Tools – Wire stripper – Bench tools
Reexamination Certificate
2000-09-21
2001-11-06
Smith, James G. (Department: 3723)
Tools
Wire stripper
Bench tools
C081S009410, C030S090100
Reexamination Certificate
active
06311581
ABSTRACT:
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to wire strippers and, more particularly, to an automatic optical fiber stripping machine with stripping length control means adapted to strip an intermediate portion of optical fiber cables of different diameters.
2. Description of Related Art
Currently, labor and a hand tool achieve the task of stripping off the shell of an optical fiber.
FIG. 1
illustrates a wire stripper for this purpose. The wire stripper
91
comprises two arched notches
911
and
912
respectively provided at two jaws thereof and adapted to hold down an optical fiber. When the user pulls the optical fiber after the wire stripper
91
has been secured to the arched notches
911
and
912
, the shell of the optical fiber is stripped off. U.S. Pat. No. 6,089,125 discloses a combination wire stripper having a similar but more complicated structure which is operated by hands. Since it is difficult to control the applied force accurately, it is difficult to obtain a specific length of the bared glass core as desired. As a result, there is a tendency to damage the glass core when stripping the shell. U.S. Pat. No. 5,140,873 discloses another wire stripper driven by a motor, however, it is used to semi-strip and expose one end of a wire but not a middle section thereof.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
The main object of the present invention is to provide an automatic optical fiber stripping machine, which achieves obtaining the desired length of bared glass core to facilitate further coupling or distribution procedure.
Another object of the present invention is to provide an automatic optical fiber stripping machine, which accurately strips an intermediate portion of optical fibers of different diameters without damaging the glass core, so as to prevent further coupler or other optical passive component fabrication loss.
To achieve the aforesaid objects, the automatic optical fiber stripping machine of the present invention comprises a table, a carriage, a carriage controller adapted to move the carriage controller on the table, chuck means mounted on the carriage and adapted to hold down an optical fiber for stripping, and a cutter unit mounted on the table and adapted to strip the shell of the optical fiber being secured to the chuck means when the optical fiber is moved with the chuck means and the carriage on the table. Each chuck can be comprised of a fixed block fixedly mounted on the carriage, and a sliding block controlled by a sliding block controller to move relative to the fixed block. The cutter unit comprises a fixed metal cutter fixedly mounted on the table, and a sliding metal cutter controlled by a sliding cutter controller to move relative to the fixed metal cutter. The carriage controller, the sliding block controller and the sliding cutter controller can be air cylinders, hydraulic cylinders, or any of equivalent reciprocating control means. The at least one chuck can be mounted on the carriage at two opposite sides of the cutter unit. Alternatively, the at least one chuck can be mounted on the carriage and spaced from the cutter unit at one side. The carriage is moved to carry the at least one chuck to a distance relative to the cutter unit, and the shell of the optical fiber is stripped off at the desired length.
Other objects, advantages, and novel features of the invention will become more apparent from the following detailed description when taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawings.
REFERENCES:
patent: 3765276 (1973-10-01), Pollitt
patent: 4614135 (1986-09-01), Ito et al.
patent: 4961357 (1990-10-01), Butler et al.
patent: 4969703 (1990-11-01), Fyfe et al.
patent: 5067379 (1991-11-01), Butler et al.
patent: 5457877 (1995-10-01), McDermott
patent: 5896786 (1999-04-01), Akita
patent: 5934161 (1999-08-01), Keene
patent: 6023366 (2000-03-01), Tominaga et al.
patent: 6052880 (2000-04-01), Basavanhally
patent: 6176155 (2001-01-01), Palmowski et al.
patent: 2 173 353-A (1986-10-01), None
Bacon & Thomas PLLC
Shakeri Hadi
Smith James G.
LandOfFree
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