Low profile local injection and detection system for optical fiber waveguides
First Claim
1. A system for assessing the transmission of light between a first optical fiber and a second optical fiber associated therewith, said system comprising:
- a) a light injector having an injector base attachable to a substrate, and comprising;
(i) an injector cover, at least a portion of which is slidably movable in a plane parallel to said injector base, said movable portion having an open position and a closed position, the open position permitting insertion of said first fiber into said injector;
(ii) an injector window having an entry face and a concave, arcuate exit face;
(iii) an injector mandrel having a shape complementary to that of said exit face of said injector window, and being biased to clasp a portion of said first optical fiber in intimate contact between said injector mandrel and said exit face of said injector window, said injector mandrel being reversibly retractable from said exit face in response to motion of said injector cover from the closed position to the open position thereof;
(iv) a light source positioned proximate said entry face of said injector window, whereby light emanating from said source passes through said injector window into said first fiber at said exit face; and
(v) said first fiber entering said injector in an entry direction and emerging from said injector in an exit direction, said entry and exit directions being substantially parallel, and said first fiber traversing a path through said injector substantially in a plane parallel to said injector base;
b) A light detector having a detector base attachable to said substrate and comprising;
(i) an detector cover, at least a portion of which is slidably movable in a plane parallel to said detector base, said movable portion having an open position and a closed position, the open position permitting insertion of said second fiber into said detector;
(ii) a detector window having a concave, arcuate entry face and an exit face;
(iii) a detector mandrel having a shape complementary to that of said entry face of said detector window, said detector mandrel being biased to clasp a portion of said second optical fiber in intimate contact between said detector mandrel and said entry face of said detector window, and said detector mandrel being reversibly retractable from said entry face in response to motion of said detector cover from the closed position to the open position thereof;
(iv) a light responsive element to detect light emerging from said fiber, said light responsive element being positioned proximate said exit face, whereby light emanating from said fiber at said entry face passes through said detector window into said light responsive element; and
(v) said second fiber entering said detector in an entry direction and emerging from said detector in an exit direction, said entry and exit directions being substantially parallel, and said second fiber traversing a path through said detector substantially in a plane parallel to said detector base;
c) a driver operably connected to energize said light source; and
d) a receiver for determining the intensity of light incident on said light responsive element.
1 Assignment
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Accused Products
Abstract
A local injection and detection system assesses the attenuation of light propagating from a first optical fiber to a second optical fiber associated therewith. The system comprises a light injector, a light detector, a driver to energize a light source in the injector, and a receiver. Light from the light source is injected into the first optical fiber and propagates therethrough. A portion of the propagating light in the second fiber is extracted onto a light responsive element in the detector. The system is particularly adapted for use in a system for splicing optical fibers, the system minimizing the insertion loss of the joint by optimally aligning the fibers prior to fusing them. In addition, the insertion loss of a joint can be inferred by comparing light attenuation before and after the joint is fused.
The present system is compact and low in profile, enabling it to be used with a fusion splicer that operates with minimal clearance to adjacent equipment and structures. Simplicity of design and operation enable accurate alignment and low loss fusion of fibers for which only a minimal amount of free slack is available.
40 Citations
44 Claims
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1. A system for assessing the transmission of light between a first optical fiber and a second optical fiber associated therewith, said system comprising:
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a) a light injector having an injector base attachable to a substrate, and comprising;
(i) an injector cover, at least a portion of which is slidably movable in a plane parallel to said injector base, said movable portion having an open position and a closed position, the open position permitting insertion of said first fiber into said injector;
(ii) an injector window having an entry face and a concave, arcuate exit face;
(iii) an injector mandrel having a shape complementary to that of said exit face of said injector window, and being biased to clasp a portion of said first optical fiber in intimate contact between said injector mandrel and said exit face of said injector window, said injector mandrel being reversibly retractable from said exit face in response to motion of said injector cover from the closed position to the open position thereof;
(iv) a light source positioned proximate said entry face of said injector window, whereby light emanating from said source passes through said injector window into said first fiber at said exit face; and
(v) said first fiber entering said injector in an entry direction and emerging from said injector in an exit direction, said entry and exit directions being substantially parallel, and said first fiber traversing a path through said injector substantially in a plane parallel to said injector base;
b) A light detector having a detector base attachable to said substrate and comprising;
(i) an detector cover, at least a portion of which is slidably movable in a plane parallel to said detector base, said movable portion having an open position and a closed position, the open position permitting insertion of said second fiber into said detector;
(ii) a detector window having a concave, arcuate entry face and an exit face;
(iii) a detector mandrel having a shape complementary to that of said entry face of said detector window, said detector mandrel being biased to clasp a portion of said second optical fiber in intimate contact between said detector mandrel and said entry face of said detector window, and said detector mandrel being reversibly retractable from said entry face in response to motion of said detector cover from the closed position to the open position thereof;
(iv) a light responsive element to detect light emerging from said fiber, said light responsive element being positioned proximate said exit face, whereby light emanating from said fiber at said entry face passes through said detector window into said light responsive element; and
(v) said second fiber entering said detector in an entry direction and emerging from said detector in an exit direction, said entry and exit directions being substantially parallel, and said second fiber traversing a path through said detector substantially in a plane parallel to said detector base;
c) a driver operably connected to energize said light source; and
d) a receiver for determining the intensity of light incident on said light responsive element. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7)
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8. A compact, low profile system for measuring the transmission of light between a first optical fiber and a second optical fiber associated therewith, said system comprising:
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a) a low profile light injector having an injector base attachable to a substrate, and comprising;
(i) an injector cover, at least a portion of which is movable in a plane parallel to said injector base, said movable portion having an open position and a closed position, the open position permitting insertion of said first fiber into said injector;
(ii) an injector window having an entry face and a concave, arcuate exit face;
(iii) an injector mandrel having a shape complementary to that of said exit face of said injector window, and being biased to clasp a portion of said first optical fiber in intimate contact between said injector mandrel and said exit face of said injector window, said injector mandrel being reversibly retractable from said exit face in response to motion of said injector cover from the closed position to the open position thereof; and
(iv) a light source positioned proximate said entry face of said injector window, whereby light emanating from said source passes through said injector window into said first fiber at said exit face;
b) a low profile light detector having a detector base attachable to said substrate and comprising;
(i) a detector cover, at least a portion of which is movable in a plane parallel to said detector base, said movable portion having an open position and a closed position, the open position permitting insertion of said second fiber into said detector;
(ii) a detector window having a concave, arcuate entry face and an exit face;
(iii) a detector mandrel having a shape complementary to that of said entry face of said detector window, said detector mandrel being biased to clasp a portion of said second optical fiber in intimate contact between said detector mandrel and said entry face of said detector window, and said detector mandrel being reversibly retractable from said entry face in response to motion of said detector cover from the closed position to the open position thereof; and
(iv) a light responsive element to detect light emerging from said fiber, said light responsive element being positioned proximate said exit face, whereby light emanating from said fiber at said entry face passes through said detector window into said light responsive element; and
c) a driver operably connected to energize said light source; and
d) a receiver for determining the intensity of light incident on said light responsive element.
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9. For use in a modular, low profile, fiber optic fusion splicing system, a light injector for injecting light into an optical fiber, said injector having an injector base attachable to a substrate and comprising:
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a) an injector window having an entry face and a concave, arcuate exit face;
b) an injector mandrel having a shape complementary to that of said exit face of said injector window, said injector mandrel being biased to clasp a portion of said optical fiber in intimate contact between said injector mandrel and said exit face of said injector window, and said injector mandrel being reversibly retractable from said exit face;
c) a light source positioned proximate said entry face of said injector window, whereby light emanating from said source passes through said injector window into said fiber at said exit face; and
d) said fiber entering said injector in an entry direction and emerging from said injector in an exit direction, said entry and exit directions being substantially parallel, and said fiber traversing a path through said injector in a plane which is substantially parallel to said injector base. - View Dependent Claims (10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19, 20, 21, 22, 23, 24)
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25. For use in a modular, low profile, fiber optic fusion splicing system, a light detector for detecting light emerging from an optical fiber, said detector having a detector base attachable to a substrate and comprising:
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a) a detector window having a concave, arcuate entry face and an exit face;
b) a detector mandrel having a shape complementary to that of said entry face of said detector window, said detector mandrel being biased to clasp a portion of said optical fiber in intimate contact between said detector mandrel and said entry face of said detector window, and said detector mandrel being reversibly retractable from said entry face;
c) a light responsive element positioned proximate said exit face of said detector window, whereby light emerging from said fiber at said entry face passes through said detector window and thereafter into said light responsive element; and
d) said fiber entering said detector in an entry direction and emerging from said detector in an exit direction, said entry and exit directions being substantially parallel, and said fiber traversing a path through said detector in a plane which is substantially parallel to said detector base. - View Dependent Claims (26, 27, 28, 29, 30, 31, 32, 33, 34, 35, 36, 37, 38, 39)
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40. A light injector for injecting light into an optical fiber, said injector having an injector base attachable to a substrate and comprising:
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a) an injector cover, at least a portion of which is slidably movable in a plane parallel to said injector base, said movable portion having an open position and a closed position, the open position permitting insertion of said first fiber into said injector;
b) an injector window having an entry face and a concave, arcuate exit face;
c) an injector mandrel having a shape complementary to that of said exit face of said injector window, said injector mandrel being biased to clasp a portion of said optical fiber in intimate contact between said injector mandrel and said exit face of said injector window, and said injector mandrel being reversibly retractable from said exit face in response to motion of said injector cover from the closed position to the open position thereof;
d) a light source positioned proximate said entry face of said injector window, whereby light emanating from said source passes through said injector window into said fiber at said exit face; and
e) said fiber entering said injector in an entry direction and emerging from said injector in an exit direction, said entry and exit directions being substantially parallel, and said fiber traversing a path through said injector in a plane which is substantially parallel to said injector base.
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41. A light detector for detecting light emerging from an optical fiber, said detector having a detector base attachable to a substrate and comprising:
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a) a detector cover, at least a portion of which is slidably movable in a plane parallel to said detector base, said movable portion having an open position and a closed position, the open position permitting insertion of said fiber into said detector;
b) a detector window having a concave, arcuate entry face and an exit face;
c) a detector mandrel having a shape complementary to that of said entry face of said detector window, said detector mandrel being biased to clasp a portion of said optical fiber in intimate contact between said detector mandrel and said entry face of said detector window, and said detector mandrel being reversibly retractable from said entry face in response to motion of said detector cover from the closed position to the open position thereof;
d) a light responsive element positioned proximate said exit face of said detector window, whereby light emerging from said fiber at said the arcuate entry face passes through said detector window and thereafter into said light responsive element; and
e) said fiber entering said detector in an entry direction and emerging from said detector in an exit direction, said entry and exit directions being substantially parallel, and said fiber traversing a path through said detector in a plane which is substantially parallel to said detector base. - View Dependent Claims (42)
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43. A method of assessing the attenuation of light transmitted between a first optical fiber and a second optical fiber associated therewith, the method comprising:
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a) providing a compact, low profile, local injection and detection system comprising a light injector and a light detector mounted in a housing in a common plane, wherein each of said light injector and said light detector has a slidably movable cover, each of said covers being reversibly movable in a direction parallel to said plane to open and close each of said injector and detector;
b) placing the first optical fiber into said light injector and the second optical fiber into said light detector;
c) injecting light into said first optical fiber using said light injector;
d) detecting, using said light detector, the intensity of light transmitted from said first fiber to said second fiber; and
e) inferring the attenuation of light passing from the first fiber to the second fiber from the intensity of light detected by the light detector. - View Dependent Claims (44)
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Specification