IP Library Granted Patent US 12,449,328
Granted Patent B2
US 12,449,328 · App. 18/097,533 · Granted Oct 21, 2025

Apparatus and system for visual inspection of fiber ends and image analysis tool for detecting contamination

Inventors: Yu Huang (Orland Park, IL); Jose M. Castro (Naperville, IL); Andrew R. Matcha (Chicago, IL); Bulent Kose (Burr Ridge, IL)
Assignee: Panduit Corp.
G01M11/0257G01M11/0278G01M11/30G01N21/88G06T7/0004G06T7/12G01N21/8803G01N2021/8812G01N2021/8845G02B5/0278G02B6/385G02B25/002G02B27/14G06T2207/20021G06T2207/20052G06T2207/20061G06T2207/30108
View Patent ↗
Loading inventors, assignments & file history…
Monitor This Case
Get email alerts when status or documents change.
Order Certified Copies
Most orders are placed with the USPTO same day — all within 24 business hours.
Order via The Patent Place →
Pre-filled with this patent's details
Quick Facts
Patent No.
US 12,449,328
App. No.
18/097,533
Granted
Oct 21, 2025
Kind
B2
Abstract

A visual inspection device and apparatus is disclosed for inspecting fiber ends of a connector by capturing an image of the connector end face, and implementing an image analysis tool for detecting contamination from the captured image. The visual inspection tool includes components for providing a larger field of view to capture the entire connector end face in a single image, and the image analysis tool is able to accurately and efficiently detect contamination from the captured image.

Claims (27)

1. A visual inspection device comprising:

a light source configured to emit a light transmission;

a diffuser configured to receive the light transmission from the light source;

a lenticular lens positioned between the light source and the diffuser;

a mirror configured to reflect the light transmission from the diffuser;

a beam splitter configured to reflect the light transmission from the mirror;

an adapter configured to hold a connector end face and direct the light transmission from the beam splitter onto the connector end face, wherein the light transmission reflects off the connector end face and back through the beam splitter;

a tunable lens configured to receive and direct the light transmission from the beam splitter; and

an image sensor configured to receive the light transmission from the tunable lens and capture an image of the connector end face.

2. The visual inspection device of claim 1 , wherein the adapter includes a first convex lens and a magnifying lens, wherein the magnifying lens includes a predetermined amount of magnification for corresponding to a type of connector intended by the adapter.

3. The visual inspection device of claim 2 , wherein a distance between the tunable lens and the image sensor is between 5% to 30% of the distance between the first convex lens and the image sensor.

4. The visual inspection device of claim 1 , wherein an inner housing of the adapter includes a tapered shape portion.

5. The visual inspection device of claim 1 , further comprising:

a second convex lens between the beam splitter and the tunable lens.

6. The visual inspection device of claim 1 , wherein the light source is configured to emit light transmissions in different wavelengths.

7. The visual inspection device of claim 1 , further comprising:

an aperture positioned between the light source and the diffuser.

8. The visual inspection device of claim 1 , wherein the diffuser comprises a first diffuser and a second diffuser.

9. The visual inspection device of claim 1 , further comprising:

a cylindrical lens positioned between the light source and the diffuser.

10. The visual inspection device of claim 1 , further comprising:

an optical grating positioned between the light source and the diffuser.

11. The visual inspection device of claim 1 , further comprising:

a computing system in communication with the visual inspection device, the computing system configured to:

receive the captured image; and

apply image recognition on the captured image to identify contamination on the end face of the connector.

12. The visual inspection device of claim 1 , wherein the image sensor is diagonally tilted with respect to the connector end face held in the adapter.

Assignments (1)
ASSIGNMENT OF ASSIGNOR'S INTEREST Recorded Jul 7, 2023
From: HUANG, YU; CASTRO, JOSE M.; MATCHA, ANDREW R.; KOSE, BULENT
To: PANDUIT CORP.
Reel/Frame 064182/0363 →
Continuity (2)
Provisional Application 63300848 · Jan 19, 2022
Related Publication 20230228648A1 · Jul 20, 2023
References Cited (33)
US 3947127A · Bennett et al. · 1976 [cited by applicant]
US 4952058A · Noguchi · 1990 [cited by examiner]
US 5179419A · Palmquist et al. · 1993 [cited by applicant]
US 5724127A · Csipkes et al. · 1998 [cited by applicant]
US 5995212A · Dar et al. · 1999 [cited by applicant]
US 6148097A · Nakayama · 2000 [cited by examiner]
US 8164744B2 · Narum et al. · 2012 [cited by applicant]
US 8976345B2 · Zhou et al. · 2015 [cited by applicant]
US 9151694B2 · Wilson et al. · 2015 [cited by applicant]
US 9217688B2 · Levin et al. · 2015 [cited by applicant]
US 9528908B2 · Wilson et al. · 2016 [cited by applicant]
US 9880105B2 · Thompson · 2018 [cited by applicant]
US 9915790B2 · Baribault · 2018 [cited by applicant]
US 10006831B2 · Higuchi et al. · 2018 [cited by applicant]
US 10521922B2 · Takasu · 2019 [cited by examiner]
US 10627310B2 · Levin et al. · 2020 [cited by applicant]
US 10900866B2 · Baribault · 2021 [cited by applicant]
US 20040156043A1 · Toker · 2004 [cited by examiner]
US 20060078190A1 · Shibata · 2006 [cited by examiner]
US 20080073485A1 · Jahn · 2008 [cited by examiner]
US 20080074676A1 · Koudelka · 2008 [cited by examiner]
US 20140327735A1 · Ruchet · 2014 [cited by examiner]
US 20150116700A1 · Meek · 2015 [cited by examiner]
US 20160313211A1 · Higuchi · 2016 [cited by examiner]
US 20160320565A1 · Brown · 2016 [cited by examiner]
US 20170244936A1 · Koga · 2017 [cited by examiner]
US 20210270695A1 · Diepstraten et al. · 2021 [cited by applicant]
US 20210337091A1 · Cassady · 2021 [cited by examiner]
CN 112986264A · 2021 [cited by examiner]
EP 0114637A2 · 1984 [cited by examiner]
JP 2005043229A · 2005 [cited by examiner]
JP 2006017487A · 2006 [cited by examiner]
Lin, Chern S., et al. “Measurement of surface profile and surface roughness of fibre-optic interconnect by fast Fourier transform.” Metrology and measurement Systems 24.2 (2017): 381-390. (Year: 2017). [cited by examiner]