Abstract: A cutting tool comprising a housing, an adapter carried by the housing configured to receive and carry a connector or a ferrule, a slide, a saw assembly carried by the slide and comprising a motor bracket, a first motor attached to the motor bracket, and a saw blade operably connected to the first motor. The cutting tool also includes a second motor operably connected to the slide, a controller, and a power source. The first motor is operable to rotate the saw blade. The second motor is operable to translate the saw blade along a cutting path so as to interface with and cut at least one of a ferrule, a fiber, and an epoxy bead of the connector or the ferrule carried by the adapter. The saw blade may further comprise a coating comprising diamond crystals having an edge length within the range from 1 ?m to 25 ?m.

Abstract: A fiber cleaving device comprising a clamp assembly, central moveable stage, right moveable stage, and diamond component. The diamond component comprises a diamond and a diamond oscillator. The clamp assembly secures a piece of bare glass fiber so that it is oriented roughly perpendicularly to the cutting edge of the diamond. The central moveable stage moves the diamond oscillator forward so that the cutting edge of the diamond comes into contact with the piece of bare glass fiber. The right moveable stage pulls the piece of bare glass fiber taught after it has been secured by the clamp assembly. The diamond oscillator is configured so that the diamond cleaves the piece of bare glass fiber at an effective cutting angle of approximately forty-five degrees or, alternately, in the range of thirty to sixty degrees.

Abstract: A low voltage lamp assembly includes a lamp housing having an illumination bore extending along an optical axis and that receives a light transmission member. A low voltage light source is situated within the bore and is axially aligned with the optical axis. A bushing is positioned within the bore and surrounds a portion of the light source. First and second wires extending from the lamp assembly for establishing an electrical connection to the light source. The wires are received by a strain relief pod separated from the lamp housing. The strain relief pod includes a current limiter therein.

Abstract: A low voltage lamp assembly includes a lamp housing having an illumination bore extending along an optical axis and that receives a light transmission member. A low voltage light source is situated within the bore and is axially aligned with the optical axis. A bushing is positioned within the bore and surrounds a portion of the light source. First and second wires extending from the lamp assembly for establishing an electrical connection to the light source. The wires are received by a strain relief pod separated from the lamp housing. The strain relief pod includes a current limiter therein.

Abstract: An optical time domain relectometer comprising an optical coupler which includes first and second optical fibers, each having a central core surrounded by cladding material. One end of the first optical fiber is positioned adjacent a pulsed light source and one end of the second optical fiber is positioned adjacent an optical detector. The cladding material at the other ends of the first and second optical fibers is fused together to form a composite portion wherein the central cores of the first and second fibers are closely spaced and surrounded by a continuum of cladding material. The end of the composite portion of the coupler is positioned adjacent the optical fiber waveguide under test.

Abstract: A system for welding fiber optic waveguides together. The ends of the two fibers to be joined together are accurately, collinearly aligned in a vertical orientation and subjected to a controlled, diffuse arc to effect welding and thermal conditioning. A front-surfaced mirror mounted at a 45.degree. angle to the optical axis of a stereomicroscope mounted for viewing the junction of the ends provides two orthogonal views of the interface during the alignment operation.