US4911526A
Expired / Lapsed
US
⏱️ 0.0 years remaining
Fiber optic array
Assignee: Eastman Kodak Co
•
Filing: 1988-10-07
•
Granted: 1990-03-27
•
Expires: 2008-10-07
Abstract
Abstract A fiber optic array is disclosed for use in an optical scanning device. The array includes a substrate and a plurality of optical fibers arranged on the substrate to form a linear array of the fibers. Each of the fibers is received in grooves in the substrate to precisely space the fibers relative to each other. Each of the fibers is adapted to receive light from a source such as a laser diode. In order to increase the packing density of the fibers in the array, the ends of the fibers are etched to decrease the cladding diameter, and the fiber ends of reduced diameter are mounted in closely-spaced parallel grooves.
Inventors
- 👤 Kevin Hsu
- 👤 James C. Owens
- 👤 Sanwal P. Sarraf
Bibliographic Details
Application Number
—
Jurisdiction
US
Data Source
google_patents
Last Synchronized
2026-10-27 22:59
CPC Classifications
G; G02; G02B; G02B6/00; G02B6/24; G02B6/36; G02B6/3628; G02B6/3648; G02B6/3652; B; B41; B41J; B41J2/00; B41J2/435; B41J2/447; B41J2/46; G02B26/00; G02B26/08; G02B26/10; G02B26/103; G02B6/04; G02B6/06; G02B6/3632; G02B6/3636; G02B6/3684; G02B6/3692
Claims Analysis
Total Claims: 15
Claim 1
Independent Claim
148 words
A fiber optic array comprising: a generally planar substrate which is adapted to support optical fibers on a surface thereof, said substrate having a plurality of grooves formed in said surface, said grooves being generally parallel to each other and the pitch of the grooves at one end of the substrate being less than the pitch of the grooves at a second end thereof; and a plurality of optical fibers arranged in said grooves to form a linear array of fibers having first ends in the grooves at said one end of the substrate, each of said fibers having a core and a cladding around said core, an outside dimension of said cladding being less at said first end than at an opposite end whereby the cores of said fibers at said first ends are more closely spaced than the cores of the fibers at the opposite ends.
Claim 2
Dependent Claim
148 words
A fiber optic array comprising: a generally planar substrate which is adapted to support optical fibers on a surface thereof, said substrate having a plurality of grooves formed in said surface, said grooves being generally parallel to each other and the pitch of the grooves at one end of the substrate being less than the pitch of the grooves at a second end thereof; and a plurality of optical fibers arranged in said grooves to form a linear array of fibers having first ends in the grooves at said one end of the substrate, each of said fibers having a core and a cladding around said core, an outside dimension of said cladding being less at said first end than at an opposite end whereby the cores of said fibers at said first ends are more closely spaced than the cores of the fibers at the opposite ends.
Claim 3
Dependent Claim
45 words
A fiber optic array, as defined in claim 1, wherein said grooves are arranged in generally aligned sets of grooves, one set of grooves being at said one end of the substrate and another set of grooves being at said second end of the substrate.
Claim 4
Dependent Claim
28 words
A fiber optic array, as defined in claim 1, wherein the pitch of said grooves at said one end is between about 16 μm and about 150 μm.
Claim 5
Dependent Claim
15 words
A fiber optic array, as defined in claim 1, wherein said grooves are generally V-shaped.
Claim 6
Dependent Claim
32 words
A fiber optic array, as defined in claim 1, wherein the cladding of said fibers has a generally circular cross section, and said outside dimension of the cladding is the diameter thereof.
Claim 7
Dependent Claim
29 words
A fiber optic array, as defined in claim 5, wherein the cladding of each of said fibers includes a tapered portion between said first end and said opposite end.
Claim 8
Dependent Claim
27 words
A fiber optic array, as defined in claim 5, wherein said cladding diameter at said first end is large enough to prevent coupling of light between fibers.
Claim 9
Dependent Claim
26 words
A fiber optic array, as defined in claim 7, wherein said cladding diameter at said first end is between about 10 μm and about 100 μm.
Claim 10
Dependent Claim
128 words
A fiber optic array comprising; a substrate which is adapted to support optical fibers on a surface thereof, said substrate having a plurality of sets of grooves in said substrate, said sets of grooves being generally aligned and extending to one end of the substrate, and the pitch of the grooves in a set of grooves at said one end being less than the pitch of the grooves in another set of grooves; and an optical fiber in each of said grooves, each fiber having a core and a cladding around said core, an outside dimension of said cladding being less at a first end than at an opposite end thereof, and said first end of the fiber being in the set of grooves at said one end.
Claim 11
Dependent Claim
128 words
A fiber optic array comprising; a substrate which is adapted to support optical fibers on a surface thereof, said substrate having a plurality of sets of grooves in said substrate, said sets of grooves being generally aligned and extending to one end of the substrate, and the pitch of the grooves in a set of grooves at said one end being less than the pitch of the grooves in another set of grooves; and an optical fiber in each of said grooves, each fiber having a core and a cladding around said core, an outside dimension of said cladding being less at a first end than at an opposite end thereof, and said first end of the fiber being in the set of grooves at said one end.
Claim 12
Dependent Claim
27 words
A fiber optic array, as defined in claim 9, wherein the pitch of each successive set of grooves increases in a direction away from said one end.
Claim 13
Dependent Claim
38 words
A fiber optic array, as defined in claim 9, wherein the grooves in all of said sets except one set are generally V-shaped in cross section, and the V-shaped grooves are adapted to receive cladding of said fibers.
Claim 14
Dependent Claim
30 words
A fiber optic array, as defined in claim 11, wherein grooves in said one set are generally rectangular in cross section and are adapted to receive jackets of said fibers.
Claim 15
Dependent Claim
23 words
A fiber optic array, as defined in claim 11, wherein the grooves in each of said sets are generally parallel to each other.
References Cited (Backward Citations)
DE2461794A1
Cited
US4076378A
Cited
US4364064A
Cited
US4389655A
Cited
US4405207A
Cited
US4495412A
Cited
US4556279A
Cited
US4590492A
Cited
US4743082A
Cited
US4723830A
Cited
JPS61138215A
Cited
JPS61138214A
Cited
US4750804A
Cited
USPTO Annuity & Maintenance Windows
| Annuity Stage | Window Opens | Payment Deadline | Surcharge Period Until | Estimated Fee | Status |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 3.5 Years (Year 4) | 1993-03-26 | 1993-09-25 | 1994-03-27 | $2000.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 7.5 Years (Year 8) | 1997-03-26 | 1997-09-25 | 1998-03-27 | $3760.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 11.5 Years (Year 12) | 2001-03-26 | 2001-09-25 | 2002-03-27 | $7700.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |