Patent US4925266A successfully refreshed from Google Patents.
US4925266A
Expired / Lapsed
US
⏱️ 0.0 years remaining
Optical sleeve or insert apparatus
Assignee: Individual
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Filing: 1989-02-23
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Granted: 1990-05-15
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Expires: 2009-02-23
Abstract
Abstract An insert or sleeve is fabricated from a glass-like material as a mica-filled glass and is of a longitudinal tubular configuration having a flat front surface with an aperture for accommodating a glass optical fiber. The aperture is coextensive with a fiber accommodating channel in said insert. The insert is surrounded and anchored into an outer plastic ferrule and a fiber when accommodated in said channel is broken at said surface which surface and fiber face are then polished to assure an optically smooth and polished fiber face which is free from debris damage during polishing.
Inventors
- 👤 Laszlo Huebscher
- 👤 Carmen Lanzetta
Bibliographic Details
Application Number
—
Jurisdiction
US
Data Source
google_patents
Last Synchronized
2026-11-08 20:34
CPC Classifications
G; G02; G02B; G02B6/00; G02B6/24; G02B6/245; G02B6/36; G02B6/38; G02B6/3807; G02B6/3833; G02B6/3834; G02B6/3835; G02B6/3865; G02B6/3854; G02B6/3863
Claims Analysis
Total Claims: 19
Claim 1
Independent Claim
208 words
Insert apparatus having a channel for accommodating an optical fiber formed of a first material, said fiber having a face, said apparatus comprising a tubular member fabricated from a second material, different than said first material, exhibiting compatible polishing and thermal properties with that of said first material to enable polishing of said fiber face when said fiber is accommodated in said channel of said insert, said second material of said insert comprising a material which polishes at relatively the same rate as said first material and which when polished produces debris which is similar in abrasiveness to said first material so as to be incapable of damaging said optical fiber face, said insert having a front surface of a given size and shape and having an aperture coextensive with said fiber accommodating channel to enable said fiber to be placed in said channel with the face of said fiber fixedly positioned at said front surface and polished at said front surface to produce an optically smooth and flat fiber surface, said optically smooth and flat fiber surface being in the same exact plane as said front surface of said insert due to the combined simultaneous polishing of said fiber face and said front surface of said insert.
Claim 2
Dependent Claim
208 words
Insert apparatus having a channel for accommodating an optical fiber formed of a first material, said fiber having a face, said apparatus comprising a tubular member fabricated from a second material, different than said first material, exhibiting compatible polishing and thermal properties with that of said first material to enable polishing of said fiber face when said fiber is accommodated in said channel of said insert, said second material of said insert comprising a material which polishes at relatively the same rate as said first material and which when polished produces debris which is similar in abrasiveness to said first material so as to be incapable of damaging said optical fiber face, said insert having a front surface of a given size and shape and having an aperture coextensive with said fiber accommodating channel to enable said fiber to be placed in said channel with the face of said fiber fixedly positioned at said front surface and polished at said front surface to produce an optically smooth and flat fiber surface, said optically smooth and flat fiber surface being in the same exact plane as said front surface of said insert due to the combined simultaneous polishing of said fiber face and said front surface of said insert.
Claim 3
Dependent Claim
20 words
The insert apparatus of claim 1 additionally comprising anchoring means for rigidly securing said insert apparatus to a surrounding ferrule.
Claim 4
Dependent Claim
13 words
The insert apparatus of claim 1 wherein said fiber is a glass fiber.
Claim 5
Dependent Claim
21 words
The insert apparatus of claim 3 wherein said second material is selected from a mica-glass material or a mica-filled ceramic material.
Claim 6
Dependent Claim
14 words
The insert apparatus of claim 3 wherein said second material comprises an engineering plastic.
Claim 7
Dependent Claim
15 words
The insert apparatus of claim 5 wherein said engineering plastic is glass and mica filled.
Claim 8
Dependent Claim
43 words
The insert apparatus of claim 2 wherein said ferrule is tubular and of cylindrical cross section and surrounds at least a portion of said tubular member, said ferrule having a longitudinal central axis, said aperture in said insert being concentric with said ferrule.
Claim 9
Dependent Claim
13 words
The insert apparatus of claim 7 wherein said ferrule comprises an engineering plastic.
Claim 10
Dependent Claim
16 words
The insert apparatus of claim 8 wherein said engineering plastic is a liquid crystal polymer plastic.
Claim 11
Dependent Claim
68 words
The insert apparatus of claim 1 additionally comprising an annular flange located on said front surface of said tubular member contiguous with and surrounding said aperture, said flange being of smaller outside diameter than that of said tubular member and providing a polishing reference surface to enable said flange to be polished away with said fiber positioned within said aperture to provide said optically smooth and flat surface.
Claim 12
Dependent Claim
15 words
The insert apparatus of claim 10 wherein said annular flange comprises a tapered peripheral sidewall.
Claim 13
Dependent Claim
20 words
The insert apparatus of claim 10 additionally comprising anchoring means for rigidly securing said insert apparatus to a surrounding ferrule.
Claim 14
Dependent Claim
20 words
The insert apparatus of claim 1 wherein said first material is formable to facilitate the fabrication of said tubular member.
Claim 15
Dependent Claim
12 words
The insert apparatus of claim 12 wherein said first material is moldable.
Claim 16
Dependent Claim
56 words
The insert apparatus of claim 2 wherein said tubular member has a front section and an integral rear section, said front section being a given length and a given outer diameter, said rear section being of a lesser outer diameter and having a channel coextensive with said fiber accommodating channel through which said optical fiber passes.
Claim 17
Dependent Claim
18 words
The insert apparatus of claim 15 wherein said rear section of said tubular member comprises said anchoring means.
Claim 18
Dependent Claim
18 words
The insert apparatus of claim 16 wherein said anchoring means comprises a flared portion of said rear section.
Claim 19
Dependent Claim
35 words
The insert apparatus of claim 17 wherein said channel in said rear section is of a larger inner diameter than said channel in said front section to accommodate a sheathing layer of said optical fiber.
References Cited (Backward Citations)
USPTO Annuity & Maintenance Windows
| Annuity Stage | Window Opens | Payment Deadline | Surcharge Period Until | Estimated Fee | Status |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 3.5 Years (Year 4) | 1993-05-14 | 1993-11-13 | 1994-05-15 | $2000.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 7.5 Years (Year 8) | 1997-05-14 | 1997-11-13 | 1998-05-15 | $3760.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 11.5 Years (Year 12) | 2001-05-14 | 2001-11-13 | 2002-05-15 | $7700.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |