US5475784A
Expired / Lapsed
US
⏱️ 0.0 years remaining
Method of encapsulating optical components and products produced by that method
Assignee: Corning Inc
•
Filing: 1995-01-27
•
Granted: 1995-12-12
•
Expires: 2015-01-27
Abstract
Abstract A method of encapsulating an optical component, the component comprising at least partially uncoated organic material, the method comprising: placing molten metal around the optical component, and solidifying the metal. The invention includes encapsulating a segment or element of an optical component, such as, for example, an optical junction or a surface. An encapsulated optical component and optical components having sealed or encapsulated elements are also provided.
Inventors
- 👤 Dana C. Bookbinder
- 👤 Thierry L. Dannoux
- 👤 Lung-ming Wu
Bibliographic Details
Application Number
—
Jurisdiction
US
Data Source
google_patents
Last Synchronized
2026-11-10 00:49
CPC Classifications
B; B22; B22D; B22D19/00; B22D19/14; G; G02; G02B; G02B6/00; G02B6/24; G02B6/26; G02B6/30; G02B6/36; G02B6/38; G02B6/3807; G02B6/3833; G02B6/3855; G02B6/44; G02B6/4401; G02B6/4415; G02B6/4427; G02B6/4428
Claims Analysis
Total Claims: 9
Claim 1
Independent Claim
56 words
An encapsulated optical component comprising: an optical component encased in low-melting metal, the optical component prior to encapsulation comprising at least partially uncoated organic material, in which the low-melting metal is selected from the group consisting of the following alloys and mixtures thereof: 58/58, 95/95, 93/87, 137/96, 138/138, 115/95, 133/96, 167/120, 180/96, 118/118, 130/121, and 93/93.
Claim 2
Dependent Claim
56 words
An encapsulated optical component comprising: an optical component encased in low-melting metal, the optical component prior to encapsulation comprising at least partially uncoated organic material, in which the low-melting metal is selected from the group consisting of the following alloys and mixtures thereof: 58/58, 95/95, 93/87, 137/96, 138/138, 115/95, 133/96, 167/120, 180/96, 118/118, 130/121, and 93/93.
Claim 3
Dependent Claim
16 words
The encapsulated optical component of claim 1, wherein the optical component is an optical fiber coupler.
Claim 4
Dependent Claim
15 words
The encapsulated optical component of claim 1, wherein the optical component is a planar coupler.
Claim 5
Dependent Claim
22 words
The encapsulated optical component of claim 1, wherein the metal is selected from the group consisting of alloy 93/93 and alloy 138/138.
Claim 6
Dependent Claim
53 words
An encapsulated optical planar coupler comprising: an optical planar coupler encased in metal, the optical planar coupler prior to encapsulation comprising at least partially uncoated organic material, further comprising: protective means covering at least one junction between an optical fiber connected to the planar coupler and a light pathway of the planar coupler.
Claim 7
Dependent Claim
53 words
An encapsulated optical planar coupler comprising: an optical planar coupler encased in metal, the optical planar coupler prior to encapsulation comprising at least partially uncoated organic material, further comprising: protective means covering at least one junction between an optical fiber connected to the planar coupler and a light pathway of the planar coupler.
Claim 8
Dependent Claim
34 words
The encapsulated planar coupler of claim 5 wherein the protective means cover that segment of at least one optical fiber connected to the planar coupler which segment is not covered by a fiber coating.
Claim 9
Dependent Claim
16 words
The optical component of claim 1 further comprising: at least one optical junction encased in metal.
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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) | 1998-12-11 | 1999-06-12 | 1999-12-12 | $2000.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 7.5 Years (Year 8) | 2002-12-11 | 2003-06-12 | 2003-12-12 | $3760.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 11.5 Years (Year 12) | 2006-12-11 | 2007-06-12 | 2007-12-12 | $7700.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |