Method of providing recessed optical fiber ends for use in connector structures
First Claim
1. A connector adapted for providing an optical coupling between an optical fiber and an associated optical element, said connector comprisinga housing member having an opening extending between a rear portion and a front portion through which an optical fiber may be inserted to have an end of the fiber protruding beyond the end of the front portion, said front portion surrounding the opening and exhibiting a rate of wear adjacent the opening which is less than that of a protruding fiber end when both are polished under a predetermined set of polishing conditions,means for permanently anchoring the fiber centered within the opening in the housing member and in said protruding position to prevent relative motion therebetween, and whereupon after the fiber is permanently anchored within the housing member, the front portion of the housing member and protruding fiber end may be ground to provide substantially planar ends which are perpendicular to the axis of the fiber and subsequently polished under said predetermined set of conditions to cause the fiber end to be polished smooth and slightly recessed within the front portion of the housing member as a result of differences in the rates of material removal, and wherein thehousing member further comprises means for maintaining the recessed fiber end axially aligned with, and the planar front portion abutting a support for an associated optical element and for enclosing the interface therebetween to prevent foreign elements from contacting the fiber end, thereby minimizing optical losses, while the recessed fiber end in the housing member results in a small gap between the fiber end and the associated optical element and thereby prevents degradation in optical efficiency as may otherwise result from chipping or scratching of the fiber end due to contact with other members during repeated connections or disconnections or when connected and in use.
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Accused Products
Abstract
A connector structure for separably connecting optical fibers includes a pair of precision sleeves, each of which is adapted to surround one of the fibers such that the ends thereof are in axial alignment. A housing fitted around the sleeves maintains that alignment. After each fiber is fitted into a matching sleeve such that end portions thereof protrude through the sleeve, the fiber is permanently anchored therein to prevent relative motion and the end of the sleeve and fiber combination is ground substantially flat and perpendicular to the fiber axis. The end of the combination is then polished under a predetermined set of conditions selected to be consistent with predetermined wear characteristics of the sleeve and fiber in which the fiber is less wear resistant than the sleeve. During the polishing operation the fiber end becomes convex and recessed within the sleeve. A pair of fibers may thus be optically coupled by butting together the ends of two sleeves within an outer housing. The recess in the fiber end precludes scratching or chipping of the fiber due to contact with other members.
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Citations
24 Claims
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1. A connector adapted for providing an optical coupling between an optical fiber and an associated optical element, said connector comprising
a housing member having an opening extending between a rear portion and a front portion through which an optical fiber may be inserted to have an end of the fiber protruding beyond the end of the front portion, said front portion surrounding the opening and exhibiting a rate of wear adjacent the opening which is less than that of a protruding fiber end when both are polished under a predetermined set of polishing conditions, means for permanently anchoring the fiber centered within the opening in the housing member and in said protruding position to prevent relative motion therebetween, and whereupon after the fiber is permanently anchored within the housing member, the front portion of the housing member and protruding fiber end may be ground to provide substantially planar ends which are perpendicular to the axis of the fiber and subsequently polished under said predetermined set of conditions to cause the fiber end to be polished smooth and slightly recessed within the front portion of the housing member as a result of differences in the rates of material removal, and wherein the housing member further comprises means for maintaining the recessed fiber end axially aligned with, and the planar front portion abutting a support for an associated optical element and for enclosing the interface therebetween to prevent foreign elements from contacting the fiber end, thereby minimizing optical losses, while the recessed fiber end in the housing member results in a small gap between the fiber end and the associated optical element and thereby prevents degradation in optical efficiency as may otherwise result from chipping or scratching of the fiber end due to contact with other members during repeated connections or disconnections or when connected and in use.
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14. A method for optically coupling an optical fiber to an associated optical element comprising
(a) providing a housing member having an opening of a predetermined diameter extending between a front portion and a rear portion for receiving an optical fiber, which front portion surrounds the opening and is characterized by a rate of wear less than that of the fiber when both are polished under a predetermined set of conditions, (b) inserting a said fiber into the rear portion of the opening such that an end of the fiber protrudes beyond said front portion, (c) permanently anchoring together the associated fiber and housing member in said protruded position to prevent relative movement, (d) grinding the protruding end of the fiber and front portion of the housing member to provide substantially co-planar ends on the front portion and on the fiber which are perpendicular to the axis, and (e) polishing the co-planar ends of the fiber and front portion under a said predetermined set of polishing conditions to cause the fiber end to be polished smooth and slightly recessed within the front portion of the housing member as a result of a difference in material removal rates under said predetermined conditions, such that when the front portion is butted-up against a support for an associated optical element and the axis of the recessed fiber is optically aligned with the element, the recess results in a small gap along the axis and thereby prevents degradations in optical efficiency as may otherwise result from chipping or scratching of the fiber end or other members due to mutual contact during repeated connections and disconnections or when connected and in use.
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23. A connector providing an optical coupling between an optical fiber and an associated optical element, said connector structure comprising
(a) at least one tubular sleeve having a circular cross-sectional opening axially extending therethrough, said opening having a diameter slightly greater than the outside diameter of an optical fiber to be inserted therethrough, said sleeve exhibiting a rate of wear less than that of the fiber when polished under a predetermined set of conditions and having an end portion surrounding said opening through which a said optical fiber inserted through the sleeve may protrude, (b) at least one optical fiber inserted through a said sleeve in said protruding position, (c) means for permanently anchoring the fiber centered within the sleeve in said protruding position to prevent relative motion therebetween, and whereupon after the fiber is permanently anchored within the sleeve to provide a sleeve-fiber combination, the end portion of the sleeve and protruding fiber of the combination is ground to provide a substantially planar end on the sleeve and fiber combination which is perpendicular to the axis, after which the planar end is polished under said predetermined polishing conditions to cause the fiber end to be polished smooth and slightly recessed within the end portion of the sleeve as a result of differences in the rates of material removal, and (d) housing means for enclosing the sleeve-fiber combination and for maintaining the substantially planar end of the sleeve axially butted-up against a said associated optical element to prevent dirt and other impurities from contacting the fiber end thereby minimizing optical losses, while the recess of the fiber end within the sleeve results in a small gap between the fiber end and the associated optical element and thereby prevents degradation in optical efficiency as may otherwise result from chipping or scratching of the fiber end due to contact with other members during repeated connections and separations.
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24. A connector adapted for providing an optical coupling between an optical fiber and an associated optical element, said connector comprising
a housing member having an optical fiber permanently anchored and extending between a rear portion and a front portion of the housing and protruding beyond the end of the front portion, said front portion exhibiting a rate of wear adjacent the fiber end which is less than that of the fiber end when both are polished under a predetermined set of polishing conditions, whereupon the front portion of the housing member and protruding fiber end may be ground to provide substantially planar ends which are pependicular to the axis of the fiber and subsequently polished under said predetermined set of conditions to cause the fiber end to be polished smooth and slightly recessed within the front portion of the housing member as a result of differences in the rates of material removal, and wherein the housing member further comprises means for maintaining the recessed fiber end axially aligned with, and the planar front portion abutting a support for an associated optical element and for enclosing the interface therebetween to prevent foreign elements from contacting the fiber end, thereby minimizing optical losses, while the recess of the fiber end results in a small gap between the fiber end and the associated optical element and thereby prevents degradation in optical efficiency as may otherwise result from chipping or scratching of the fiber end due to contact with other members during repeated connections or disconnections when connected and in use.
Specification