METHOD AND DEVICE FOR COUPLING OPTICAL WAVEGUIDES

• US 20090148117A1
• Filed: 11/02/2006
• Published: 06/11/2009
• Est. Priority Date: 11/07/2005
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Bison Patent Licensing, LLC
• Original Assignee: ADC GmbH (TE Connectivity Ltd. (United Kingdom))
• Inventors: Laurisch, Steffen
• Granted Patent: US 8,019,191 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 385/135
• CPC Class Codes: G02B 6/4455 characterised by the way of extraction or insertion of the cassette in the distribution frame, e.g. pivoting, sliding, rotating or gliding

Abstract

The invention relates to a method and a device (2; 20) for coupling optical waveguides (8, 9, 12). The device (2; 20) for coupling optical waveguides (8, 9, 12) comprises at least one element (4; 22) for accommodating a cartridge (5; 23). Said cartridge (5; 23) is connected to the at least one accommodating element (4; 22) so as to be movable relative thereto while being provided with at least one mounting element (38) for a coupling element to which at least one of the optical waveguides (8) and at least one other optical waveguide (9) can be connected. The at least one accommodating element (5; 22) is embodied so as to accommodate only said one cartridge (5; 23) while encompassing two guiding mechanisms (30, 31) which allow the at least one optical waveguide (8) and at least one other optical waveguide (9) to be delivered to the cartridge, the two guiding mechanisms (30, 31) allowing the at least one optical waveguide (8) and the at least one other optical waveguide (9) to penetrate into the accommodating element (4; 22) in different directions. In the inventive method, the at least one optical waveguide (8) and the at least one other optical waveguide (9), which run into the at least one accommodating element (4; 22) from different directions, are delivered to the one cartridge (5; 23) via a different of the two guiding mechanisms (30, 31), respectively, and the at least one optical waveguide (8) and the at least one other optical waveguide (9) are connected at the coupling element of the cartridge (5; 23), said coupling element being disposed on the mounting element of the cartridge (5; 23).

Claims

1. A device for coupling optical fibers, comprising at least one receiving element for receiving a cassette, the cassette being connected to the at least one receiving element in such a way that it is movable in relation to it, and the cassette comprising at least one securing element for a coupling element, at which at least one of the optical fibers and at least one other of the optical fibers can be connected, wherein the at least one receiving element is formed for receiving only the one cassette, and comprises two guiding devices, which make it possible for at least one of the optical fibers and at least one other of the optical fibers to be led in to the one cassette, the two guiding devices allowing the at least one of the optical fibers and the at least one other of the optical fibers to enter the receiving element in different directions.

2. The device as claimed in claim 1, wherein the guiding devices are formed as channels with respectively parallel side walls.

3. The device as claimed in claim 1 wherein each of the guiding devices comprises an opening and the openings of the guiding devices are formed on different side faces of the at least one receiving element.

4. The device as claimed in claim 1 wherein the at least one receiving element comprises a clearance and guiding elements, the clearance passing through the receiving element transversely in relation to guiding directions which are defined by the guiding devices in the at least one receiving element, and it being possible for the at least one receiving element to be arranged with further receiving elements, which in each case likewise comprise a clearance and guiding elements and can respectively be connected to a further cassette, to form a module in such a way that the clearances of the at least one receiving element and of the further receiving elements form a guiding channel and at least one additional one of the optical fibers, which is guided in the guiding channel, can be led in by means of the guiding elements to the one cassette of the at least one receiving element.

5. The device as claimed in claim 1, wherein at least one other of the optical fibers which is guided in the guiding channel in a direction opposed to a guiding direction of the at least one additional one of the optical fibers in the guiding channel can be led in to the one cassette.

6. The device as claimed in claim 1, wherein the at least one receiving element is formed in the manner of a plate.

7. The device as claimed in claim 1, wherein the at least one receiving element can be connected with positive engagement to at least one of the further receiving elements by means of at least one latching connection.

8. The device as claimed in claim 1, wherein the at least one receiving element and the further receiving elements are identically formed.

9. The device as claimed in claim 1, wherein the clearance is almost completely enclosed and on one side comprises a flexible, openable wall.

10. The device as claimed in claim 1, wherein the one cassette is connected to the at least one receiving element in a releasable and/or pivotable manner.

11. The device as claimed in claim 1, wherein the one cassette is connected to the at least one receiving element by means of a positively engaging connection.

12. The device as claimed in claim 1, wherein the one cassette is connected to the at least one receiving element by means of a snap connection, about which the one cassette can be pivoted in a connected state.

13. The device as claimed in claim 1, wherein the module is an element of a distributing device used in communication technology, in particular telecommunication technology.

14. A method for coupling optical fibers comprising providing a device comprising at least one receiving element for receiving a cassette, the cassette being connected to the at least one receiving element in such a way that it is movable in relation to it, and the cassette comprising at least one securing element for a coupling element, at which at least one of the optical fibers and at least one other of the optical fibers can be connected, wherein the at least one receiving element is formed for receiving only the one cassette, and comprises two guiding devices, which make it possible for at least one of the optical fibers and at least one other of the optical fibers to be led in to the one cassette, the two guiding devices allowing the at least one of the optical fibers and the at least one other of the optical fibers to enter the receiving element in different directions wherein only the one cassette can be received in the at least one receiving element and the at least one of the optical fibers and the at least one other of the optical fibers are led in to the one cassette, which fibers run to the at least one receiving element from different directions, respectively via different guiding devices of the two provided, and the at least one of the optical fibers and the at least one other of the optical fibers are connected at the coupling element and the coupling element is arranged at the securing element of the one cassette.

15. The method as claimed in claim 14, wherein, in addition or as an alternative, the at least one additional one of the optical fibers (12) is led in to the one cassette via the guiding channel formed by the clearances.

16. The method as claimed in claim 14 wherein the at least one of the optical fibers and the at least one other of the optical fibers or the at least one additional one of the optical fibers are connected at a workplace which is spatially separate from the at least one receiving element, an excess length of the at least one of the optical fibers and the at least one other of the optical fibers or of the at least one additional one of the optical fibers being stored in the one cassette.

17. The method as claimed in claim 14, wherein, before the connection of the at least one of the optical fibers and the at least one other of the optical fibers or the at least one additional one of the optical fibers, the cassette is released from the at least one receiving device and is subsequently connected once again to the at least one receiving device.