Patent EP0241171A2 successfully refreshed from Google Patents.
EP0241171A2
Expired / Lapsed
EP
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Optical couplers
Assignee: The General Electric Company PLC
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Filing: 1987-03-20
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Granted: —
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Expires: 2007-03-20
Abstract
Abstract The invention concerns a method of fabricating an NxN optical coupler where N is at least equal to 4, the method being characterised in that it comprises the steps of locating two pairs of optical fibres (1, 2, 4, 5) side by side, applying simultaneous tension and heat to the fibres so as to generate a biconical taper in the fibres so located, and to cause the fibres of each pair to fuse together to form two couplers, displacing one fibre of each pair so that each displaced fibre lies in the position vacated by the other fibre, and generating a second biconical layer in the rearranged fibres so as to fabricate two further couplers.
Inventors
- 👤 George Antony Georgiou
Bibliographic Details
Application Number
—
Jurisdiction
EP
Data Source
google_patents
Last Synchronized
2026-10-24 23:41
CPC Classifications
G; G02; G02B; G02B6/00; G02B6/24; G02B6/26; G02B6/28; G02B6/293; G02B6/29331; G02B6/29332; G01; G01D; G01D5/00; G01D5/26; G01D5/268; G02B6/2804; G02B6/2821; G02B6/2835; G02B6/2856
Claims Analysis
Total Claims: 7
Claim 1
Independent Claim
108 words
A method of fabricating an NxN optical coupler where N is at least equal to 4, the method being characterised in that it comprises the steps of locating two pairs of optical fibres side by side, applying simultaneous tension and heat to the fibres so as to generate a biconical taper in the fibres so located, and to cause the fibres of each pair to fuse together to form two couplers, displacing one fibre of each pair so that each displaced fibre lies in the position vacated by the other fibre, and generating a second biconical taper in the rearranged fibres so as to fabricate two further couplers.
Claim 2
Independent Claim
108 words
A method of fabricating an NxN optical coupler where N is at least equal to 4, the method being characterised in that it comprises the steps of locating two pairs of optical fibres side by side, applying simultaneous tension and heat to the fibres so as to generate a biconical taper in the fibres so located, and to cause the fibres of each pair to fuse together to form two couplers, displacing one fibre of each pair so that each displaced fibre lies in the position vacated by the other fibre, and generating a second biconical taper in the rearranged fibres so as to fabricate two further couplers.
Claim 3
Dependent Claim
32 words
A method as claimed in Claim 1, and characterised in that an air gap is maintained between the couplers so formed, and a potting compound is utilised to fill this air gap.
Claim 4
Dependent Claim
22 words
- A method as claimed in Claim 1, and characterised in that each pair of fibres is separated by a dummy fibre.
Claim 5
Dependent Claim
63 words
A method as claimed in Claim 1 and characterised in that at least three pairs of fibres are provided, the fibres of each pair being coupled together, one fibre of each of the coupled pairs then being coupled with a fibre of another of the coupled pairs, and the process being repeated to provide an NxN coupler where N is greater than 4.
Claim 6
Dependent Claim
63 words
A method as claimed in Claim 3 and characterised in that at least three pairs of fibres are provided, the fibres of each pair being coupled together, one fibre of each of the coupled pairs then being coupled with a fibre of another of the coupled pairs, and the process being repeated to provide an NxN coupler where N is greater than 4.
Claim 7
Dependent Claim
23 words
An optical coupler characterised in that it is constructed in accordance with a method as claimed in any one of the preceding claims.
References Cited (Backward Citations)
No citation records indexed.
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