EP0212877A2
Expired / Lapsed
EP
⏱️ 0.0 years remaining
Optical coupler for an optical fibre
Assignee: Prysmian Cables and Systems Ltd
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Filing: 1986-07-29
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Granted: —
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Expires: 2006-07-29
Abstract
Abstract An optical coupler 1 for use with an optical fibre 6 provided with a transparent buffer layer has a body member 2 of a hard transparent plastics material which is provided with a substantially U-shaped concavely curved surface 4 and a plunger member 9 reciprocatable relative to the body member for pressing an optical fibre located in a groove 5 extending along the surface against the body member such that the fibre is subjected to microbending. The microbending of the fibre markedly assists the amount of light which is transferres to or from the core of the bent portion of the fibre which is located in the groove when the optical coupler is used for introducing light into the core or withdrawing light from the core respectively.
Inventors
- 👤 John Richard Osterfield
- 👤 Paul Laurence Scrivener
Bibliographic Details
Application Number
—
Jurisdiction
EP
Data Source
google_patents
Last Synchronized
2026-11-08 03:21
CPC Classifications
G; G02; G02B; G02B6/00; G02B6/24; G02B6/42; G02B6/4201; G02B6/4219; G02B6/4236; G02B6/424; G02B6/4242; G02B6/4256; G02B6/4257; G02B6/4259; G02B6/4287; G02B6/4289; G02B6/4286
Claims Analysis
Total Claims: 10
Claim 1
Independent Claim
82 words
An optical coupler for use with an optical fibre provided with a transparent buffer layer, said coupler comprising a body member of a hard transparent plastics material which is provided with a substantially U-shaped concavely curved surface, and means for pressing an optical fibre provided with a transparent buffer layer and extending along said curved surface against the body member such that the fibre follows a substantially U-shaped path between said body member and said pressing means and is subjected to microbending.
Claim 2
Dependent Claim
82 words
An optical coupler for use with an optical fibre provided with a transparent buffer layer, said coupler comprising a body member of a hard transparent plastics material which is provided with a substantially U-shaped concavely curved surface, and means for pressing an optical fibre provided with a transparent buffer layer and extending along said curved surface against the body member such that the fibre follows a substantially U-shaped path between said body member and said pressing means and is subjected to microbending.
Claim 3
Dependent Claim
103 words
An optical coupler as claimed in claim 1, wherein said pressing means comprises a plunger member which is reciprocatable relative to the body member for movement into and out of a recess therein which provides said curved surface, said plunger member having a substantially U-shaped convexly curved end surface which substantially matches said concavely curved surface over at least an intermediate portion of its extent and which is provided with a groove extending therealong for locating the optical fibre along the concavely curved surface of the body member when the optical fibre is being pressed by said plunger member against the body member.
Claim 4
Dependent Claim
28 words
An optical coupler as claimed in claim 1, wherein said curved surface is provided with a groove extending therealong for locating the optical fibre along said curved surface.
Claim 5
Dependent Claim
108 words
An optical coupler as claimed in claim 3, wherein said pressing means comprises a plunger member which is reciprocatable relative to the body member for movement into and out of a recess therein which provides said curved surface, said plunger member having a substantially U-shaped convexly curved end surface which substantially matches said concavely curved surface over at least an intermediate portion of i L s extent and which is provided with a groove extending therealong in alignment with said groove in the concavely curved surface such that the optical fibre is located in both said grooves when being pressed by said plunger member against the body member.
Claim 6
Dependent Claim
32 words
An optical coupler as claimed in claim 2 or 4, wherein the base portions of the substantially U-shaped surfaces are part cylindrical having a radius of from about 5 to 15 mm.
Claim 7
Dependent Claim
23 words
An optical coupler as claimed in claim 2, 4 or 5, wherein said plunger member is biased into said recess by biasing means.
Claim 8
Dependent Claim
24 words
An optical coupler as claimed in any one of claims 2 to 6, wherein said plunger member is formed of a hard, opaque material.
Claim 9
Dependent Claim
35 words
An optical coupler as claimed in any one of the preceding claims, wherein a light emitting diode is located in a recess in said body member beneath said concavely curved surface for directing light theret,owards.
Claim 10
Dependent Claim
45 words
An optical coupler as claimed in any one of claims 1 to 7, wherein a light detector is located in a recess in said body member beneath said concavely curved surface for detecting any light withdrawn from an optical fibre located in the groove therein.
References Cited (Backward Citations)
No citation records indexed.
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