EP0283301A2
Expired / Lapsed
EP
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Connecting optical fibers
Assignee: Fujitsu Ltd
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Filing: 1988-03-18
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Granted: —
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Expires: 2008-03-18
Abstract
Abstract A method of connecting optical fibers (1) with each other or with optical waveguides uses a connection aid (23), having a hole into which the fiber is inserted and secured and from which hole a tip portion of the fiber protrudes slightly, and an adhesive (3) or solder is applied to a gap between two adjacent connection aids or between an end surface of the waveguide and an opposed surface of the connection aid. The connection aid may contain an array of two or more optical fibers. The connection method can be used to produce reliable, strong and low-loss connections between the optical fibers or optical waveguides and the optical fibers.
Inventors
- 👤 Minoru Seino
- 👤 Naoyuki Mekada
Bibliographic Details
Application Number
—
Jurisdiction
EP
Data Source
google_patents
Last Synchronized
2026-10-26 13:29
CPC Classifications
G; G02; G02B; G02B6/00; G02B6/24; G02B6/42; G02B6/4201; G02B6/4204; G02B6/4212; G02B6/26; G02B6/30; G02B6/36; G02B6/38; G02B6/3801; G02B6/3628; G02B6/3648; G02B6/3652; G02B6/3684; G02B6/3692; G02B6/4207
Claims Analysis
Total Claims: 26
Claim 1
Independent Claim
61 words
A method of connecting optical fibers to each other by butting and adhering, in which each of the optical fibers has a connection aid having a hole into which the fiber is inserted and secured and from which hole a tip portion of the fiber slightly protrudes, and an adhesive is applied to a gap between the two adjacent connection aids.
Claim 2
Independent Claim
61 words
A method of connecting optical fibers to each other by butting and adhering, in which each of the optical fibers has a connection aid having a hole into which the fiber is inserted and secured and from which hole a tip portion of the fiber slightly protrudes, and an adhesive is applied to a gap between the two adjacent connection aids.
Claim 3
Dependent Claim
25 words
A method according to claim 1, in which the connection aid is light enough to be supported by the optical fiber not having a coating.
Claim 4
Dependent Claim
15 words
A method according to claim 2, in which the connection aid is a ruby bead.
Claim 5
Dependent Claim
33 words
A method according to claim 2, in which the connection aid is made from metal and a solder is applied to a gap between two adjacent connection aids, in stead of an adhesive.
Claim 6
Independent Claim
70 words
A method of connecting optical fibers to optical waveguides by butting and adhering, in which the optical fiber has a connection aid having a hole into which the fiber is inserted and secured and from which hole a tip portion of the fiber slightly protrudes, and an adhesive is applied to a gap between an end surface of the waveguide substrate and an opposed end surface of the connection aid.
Claim 7
Independent Claim
70 words
A method of connecting optical fibers to optical waveguides by butting and adhering, in which the optical fiber has a connection aid having a hole into which the fiber is inserted and secured and from which hole a tip portion of the fiber slightly protrudes, and an adhesive is applied to a gap between an end surface of the waveguide substrate and an opposed end surface of the connection aid.
Claim 8
Dependent Claim
47 words
A method according to claim 5, in which a top surface of the waveguide substrate has a block of the same or different material so that a connection area of the end surface of the waveguide substrate is larger than the connection area of the connection aid.
Claim 9
Dependent Claim
40 words
A method according to claim 5, in which an inclination angle of the optical fiber with regard to a central axis of the hole of the connection aid is 2° or less when the fiber is inserted in the hole.
Claim 10
Dependent Claim
25 words
A method according to claim 5, in which the connection aid is light enough to be supported by the optical fiber not having a coating.
Claim 11
Dependent Claim
15 words
A method according to claim 8, in which the connection aid is a ruby bead.
Claim 12
Dependent Claim
51 words
A method according to claim 8, in which the connection aid is made from metal and the end surface of the waveguide substrate has a metal coating, and a solder is applied to a gap between the end surface of the waveguide substrate and the connection aid instead of the adhesive.
Claim 13
Dependent Claim
18 words
A method according to claim 5, in which the top portion of the fiber has a tapered surface.
Claim 14
Dependent Claim
18 words
A method according to claim 5, in which the top portion of the fiber has a rounded surface.
Claim 15
Dependent Claim
19 words
A method according to claim 5, in which the top portion of the fiber has a cleaved cladding end.
Claim 16
Independent Claim
39 words
A method according to any of of claims 11 to 13, in which an end surface of the waveguide and waveguide substrate is inclined at a predetermined angle from the direction perpendicular to the longitudinal axis of the waveguide.
Claim 17
Dependent Claim
14 words
A method according to claim 14, in which said angle is 2° or more.
Claim 18
Dependent Claim
51 words
A method according to claim 5, in which the coated optical fiber is secured in a wall of the box of the waveguide module, and a predetermined length of the optical fiber from the top portion to the securing portion to the wall has an exposed fiber and is deformably curved.
Claim 19
Dependent Claim
24 words
A method according to claim 16, in which the exposed and curved optical fiber has a length of from several millimeters to several centimeters.
Claim 20
Dependent Claim
25 words
A method according to claim 5, in which the optical fiber is an array of two or more optical fibers secured in the connection aid.
Claim 21
Dependent Claim
82 words
A method according to claim 18, in which the connection aid the array of two or more optical fibers is produced by embedding predetermined numbers of the fibers in the connection aid material, arranging an end surface of said material and an end surface of each of the fibers in the same plane and selectively etching said material to a predetermined depth to expose the optical fibers so that top portions of the fibers protrude from the end surface of said material.
Claim 22
Dependent Claim
84 words
A method according to claim 18, in which the connection aid with the array of two or more optical fibers is produced by arranging and securing optical fibers in array in an interfacial portion of upper and lower elements of said aid, laterally trimming said aid to make an end surface of said aid plane and selectively etching said aid to a predetermined depth to expose the optical fibers so that top portions of the fibers protrude from the end surface of said aid.
Claim 23
Dependent Claim
58 words
A module of optical waveguide, in which a wall of the box of said module has a coated optical fiber secured therein, a top surface of the fiber is connected with an end surface of the waveguide place in the box, and the fiber in the box is stripped to expose the cladding thereof and is deformably curved.
Claim 24
Dependent Claim
58 words
A module of optical waveguide, in which a wall of the box of said module has a coated optical fiber secured therein, a top surface of the fiber is connected with an end surface of the waveguide place in the box, and the fiber in the box is stripped to expose the cladding thereof and is deformably curved.
Claim 25
Dependent Claim
40 words
A fiber holder which comprises a substrate having secured therein an array of two or more parallel optical fibers, a tip portion of each of the fibers protruding slightly at a same length from the end face of the substrate.
Claim 26
Dependent Claim
40 words
A fiber holder which comprises a substrate having secured therein an array of two or more parallel optical fibers, a tip portion of each of the fibers protruding slightly at a same length from the end face of the substrate.
References Cited (Backward Citations)
No citation records indexed.
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