Optical fiber cleaving tool

Abstract

An optical fiber cleaving tool a terminus ferrule is affixed to an optical fiber prior to entry of the fiber into the tool. A portion of the optical fiber is passed through an elongated opening which is coaxial about the common axis of the fiber and the terminus ferrule. A sharp pointed fiber scriber is positioned between the exit of the elongated opening and a clamping device such that the scriber will automatically move toward the fiber in controlled motion until an adjustable force is applied through the scriber, impinging on the periphery of the optical fiber. The controlled, increasing radial force of the scriber in conjunction with the tension applied to the fiber by the clamping device causes the fiber to be cleaved in a mirror-surface plane which is substantially perpendicular to the central axis of the optical fiber. The mirrored surface is at essentially a 90.degree. orientation or various angle orientations close to 90.degree. in relation to the fiber central axis. The clamping device of the invention applies increasing radial force on opposite sides of the optical fiber while applying tension to the optical fiber pulling the fiber essentially straight so that the scriber can uniformly impinge on the periphery of the fiber until crack initiation occurs and the controlled cleave takes place. The tool will perform on bare optical fibers or on buffered optical fiber with equal success due to the gradually increasing radially inward force applied by the scriber.