Optical fiber stripping apparatus

DETAILED DESCRIPTION According to the present invention, there is provided apparatus for removing a length of an outer protective layer from an end of an optical fiber.
The apparatus comprises a retainer, a cutter, and first and second actuators.
The retainer is movable by the first actuator reciprocably along a line and is arranged to firmly hold the fiber and its outer protective layer beyond the length from the end, with the longitudinal, axis of the fiber lying parallel to the line.
The cutter includes a pair of blades.
The blades are generally planar and both lie in a plane orthogonal to the line.
The pair of blades are movable in the plane by the second actuator toward and away from each other.
Each of the pair of blades has a concave semi-circular cutting edge aligned so that when the one blade is moved into contact with the other blade there is formed a circular opening defined by the pair of concave semi-circular cutting edges.
The circular opening has a diameter substantially equal to the inner diameter of the outer protective layer and is centered on the longitudinal axis of the fiber when the fiber is held by the retainer.
Accordingly, when a fiber is held by the retainer, the first actuator moves the retainer in a first direction so that the end of the fiber passes beyond the pair of blades by a distance equal to the length that is to be removed.
The second actuator is then effective to move the pair of blades into contact with each other so that the pair of cutting edges cut through the outer protective layer of the fiber.
Finally, the first actuator is effective to move the retainer in a second direction opposite the first direction so that the length of outer protective layer is removed from the fiber.
In accordance with an aspect of this invention, the apparatus further includes a heater adjacent the cutter and on the side of the cutter opposite the retainer.
The heater has an elongated cavity for receiving and heating the length of the outer protective layer.
In accordance with another aspect of this invention, the first actuator includes a constant force spring coupled to the retainer to move the retainer in the second direction away from the cutter