiber 140a that is incorporated in the ferrule 141 to a state of tilting to match the joining end surface 141a of the ferrule 141.
The spring rear side portion of the head plate 125 moves towards the front in the pressing direction while tilting in conjunction with the change in the orientation of the head plate 125.
In FIG. 37C, the change (i.e., the tilting), which is caused by the pressing of the head plate 125 against the ferrule 141, in the orientation of the head plate 125 from a state of being perpendicular relative to the optical axis of the optical fiber 140a that is incorporated in the ferrule 141 is caused by the spring portion 124, which is formed in an arch shape so as to bridge the gap between the head plate 125 and the head supporting portion 123, deforming such that the curvature radius thereof becomes smaller (i.e., the distance between the front and rear ends of the spring portion 124 becomes shorter).
Because the spring rear side portion of the head plate 125 is a portion that extends within the head plate 125 towards the rear side from the protruding distal end 124a of the arch-shaped spring portion 124 as if to lengthen the spring portion 124, if the spring rear side portion of the head plate 125 is pushed by the protruding distal end of the ferrule 141 towards the rear side relative to the spring apex portion side portion, then the spring portion 124 is deformed as if to shrink its curvature radius.
In addition, the elastic restorative force of the spring portion 124 acts as a pressing force of the head plate 125 against the joining end surface 141a. 
In contrast to this, in the case shown in FIG. 37B, the orientation of the portion adjacent to the protruding distal end 124a of the spring portion 124 changes in correspondence with the change in the orientation of the head plate 125, and this latter change accompanies the pressing in of the spring apex portion side portion of the head plate 125 towards the rear side in the pressing direction relative to the spring rear side portion which is caused by the pressing of the head plate 125 against the ferrule 141. As a result of this, a deformation is applied to the portion on the protruding distal end 124a side from the curve apex portion 124b of the spring portion 124 such that, compared with the state before the head plate 125 was pressing against the ferrule 141, the protruding distal end 124a is pushed outwards towards the front relative to the curve apex portion 124b and there is an expansion in the curvature radius.
However, if the above described type of deformation in which the curvature radius is expanded occurs in the portion on the protruding distal end 124a side from the curve apex portion 124b of the spring portion 124, then due to the elastic restorative force of the spring portion 124 against the deformation, on the spring rear side of the head plate 125, the pressing force acts in the opposite direction from the pressing force of the head plate 125 against the ferrule 141.
Because of this, in the case of FIG. 37B, it is thought that the pressing force from the rear side of the head plate 125 against the ferrule 141 shows a tendency to become smaller compared with the spring apex portion side due to the elastic restorative force of the spring portion 124.
In the case of FIG. 37B, there is only a small amount of uneven distribution in the pressing force from the head plate 125 against the joining end surface 141a of the ferrule 141, and the effect on the cleaning ability does not pose any problems provided that the insertion portion is held in a predetermined orientation inside the positioning housing.
However, there is a possibility that, due to an operator over-tilting the cleaning tool during a manual operation or the like, there may be an increase in the unevenness of the distribution of the pressing force from the head plate 125 against the joining end surface 141a of the ferrule 141, or alternatively, due to the effects of vibration and the like, there is a possibility that the spring rear side portion of the head plate 125 may lift up slightly from the joining end surface of the ferrule.
Because of this, the development of a technology is demanded that makes it possible to achieve a satisfactory uniform pressing force from a cleaning tape against a joining end surface during a manual operation of a cleaning tool by an operator or to counteract an external force such as vibration or the like.
Note that, in the case of FIG. 37C, because there is no occurrence of the phenomenon in which bending deformation that pushes the protruding distal end 124a side forward relative to the curve apex portion 124b is not imparted to the portion on the protruding distal end 124a side of the curve apex portion 124b of the spring portion 124, the overall deformation of the spring portion 124 proceeds smoothly, and a sufficient capability to follow the joining end surface is ensured.
Of the above described types of cleaner which have an insertion portion in which a tape pressing head around which a cleaning tape has been wound is incorporated in the distal end of a protruding portion that protrudes from the tool main body, those having a structure in which the tape pressing head is positioned against the joining end surface of an optical connector inside the positioning housing when the distal end of the insertion portion that is inserted into the positioning housing is positioned within the positioning housing, namely, having a structure in which the insertion portion is plug compatible are widely employed.
For example, as in the above described Non-patent document 1, cleaners that are used to clean the joining end surface of a ferrule of an MPO (Multi-fiber Push-On) type optical connector (i.e., F13 type optical connectors which are regulated by JIS C 5982) are already being produced. In the case of these cleaners, in the same way as in an MPO type of optical connector (i.e., an optical connector plug—occasionally referred to below as an MPO plug), a plug compatible insertion portion is positioned by being inserted into an adaptor or receptacle positioning housing.
However, as is widely known, in an MPO plug, there is a correct orientation and an incorrect orientation in the orientation of the insertion into the positioning housing which is created a key that is formed in the MPO plug, and a key groove that is formed in a internal wall of a positioning housing such as an adaptor or receptacle, and, in the same way as in an MPO plug, the direction of the insertion into the positioning housing is also fixed for the insertion portion of a plug compatible cleaner. Namely, there is a correct direction and an incorrect direction in the insertion direction (i.e., the insertion orientation) of the protruding portion of the cleaner.
Because of this, an operator has to check the directions of the key and key groove at each insertion, however, when it is difficult to check the direction of the key groove due to the location where the positioning housing is installed and the orientation thereof, the problem arises that there is a deterioration in workability.
Moreover, when it is difficult to check the direction of the key groove due to the location where the positioning housing is installed and the orientation thereof, then when the insertion portion of a cleaning tool is inserted into the positioning housing and a cleaning operation is performed, it is easy for an operator to end up tilting the cleaning tool during the operation. Accordingly, the problem arises that a sufficient cleaning performance is not obtained from the cleaning tool.
Even if a cleaning tool is developed that has an insertion portion in which the problem of the insertion orientation being correct or incorrect is eliminated by structuring the positioning housing such that it has a correct direction in which the optical connector plug is to be inserted using a key groove or the like, then if an excellent cleaning performance is to be obtained, it is necessary to improve the ability of the head plate to follow the joining end surface of the optical connector (optical plug), and develop technology that makes it possible to secure an excellent cleaning performance irrespective of the correctness or otherwise of the orientation of the insertion portion when it is inserted into the positioning housing.
As in the case of Patent document 5, in an optical connector cleaning tool in which is provided a protruding portion (also referred to below as an insertion portion) in whose distal end is incorporated a tape pressing head whose head portion is tiltably supported by a plate spring-shaped spring portion that has been molded in a curve, typically, the insertion portion is structured such that the tape pressing head is positioned relative to the joining end surface of the optical connector within the positioning housing, namely, the insertion portion is plug compatible.
In a positioning housing, the two optical connectors are butted together and connected on an optical axis (i.e., a connection optical axis—includes cases in which the optical axis matches the center axis of the connector housing hole) that is parallel with the center axis of the connector housing hole (i.e., the hole in which the optical connector (the optical connector plug) is inserted). In an optical connector adaptor, the two optical connectors (optical connector plugs) that are inserted from both sides into the connector housing hole that penetrates this optical connector adaptor are butted together and connected in the connector housing hole on a connection optical axis that is parallel with the center axis of the connector housing hole. In an optical connector receptacle, the optical connector (ferrule) that is incorporated within this optical connector receptacle and the optical connector (optical connector plug) that is inserted into the connector housing hole are butted together and connected on a connection optical axis that is parallel with the center axis of the connector housing hole.
When the plug compatible insertion portion has been inserted into the positioning housing, then in a state in which a central portion of the tape pressing surface of the head portion of the tape pressing head has been positioned above the center axis (i.e., an axis that passes through the center of the joining end surface and is parallel with the center axis of the connector housing hole of the positioning housing) of the optical connector within the positioning housing by the inner surface of the connector housing hole, the head portion presses the cleaning tape against the joining end surface of the optical connector within the positioning housing.
It should be noted that positioning housings such as optical connector adaptors and optical connectors are currently produced by a number of makers, however, there is a lack of uniformity in the accuracy of the positioning of the optical connector within the connector housing hole that is a result of the accuracy with which the positioning housing and optical connector are assembled, or a result of specification differences and the like.
Moreover, there are also cases in which there is a sizeable error in the positioning of the optical connector within the connector housing hole of the positioning housing that is the result of shock received from a colliding object or is due to extended usage or the like.
Because of this, when the plug compatible insertion portion of an optical connector cleaning tool is inserted into a positioning housing, there are irregularities in the accuracy of the positioning of the head portion of the insertion portion relative to the optical connector that is being cleaned within the positioning housing which are caused by errors in the positioning of the insertion portion within the positioning housing. In consideration of this, in a conventional optical connector cleaning tool that has a plug compatible insertion portion, as is shown FIG. 6 and FIG. 7 in Patent document 5, for example, it is typical for a head portion having a somewhat larger tape pressing surface compared to the optical connector joining end surface to be employed (for example, FIG. 6 and FIG. 7, and the like in Patent document 5).
As in FIG. 6 and FIG. 7 of Patent document 5, in a structure in which a head portion having a somewhat larger tape pressing surface compared to the optical connector joining end surface is employed, in addition to errors in the positioning of the head portion relative to the joining end surface of the optical connector being cleaned, in order, for example, to be able to also deal with cases in which an operator over tilts the cleaning tool during a manual operation, and make it possible for a cleaning tape to be pressed by the tape pressing surface of the head portion against the entire joining end surface of a connector, dimensions are maintained in the tape pressing surface of the head portion that allow a certain amount of leeway to be anticipated. Because of this, as is shown in FIG. 38A through FIG. 38D, when a cleaning tape 311 is pressed by a head portion 301 against a joining end surface 321a of an optical connector 321 (here, an end surface of a distal end portion that protrudes from a housing 321a of a ferrule 322 that is incorporated in the housing distal end of the optical connector 321 (optical connector plug)—this may be referred to below on occasion as the joining end surface 321a of the ferrule 322), the joining end surface 321a of a ferrule 322 is pressed at a portion thereof that is located between an upstream side end portion 302a and a downstream side end portion 302b in the tape feeding direction of a tape pressing surface 302 of the head portion 301. Namely, it is normal for the upstream side end surface 302a and the downstream side end surface 302b in the tape feeding direction of the tape pressing surface 302 to be placed on the outer side of the joining end surface 321a of the ferrule 322.
FIG. 38A through FIG. 38D show a case in which an insertion portion 300 of an optical connector cleaning tool is inserted into a positioning housing in the form of an optical connector adapter 330, and a cleaning tape 311 that is wound around a head portion 301 of a tape pressing head 303 that is incorporated in the insertion portion 300 is pressed by the head portion 301 against the joining end surface 321a of the ferrule 322 of the optical connector 321 that is connected to the optical connector adapter 330, thereby cleaning the joining end surface 321a. In the optical connector adapter 330, the insertion portion 300 is inserted into the optical connector adapter 330 from the opposite side to the optical connector 321 that is connected to one side of the optical connector adapter 330.
In the structure shown in FIG. 38A through FIG. 38D, even when the accuracy of the positioning of the insertion portion 300 using the positioning housing 330 is poor, and there is a comparatively large error (i.e., an amount Δ of a shift shown in FIG. 38A between a center axis L2 of the portion of the connector housing hole in the optical connector adaptor 330 that houses the insertion portion 300 and a center axis L1 of the optical connector 321) in the positioning of the insertion portion 300 which has been inserted in the positioning housing 330 relative to the optical connector 321 (specifically, the joining end surface 321a of the ferrule 322) within the positioning housing 330, the ability of the head portion 301 to follow the joining end surface 321a of the ferrule 322 is secured by the elasticity of the spring portion 304 of the tape pressing head 303 which is incorporated in the insertion portion.
However, when an operator over-tilts the cleaning tool during a manual operation, there is considerable unevenness in the distribution of the pressing force with which the tape pressing surface 302 of the head portion 301 presses the cleaning tape 311 against the joining end surface 321a of the optical connector, and it has been found that the possibility of the tape pressing surface 302 of the head portion 301 lifting up slightly from the joining end surface 321a of the ferrule 322 is somewhat increased.
In the structure shown in FIG. 38B through FIG. 38D, as a result of the cleaning tape 311 that is pressed against the joining end surface 321a being fed from the upstream side end portion 302a towards the downstream side end portion 302b in the tape feeding direction of the tape pressing surface 302, a displacement force acts in a direction so as to follow the cleaning tape 311 in the ferrule 322 of the optical connector 321. This displacement force has a tendency to act most strongly on that portion of the outer peripheral angle portion of the joining end surface 321a of the ferrule 322 that is closest to the upstream side end portion 302a in the tape feeding direction of the tape pressing surface 302. Because of this, when a state is reached in which the pressing force on the cleaning tape 311 from the head portion 301 is concentrated, due to over-tilting of the cleaning tool or vibration or the like, on the angle portion of the outer periphery of the joining end surface 321a of the ferrule 322 that is closest to the upstream side end portion 302a in the tape feeding direction of the tape pressing surface 302, then the displacement force that is generated by the feeding motion of the cleaning tape 311 acts most strongly on the ferrule. As a result, there is a possibility that a displacement of the ferrule 322 that follows the feeding motion of the cleaning tape 311 will occur. If the ferrule is displaced, there is a strong possibility that the pressing force will become unevenly distributed, and that the tape pressing surface will lift up from the joining end surface of the ferrule. Moreover, if the ferrule 322 is displaced, then, in conjunction with this, the spring portion 304 of the tape pressing head 303 is forcibly elastically deformed, and the head portion 301 is also displaced.
Note that, when cleaning the joining end surface of a ferrule of an optical connector (an optical connector plug) such as an MPO type optical connector in which there is incorporated a spring for generating force to cause the two ferrules to butt together when the connectors are connected, even if a displacement that follows the feeding motion of the cleaning tape 311 is temporarily generated in the ferrule 322, then the ferrule 322 is restored to its original position by the elasticity of the spring.
The most important area to clean when the joining end surface 321a of the ferrule 322 is being cleaned is the area in the central portion of the joining end surface 321a where the end surface of the optical fiber 323 is exposed (also referred to below as the ‘fiber exposure area’—see the fiber exposure area 66a shown in FIG. 31 as an example thereof).
For example, if a narrow cleaning tape is used whose width dimension has been limited within a range that makes it possible to clean the entire fiber exposure area, then it is possible to some extent to reduce contact resistance between the ferrule 322 of the optical connector 321 that is being cleaned and the cleaning tape. However, there is a limit as to how far the width dimension of the cleaning tape can be reduced, and the reduction effect in the contact resistance obtained as a result of the pressing force of the cleaning being concentrated in angle portions on the outer periphery of the joining end surface 321a of the ferrule 322 is small.
Currently, there is no suitable technology that makes it possible to suppress following displacement in an optical connector (more specifically, a ferrule in the above example) which accompanies the feeding movement of the cleaning tape and the development thereof is sought.
USPTO Backgrounds
USPTO Backgrounds