OPTICAL FIBER CLEAVING MECHANISM AND METHOD OF USE

A cleaving mechanism and related method is adapted to cleave an optical fiber and thereby produce a cleaved end on the optical fiber. The cleaving mechanism includes a fixture, a cleave tool for cleaving the optical fiber, a clamp, a scoring member, and a tensioner. The fixture and clamp may hold the optical fiber without substantial twisting of the optical fiber. The fixture and/or the clamp may include a set of flexures that may include a pair of bending beam elements. The tensioner may include a voice coil and may detect slippage of the optical fiber. The tensioner may tune tension on the optical fiber and thereby tune a cleaving angle of the cleaved end. The cleaving mechanism may further include a vision system and thereby further tune the tension. The tensioner may compensate for wear of the cleaving mechanism. The cleave tool may include a bending anvil. The optical fiber may be included in a fiber optic cable that may further include a protective layer surrounding the optical fiber.