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EP-4737966-A1 - ADAPTER DUSTCAP WITH BUILT-IN CLEANER

EP4737966A1EP 4737966 A1EP4737966 A1EP 4737966A1EP-4737966-A1

Abstract

A dustcap comprises a body having a cylindrical portion configured to receive a ferrule of an optical fiber connector, and an end portion opposite the cylindrical portion. The end portion includes a side-facing receptacle. The dustcap has a built-in cleaner disposed within the side-facing receptacle. The dustcap further comprises a removable cover configured to couple to the end portion of the dustcap. In another example implementation, the end portion includes a flat surface, the cleaner is disposed on the flat surface of the end portion, and the cover is configured to receive the end portion of the dustcap. In another example implementation, the cover has a receptacle, and the cleaner is disposed within the receptacle, whereas the body comprises an end portion configured to receive at least a portion of the cover with the built-in cleaner. Example implementations encompass adapter dustcaps and adapter dustcap assemblies having built-in cleaners and alignment portions.

Inventors

  • BERANEK, CHERYL JOHNSON
  • HILL, JOHN P.
  • CRUZEN, WILLIAM J.
  • HENSCHEL, JAMES JOHN

Assignees

  • Clearfield Inc.

Dates

Publication Date
20260506
Application Date
20251014

Claims (15)

  1. An adapter dustcap comprising: a body comprising an adapter connection portion configured to couple to an optical fiber adapter, and an end portion opposite the adapter connection portion, wherein the end portion includes a side-facing receptacle; a cleaner disposed within the side-facing receptacle; an alignment portion disposed within the side-facing receptacle, the alignment portion comprising a toroidal shape and an aperture therethrough sized to receive and align a ferrule of an optical fiber connector within the side-facing receptacle; and a sealing cover configured to removably couple to the end portion of the body or to the alignment portion.
  2. The adapter dustcap of claim 1, wherein the adapter connection portion is further configured to snap attach to the optical fiber adapter.
  3. The adapter dustcap of claim 1, wherein the end portion is further configured to couple to a dust cover.
  4. The adapter dustcap of claim 1, wherein the body further comprises a divider between the adapter connection portion and the end portion of the body.
  5. The adapter dustcap of claim 1, wherein the alignment portion is configured to align the ferrule perpendicularly to a surface of the cleaner.
  6. The adapter dustcap of claim 1, wherein the cleaner is located between a first surface of the alignment portion and an interior surface of the side-facing receptacle.
  7. The adapter dustcap of claim 1, wherein the side-facing receptacle includes one or more recesses, and the alignment portion includes one or more protrusions, each of the one or more recesses being configured to receive and retain a corresponding one of the one or more protrusions.
  8. The adapter dustcap of claim 1, further comprising a dustcap comprising a cavity, wherein the end portion is configured to couple within the cavity of the dustcap.
  9. The adapter dustcap of claim 8, wherein the end portion is configured to snap attach to the dustcap.
  10. An optical fiber cleaner assembly comprising: a cleaner; an alignment portion comprising a toroidal shape and an aperture therethrough sized to receive and align a ferrule of an optical fiber connector; and wherein the cleaner is configured to be housed in a side-facing receptacle of an adapter dustcap, and wherein the alignment portion is configured to secure the cleaner within the side-facing receptacle.
  11. The optical fiber cleaner assembly of claim 10, further comprising a sealing cover configured to removably cover one or more of the alignment portion and the cleaner.
  12. The optical fiber cleaner assembly of claim 10, wherein the alignment portion is configured to align the ferrule perpendicularly to a surface of the cleaner.
  13. The optical fiber cleaner assembly of claim 10, wherein the cleaner is located between a first surface of the alignment portion and an internal surface of the side-facing receptacle.
  14. The optical fiber cleaner assembly of claim 10, wherein the side-facing receptacle includes one or more recesses and the alignment portion includes one or more protrusions, each of the one or more recesses being configured to receive and retain a corresponding one of the one or more protrusions.
  15. A method for manufacturing an adapter dustcap, the method comprising: providing an adapter dustcap body; inserting a cleaner and an alignment portion into a side-facing receptacle of an end portion of the adapter dustcap body such that the cleaner is located between a first surface of the alignment portion and an interior surface of the side-facing receptacle, wherein the alignment portion comprises a toroidal shape and an aperture therethrough sized to receive and align a ferrule of an optical fiber connector within the side-facing receptacle; and removably coupling a sealing cover to the end portion of the adapter dustcap body or to the alignment portion.

Description

CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS This application is a continuation-in-part of U.S. Patent Application No. 18/616,912 filed March 26, 2024 entitled "Dustcap With Built-In Cleaner," and published as U.S. Patent Application Publication No. US20240272373 on August 15, 2024, which is a continuation of U.S. Patent Application No. 18/299,139, filed April 12, 2023 and issued U.S. Patent No. 12,007,609 on June 11, 2024, which is a continuation of U.S. Patent Application No. 17/816,613, filed August 1, 2022, patented as U.S. Patent No. 11,675,139 and issued June 13, 2023, entitled "Dust Cap With Built-In Cleaner," which is a continuation of 17/028,083, filed September 22, 2020, patented as U.S. Patent No. 11,422,314 and issued August 23, 2022, entitled "Dustcap With Built-In Cleaner," and is related to U.S. Application No. 17/479,419, filed September 20, 2021, patented as U.S. Patent No. 11,681,108 and issued June 20, 2023, entitled "Dustcap With Built-In Cleaner," all of which are incorporated herein by reference. TECHNICAL FIELD The disclosed technology relates generally to optical fiber systems and more specifically to dustcaps with cleaners for optical fiber connectors and optical fiber adapters. BACKGROUND Data, voice, and other communication networks are increasingly using fiber optics to carry information. In a fiber optic network, each individual fiber is generally connected to both a source and a destination device. Additionally, along the fiber optic run between the source and the destination, various connections or couplings may be made on the optical fiber to adjust the length of the fiber or to provide termination connection ports for end users at which one or more fibers may be branched from a feed cable. In instances when the connection may be exposed to weather conditions, an essentially waterproof configuration of components is needed. With the increasing desire for completely optical networks, "fiber to the premises" (FTTP) or "fiber to the home" (FTTH) systems are being developed to provide optical fibers that extend from the source to the site of the end-user. Optical fiber enclosures are used for management of cables that extend to various user locations. To interconnect the cables, various cable connector designs provide for low insertion loss and stability. Some example connectors may include, but are not limited to, SC, Dual LC, LC, ST and MPO connectors. For example, ferrules (one in each connector, or one in the connector and one in the apparatus or device), each containing an optical fiber end, are butted together end to end and light travels across the junction. Dirt or contamination on the end of a ferrule of an optical fiber connector hinders performance. Cleaning of optical fiber connectors and ferrules is essential to providing quality fiber installations. Thus, there is a need to inspect fiber optic connectors and conveniently clean them when necessary. SUMMARY According to one aspect, there is provided a dustcap comprising a body. The body comprises a cylindrical portion configured to receive a ferrule of an optical fiber connector, and an end portion opposite the cylindrical portion, wherein the end portion includes a receptacle. The dustcap further comprises a cleaner disposed within the receptacle, and a cover configured to couple to the end portion of the dustcap. The cover may be removable from the end portion of the dustcap. The cover may comprise a plurality of tabs configured to snap on the end portion of the dustcap. The body may further comprise a divider between the cylindrical portion and the end portion of the dustcap. In some example implementations, the end portion may have a tapered portion. In some example implementations, the cylindrical portion may have a first diameter and the end portion may have a second diameter larger than the first diameter. In some example implementations, the body may comprise a single integral piece. According to another aspect, there is provided a dustcap comprising a cover having a receptacle. A cleaner is disposed within the receptacle. The dustcap further comprises a body having a cylindrical portion configured to receive a ferrule of an optical fiber connector, and an end portion opposite the cylindrical portion, wherein the end portion is configured to receive at least a portion of the cover. The cover may be removable from the end portion of the dustcap. The cover may comprise a plurality of tabs configured to snap into the end portion of the dustcap. In some example implementations, the body may further comprise a divider between the cylindrical portion and the end portion of the dustcap. In some example implementations, the end portion may have a tapered portion. In some example implementations, the cylindrical portion may have a first diameter and the end portion may have a second diameter larger than the first diameter. In some example implementations, the body may be configured as an integral piece. According to another