Fiber polishing apparatus and method for field terminable optical connectors

Abstract

A polishing apparatus for an optical fiber connector that includes an optical fiber ferrule and a connector housing, comprises a polishing puck having an aperture to permit passage of the ferrule therethrough and a mount to hold the connector housing at a predetermined angle. The polishing apparatus further includes a stabilizer having a first portion mountable on the polishing puck to provide a grip separate from the connector housing. The polishing apparatus further includes a weighting device, at least a portion of which is disposed in the stabilizer, to provide a direct force on the connector housing, substantially independent from the stabilizer. The polishing apparatus provides a hand-polishing tool that controls the force and tilt placed on a terminated optical fiber connector during the polishing process, thereby providing more repeatable polished ferrules with respect to ferrule geometry such as ferrule radius of curvature (ROC), apex offset, and fiber height.

1 . A polishing apparatus for an optical fiber connector that includes an optical fiber ferrule and a connector housing, comprising: 
 a polishing puck having an aperture to permit passage of the ferrule therethrough and a mount to hold the connector housing at a predetermined angle;    a stabilizer having a first portion mountable on the polishing puck to provide a grip separate from the connector housing; and    a weighting device, at least a portion of which is disposed in the stabilizer, to provide a direct force on the connector housing.    
   
   
       2 . The polishing apparatus of  claim 1 , wherein the weighting device comprises a weight having a shaft portion, the weight receivable through an opening of the stabilizer.  
   
   
       3 . The polishing apparatus of  claim 2 , wherein the shaft portion of the weight receives a cabled portion of the optical fiber connector.  
   
   
       4 . The polishing apparatus of  claim 2 , wherein the weight includes an interior cavity, and wherein a surface defining a portion of the interior cavity is disposed on a portion of the optical fiber connector housing.  
   
   
       5 . The polishing apparatus of  claim 1 , wherein the stabilizer includes a shaft to receive the ferrule and connector housing, and wherein an outer surface of the stabilizer is textured.  
   
   
       6 . The polishing apparatus of  claim 1 , wherein the first portion of the stabilizer comprises one or more slots slidably mountable on one or more ridges formed on the polishing puck.  
   
   
       7 . The polishing apparatus of  claim 1 , wherein the mount is adapted to receive a small form factor optical fiber connector.  
   
   
       8 . The polishing apparatus of  claim 1 , wherein the small form factor optical fiber connector is a LC-type connector having an optical fiber terminated by a thermoplastic adhesive material.  
   
   
       9 . The polishing apparatus of  claim 1 , wherein the mount is adapted to receive a large form factor fiber optic connector.  
   
   
       10 . The polishing apparatus of  claim 1 , wherein the weighting device comprises a spring loaded mechanism, a portion of which adapted to directly contact at least a portion of the connector housing.  
   
   
       11 . The polishing apparatus of  claim 1 , wherein the weighting device provides a force of about 0.1 lb f  to about 0.5 lb f  on the connector housing.  
   
   
       12 . A method of polishing an optical fiber connector that includes an optical fiber ferrule and a connector housing, comprising: 
 providing a polishing apparatus that includes 
 a polishing puck having an aperture to permit passage of the optical fiber ferrule therethrough and a mount to hold the connector housing at a predetermined angle;  
 a stabilizer having a first portion mountable on the polishing puck to provide a grip separate from the connector housing; and  
 a weighting device, at least a portion of which is disposed in the stabilizer, to provide a direct force on the connector housing;  
   mounting the stabilizer on the polishing puck;    disposing the optical fiber connector in the mount, wherein at least a portion of the ferrule extends through an aperture in the polishing puck;    disposing the weighting device in the stabilizer, wherein a portion of the weighting device directly contacts at least a portion of the connector housing; and    translating the polishing apparatus across at least one polishing surface for a predetermined amount of polishing strokes.    
   
   
       13 . The method according to  claim 12 , wherein the optical fiber connector comprises a small form factor optical fiber connector having an optical fiber terminated by a thermoplastic adhesive material, and wherein prior to the disposing the optical fiber connector in the mount step, the method comprises removing a portion of the thermoplastic material with at least one of a lapping film polish in air and a lapping film attached to a compliant polishing pad.  
   
   
       14 . The method according to  claim 12 , wherein the optical fiber connector comprises a small form factor optical fiber connector having an optical fiber terminated by a thermoplastic adhesive material, and wherein prior to the disposing the weighting device in the stabilizer step, the method comprises polishing the ferrule on a lapping film using a predetermined amount of at least one of figure-8 and circular strokes.  
   
   
       15 . A method of installing an optical fiber network, comprising a method of polishing an optical fiber connector that includes an optical fiber ferrule and a connector housing according to  claim 12.