IP Library Granted Patent US 12,724,210
Granted Patent B2
US 12,724,210 · App. 18/674,871 · Granted Sep 1, 2026

Fiber inspection tool with manual adjustment

Inventor: Kevin B. Larkin (Pebble Beach, CA)
G02B6/385G02B6/3809G02B6/3898G02B21/0004G02B21/362G01M11/30
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Quick Facts
Patent No.
US 12,724,210
App. No.
18/674,871
Granted
Sep 1, 2026
Kind
B2
Abstract

The purpose of this continuation is to increase the viewing magnification of the already issued patent U.S. Pat. No. 11,385,412 B2. By the addition of a module housing that has the capability of allowing for additional magnification, lighting and focusing capabilities. A module housing case is described. The modular housing case includes a fiber optic component housing defined as a cavity and or cavities that are sized to receive a fiber optic connector and or connectors. Within the cavity or cavities is a ferrule guide or ferrule guides. The module housing case also has an internal cavity that is at least partially enclosed. Components to assist in magnification may be disposed at least partially or fully within the internal cavity. Those components can range from a lighting system powered by internal electronics or a system that relies on the cell phone camera flash and or flashlight LED for internal fiber end face lighting. Finally, the module housing case employs a camera lens alignment feature that can be adjusted manually to increase magnification of the field of view by the raising and or lowering of the module housing case.

Claims (14)

1 . A two-piece module housing configured for sliding onto or placing said module over a cell phone camera and/or cameras to allow for inspecting of fiber optic cable and or fiber optic connector cable glass or plastic end face and or end faces by means while holding a Fiber Optic connector and/or ferrule and/or fiber end face and/or end faces in place with a support component and/or equivalent to house a fiber jack cavity or jack cavities with the addition of a second mechanism that (1) rotates and/or (2) slides said module into a position of focusing fiber connector end faces that are temporarily housed in the fiber jack module cavity and/or jack cavities into a position of focusing and/or the field of view of said fiber end faces, said module housing further comprising:

a vertical slide system to a focus adjustment contact point to hold said slide in position once the fiber end face focusing has been achieved for continual inspection at that time;

a horizontal mechanism that can be rotated with a rotation with the addition of contact points around the outer exterior of a rotation mechanism to hold said rotation mechanism in position once the fiber end face focusing has been achieved for said continual inspection at that time;

a lens and/or lenses to increase magnification and/or the field of view of said fiber end faces;

a module housing base that mates to the said module housing which fits onto or over the cell phone camera and/or camera that incorporates a lens and/or lenses to increase magnification and/or the field of view of said fiber end faces when adjusted;

wherein said module housing includes an internal light ring that is operated by a cell phone flash and/or flashlight to illuminate said fiber optic end faces to receive a clear field of view in the inspection area;

wherein said module housing contains a light ring powered by electronics and a battery to illuminate said fiber optic end faces to receive a clear field of view in the inspection area; and

wherein the module base housing is configured to have a focus adjustment mechanism positioned over the cell phone camera lens with the focus adjustment mechanism being moved up and down with a slide system and/or rotated with a threaded system into a position to achieve a best field of view in focus position with the greatest magnification capabilities and focusing capabilities, and wherein a mounting plate allows the mounting base housing to be positioned over the lens and/or lenses of said cell phone camera and/or camera to secure the module base housing with a mechanism to focus said module housing.

2 . The module base housing of claim 1 , wherein said module base housing is designed to be mated to a Cell Phone Case and/or a partial Cell Phone Case.

3 . The module base housing of claim 1 , wherein said module base housing contains the internal light ring, electronics, battery, and power switch to achieve the field of view fiber inspections of the fiber end faces.

4 . The module base housing of claim 1 , wherein said module base housing mates and facilitates with and secures a horizontal threaded and/or vertical slide receiving focusing mechanism.

5 . The module base housing of claim 1 , wherein said module base housing mates and facilitates with and secures the receiving focusing mechanism over the cell phone lens can be a semi-permanent and/or permanent connection with a partial or a full cell phone cover.

6 . A module base housing that mates and facilitates with and secures a receiving focusing mechanism while being semi-permanently and/or permanently connected to a partial or full cell phone cover and/or a laptop case and/or a desk top case, said module base housing comprising: an opening that allows a camera lens and/or lenses and a flash to be exposed, said opening on the cell phone and/or said laptop case designed with a mounting lip and/or a mounting system to mate with the module base housing to snap into or onto said opening, wherein said mounting system positions fiber end faces over said camera lens and/or lenses for magnification alignment said module base housing including a mounting plate having a focus adjusting system enabling said module base housing to be positioned corresponding to a various phone types.

7 . The module base housing of claim 6 , wherein said mounting plate allows the module base housing to be positioned over a desired lens and/or lenses and secure the module base housing with a mechanism that allows focusing of said module base housing.

Continuity (4)
Continuation In Part 17839852 · Jun 14, 2022
Continuation 17324462 · May 19, 2021
Provisional Application 63030066 · May 26, 2020
Related Publication 20240310585A1 · Sep 19, 2024
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