Cutlery – Means for cutting elongate – strand-encircling sheath
Reexamination Certificate
1999-05-03
2001-03-06
Payer, Hwei-Siu (Department: 3724)
Cutlery
Means for cutting elongate, strand-encircling sheath
C030S124000, C030S276000, C030S307000
Reexamination Certificate
active
06195897
ABSTRACT:
TECHNICAL FIELD
The present invention relates to an encapsulant removal tool and cutting method or fiber optic cables and, more particularly, to a hand-held, motor-driven tool and method for cutting away encapsulant material during repair of the cable.
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
During the installation of fiber optic routes, the fiber optic cables are installed in reel lengths that range, for example, from 10,000 to 16,000 feet. For extended routes, the cables must be spliced together, maintaining continuity of each optical path contained within the cables. Once these splices are made, they are housed in a metallic enclosure for safety and security. For further protection from harsh environments, the metallic enclosure may be disposed within a high-density polyethylene (HDPE) enclosure and thereafter sealed with an encapsulant comprising a foam rubber-based solution. The encapsulant is intended to prevent water and other debris from entering the splice enclosure.
While most conventional encapsulants provide the necessary protection, it is difficult to remove this foam-based material when a particular splice needs to be repaired or replaced. A conventional approach to removing the encapsulant is to simply use a “skinning knife” to cut away the material. Such a technique is often dangerous to the person performing the repair, and may also result in damaging the optic cables within the splice (such as by accidentally cutting through all of the enclosures and inadvertently cutting one or more cables). Thus, a need remains for an improved method of removing encapsulant from a fiber optic cable.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
The need remaining in the prior art is addressed by the present invention, which relates to an encapsulant removal tool and cutting method for fiber optic cables and, more particularly, to a hand-held, motor-driven tool and method for cutting away encapsulant material during repair of the cable.
In accordance with the present invention, an encapsulant removal tool is formed to include a cutting head including a plurality of rotating blades, interleaved with a plurality of brushes. A battery-operated DC motor is used to rotate the cutting head and thereby provide the cutting action for the tool. A vacuum motor is included and also battery-driving to provide a vacuum force pulling underneath the cutting head. The vacuum functions to easily and quickly remove the encapsulant debris from the cutting area.
In a preferred embodiment of the present invention, a collection bag and hose are coupled to the tool so that the encapsulant debris may be collected and disposed of in an efficient manner.
Other and further embodiments of the present invention will become apparent during the course of the following discussion and by reference to the accompanying drawings.
REFERENCES:
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patent: 1928718 (1933-10-01), Covey
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patent: 4945636 (1990-08-01), Takizawa
patent: 4985999 (1991-01-01), Iwasaki et al.
patent: 5461783 (1995-10-01), Henderson
patent: 5829145 (1998-11-01), Hughes
patent: 5862595 (1999-01-01), Keane
Eslambolchi Hossein
Huffman John Sinclair
AT&T Corp.
Payer Hwei-Siu
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