US4728169A
Expired / Lapsed
US
⏱️ 0.0 years remaining
Methods and apparatus for optical fiber systems
Assignee: Raychem Corp
•
Filing: 1984-04-19
•
Granted: 1988-03-01
•
Expires: 2004-04-19
Abstract
Abstract Methods, apparatus and articles for systems comprising optical fibers, in particular for feeding an optical signal into an optical fiber through the buffer thereof and for withdrawing an optical signal from an optical fiber through the buffer thereof. Preferably this is achieved with the aid of an optical coupling means which contacts and conforms to the surface of the buffer at a bent portion of the fiber. The coupling means can for example be a resiliently deformable material such as a polysiloxane. In a preferred aspect, the invention provides an apparatus and method for axially aligning , and preferably joining, the ends of optical fibers. The apparatus comprises means for holding two fibers so that the fiber ends are approximately abutting and axially aligned, adjacent means for passing an optical signal into one of the fibers through the buffer thereof, and adjacent means for withdrawing that signal from the other fiber through the buffer thereof. At least one of the holding means is movable to maximize the withdrawn optical signal and thus to align the fibers. The invention also includes novel splices which can be made in this way and novel splicing aids for use in the method.
Inventors
- 👤 Bruce D. Campbell
- 👤 James T. Triplett
- 👤 Richard E. Tylor
Bibliographic Details
Application Number
—
Jurisdiction
US
Data Source
google_patents
Last Synchronized
2026-10-26 03:51
CPC Classifications
G; G02; G02B; G02B6/00; G02B6/24; G02B6/255; G01; G01M; G01M11/00; G01M11/30; G01M11/35; G02B6/2553; G02B6/2555; Y; Y10; Y10S; Y10S359/00; Y10S359/90
Claims Analysis
Total Claims: 38
Claim 1
Independent Claim
103 words
A method of withdrawing an optical signal from a core of an optical fiber, the fiber comprising the core, a cladding, and a buffer, comprising the steps of: bending a portion of the optical fiber about a bend radius sufficiently small such that core light can be withdrawn from the fiber core at the bent fiber portion by using an optical coupler, the buffer having a refractive index greater than the cladding; withdrawing part of the optical signal from the optical fiber core through the buffer and into the optical coupler at the bent fiber portion; and detecting the withdrawn optical signal part.
Claim 2
Independent Claim
103 words
A method of withdrawing an optical signal from a core of an optical fiber, the fiber comprising the core, a cladding, and a buffer, comprising the steps of: bending a portion of the optical fiber about a bend radius sufficiently small such that core light can be withdrawn from the fiber core at the bent fiber portion by using an optical coupler, the buffer having a refractive index greater than the cladding; withdrawing part of the optical signal from the optical fiber core through the buffer and into the optical coupler at the bent fiber portion; and detecting the withdrawn optical signal part.
Claim 3
Dependent Claim
24 words
The method of claim 1, further comprising the step of determining whether the intensity of the withdrawn optical signal part exceeds a predetermined level.
Claim 4
Dependent Claim
23 words
The method of claim 2, further comprising the step of determining a quantitative measure of the intensity of the withdrawn optical signal part.
Claim 5
Dependent Claim
23 words
The method of claim 1, wherein the portion of the optical fiber is bent about a radius between 1.5 mm and 15 mm.
Claim 6
Dependent Claim
14 words
The method of claim 4, the radius being between 3 mm and 8 mm.
Claim 7
Dependent Claim
20 words
The method of claim 1, the optical coupler being transparent and having an index of refraction of at least 1.35.
Claim 8
Dependent Claim
13 words
The method of claim 1, wherein the optical coupler includes a solid material.
Claim 9
Dependent Claim
18 words
The method of claim 7, wherein the optical coupler further includes a liquid material adjacent the solid material.
Claim 10
Dependent Claim
11 words
The method of claim 7, wherein the material is a polysiloxane.
Claim 11
Dependent Claim
14 words
The method of claim 7, wherein the optical coupler includes a resiliently deformable material.
Claim 12
Dependent Claim
18 words
The method of claim 10 wherein the optical coupler further includes a liquid material adjacent the deformable material.
Claim 13
Dependent Claim
25 words
The method of claim 1, the optical fiber comprising a cylindrical glass core surrounded by a cylindrical glass cladding surrounded by a cylindrical polymeric buffer.
Claim 14
Dependent Claim
20 words
The method of claim 1, further comprising the step of feeding the withdrawn signal part directly into an optical detector.
Claim 15
Independent Claim
125 words
A method of feeding an optical signal into a core of an optical fiber, comprising the steps of: bending a portion of the optical fiber having a core, a cladding, and a buffer at the bent portion about a radius small enough such that an optical signal can be fed into the core as a guided mode by passing through the buffer and cladding at the optical fiber portion, the buffer having a refractive index greater than the cladding; and directing the optical signal within an optical coupler and into the optical fiber such that the optical signal passes through the buffer and the cladding and then into the optical fiber core as a core guided signal at the bent portion of the optical fiber.
Claim 16
Independent Claim
125 words
A method of feeding an optical signal into a core of an optical fiber, comprising the steps of: bending a portion of the optical fiber having a core, a cladding, and a buffer at the bent portion about a radius small enough such that an optical signal can be fed into the core as a guided mode by passing through the buffer and cladding at the optical fiber portion, the buffer having a refractive index greater than the cladding; and directing the optical signal within an optical coupler and into the optical fiber such that the optical signal passes through the buffer and the cladding and then into the optical fiber core as a core guided signal at the bent portion of the optical fiber.
Claim 17
Dependent Claim
22 words
The method of claim 14, a bent radius of the bent portion of the optical fiber being between 1.5 and 15 mm.
Claim 18
Dependent Claim
14 words
The method of claim 15, the bend radius being between 3 and 8 mm.
Claim 19
Dependent Claim
13 words
The method of claim 14, wherein the optical coupler includes a solid material.
Claim 20
Dependent Claim
18 words
The method of claim 17, wherein the optical coupler further includes a liquid material adjacent the solid material.
Claim 21
Dependent Claim
14 words
The method of claim 17, wherein the optical coupler is a resiliently deformable material.
Claim 22
Dependent Claim
10 words
The method of claim 19, the material being a polysiloxane.
Claim 23
Dependent Claim
20 words
The method of claim 14, wherein the optical coupler is transparent and has a refractive index of at least 1.35.
Claim 24
Dependent Claim
28 words
The method of claim 14, wherein an angle between the optical signal and the tangent to the fiber at the point of signal impact is at most 20°.
Claim 25
Dependent Claim
26 words
The method of claim 18, wherein the optical fiber comprises a cylindrical glass core surrounded by a cylindrical glass cladding surrounded by a cylindrical polymeric buffer.
Claim 26
Independent Claim
113 words
An apparatus for withdrawing an optical signal from a core of an optical fiber, comprising: an optical fiber comprising a core, a cladding, and a buffer at a fiber section where an optical signal is to be withdrawn, the buffer having a refractive index greater than the cladding; an optical coupler; means for bending the section of the optical fiber against the optical coupler about a radius small enough such that part of the optical signal guided by the core of the optical fiber is withdrawn from the core so as to pass through the cladding and the buffer and into the optical coupler; and means for detecting the withdrawn optical signal part.
Claim 27
Independent Claim
113 words
An apparatus for withdrawing an optical signal from a core of an optical fiber, comprising: an optical fiber comprising a core, a cladding, and a buffer at a fiber section where an optical signal is to be withdrawn, the buffer having a refractive index greater than the cladding; an optical coupler; means for bending the section of the optical fiber against the optical coupler about a radius small enough such that part of the optical signal guided by the core of the optical fiber is withdrawn from the core so as to pass through the cladding and the buffer and into the optical coupler; and means for detecting the withdrawn optical signal part.
Claim 28
Dependent Claim
20 words
The apparatus of claim 24, the core, cladding, and buffer each being cylindrical, the core and cladding each being glass.
Claim 29
Dependent Claim
14 words
The apparatus of claim 24, the detecting means being disposed adjacent the optical coupler.
Claim 30
Dependent Claim
12 words
The apparatus of claim 1, the optical coupler including a solid material.
Claim 31
Dependent Claim
18 words
The apparatus of claim 2, the optical coupler further including a liquid material adjacent to the solid material.
Claim 32
Dependent Claim
11 words
The apparatus of claim 27, the solid material being resiliently deformable.
Claim 33
Independent Claim
106 words
An apparatus for feeding an optical signal into a core of an optical fiber, comprising: an optical fiber including a core, a cladding, and a buffer at a fiber section where an optical signal is to be fed into the fiber core as a guided mode, the buffer having a refractive index greater than the cladding; an optical coupler; means for generating the optical signal; and means for bending the optical fiber section against the optical coupler about a radius small enough such that the optical signal passes through the optical coupler, the buffer, the cladding, and into the optical fiber core as a guided signal.
Claim 34
Independent Claim
106 words
An apparatus for feeding an optical signal into a core of an optical fiber, comprising: an optical fiber including a core, a cladding, and a buffer at a fiber section where an optical signal is to be fed into the fiber core as a guided mode, the buffer having a refractive index greater than the cladding; an optical coupler; means for generating the optical signal; and means for bending the optical fiber section against the optical coupler about a radius small enough such that the optical signal passes through the optical coupler, the buffer, the cladding, and into the optical fiber core as a guided signal.
Claim 35
Dependent Claim
19 words
The apparatus of claim 30, the core, cladding, and buffer each being cylindrical, the core and cladding being glass.
Claim 36
Dependent Claim
12 words
The apparatus of claim 31, the optical coupler including a solid material.
Claim 37
Dependent Claim
18 words
The apparatus of claim 32, the optical coupler further including a liquid material adjacent to the solid material.
Claim 38
Dependent Claim
11 words
The apparatus of claim 32, the solid material being resiliently deformable.
References Cited (Backward Citations)
US3045223A
Cited
US3244075A
Cited
US3412255A
Cited
US3449036A
Cited
US3617109A
Cited
DE2064503A1
Cited
US3800388A
Cited
US3777149A
Cited
US4072399A
Cited
US3883217A
Cited
US3864019A
Cited
JPS5088683A
Cited
DE2409455A1
Cited
JPS50135961A
Cited
US3938895A
Cited
GB1460211A
Cited
US4102579A
Cited
US3936631A
Cited
US3982123A
Cited
US3902786A
Cited
US4136929A
Cited
US4125768A
Cited
JPS5224546A
Cited
US4102717A
Cited
US4142877A
Cited
US4021097A
Cited
DE2626839A1
Cited
US4089584A
Cited
US4135780A
Cited
US4243296A
Cited
US4355863A
Cited
JPS5466157A
Cited
JPS5468648A
Cited
US4277134A
Cited
US4325636A
Cited
JPS54138452A
Cited
US4305641A
Cited
US4234969A
Cited
DE2841133A1
Cited
US4400054A
Cited
DE2849501A1
Cited
US4289398A
Cited
US4302071A
Cited
US4423922A
Cited
US4474431A
Cited
US4398795A
Cited
US4431260A
Cited
US4261641A
Cited
US4373814A
Cited
US4237550A
Cited
US4243297A
Cited
US4378951A
Cited
US4294513A
Cited
US4413879A
Cited
US4268116A
Cited
US4266851A
Cited
US4301543A
Cited
US4317614A
Cited
US4307933A
Cited
US4402568A
Cited
US4441784A
Cited
US4391517A
Cited
US4387954A
Cited
US4449244A
Cited
US4372768A
Cited
US4450554A
Cited
US4421979A
Cited
US4461536A
Cited
US4462699A
Cited
US4473270A
Cited
US4475789A
Cited
US4557552A
Cited
US4473271A
Cited
US4514057A
Cited
US4418981A
Cited
US4474469A
Cited
JPH10444A
Cited
USPTO Annuity & Maintenance Windows
| Annuity Stage | Window Opens | Payment Deadline | Surcharge Period Until | Estimated Fee | Status |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 3.5 Years (Year 4) | 1991-03-01 | 1991-08-31 | 1992-03-01 | $2000.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 7.5 Years (Year 8) | 1995-03-01 | 1995-08-31 | 1996-03-01 | $3760.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 11.5 Years (Year 12) | 1999-03-01 | 1999-08-31 | 2000-03-01 | $7700.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |