EP0001702A2
Expired / Lapsed
EP
⏱️ 0.0 years remaining
Optical fibre connector assembly
Assignee: TE Connectivity Corp
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Filing: 1978-10-12
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Granted: —
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Expires: 1998-10-12
Abstract
Abstract An optical fibre core (21,67) stripped of its irregularly dimensioned optical cladding (23) is inserted in a precisely dimensioned passageway (19,28,66) of a housing part (18,27,64) which has a refractive index compatible with the refractive index of the optical cladding (23) ensuring both precise location and retention of the optical properties of the fibre end portion. A portion of the passageway (19,66) between the fibre end portion (21,67) and an end of the housing part (18,27,64) is filled with adhesive (24) having a refractive index compatible with that of the fibre core (21,67).
Inventors
- 👤 Robert George Harwood
- 👤 Terry Patrick Bowen
- 👤 William Ludlow Schumacher
Bibliographic Details
Application Number
—
Jurisdiction
EP
Data Source
google_patents
Last Synchronized
2026-10-31 17:25
CPC Classifications
G; G02; G02B; G02B6/00; G02B6/24; G02B6/36; G02B6/38; G02B6/3807; G02B6/389; G02B6/3893; G02B6/3833; G02B6/3834; G02B6/3835; G02B6/3838; G02B6/3839; G02B6/3855; G02B6/3858; G02B6/3861
Claims Analysis
Total Claims: 13
Claim 1
Independent Claim
64 words
An optical fibre connector assembly comprising an optical fibre received in a housing passageway characterised in that, an end portion of the optical fibre core (21,67) from which the optical cladding (23) has been stripped is in contact with a portion of housing material (18,27,G4) defining the passageway (19,23,66) having a refractive index of value less than the refractive index of the core (21,67).
Claim 2
Dependent Claim
64 words
An optical fibre connector assembly comprising an optical fibre received in a housing passageway characterised in that, an end portion of the optical fibre core (21,67) from which the optical cladding (23) has been stripped is in contact with a portion of housing material (18,27,G4) defining the passageway (19,23,66) having a refractive index of value less than the refractive index of the core (21,67).
Claim 3
Dependent Claim
34 words
An optical fibre connector assembly according to claim 1 characterised in that, the said housing portion (18,27) has a refractive index of value substantially equal to the refractive index of the optical cladding (23).
Claim 4
Dependent Claim
47 words
An optical fibre connector assembly according to claim 1 or claim 2 characterised in that, the optical fibre core (21,67) is secured in the housing passageway (19,28,66) by an adhesive (24) having a refractive index of value substantially equal to the refractive index of the core (21,67).
Claim 5
Dependent Claim
61 words
An optical fibre connector assembly according to claim 1 or claim 2 characterised in that, the optical fibre core (67) is secured in the housing passageway (67) by an adhesive having a refractive index of value not greater than the refractive index of the core (67) and not less than the refractive index of the said portion of housing material (64).
Claim 6
Dependent Claim
60 words
An optical fibre connector assembly according to any one of claims 1 to 4 characterised in that, the housing passageway (14) has a section (17) of relatively large diameter enclosing an unstripped portion (25) of the optical fibre and a section of relatively small diameter (19) defined by the said housing portion (18) enclosing the end portion of the core.
Claim 7
Dependent Claim
59 words
An optical fibre connector assembly according to claim 5 when dependent from claim 3 characterised in that, the housing passageway (14) has a tapering section (16) communicating with the sections (17 and 19 respectively) of relatively large and small diameters in which tapering section the junction of the unstripped and stripped end portion is secured by the adhesive (24).
Claim 8
Dependent Claim
32 words
An optical fibre connector assembly according to any one of claims 1 to 6 characterised in that, the said portion of housing material is an insert (18,64) in another housing portion (12,56).
Claim 9
Dependent Claim
17 words
An optical fibre connector assembly according to claim 7 characterised in that, the insert (18,64) is elastomeric.
Claim 10
Dependent Claim
34 words
An optical fibre connector assembly according to claim 8 characterised in that, the cladding (23) and the insert (18,64) are made of silicone rubber and the optical fibre (21,67) is made of fused silica.
Claim 11
Dependent Claim
80 words
An optical fibre connector assembly according to claim 7 characterised in that, the insert (64) comprises two elastomer pads (64) each having a groove (66) receiving axially an optical fibre end portion (67) from which the optical cladding has been stripped, the pads (64) being abutted together with the grooves (66) superimposed on each other to define the said passageway (66) with the end portions axially aligned in spaced apart relation and surrounded by the material (64) defining each groove.
Claim 12
Independent Claim
61 words
A method of terminating an optical fibre characterised by stripping the optical cladding (23) from an end portion of the optical fibre (11) and inserting the end portion of the optical fibre (11) in a housing passageway defined by a part of the housing (18,64) having a refractive index of value less than the refractive index of the fibre core (21,67).
Claim 13
Independent Claim
61 words
A method of terminating an optical fibre characterised by stripping the optical cladding (23) from an end portion of the optical fibre (11) and inserting the end portion of the optical fibre (11) in a housing passageway defined by a part of the housing (18,64) having a refractive index of value less than the refractive index of the fibre core (21,67).
References Cited (Backward Citations)
No citation records indexed.
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