Multi-piece fiber optic component and manufacturing technique
First Claim
1. An apparatus to facilitate insertion of a fiber into a commercial fiber optic connector at a low angle comprising:
- a high precision holder having a first side, a second side, opposite the first side and spaced therefrom by a thickness, and multiple walls therein, the multiple walls each, when viewed from the first side, defining an opening in the holder having a first size at the first side and narrowing to a second size at a location within the thickness, and the multiple walls each, when viewed from the second side, defining a substantially cylindrical opening in the holder extending from the second side to the location.
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Accused Products
Abstract
A method of making a fiber optic connector adapted to receive a fiber bearing unit involves coupling at least one high precision piece, having holes configured to accept an array of optical fibers, to a low precision piece to form a unit, inserting optical fibers into the unit and housing the unit within a fiber optic connector housing. A commercial fiber optic connector of a style constructed to accept a ferrule-like unit therein has a connector housing, at least 36 optical fibers, a low precision piece, and at least one high precision slice having at least 36 fiber holes each adapted to accept one of the optical fibers, the low precision piece and the at least one high precision slice being contained substantially within the connector housing and forming the ferrule like unit.
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Citations
29 Claims
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1. An apparatus to facilitate insertion of a fiber into a commercial fiber optic connector at a low angle comprising:
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a high precision holder having a first side, a second side, opposite the first side and spaced therefrom by a thickness, and multiple walls therein, the multiple walls each, when viewed from the first side, defining an opening in the holder having a first size at the first side and narrowing to a second size at a location within the thickness, and the multiple walls each, when viewed from the second side, defining a substantially cylindrical opening in the holder extending from the second side to the location. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8)
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9. An apparatus to facilitate insertion of a fiber into a commercial fiber optic connector at a low angle comprising:
a piece cleaved from a silicon wafer having a first side and a second side, wherein the piece has internal walls defining holes created by i) performing a Bosch etch on the first side of the silicon wafer to create etch indentations in the silicon wafer, ii) depositing a SiNX stop layer in the etch indentations;
iii) photoresist patterning the second side in alignment with the indentations in the first side, iv) wet etching the second side, and v) removing the SiNX stop layer. - View Dependent Claims (10)
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11. A fiber holder of a size suitable for use in a commercial fiber optic connector adapted to accept a ferrule of a size including a ferrule face length and ferrule face width defining a ferrule face area, the fiber holder comprising:
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a piece having a thickness and edges defining a first surface and a second surface opposite the first surface, the piece further having an array of at least 36 holes, at least some of the holes being adapted for receiving optical fibers, the at least some holes extending through the thickness between the first surface and the second surface, the at least some holes having axes substantially perpendicular to at least one of the first surface or the second surface, the at least some holes having a first opening size on the first surface and a second opening size on the second surface smaller than the first opening size, the second opening size being approximately equal to a diameter of an optical fiber to provide support for the optical fibers inserted therein. - View Dependent Claims (12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19, 20, 21)
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22. A commercial fiber optic connector of a style constructed to accept a ferrule-like unit therein, the commercial fiber optic connector comprising:
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a connector housing, at least 36 optical fibers having first ends and second ends, a low precision piece, and at least one high precision slice having at least 36 fiber holes and an external face, each of the fiber holes being adapted to accept one of the optical fibers, the low precision piece being connected to the at least one high precision slice, the at least 36 optical fibers passing through the low precision piece and into the high precision slice so that the first end terminates at the external face, and the low precision piece and the at least one high precision slice being contained substantially within the connector housing and forming the ferrule like unit. - View Dependent Claims (23, 24, 25, 26, 27, 28)
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29. A method of making a fiber optic connector adapted to receive a fiber bearing unit, the method comprising:
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coupling at least one high precision piece, having holes configured to accept an array of optical fibers inserted therein, to a low precision piece to form a unit, inserting optical fibers into the unit, the fibers terminating in the holes, and housing the unit within a fiber optic connector housing.
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Specification