Westover Scientific, Inc.

Steve Lytle

Kevin Cassady

Gregory J Gerhard

Jason Mecham

A cleaning apparatus () for cleaning an endface () of an optical fiber (), wherein a portion of the optical fiber is contained within an interface device () is provided. The cleaning apparatus includes a housing () having an interface portion () adapted to be received by the interface device. The cleaning apparatus further includes a fluid dispensing assembly () at least partially disposed within the housing, wherein at least a portion () of the fluid dispensing assembly engages the endface when the interface portion is received by the interface device. The fluid dispensing assembly is operable to deliver a fluid and a solvent upon the endface when the interface portion of the housing is received by the interface device to aid in the removal of contaminants on the endface. The cleaning apparatus may include a contact cleaning assembly () and/or a microscope ().

Fiber-optic endface cleaning apparatus and method

A method and apparatus for preventing excessive closure between a retractable tip objective and the stage of a microscope which includes positioning a sensor in the turret of a microscope, which sensor is capable of detecting excessive retracting of the retractable tip into the body of the objective, and providing a controller for monitoring the sensor for such excessive retracting and issuing an alert in response to the detection of an event of such excessive retracting. The alert may be made by way of an audio output, or by a visual cue or both. Extinguishing the lamp of the microscope is a preferred visual cue, as the excessive retracting of the retractable tip is generally caused by a focusing error, and the extinguishing of the light source reduces or eliminates the ability of the user of the microscope to focus the microscope, thus attracting his or her attention.

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Mill Creek, WA, United States of America

Steve Lytle