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EP0171271A2 Expired / Lapsed EP ⏱️ 0.0 years remaining

Improvements relating to optical fibres

Assignee: Plessey Overseas Ltd
•
Filing: 1985-08-02
•
Granted: —
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Expires: 2005-08-02
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Abstract

Abstract A method of producing a partially reflective splice between two optical fibers for use for example in an optical fibre hydrophone as described in our U.K. patent application No. 8220793, comprising spacing opposed faces of the fibres apart by a predetermined distance and filling this space with a UV setting cement having deliberatly a different refractive index to the fibres. The refractive index may be determined by the addition to the cement of an organic refractive index modifying liquid such as di-iodomethane. By suitable choice of spacing and refractive index the characteristics of a splice can be controlled to produce predetermined reflection.

Inventors

  • 👤 John Philip "Firview" Dakin

Bibliographic Details

Application Number —
Jurisdiction EP
Data Source google_patents
Last Synchronized 2026-11-04 18:26
CPC Classifications
G; G02; G02B; G02B6/00; G02B6/24; G02B6/36; G02B6/38; G02B6/3801

Claims Analysis

Total Claims: 6
Claim 1
Independent Claim 77 words
A method of producing a partially-reflective splice according to requirements between two optical fibres comprising the steps of aligning opposed end faces of two optical fibres and spacing the end faces apart by a predetermined distance and then allowing a viscous transparent material or paste between the spaced apart fibre end faces and having a different refractive index from the optical fibres to set to produce a splice between the optical fibres having the requisite partiallyreflective characteristic.
Claim 2
Independent Claim 77 words
A method of producing a partially-reflective splice according to requirements between two optical fibres comprising the steps of aligning opposed end faces of two optical fibres and spacing the end faces apart by a predetermined distance and then allowing a viscous transparent material or paste between the spaced apart fibre end faces and having a different refractive index from the optical fibres to set to produce a splice between the optical fibres having the requisite partiallyreflective characteristic.
Claim 3
Dependent Claim 38 words
A method as claimed in claim 1, in which the transparent viscous material comprises ultra-violet setting cement or clear epoxy resin introduced between the end faces of the optical fibres where it hardens without the application of heat.
Claim 4
Dependent Claim 69 words
A method as claimed in claim 1, in which the transparent viscous material comprises low melting point glass or plastics material or glass paste, and in which the ends of the fibres are dipped into the molten glass, plastics material or glass paste after which heat is applied to the splicing material to fuse it before allowing the splicing material to cool and set between the fibre end faces.
Claim 5
Independent Claim 25 words
A method as claimed in any preceding claim, in which additives are used in the splicing material to modify the refractive index according to requirements.
Claim 6
Independent Claim 49 words
A method as claimed in any preceding claim, in which the spacing between the end faces of the optical fibres separated by the viscous splicing material is monitored using light pulses and time domain reflectometry and is adjusted to provide the requisite reflective characteristic before the splicing material hardens.

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