US4183615A
Expired / Lapsed
US
⏱️ 0.0 years remaining
Couplings and terminals for optical waveguides
Assignee: Smiths Group PLC
•
Filing: 1977-03-18
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Granted: 1980-01-15
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Expires: 1997-03-18
Abstract
Abstract An optical waveguide coupling comprises a connector having a longitudinal bore and a pair of optical waveguides, for example, optical fibres, whose ends are disposed in opposite ends of the longitudinal bore with the waveguide ends optically coupled to one another. The connector comprises a generally tubular body and a multiplicity of flexible elongate members mounted on the tubular body and extending longitudinally therethrough to define the longitudinal bore, the elongate members being spaced apart around the tubular body and being individually displaceable towards the tubular body. The flexible elongate members are displaced towards the tubular body by the ends of the optical waveguides and resiliently engage the ends of the optical waveguides to maintain them in alignment with one another. The optical waveguide coupling may form part of an optical waveguide terminal comprising a housing in which is mounted a connector as aforesaid and a lens means for transmitting light from an end of one of the waveguides. In these circumstances, an end of the waveguides remote from the other of the waveguides is disposed at a focal point of the lens means.
Inventors
- 👤 Derek A. Rush
Bibliographic Details
Application Number
—
Jurisdiction
US
Data Source
google_patents
Last Synchronized
2026-10-31 17:27
CPC Classifications
G; G02; G02B; G02B6/00; G02B6/24; G02B6/36; G02B6/38; G02B6/3801; G02B6/26; G02B6/32; G02B6/3807; G02B6/3873; G02B6/3882; G02B6/3887; G02B6/3888; G02B6/3889
Claims Analysis
Total Claims: 29
Claim 1
Independent Claim
122 words
An optical waveguide coupling comprising a connector having a longitudinal bore and a pair of optical waveguides whose ends are disposed in opposite ends of the longitudinal bore with the waveguide ends optically coupled to one another, wherein the connector comprises a generally tubular body and a multiplicity of flexible elongate members mounted on the tubular body and extending longitudinally therethrough to define the said longitudinal bore, the elongate members being spaced apart around the tubular body and being individually displaceable towards the tubular body, and wherein the flexible elongate members are displaced towards the tubular body by the said ends of the optical waveguides and resiliently engage the ends of the optical waveguides to maintain them in alignment with one another.
Claim 2
Dependent Claim
122 words
An optical waveguide coupling comprising a connector having a longitudinal bore and a pair of optical waveguides whose ends are disposed in opposite ends of the longitudinal bore with the waveguide ends optically coupled to one another, wherein the connector comprises a generally tubular body and a multiplicity of flexible elongate members mounted on the tubular body and extending longitudinally therethrough to define the said longitudinal bore, the elongate members being spaced apart around the tubular body and being individually displaceable towards the tubular body, and wherein the flexible elongate members are displaced towards the tubular body by the said ends of the optical waveguides and resiliently engage the ends of the optical waveguides to maintain them in alignment with one another.
Claim 3
Dependent Claim
34 words
An optical waveguide coupling according to claim 1, wherein the ends of each of the flexible elongate members are angularly displaced with respect to one another about the longitudinal axis of the tubular body.
Claim 4
Dependent Claim
32 words
An optical waveguide coupling according to claim 2, wherein the ends of each of the flexible elongate members are displaced in the same sense about the longitudinal axis of the tubular body.
Claim 5
Dependent Claim
18 words
An optical waveguide coupling according to claim 1, wherein the flexible elongate members extend parallel to one another.
Claim 6
Dependent Claim
17 words
An optical waveguide coupling according to claim 1, wherein the flexible elongate members are of circular cross-section.
Claim 7
Dependent Claim
16 words
An optical waveguide coupling according to claim 1, wherein the flexible elongate members are of metal.
Claim 8
Dependent Claim
16 words
An optical waveguide coupling according to claim 1, wherein the optical waveguides are of circular cross-section.
Claim 9
Dependent Claim
15 words
An optical waveguide coupling according to claim 1 wherein the optical waveguides comprise optical fibres.
Claim 10
Dependent Claim
24 words
An optical waveguide coupling according to claim 1, including means engaging the ends of the optical waveguides to anchor them in the said connector.
Claim 11
Dependent Claim
31 words
An optical waveguide coupling according to claim 9, wherein the said anchorage means comprises a sleeve of heat-shrinkable material heat-shrunk on to the connector and the ends of the optical waveguides.
Claim 12
Dependent Claim
46 words
An optical waveguide coupling according to claim 9, wherein the said anchorage means comprises tubular portions of a deformable material provided on the connector and through which the ends of the optical waveguides extend, the tubular portions being deformed to grip the ends of optical waveguides.
Claim 13
Dependent Claim
23 words
An optical waveguide coupling according to claim 1, wherein one of the optical waveguides terminates adjacent one end of the said longitudinal bore.
Claim 14
Independent Claim
131 words
A method of coupling a pair of optical waveguides, comprising forming a connector having a longitudinal bore in which a pair of optical waveguides are to be optically coupled to one another, the connector having a generally tubular body and a multiplicity of flexible elongate members mounted on the tubular body and extending longitudinally therethrough to define the said longitudinal bore, the said elongate members being spaced apart around the tubular body and being individually displaceable towards the tubular body, and displacing the said elongate members towards the said tubular body by inserting the ends of the said optical waveguides into respective ends of the said longitudinal bore to cause the said elongate members resiliently to engage the ends of the optical waveguides and maintain them in alignment with one another.
Claim 15
Independent Claim
131 words
A method of coupling a pair of optical waveguides, comprising forming a connector having a longitudinal bore in which a pair of optical waveguides are to be optically coupled to one another, the connector having a generally tubular body and a multiplicity of flexible elongate members mounted on the tubular body and extending longitudinally therethrough to define the said longitudinal bore, the said elongate members being spaced apart around the tubular body and being individually displaceable towards the tubular body, and displacing the said elongate members towards the said tubular body by inserting the ends of the said optical waveguides into respective ends of the said longitudinal bore to cause the said elongate members resiliently to engage the ends of the optical waveguides and maintain them in alignment with one another.
Claim 16
Dependent Claim
136 words
A terminal for an optical waveguide, including a connector comprising a generally tubular body and a multiplicity of flexible elongate members mounted on the body, the flexible elongate members being spaced apart around the body and extending longitudinally therethrough to define a longitudinal bore in which one end of an optical waveguide is to be anchored, lens means for transmitting light from one end of the waveguide, and a housing in which the connector and lens means are mounted, wherein the terminal includes an elongate optical member for optically coupling a said waveguide to the lens means, one end of said optical member extending partially through the longitudinal bore of the connector and being resiliently engaged by the flexible elongate members while the other end thereof is disposed at a focal point of the lens means.
Claim 17
Dependent Claim
136 words
A terminal for an optical waveguide, including a connector comprising a generally tubular body and a multiplicity of flexible elongate members mounted on the body, the flexible elongate members being spaced apart around the body and extending longitudinally therethrough to define a longitudinal bore in which one end of an optical waveguide is to be anchored, lens means for transmitting light from one end of the waveguide, and a housing in which the connector and lens means are mounted, wherein the terminal includes an elongate optical member for optically coupling a said waveguide to the lens means, one end of said optical member extending partially through the longitudinal bore of the connector and being resiliently engaged by the flexible elongate members while the other end thereof is disposed at a focal point of the lens means.
Claim 18
Dependent Claim
24 words
A terminal according to claim 14, wherein the longitudinal axis of the said bore passes through the said focal point of the lens means.
Claim 19
Dependent Claim
19 words
A terminal according to claim 14, wherein the said other end of the optical member projects from the connector.
Claim 20
Dependent Claim
32 words
A terminal according to claim 14, wherein the ends of each of the said flexible elongate members are displaced with respect to one another about the longitudinal axis of the tubular body.
Claim 21
Dependent Claim
30 words
A terminal according to claim 17, wherein the ends of each of the flexible elongate members are displaced in the same sense about the longitudinal axis of the tubular body.
Claim 22
Dependent Claim
16 words
A terminal according to claim 18, wherein the flexible elongate members extend parallel to one another.
Claim 23
Dependent Claim
15 words
A terminal according to claim 14, wherein the flexible elongate members are of circular cross-section.
Claim 24
Dependent Claim
14 words
A terminal according to claim 14, wherein the lens means comprises a biconvex lens.
Claim 25
Dependent Claim
15 words
A terminal according to claim 14, wherein the elongate optical member comprises an optical fibre.
Claim 26
Dependent Claim
180 words
An optical waveguide coupling comprising a pair of terminals for respective optical waveguides having means to permit the terminals to be optically coupled to, and uncoupled from, one another, each terminal including a connector comprising a generally tubular body and a multiplicity of flexible elongate members mounted on the body, the flexible elongate members being spaced apart around the body and extending longitudinally therethrough to define a longitudinal bore in which an end of a respective said optical waveguide is to be anchored, lens means for transmitting light from one end of a respective said waveguide, and a housing in which the respective connector and lens means are mounted, wherein each terminal includes an elongate optical member mounted in its connector for optically coupling a said waveguide to the lens means of that terminal, one end of said elongate optical member extending partially through the longitudinal bore of its respective connector and being resiliently engaged by the flexible elongate members of that connector while the other end thereof is disposed at the focal point of the respective said lens means.
Claim 27
Dependent Claim
180 words
An optical waveguide coupling comprising a pair of terminals for respective optical waveguides having means to permit the terminals to be optically coupled to, and uncoupled from, one another, each terminal including a connector comprising a generally tubular body and a multiplicity of flexible elongate members mounted on the body, the flexible elongate members being spaced apart around the body and extending longitudinally therethrough to define a longitudinal bore in which an end of a respective said optical waveguide is to be anchored, lens means for transmitting light from one end of a respective said waveguide, and a housing in which the respective connector and lens means are mounted, wherein each terminal includes an elongate optical member mounted in its connector for optically coupling a said waveguide to the lens means of that terminal, one end of said elongate optical member extending partially through the longitudinal bore of its respective connector and being resiliently engaged by the flexible elongate members of that connector while the other end thereof is disposed at the focal point of the respective said lens means.
Claim 28
Dependent Claim
204 words
An optical waveguide terminal including a connector comprising a generally tubular body and a multiplicity of flexible elongate members mounted on the tubular body and extending longitudinally therethrough to define a longitudinal bore having first and second ends, the elongate members being spaced apart around the tubular body and being individually displaced towards the tubular body, wherein the said terminal further includes a first optical waveguide having one end mounted in the said first end of the said longitudinal bore, lens means disposed adjacent the said second end of the longitudinal bore for transmitting light from said end of a first optical waveguide, a housing in which the said connector and said lens means are mounted, and a second optical waveguide having a first end mounted in the said second end of the said longitudinal bore and optically coupled to the said end of the first optical waveguide, and having a second end disposed at a focal point of the said lens means and wherein the flexible elongate members are displaced towards the tubular body by the ends of the optical waveguides within the said longitudinal bore and resiliently engage those ends of the optical waveguides to maintain them in alignment with one another.
Claim 29
Dependent Claim
204 words
An optical waveguide terminal including a connector comprising a generally tubular body and a multiplicity of flexible elongate members mounted on the tubular body and extending longitudinally therethrough to define a longitudinal bore having first and second ends, the elongate members being spaced apart around the tubular body and being individually displaced towards the tubular body, wherein the said terminal further includes a first optical waveguide having one end mounted in the said first end of the said longitudinal bore, lens means disposed adjacent the said second end of the longitudinal bore for transmitting light from said end of a first optical waveguide, a housing in which the said connector and said lens means are mounted, and a second optical waveguide having a first end mounted in the said second end of the said longitudinal bore and optically coupled to the said end of the first optical waveguide, and having a second end disposed at a focal point of the said lens means and wherein the flexible elongate members are displaced towards the tubular body by the ends of the optical waveguides within the said longitudinal bore and resiliently engage those ends of the optical waveguides to maintain them in alignment with one another.
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USPTO Annuity & Maintenance Windows
| Annuity Stage | Window Opens | Payment Deadline | Surcharge Period Until | Estimated Fee | Status |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 3.5 Years (Year 4) | 1983-01-14 | 1983-07-16 | 1984-01-15 | $2000.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 7.5 Years (Year 8) | 1987-01-14 | 1987-07-16 | 1988-01-15 | $3760.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 11.5 Years (Year 12) | 1991-01-14 | 1991-07-16 | 1992-01-15 | $7700.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |