Adjustable distributor device for shared transmission of radiant energy

• US 4,150,870 A
• Filed: 07/19/1977
• Issued: 04/24/1979
• Est. Priority Date: 07/23/1976
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Amphenol Corporation
• Original Assignee: Thomson-CSF (Thales SA)
• Inventors: d'Auria, Luigi
• Primary Examiner(s): Corbin, John K.
• Assistant Examiner(s): Lee, John D.
• Application Number:
  US05/817,011
• Time in Patent Office: 644 Days
• Field of Search: 350/96 C, 350/96 WG, 350/96 B, 350/96.15, 350/96.16, 350/96.20, 350/96.21, 350/96.22, 350/96.24, 350/96.25
• US Class Current: 385/45
• CPC Class Codes: G02B 6/2804 forming multipart couplers without wavelength selective elements, e.g. "T" couplers, star couplers
• CPC Class Codes: G02B 6/2808 using a mixing element which evenly distributes an input signal over a number of outputs
• CPC Class Codes: H04B 10/2587 using a single light source for multiple stations

Abstract

The present invention relates to an adjustable radiation distributor for fiber optics networks. This distributor effects distribution of an incident radiation between several optical cables by means of a fixed coupling element of fork shape, the body of which communicates with an optical linking cable. One of the ends of the optical linking cable can be mechanically displaced.

Claims

1. An adjustable distributor device providing shared transmission of radiant energy between an optical feeder cable and at least two optical receptor cables, said distributor device comprising an input connector, N output connectors, and optical coupling means providing a shared transmission of radiant energy from said input connector to said N output connectors;

said optical coupling means comprising a fixed radiation conductor element of forked design, having N legs respectively connected to said N output connectors and ending in a flat entry face, a mixer element made of a single optical fiber having an exit face communicating with said flat entry face, and an optical cable linking said input connector to the entry face of said mixer element;

said distributor further comprising mechanical means displacing said mixer element, for adjusting the distribution of said radiant energy between said legs.

2. An adjustable distributor as claimed in claim 1, wherein the legs of said fixed elements are constituted by optical cables whose first ends are arranged side by side in said entry face while their second ends are connected to said output connectors.

3. An adjustable distributor as claimed in claim 2, wherein said first ends have rectangular sections;

said mixer element having a rectangular section of substantially similar extent to one of said rectangular sections;

said mechanical means displacing said mixer element in at least one direction parallel to one of the sides of said sections.

4. An adjustable distributor as claimed in claim 2, wherein said first ends have cross-sections of circular sector shape;

said mixer element having a circular section of an extent substantially equal to one of said sections; and

said mechanical means causing said mixer element to pivot about an axis passing through the centre of said flat entry face perpendicularly thereto.

5. An adjustable distributor as claimed in claim 1, wherein said optical cable is a deformable element made up of a bundle of optical fibers.

6. An adjustable distributor as claimed in claim 1, wherein said mixer element and said optical cable are combined into a single optical fiber.

7. An adjustable distributor as claimed in claim 1, wherein said legs are constituted by bundles of optical fibers;

said bundles of fibers being connected to said connectors through single fiber mixer sections.

8. An adjustable distributor as claimed in claim 1, wherein said legs are constituted by single fibers.