Patent US4645923A successfully refreshed from Google Patents.
US4645923A
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US
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Method and device for coupling an optical signal from a first light guide into a second light guide
Assignee: Government of Netherlands
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Filing: 1984-10-05
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Granted: 1987-02-24
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Expires: 2004-10-05
Abstract
Abstract An apparatus for aligning monomode optical fibers utilizes a first optical coupler for injecting light into a straight section of a first fiber through its buffer, a first pin for bending the first fiber downstream of the first optical coupler to convert cladding modes into core modes, a second pin for converting core modes into cladding modes in a second optical fiber, a second optical coupler for withdrawing light from the second optical fiber through its buffer, and feedback control to optimize the amount of light transferred from the first fiber core to the second fiber core.
Inventors
- 👤 Cornelis M. De Blok
- 👤 Pieter Matthijsse
Bibliographic Details
Application Number
—
Jurisdiction
US
Data Source
google_patents
Last Synchronized
2026-10-25 12:20
CPC Classifications
G; G02; G02B; G02B6/00; G02B6/24; G02B6/36; G02B6/38; G02B6/3801; G02B6/3803
Claims Analysis
Total Claims: 21
Claim 1
Independent Claim
152 words
An apparatus for injecting light into a mono-mode optical fiber, which fiber comprises a core (20) surrounded by a plurality of circumferential portions, including a first circumferential portion closest to the core and constituted by a cladding (2) having an index of refraction lower than that of said core and a second circumferential portion which immediately surrounds said first circumferential portion and is constituted by a buffer (3), said apparatus comprising: light source means (21) for producing an optical signal; light conducting means (11) for transferring said optical signal from said light source means into said fiber, said light conducting means having (a) an end surface in contact with a said circumferential portion of said fiber at a straight section of said fiber, and (b) an index of refraction which is less than the index of refraction of said circumferential portion of said fiber with which said end surface is in contact.
Claim 2
Independent Claim
152 words
An apparatus for injecting light into a mono-mode optical fiber, which fiber comprises a core (20) surrounded by a plurality of circumferential portions, including a first circumferential portion closest to the core and constituted by a cladding (2) having an index of refraction lower than that of said core and a second circumferential portion which immediately surrounds said first circumferential portion and is constituted by a buffer (3), said apparatus comprising: light source means (21) for producing an optical signal; light conducting means (11) for transferring said optical signal from said light source means into said fiber, said light conducting means having (a) an end surface in contact with a said circumferential portion of said fiber at a straight section of said fiber, and (b) an index of refraction which is less than the index of refraction of said circumferential portion of said fiber with which said end surface is in contact.
Claim 3
Dependent Claim
101 words
An apparatus as claimed in claim 1, wherein said optical fiber has a near end nearer than another end of said fiber to the location at which said end surface of said light conducting means is in contact with said circumferential portion of said fiber, and wherein between said contact location and said near end of said fiber, said optical fiber is bent by bending means through an angle such that radiating light modes propagating from said contact location are converted in at least one of said circumferential portions of said fiber into modes guided through said core of said fiber.
Claim 4
Dependent Claim
69 words
An apparatus as claimed in claim 1, comprising also light reflecting means (14) disposed substantially in contact with said second circumferential portion of said fiber at said straight section thereof at a location on the opposite said side of said fiber from contact location and positioned for reflecting, back into the interior of said fiber, light passing from said light conducting means through said fiber to said reflecting means.
Claim 5
Dependent Claim
72 words
An apparatus as claimed in claim 2, comprising light reflecting means disposed substantially in contact with a said circumferential portion of said fiber at a straight section thereof at a location on the opposite side of said fiber from said contact location, said light reflecting means being positioned so as to reflect, back into the interior of said fiber, light passing from said conducting means, through said fiber to said reflecting means.
Claim 6
Dependent Claim
28 words
An apparatus as claimed in claim 1, wherein said light conducting means has a cylindrical shape having a diameter not larger than the external diameter of said fiber.
Claim 7
Dependent Claim
28 words
An apparatus as claimed in claim 2, wherein said light conducting means has a cylindrical shape having a diameter not larger than the external diameter of said fiber.
Claim 8
Dependent Claim
49 words
An apparatus as claimed in claim 1, wherein said optical fiber is bent by a bending means within a distance of 10 mm from said contact location and is bent to an angle within the range between 45° and substantially 180° over a radius between 3 and 10 mm.
Claim 9
Dependent Claim
74 words
An apparatus as claimed in claim 7, comprising light reflecting means disposed substantially in contact with a said circumferential portion of said fiber at said straight section of said fiber and in a location on the side of said fiber from opposite said contact location, said light reflecting means being positioned so as to reflect, back into said fiber, light passing from said light conducting means, through said fiber to said light reflecting means.
Claim 10
Dependent Claim
43 words
An apparatus as claimed in claim 6, wherein said light conducting means comprises a material having a hardness greater than that of said circumferential portion of said fiber where said end surface of said light conducting means is in contact with said fiber.
Claim 11
Dependent Claim
49 words
An apparatus as claimed in claim 1, wherein said light conducting means has a longitudinal axis and said end surface of said light conducting means in contact with said fiber is bevelled relative to the longitudinal axis of said light conducting means at an angle between 10° and 20°.
Claim 12
Dependent Claim
73 words
An apparatus as claimed in claim 9, wherein said optical fiber has a near end with respect to said light conducting means and is bent by bending means at a location between said near end and said contact location at an angle such that radiating modes propagating from said contact location in at least one of said circumferential portions of said fiber are converted into modes guided through said core of said fiber.
Claim 13
Dependent Claim
73 words
An apparatus as claimed in claim 11, comprising light reflecting means disposed substantially in contact with a said circumferential portion of said fiber at said straight section of said fiber at a location on the opposite side of said fiber from said contact location, said light reflecting means being positioned so as to reflect, back into said fiber, light passing from said light conducting means, through said fiber, to said light reflecting means.
Claim 14
Independent Claim
185 words
An apparatus for withdrawing light out of a mono-mode optical fiber, which fiber comprises a core (20) surrounded by a plurality of circumferential portions including a first circumferential portion closest to the core and constituted by a cladding (2) having an index of refraction lower than that of said core and a second circumferential portion which immediately surrounds said first circumferential portion and is constituted by a buffer (3), said apparatus comprising: bending means for said fiber, with respect to which said fiber has a near end, for bending said fiber through an angle such that radiating modes guided through said core of said fiber and propagating from said near end thereof are converted into radiating modes occurring in at least one of said circumferential portions of said fiber and light conducting means having (a) an end surface in contact with a said circumferential portion of said fiber at a straight section thereof for outcoupling light from said radiating modes, and (b) an index of refraction larger than that of said circumferential portion of said fiber with which said light conducting means is in contact.
Claim 15
Independent Claim
185 words
An apparatus for withdrawing light out of a mono-mode optical fiber, which fiber comprises a core (20) surrounded by a plurality of circumferential portions including a first circumferential portion closest to the core and constituted by a cladding (2) having an index of refraction lower than that of said core and a second circumferential portion which immediately surrounds said first circumferential portion and is constituted by a buffer (3), said apparatus comprising: bending means for said fiber, with respect to which said fiber has a near end, for bending said fiber through an angle such that radiating modes guided through said core of said fiber and propagating from said near end thereof are converted into radiating modes occurring in at least one of said circumferential portions of said fiber and light conducting means having (a) an end surface in contact with a said circumferential portion of said fiber at a straight section thereof for outcoupling light from said radiating modes, and (b) an index of refraction larger than that of said circumferential portion of said fiber with which said light conducting means is in contact.
Claim 16
Dependent Claim
27 words
An apparatus as claimed in claim 13, wherein said bending means is constructed so as to bend said fiber through an angle between 60 and substantially 180°.
Claim 17
Dependent Claim
27 words
An apparatus as claimed in claim 13, wherein said light conducting means has a generally cylindrical shape and has a diameter larger than that of said fiber.
Claim 18
Dependent Claim
27 words
An apparatus as claimed in claim 14, wherein said light conducting means has a generally cylindrical shape and has a diameter larger than that of said fiber.
Claim 19
Independent Claim
373 words
An apparatus for aligning first and second mono-mode optical fibers wherein each of said fibers includes a core surrounded by a plurality of circumferential portions including a first circumferential portion closest to the core and constituted by a cladding having an index of refraction lower than that of said core and a second circumferential portion which immediately surrounds said first circumferential portion and is constituted by a buffer (13), said apparatus comprising; light source means for producing an optical signal; first light conducting means for transferring said optical signal from said light source means into said first fiber, said first light conducting means having a bevelled end surface in contact with a circumferential portion of said first fiber at a straight section thereof and an index of refraction that is less than the index of refraction of said circumferential portion of said first fiber with which it is in contact; first bending means for bending said first fiber through such an angle such that radiating modes propagating from said bevelled end surface in contact with a said circumferential portion of said first fiber through at least one said circumferential portion of said fiber and towards a near end of said fiber, are converted into modes guided through said core of said first fiber towards said near end thereof; second bending means for bending said second fiber through an angle such that modes guides through said core of said second fiber from a near end thereof adjacent to said near end of said first fiber and facing opposite thereto are converted into radiating modes propagating in at least one of said circumferential portions of said second fiber; second light conducting means having; (a) a bevelled end surface in contact with a said circumferential portion of said second fiber at a straight section thereof for outcoupling light of said radiating modes, and (b) an index of refration larger than that of said circumferential portion of said second fiber with which said second light conducting means is in contact, and means for moving said ends of said first and second fibers relative to one another in response to light coupled out of said second light conducting means so as to maximize the amount of outcoupled light.
Claim 20
Independent Claim
373 words
An apparatus for aligning first and second mono-mode optical fibers wherein each of said fibers includes a core surrounded by a plurality of circumferential portions including a first circumferential portion closest to the core and constituted by a cladding having an index of refraction lower than that of said core and a second circumferential portion which immediately surrounds said first circumferential portion and is constituted by a buffer (13), said apparatus comprising; light source means for producing an optical signal; first light conducting means for transferring said optical signal from said light source means into said first fiber, said first light conducting means having a bevelled end surface in contact with a circumferential portion of said first fiber at a straight section thereof and an index of refraction that is less than the index of refraction of said circumferential portion of said first fiber with which it is in contact; first bending means for bending said first fiber through such an angle such that radiating modes propagating from said bevelled end surface in contact with a said circumferential portion of said first fiber through at least one said circumferential portion of said fiber and towards a near end of said fiber, are converted into modes guided through said core of said first fiber towards said near end thereof; second bending means for bending said second fiber through an angle such that modes guides through said core of said second fiber from a near end thereof adjacent to said near end of said first fiber and facing opposite thereto are converted into radiating modes propagating in at least one of said circumferential portions of said second fiber; second light conducting means having; (a) a bevelled end surface in contact with a said circumferential portion of said second fiber at a straight section thereof for outcoupling light of said radiating modes, and (b) an index of refration larger than that of said circumferential portion of said second fiber with which said second light conducting means is in contact, and means for moving said ends of said first and second fibers relative to one another in response to light coupled out of said second light conducting means so as to maximize the amount of outcoupled light.
Claim 21
Dependent Claim
86 words
An apparatus as claimed in claim 17, comprising first light reflecting means disposed in contact with a straight section of said first fiber at a location on the opposite side of said fiber from the location at which said bevelled end surface of said first light conducting means is in contact with said first fiber, said light reflecting means being positioned so as to reflect light back into said first fiber after passing from said light conducting means through said first fiber to said reflecting means.
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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) | 1990-02-23 | 1990-08-25 | 1991-02-24 | $2000.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 7.5 Years (Year 8) | 1994-02-23 | 1994-08-25 | 1995-02-24 | $3760.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 11.5 Years (Year 12) | 1998-02-23 | 1998-08-25 | 1999-02-24 | $7700.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |