EP0419699A1
Expired / Lapsed
EP
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Method for manufacturing an optical fibre connector
Assignee: Hewlett Packard GmbH Germany
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Filing: 1989-09-27
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Granted: —
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Expires: 2009-09-27
Abstract
Abstract An optical fiber connector for joining optical fibers comprises a cylindrical ferrule (1) with a fiber (20) arranged along the axis of the ferrule and with an end face (23) of the fiber (20) inclined with respect to a plane perpendicular to the fiber axis (10). The fiber end face (23) is set back a predetermined distance from a projecting surface (22) of the ferrule end face. This projecting surface (22) acts as a bearing surface for an opposite connector so that two connectors can be brought into physical contact whereby a well-defined distance between the fiber end faces is maintained. In the connected state, the fiber end faces of two opposite connectors are arranged parallel to each other, thus ensuring high return loss of the connector system. The connector can easily be manufactured by a polishing process from a standard connector having ferrule and fiber end faces parallel to the fiber axis.
Inventors
- 👤 Emmerich Müller
- 👤 Michael Fleischer-Reumann
Bibliographic Details
Application Number
—
Jurisdiction
EP
Data Source
google_patents
Last Synchronized
2026-11-09 20:25
CPC Classifications
G; G02; G02B; G02B6/00; G02B6/24; G02B6/36; G02B6/38; G02B6/3807; G02B6/381; G02B6/3818; G02B6/3822; B; B24; B24B; B24B19/00; B24B19/22; B24B19/226; G02B6/3826; G02B6/3831; G02B6/3833; G02B6/3851; G02B6/3854; G02B6/3863
Claims Analysis
Total Claims: 11
Claim 1
Independent Claim
141 words
An optical fiber connector for joining optical fibers, comprising a ferrule (1) and an optical fiber (20) surrounded by the ferrule (1), with the end face (23) of the fiber (20) being inclined with respect to a plane which is perpendicular to the longitudinal axis (10) of the fiber (20), characterized in that the end face of the ferrule (1) comprises a portion (22) projecting over the end face (23) of the fiber (20) in the direction of the fiber axis (10), but not being arranged in the same plane as the fiber end face (23), with the projecting portion (22) forming a bearing surface (30,31) for an opposing connector so that the two connectors can be brought into contact with each other and the opposing fiber end faces have a distance from each other when the connectors are in contact.
Claim 2
Dependent Claim
141 words
An optical fiber connector for joining optical fibers, comprising a ferrule (1) and an optical fiber (20) surrounded by the ferrule (1), with the end face (23) of the fiber (20) being inclined with respect to a plane which is perpendicular to the longitudinal axis (10) of the fiber (20), characterized in that the end face of the ferrule (1) comprises a portion (22) projecting over the end face (23) of the fiber (20) in the direction of the fiber axis (10), but not being arranged in the same plane as the fiber end face (23), with the projecting portion (22) forming a bearing surface (30,31) for an opposing connector so that the two connectors can be brought into contact with each other and the opposing fiber end faces have a distance from each other when the connectors are in contact.
Claim 3
Dependent Claim
29 words
An optical fiber connector as in claim 1, wherein the projecting portion is a flat surface (22) arranged in a plane which is perpendicular to the fiber axis (10).
Claim 4
Dependent Claim
52 words
An optical fiber connector as in claim 1 or 2, wherein the ferrule end face comprises a recessed portion (21) which extends beyond the position of the fiber (20) and which is symmetrical about a symmetry line (A-B, Figure 2c) through the position of the fiber (20) at the ferrule end face.
Claim 5
Dependent Claim
50 words
An optical fiber connector system comprising two identical connectors as in any of the claims 1 to 3, wherein means (6-9,11,12) are provided to hold the two connectors in a fixed position opposite to each other and at an angular displacement of 180° with respect to the fiber axis (10).
Claim 6
Dependent Claim
58 words
A connector system as in claim 4, wherein the means to hold the two connectors in a fixed position and at an angular displacement of 180° comprise keys (8,9) fixed to housings (3,4) of the connectors, respectively, at 90° with respect to the symmetry line (A-B, Figure 2c) of the recessed portion (21) of the ferrule end face.
Claim 7
Dependent Claim
57 words
An optical fiber connector system comprising : - a connector as in claim 2 or 3, - a connector wherein the end faces of the fiber and of the ferrule are in the same plane perpendicular to the fiber axis, and - means (6-9,11,12) to hold the two connectors in a fixed position opposite to each other.
Claim 8
Independent Claim
66 words
A method for manufacturing a connector as in any of the claims 1 to 3, wherein an optical fiber connector having its fiber end face and its ferrule end face arranged in the same plane perpendicular to the fiber axis, is polished by means of a polishing tool, thereby removing a portion of the ferrule and of the fiber and producing an inclined fiber end face.
Claim 9
Dependent Claim
38 words
A method as in claim 7, wherein: the polishing tool has cylindrical shape, the cylinder rotates during polishing around its cylinder axis, and this axis has an inclination with respect to a plane perpendicular to the fiber axis.
Claim 10
Dependent Claim
26 words
A method as in claim 7, wherein the polishing tool has spherical shape and the centre of the sphere does not coincide with the fiber axis.
Claim 11
Dependent Claim
22 words
A method as in claim 7, wherein the polishing tool is a wheel which is furnished with abrasive material on its circumference.
References Cited (Backward Citations)
US4839993A
Cited
EP0246166A1
Cited
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